Speed dates to find a mate

Anyone who has ever had to deliver a speech will know that seven minutes can seem like a flash or an eternity, depending on the audience and how much you have to say.

So picking from 10 potential dates the ones you'd like to see again after having only a seven-minute chat should be easy, right?

If you feel daunted about making an impression in seven minutes, think about all the modern dilemmas that speed dating can solve.

- You're a guy out on the town who can't get a girl to give you more than a minute to state your case.

- You're a girl whose nights out involve either extracting yourself from the bloke whom you have nothing in common with, or trying to inflitrate the blokes who stand coolly nursing their beers while they're on the hunt but seem more interested in each other.

- You meet someone and think there's a spark but don't know if they're just being polite or if you've missed an opportunity by not asking them out. And can you ask for someone's telephone number while standing in a bank queue?

Speed dating solves those problems. There's a time limit, so at least you know when the torture will be over if you haven't clicked, you meet 10 potential partners, and each person ticks a box to indicate who they'd like to see again, so there will be no guessing and regretting lost opportunities.

So how do you impress someone in seven minutes?

Frank Granziera, CEO of Blink Dating, says smile, keep it casual and be playful.

"You're here to have fun above everything else", he says, "and while you're having fun, you're attractive to others."

Granziera's advice is to compliment your date casually about something like a piece of jewellery or clothing, and stick to the positive things when talking about yourself.

"Leave the skeletons in the closet for another time", he says. "Keep it light and simple. There's no time for life stories. Go with spontaneous off-the-cuff thoughts and comments".

Take advantage of the two free drinks on the night, but don't have too many "nerve-settlers" before the night starts.

You may think the more charming you'll get, but if you want to make a good impression it's best to keep your wits about you.