One of the best things to happen when you see your crush is for them to walk on over and chat with you. Here’s how to make them want to say hi.

Sometimes we’re just too shy to go over there ourselves to say hello. But when you see your crush, all you want is for them to come on over and say something. Knowing how to make that happen without saying a word can be the best thing for you and your relationship-to-be.

But it’s not as easy as you think. You never know what they’re thinking and they could even be the shy type, too. Having a bunch of different methods for getting them to come talk to you can be super beneficial.

Being shy and having a serious crush can be one of the hardest things to deal with

You want nothing more than to talk to them but you just can’t make yourself do it. It’s a tough life to live when you’re shy. Seeing your crush out in public can be both terrifying and exciting at the same time.

And also heartbreaking if you never get the chance to say anything to them. It’s basically like your own brain is fighting itself. While you can’t necessarily completely change your shy behavior, you can learn a few ways to get them to make the first move. [Read: The shy and socially awkward person’s guide to flirting]

What to do when you see your crush so they’ll come say hello

If you’re not really the type to walk up to them and start talking, you’ll need alternative methods to get them to at least say hi. Here are some things you can do to make them want to talk to you.

#1 Wave at them. This is a bit more forward, but not so much as walking over there to talk. It takes just a second to do and they’re more likely to come talk to you if they know you’ve acknowledged them and greeted them in some way.

So just wave at them in a nice greeting. There’s nothing really scary about this unless you’ve never actually met them before. If it brings them over to talk to you, it’ll be worth it. [Read: 10 motivational tips and tricks for shy people and introverts]

#2 Look over at them until they catch your eye. They could be nervous, too. You have to show them you’re at least looking at them in order to make them come over. If they don’t think you’ve seen them, they might not want to chat as much.

#3 Smile at them. Once you’ve caught their eye, the next thing to do is show them a smile. If they’re also a little shy, they could be intimidated by you looking at them. Showing a smile not only gives them the green light, but it eases a bit of their nerves.

Would you want to go talk to someone who doesn’t even look like they want to talk to you? Let them know you’re happy to see them and they’ll be more likely to stop by.

#4 Wave them over to you. If you’re feeling a bit braver or the other moves haven’t worked just yet, flag them down and wave them over. This way, you’re not going up to them but you’re still taking the initiative.

Sometimes that might be what they need. It’s a more direct invitation and they know they won’t be disturbing you if they come over to talk. Remember, your crush could be just as shy as you. [Read: How to talk to your crush and make them fall for you]

#5 Have a friend tell them to come over. We all have that one friend who doesn’t care who they talk to. If that’s the case with you, tell them to go talk to your crush and send them over.

If your crush knows you want to talk to them, it’ll be easier for them to head on over. Plus, they don’t have to know you sent your friend over. They could assume your friend is just trying to hook up two people.

#6 Say something loud enough for them to overhear. And make it something they’d be interested in knowing about. Talk about a band you know they like or even about an activity you know they’re interested in. If you make them want to be part of the conversation as a whole, it’ll be easy for them to come talk to you.

#7 Pretend to be talking about them. You may not even have to pretend much with this one. When people think they’re being talked about, they could want to get involved. So look over at them and then turn to your friend and say something while still looking at them. They’ll get the hint and head over. [Read: 15 easy ways to flirt with your crush]

#8 Get yourself involved with what they’re doing. When you see your crush, and if you’re in a group setting, you can easily position yourself near them. The point is to force them to have to say something to you. This could be with a project at school or just something you’re doing out with friends. Putting yourself right by them will force them to at least say hi.

What to do when they finally come talk to you

Now that you’ve got their attention, how do you proceed? Here are some things you can do to make your conversation a successful one. [Read: How to start a conversation with a crush and completely woo them]

#1 Be prepared. Have some conversation topics ready to go. This way, you can avoid the awkward silence that follows a greeting. In fact, be ready to talk to them in general. You might be nervous and that can often derail an otherwise great discussion. [Read: 25 good conversation starters to try out]

#2 Smile. You want to put them at ease. They could be just as nervous as you are and for that reason, you have to give them some encouragement. Plus, the more you smile, the happier they’ll feel around you and it’ll make them want to come back to chat in the future.

#3 Be friendly. There’s nothing worse than trying to talk to someone that’s shutting you out. Because of that, you have to be friendly and actually engage in conversation with them. The easier it is for them to approach you, the more likely it is they’ll do it again when they see you around the next time.

#4 Joke with them. The best thing you can do when you see your crush is make them laugh. Get them feeling great when talking to you. The more they can associate you with something great, the more they’ll want to keep you around. [Read: How to be funny and make people love your company]

#5 Tell them it was nice to talk to them. This is basically a hint for them to talk to you again soon. Make a big deal about it and tell them it was so great getting to chat and catch up. You can even tell them you want to talk again soon. Doing this gives them the confidence to walk right up to you next time.

That moment when you see your crush is always a great one. You’re excited and anxious and terrified all at the same time. These tips can help you not only get their attention so they’ll want to come chat, but also help you once they finally do.