Online Dating Advice

These tips will help you navigate the online personals terrain safely, so that with just a few clicks of your mouse and some common sense tips, you’ll find exactly what you are looking for:

Dating Advice #1 – Stay Positive and Pace Yourself!
When e-mailing and IM-ing (Instant Messaging) with others, be positive, upbeat and honest. Just like when you’re meeting people for the first time in "real life," it’s never a good idea to bombard someone with the unadulterated story of your life complete with every road bump and detour. Keep the honesty, but don’t overwhelm your online friend with too much information too soon. Pace yourself!

Dating Advice #2 – Photos are Powerful!
Pictures say a thousand words. Include one! Profiles that include photos get many more responses than text-only ones!

Dating Advice #3 – Demonstrate Why You’re Unique
Round out your profile with interesting information that highlights your unique personality, background and interests. Everyone enjoys walks on the beach and snuggling up by the fireplace…. so go beyond the ordinary and offer up detail on authors you’re inspired by, places you’ve visited or dreamed about seeing, etc. Go beyond the ordinary and you’ll reap the rewards!

Dating Advice #4 – Meet People at Your Own Pace
Don’t feel pressured to meet face to face before you’re ready. Men usually do better when they let women control the pace of the online relationship, since a woman may need a little more time to feel safe. Men would do well to let women know they are interested in meeting face-to-face, but then to step back and let the woman say when.

Dating Advice #5 – Close the Deal!
After you meet someone that you like, cinch a second meeting after the date, by looking directly into his or her eyes and saying, "I had a really great time with you, it was a lot of fun."

Dating Advice #6 – Safety First!
Be sure to assume an anonymous handle, i.e., member ID or user name, so that your privacy is assured. Never sign up with an online personals company that doesn’t provide anonymous email services!