I've got an answer for you, James

One of my friends asked me the other day if there was a way to avoid the being sent to the friend zone by a lady. After substantial deliberation, I’ve decided on an answer.

No.

I should, of course, add the caveat that it actually depends. But it depends on information that you can’t know. For example, it is possible to avoid the friend zone if the girl already likes you. But you generally can’t know that. Plus, if you did know that she liked you, you wouldn’t be concerned about the friend zone, but would instead be more occupied with how the heck to ask her out.

This is why I think that you can’t avoid the friend zone: getting sent there in the first place is a function of things that you can’t really control. They’re about who you are and how attracted she is to you. And there’s no way to put up a more attractive front that is both convincing and long-lasting. Lying, while it may be a tempting way to get your foot in the door, won't result in you becoming something she's attracted to in a real way; it'll only allow you to fool her for a limited time (though maybe you just want a night, so this doesn't sound so bad). You may be able to delay the friend zone, but if that's what she thinks of you, that's where you're going to end up.

Those sorts happen pretty quickly—sooner than you realize, probably—and there’s not a whole lot you can do change my mind. I don't want to speak for all women here, but experience tells me that all the ones I know are the same. Tough shit.