Dating coach Damien Diecke outlines seven deadly dating sins that will leave you single

SICK of being single, even though you think you're a player? Turns out there's probably a lot you're doing wrong. Here's how to escape from dating hell.

You might think spending hours on video games is great, your date might not. Picture: ThinkStock

IT'S a scene familiar to many guys - walking into a bar or restaurant ready for your first date and feeling like it's going to be a disaster.

You're trying to remember that funny joke that will win your date over and you realise you forgot to iron your shirt. It's all going wrong.

But fear not because even the worst dater and most unconfident bloke can be a winner if they're willing to put in a bit of work.

According to School of Attraction head coach Damien Diecke, these kinds of men aren't uncommon - they just need a bit of help when it comes to the rules of dating.

Mr Diecke, who became a lifestyle coach five years ago following the end of a long-term relationship, said many men were just unconfident with women.

"In my case my relationship ended badly and it was a case of me being all heart and no spine," he said.

He realised, like him, many men were angry at women for the wrong reasons and they needed to focus instead on fixing things in their own lives.

The love guru said the good news was many guys make a lot of the same mistakes when it came to love and they can all be fixed by just avoiding seven key dating sins.

1. Using the 3-5 day contact rule

According to Mr Diecke, guys not making contact within the first day or two will go straight to dating hell because a lack of contact means women potentially lose interest.

His advice to wannabe Romeos is to strike while the iron is hot.

"Men meet women they like, then wait almost a week to contact them," he said.

"It's almost like a sale in a way, if you want to buy a product and someone wants to sell, you don't wait three to five days to buy it. You're shooting yourself in the foot by waiting."

2. Being boring

Talking about the weather or your job in IT is another big turn off when it comes to finding a potential love interest, according to Mr Diecke.

Instead he suggested picking three things you're passionate about and finding a funny story to tell about it, which indicates you're engaging.

"If the lady isn't interested she will find a way of changing the topic," he said.

In this case, find another funny story - and fast.

You might think spending hours on video games is great, your date might not. Picture: ThinkStock

3. Not taking risks or control

Men who aren't willing to take a leap are likely to stay in the land of singles for some time.

"Instead of asking 'where do you want to go, where do you want to eat' say something like 'I know this great bar'" he said.

Mr Diecke said this not only showed confidence, but also the ability to make a decision.

"Women want a man who's willing to make a decision without running everything by her," he said.

4. Missing signals

Mr Diecke lists this as a costly mistake. He said men should be up front about what exactly they wanted out of a date, which means not talking long-term relationships if all you're after is sex.

He said men who were honest about their intentions generally had a better success rate.

"If a guy wants a steady relationship don't say you want to get married to them on the first date, instead say something like 'I've been single for a long time and I'm ready to meet someone to do that with.' ''

"On the other hand if it's just sex you're after you could say something like you're enjoying being single and having fun. It's about letting her know what you want without putting pressure on her either way."

5. Checking out other women

Guys who look at other women on a date are committing the worst sin of dating.

"Men just shouldn't do that," Mr Diecke said.

"Often guys will be out and chatting to someone they like but break eye contact to look at someone else."

He said this was a romance killer because the lady in question knows exactly when you're looking away and is no longer the centre of your attention.

Taking pride in your appearance may mean you don't get this reaction. Picture: ThinkStock

6. Poor hygiene

Stinky guys who fail to iron their shirts or brush their teeth won't get far either.

Mr Diecke said small things such as clean nails and neat, tidy attire do wonders for the single man's love life.

"The truth is if you smell bad you won't get anywhere fast - ever," he said.

"Women generally have a higher sense of smell and while good scent is amazing, bad smell is just bad. If you have bad hygiene you will stick out like a sore thumb."

7. Sharing too much information

Mr Diecke said a mistake guys often made after coming out of a serious relationship was sharing too much information too soon.

"Women are not your relationship counsellor and this can be a real mood killer," he said.

Instead, he suggests saving this chat for when things start to get a little more serious.

There are boring dates, then there's oversharing. Picture: ThinkStock

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