Surely enough most of us know what online dating is and how it works by now. Aside from being one of the best ways to meet people on the internet, it’s also superior to traditional dating in almost every aspect.
From efficiency to the comfort they provide to their users, online dating sites are becoming the most popular way of finding romance. Yet still, not everyone is 100% sure as to how everything works on these websites.
That’s why today we wanted to talk about the do’s and don’ts of initiating contact on online dating sites. Simply follow these few rules to increase your chances of success and to avoid rejection.
First Impression Is Everything
As it is in real life, first impressions are often crucial when it comes to online dating as well. What you say and when you say it will determine whether you come off as an interesting person or a creep.
The first rule of initiating contact on dating services says: “Choose carefully who you want to chat with.” There are good reasons for this, as you’ll soon discover.
For starters, you should decide whether you even want to be the first one to say “Hi” to a random stranger online. Some people prefer making the first move themselves, others like it better when that move is made on them – you’ll have to pick which one of these describes you best.
Now, if you’re of the move-making kind, make sure you narrow down your list of potential matches and not contact every single individual you come across that seems even remotely interesting. For one, you’ll start losing motivation after a while and it might make you look just a little bit desperate.
Once you’ve chosen who you’re going to start chatting with, it’s time to ensure you give off the right vibe, a.k.a. make a good first impression. Before we even go there, remember this:
Drop the cheesy pickup lines!
The Line Between Persistence And Overdoing It
Not only do you want to hit a home run with that initial talk, but you also want to make sure your person of interest sticks around for a while. With that in mind, here are a couple of things you should definitely do and say in your initial message, and then certain things you should probably avoid.
The trick to making an awesome first impression lies in being intriguing yet open at the same time. It might sound difficult, but being mysterious and outgoing all at once isn’t actually as hard as it seems.
First of all, always be honest.
Don’t give yourself false praise, but also don’t hide your accomplishments – feel free to show what you are, as it’s the only way to find a soul mate with whom you can have a long, trust-based relationship.
Secondly, try to keep things going no matter what happens.
If the potential partner you’ve targeted doesn’t seem too interested at first, don’t give up immediately. Instead, try to pique their interest by talking about the things they seemingly love in life (books, music, sports, etc.)
Finally, remember that there is a fine line between not giving up and coming in too strong.
Being persistent is one thing, but if it doesn’t show any results whatsoever, move on – otherwise, you’ll just scare someone off or even build a certain reputation among the fellow users of your online dating site.