What is your preferred way of making the first date?  And why?

Personnally I prefer email.  This makes me feel more secure that she has a record of the date and doesnt forget about lil ol me.  Specially when I make the date weeks in advance.  I guess it is also more official and I can give clear concise references. Subsequent dates I find emails, pm's and calls will do cause we have established at minimum a business relationship.  But which I use depends on the lady.

@Krystal, I personally think you got some of the best advice from some of the smartest ladies around.  Some ladies go as far as removing thier number from thier profile on here.

I also prefer email. It gives me time to gather thoughts so i don't get all tongue twisted on a call. Plus cell service where I am isn't all that great. Having to say "what was that" all the time isn't cool. And as you said the date, time, references and all that jazz are written down.

Usually ladies want verification so I do that thru P411 first which will include my email and the details can be worked out there.

I feel safer w/email.  However, my schedule is such that I frequently have blocks of time open up unexpectedly, or conversely, have a time that I thought would be available suddenly vanish.  Thus it keeps me from being able to schedule time via email as much as I would like.

at first, because both parties can respond as their schedule allows.  It is also easier to insure that you have provided the requested info.  However, with that said, I do have concerns about putting too much personal info in an email.  Emails are not secure and I would much rather provide some info via PM or text/phone.  I've been called strange for that, lol.  There is a reason that your bank doesn't send your CC and your pin in the same envelop.  Same with email.  If your account is compromised, or if email is intercepted, the bad guy doesn't have everything he needs all tied up in a bow.  No need to connect all the dots in one place  Right?

Once you have met and established a relationship of sorts, then decide what future communication method works best based on that relationship and lifestyle issues.

On more than one occasion, I have "pre-screened" with a provider; made it clear that I wanted to see her, but wasn't sure exactly when, and asked her to pre-screen me by filling out her contact form (or whatever info she wanted). Then, when time did open up I could phone, text, or email and ask for a "short notice" date when my time became available.