(ThyBlackMan.com) Asking a woman for her phone number can sometimes be a difficult, even scary thing. After all, just being in the presence of a woman you are attracted to can be enough to get the old ticker pounding. Add to that her well intentioned, but thorough, grilling of you on your job, job prospects or family and you could have a situation in which you may be happy to just escape with all your fingers and toes in tact. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
If taking things a step further and getting a phone number has always been something akin to risking life and limb with you, this list of tips for scoring 
her digits is just for you. The confidence you gain through them may still put you in danger of losing your heart, but you can probably live without that, anyway.
1. Brush up on your small talk
Unless you can show off your conversational skills now, you can’t expect her to be too excited about talking to you later. Whether it’s current events, clothes or even the weather, being able to talk a little about anything could be the key to something big between you two, and I’m not talking phone bills.
2. Take your time
Personal contact information is understandably sensitive material, especially for a woman, so put in some time before pressing for her number. If not, all your rushing will guarantee is a spot somewhere between telephone solicitors and bill collectors on her do not call list.
3. Listening sends a message
Forget about fingers. When it comes to conversation, some guys check their ears at the door. If you really want to make a connection with a woman, listening is crucial. If you do, she may give you a shot at unlimited minutes, but if not all you can expect is another dropped call.
4. If you use a line, be careful!
Women who respond to lines are less interested in what you say than how you say it, so never take the cookie cutter approach. Showing a little creativity in tailoring a line to the situation can usually mean the difference between reeling in her number and her tossing you back.
5. Don’t talk yourself out of contention
Unless sparks are flying, never force your company on a woman. Instead, let the conversation flow naturally from beginning, to middle and end. If she is interested, her number is probably yours for the asking but lingering too long may have her wondering if you will ever leave.
6. Keep things light, fun and upbeat
Although you can’t assume too many things in a first-time meeting, one certainty is that women want to have fun, so oblige them. Keep your conversations light, fun and upbeat and the numbers will come. If you are lucky, once in hand, you will have all the time in the world to get serious.
7. To get her number you have to ask
As silly as it may seem, all too often men are so concerned with keeping a positive conversation going that they don’t even ask for a woman’s number. We have all let a few keepers slip through our fingers but as much as we want to keep our prides in tact if you don’t get the number what is the point?
Written By Tom Milnes