What opener should I use during the daytime?
A common question that’s frequently asked and one not entirely without merit.
A common answer to a common question is: Use the same openers you use when you go out at night. They work just as well.
You counter: Well, I already tried those. They don’t work as well at Starbucks.
You see, as you first start experimenting with stacked material, you may notice that openers can sometimes feel a bit “off” during the day. Like they’re less appropriate for a daytime setting. I would agree for the most part.
As I was experimenting with different openers early on in my own journey, I had a similar experience. I felt like there was a need for a slightly different approach to make the openers hit more consistently.
In the process of this experimentation, I noticed that I can increase the hook-rate of the openers quite significantly by modifying them slightly. Here’s my recipe:
First step: I looked for openers that seem to have innate power. That means they can hook relatively easily without the element of delivery being essential for them. You’ll often notice that these openers can hook even if you have no delivery at all. A good example of one is the “friend getting married” opener.
Second step: I no longer used these openers as openers but rather as transitions from another opener. That means they are now used as the second routine in my stack. For those of you who know the new OSCA model for attraction, I almost use them now as the “stimulators” in my stack. This brings us to what opener I now use instead.
Third step: I looked for surreptitious, indirect, low-investment openers that wouldn’t raise any flags and can be used at any time. They now take the place of my main openers and they will never telegraph interest on the open. A good example of one is asking for directions to a well-known city attraction that is preferably close by. The easier the response is to your directions-opener, the fewer instances of resistance you’ll encounter from your targets.
Now that I knew what those two are going to be, it was time to try them out infield. Remember, it was important to me not to telegraph any interest on the open. I was able to achieve that by adding the last piece to this puzzle: By actually seeming to be preoccupied with the problem I have on hand. The outside world thought I didn’t care about it because I seemed engrossed in my own world, sort of speak.
A modified Daygame opener, infield example:
A target with respectable replication value walks by (doesn’t notice me). I take my phone out and pull up google maps. I speed up and walk past her, increasing the distance until am at least a few steps ahead. I’m checking my phone. I look right and left sporadically. Looking for the way, I suddenly stop and turn around, facing her but not looking at her. I look to my right, to my left, and I check google maps again. The target has now taken a few steps in my direction. She notices I’m looking for something. A couple of steps before she reaches my side, I glance up for a split second and look at her.
Me: Hey sorry, do you know how I can get to Alexanderplatz from here?
I say half of that sentence with my eyes on my IPhone’s screen, the second half looking right and left into the distance away from her. If I turn the screen towards the target at the right moment so she can see what I’m seeing, she’ll stop. Now she’s involved in my dilemma. Alexanderplatz is a famous square in Berlin and it’s one station away from where we are.
Target: umm yeah, it’s actually pretty close bla bla bla… (remember: the target’s response doesn’t matter)
As I check google maps again and look into the distance. The “regular opener” has to be planted.
Me: Well, it’s supposed to be here somewhere (point somewhere at the screen). I just can’t find it. Damn, I’m supposed to meet a friend there in 15 minutes. He’s actually getting married next week. How do I get there? (It’s almost as if you’re asking yourself. Just mumbling Almost. You keep looking around trying to find the way)
Target: Well, you can take the train from here to this station here bla bla bla.
Me: Thank you, really. I appreciate it. You’re life saver. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go meet my friend.
Now I’m actually looking at her. Expressing gratitude. I say that while almost walking away. I’m waving goodbye, smiling at her. But as the target thinks I’m actually leaving, I stop. I turn around slightly and say -almost as an afterthought- the following:
Me: Actually, you know what? I’m having a bit of a brain fart at the moment to be honest but I’ve gotta ask you this before I leave. Now, I’ve gotta go meet my friend in a second so I can’t wait for long (FTC). But you see, the friend that I’m meeting there, he’s actually getting married next week. The interesting thing, though, is that none of us actually like his partner. And we’ve been arguing about this for the past week. We can’t figure out if we should tell him or not. Should we tell him?
To recap..
Equation: Seem preoccupied in your own world + ask for directions to a well-know, close by location + plant an introduction to a regular opener as you’re trying to figure out directions + use the regular opener while in the process of leaving= smoother opening during the daytime.
Try it. Kill it.
Affection,
@Doc3SR
ps. Check out my new Dedicated Day Game Group....
