There are 4 main levels of noise in sarging environments. Each affect how you communicate and influence your gaming strategy.

Let’s look at each in turn.

1. Insane

This is your big club environment where you have to shout into the ear of the person you are talking to in order to be heard. It often produces the use of body language signalling such as pointing to the bathroom to indicate where you are going. People rely a lot on dancing to express themselves, partly because any detailed discussion is so difficult.

Trying to use intricate pattern language here is almost impossible. Avoid leaning in when you are shouting into the ear of someone you are talking with. Have them move to your ear. Have them move to enter your space rather than you leaning in to enter theirs. That is a sign of supplication and over-eagerness to have yourself heard.

2. Loud

This is a place such as a disco bar where you are not in a club environment noise level so it is possible to talk in some sense. I get this in bars such as Tiger Tiger or the O’Neill’s pubs on a weekend night with the music turned up. It is lively, loud but one is able to socialise even if you have to shout a bit.

This is an environment that lends itself well to cocky and playful techniques. I use playful busting in these areas successfully. It is too noisy to have a detailed conversation but you can run short routines and bust on your target.

3. Social Noise

I like these places for social conversation. Think of your corner bar with background music playing and people sitting at tables having a drink. Think airport departure lounge bar. If you whisper you won’t be heard because the music will overpower the sound level of your voice, but if you speak up you can tell a proper story and get really useful information back from your target to gain leverage. They tend to be places where people are relaxed and socialising in a chatty way so are good for getting people to open up. Pattern language works well in these places.

4. Semi-silent

Think of art galleries, coffee shops with no music, shops and public transport. The noise level here is low enough to talk almost completely uninhibited. You can get into deeper and detailed discussions. However because they lack music, people may feel slightly self-conscious about opening up because other people can hear everything being said.  I like to go the whole way in my use of these environments if I am meeting people in one – I do this by using the environment in isolation and closing e.g. take her to a park and kiss her there after some intimate discussion.

The noise level you sarge in can affect the techniques and approaches you use because noise affects people’s state, their receptivity and their ability to communicate in the way they want. Consider the places you sarge in and ask yourself if the techniques you use are well suited to that environment and whether you might do better by changing your techniques or environment so they suit each other better.

These considerations prompted me to hone my skills, I hope you’ll take them on board if they have not yet occurred to you.

SteviePUA