Cinamon said:
Be open with them right from the start, are you giving off the vibes that you want to be in a relationship?
Yup, pretty much it.
Be completely honest with yourself and ask yourself what it is that you want, WHY you want it, and how you should behave to achieve it.
Then, lay your sh*t out on the table, be 100% genuine about it.
I literally sit the girl down and tell her upfront exactly what i'm up for and what i'm not, e.g. not just simply a fvck buddy/awesome connection/great friend i can be down with without bs fake fluff/nothing relationshipy AT THE MOMENT.
It's important to be clear about what you want, but leave that little room for her hope to simmer. I find that if you are too brutal they leave before they've had the chance to invest in the relationship enough.
Yer, you lose some but the ones you keep are generally the most awesome girlfriends you'll have.