7 Things Every Wingman Should Know

Picture by glennharper via Flickr

When being a Wingman there are a few rules you should follow:

1.    Know your Role.  When you’re the Wingman – you may already be in a relationship, or maybe you’ve got more game than your friend.  You are there to help – not compete.
2.    Don’t steal the show.  If you are too enthusiastic as the Wingman – the guy/girl you are chatting up is bound to get confused as to who is hitting on them.  Start by introducing yourself & your friend, ask only a couple of generic questions and flip it back to your friend.
3.    Don’t Oversell. If you start to sound like a used car salesman – saying how amazing your friend is and what great features they have – your target is going to leave.  Relax.  Ask some questions to make them feel comfortable, and if there are some commonalities, you can say, “Oh – My pal (lives there/ shops there/hangs out there/loves that band) too.”
4.    Don’t get wasted. You’re both there to have a good time – and a couple of drinks always help to lighten the mood – but no body likes it when someone is obviously tanked and slurring their words.  It’s your job to make sure that you and your friend stay on a nice steady level.
5.    Run Interference.  When someone else starts to approach the guy/girl your friend is chatting to – it’s you job to run interference by either physically blocking them or chatting them up.
6.    Stay as a Group. If there are multiple people involved – it’s best that you stay as a group.  It makes it so that no one feels awkward or unwanted, and everyone stays engaged in the conversation.
7.    Move to a new location.  Moving away from the bar together – as a group – helps to solidify, “We’re hanging out.”  The bar is a transient place where people can slip away easily.