You’re finally with someone special. Now, you want to impress, but how? Too often we measure our feelings against a sum of money spent. But it’s really not about that. It’s about putting some thought into what you do to let that person know that you see them, that you really see them. So, whether it’s your first date or you’ve been together for a long time, bring a little of your own special flair to your next date night.

Do you have a skill?
Can you sing? Paint? Draw? Write a poem? Take a beautiful photograph? Do you have a skill that you can leverage to create something that will show your love that you spent actual time to give them something from your heart? Serenade them with their favorite song. Create a painting for them that they will love. Write a poem to express everything you’re feeling. These are all special ways to show your intended that you care.

Think activity versus gift
One of the best gifts you can give is your time. Spending time together doing something meaningful is far more romantic than flowers. Is your special person a book-lover? Take them to their favorite store and hand them a gift card to spend there and then, while you wait patiently. No tapping your foot! Does your love have an interest in marine biology? A trip to the aquarium followed by a picnic might be the ticket. The key is to be tuned in to their interests and to come up with something you can do together that speaks to those passions. There’s nothing like noticing the details to create that magical spark.

Take care of the details
Be ready for all eventualities by ensuring that you’ve thought of them. Planned a picnic? What if it rains? What’s Plan B? It turns out your date is allergic to shellfish and you’ve booked a table at a seafood restaurant? Don’t let that happen. Make sure you know what you need to know and leave nothing to chance. That attention to detail will be noted and appreciated, even if the words aren’t spoken.

Be confident
Confidence is about feeling good in your skin. So if you’re afraid of flying, a helicopter ride over the city is likely to leave you a sweating, hot mess. In other words, not exuding confidence! In order to make your date feel good, you need to feel good. Pick an activity that allows you to be you, too. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an effort. Don’t just show up after your soccer game, sweaty and gross, and hope that your date will be thrilled to see you that way. But you don’t need to be something you’re not. If they don’t like you for you, it probably isn’t a good match anyway.

Be on time!
This one cannot be stressed enough. Being 10 minutes “fashionably” late may be cute in the world of cocktail gatherings, but when your date is sitting on tenterhooks waiting for your arrival, being late is just off-putting and not likely to lead to romance.

On the don’t list:
Don’t drink too much. That’s just off putting.
Don’t brag too much. About what? Anything. Work, money, friends.
Don’t complain about your ex. At all.

If it’s a new relationship, these are all true, but even a more long-standing attachment needs to be preserved and worked at.

The best first impressions are made when everything seems effortless and fluid, where conversation flows and time flies by in the blink of an eye. If you both are enjoying your time together, that will leave the best impression of all.

Justin Lavelle is the communications director at PeopleLooker.com. PeopleLooker is an affordable and easy way to access public records, search for people and make sure your online date is who they say they are. Find out ages, marital status, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, criminal records and more on PeopleLooker.

Justin Lavelle