I call this syndrome Openerittis!

Its when you cant stop talking about the opener 3 minutes into a conversation.

It happens to the best of guys and it also happens to some women as well.

So what is the cure for Openerittis?

Glad you asked.

It’s amazing, though, how many people will email me and this will be the sum total of their message: “I saw a woman on the street I want to meet and I don’t know what to do. I always think I’ll be able to talk to her, but I’m so afraid approaching women. I feel like a total loser. I don’t really know what to do. Help me, you’re my last chance.”

That’s it. No salutation at the beginning of the email — No “Dear David” or “Hey David” or even “Hi.” They’ll just go right into what they want from me right off the bat.

Also, there will be no name or salutation at the end of the email. It’s amazing how many people out there have no social grace whatsoever. None, zero.

I mean, you’re asking me a question, but you can’t even say hello at the beginning of the message or thank you – let alone identify yourself by name? It actually doesn’t surprise me, because there are so many people out there who who don’t understand the importance — and don’t have the confidence — to say their own name.

I recently did a seminar, at which I stood outside the room and greeted everyone as they came in the room. I did this because I wanted to see how many people would actually stop and introduce themselves to me. While many said “Hi” or “Hey David,” virtually no one introduced themselves by name.

Your name is important. You need to be confident and proud of who you are. Don’t give your power away to anybody else.

Don’t ever send an email to someone without addressing the other person by their first name, and without signing your name at the end. Based on the number of people I see who don’t do either of these things, it almost seems like an epidemic.

For a while, I did a Q&A day on the blog in which I would answer questions from readers in the blog. Do you know that almost no one who sent me questions (or whose question I answered) ever said thank you? I was taking time out to help people, and there was almost no appreciation from anyone. It kind of blows me away.

Becoming good socially can start with things as simple as your email and voicemail messages. On your voicemail message, use your name. Say something like, “Hey, this is David. Thanks for calling . . .”

It is important for all of you to realize that first impressions are everything. If you don’t introduce yourself properly or don’t write an email properly, then that is the first impression you are giving to others about you, your confidence and your social grace.

Sometimes I’ll see a guy on a date who really . . . stands out. The woman he’s on the date with looks hot and sexy.

The man, however, looks like he was just at a Microsoft convention — he’s wearing a Microsoft t-shirt, and worn stretched out jeans up as high on his body as his grandfather’s pants. Then he wonders why he doesn’t get a second chance to go out with this woman.

There is a famous saying that goes, “First impressions are everything.” Make a great first impression, and it could last forever.

Today’s video talks about first impressions, and what women really desire from a man in terms of fashion.

Enjoy . . . and have a great Saturday!

Here is what is amazing: when you go out there all day long and start looking at your neighborhood, observing and talking to people, you’ll start to enjoy your life just a little bit more.

Maybe you walk into a museum, or a clothing store, or a furniture store – whatever it may be – what you need to do is gather information. You’re learning about things that you’ve never learned about before. Learning new things makes you memorable to other people.

Today, in LA, we went into this great furniture store and we saw this cool Arne Jacobsen Egg chair. You’ve seen that chair a few times and you’ve been interested in it. And three months down the road – and this will happen, because that’s how life works – you will go to a party and the host will have that chair.

Everybody is going to look around and say, “wow, that chair is really cool,” and then you’ll be able to say, “yeah, it’s a very famous mid-century designer” because of what you learned today.

All of a sudden, the conversation starts to go to YOU. You become the guy that is the expert. You are able to contribute to the conversation, and you will become the leader of that discussion.

All of the information that you pick up every day is information you can use anytime.

Todays video is part two of a live street meeting with a few dutch women in Amsterdam.