A 5-Step Approach
Online dating is a great way to meet women online. In fact, according to a survey of 11,000 people* – online dating was rated the third best way to meet women. The top two were work or school, followed by family and friends. The same study found that one in five couples (including some who were married) met via online dating.
So… how do you actually meet women online?
You could meet women through social networking sites, but you’d have to do some digging to see if they’re single, available and actively dating.
The fastest way to meet women is via online dating. Why? The majority of women on online dating sites and forums are looking to meet men. Plus with online dating you can find out about them BEFORE you ever initiate any contact.
The Five Step Approach to Online Dating
When you break it down, there are really only five steps in online dating. Each step is outlined below:
Step 1: Know What You Want
Do you know what you’re looking for? Are you just looking to meet and date lots of women or are you ready to settle down and find Ms. Right?
To get in the right head space, take a few moments and describe your ideal woman. What does she look like? What’s important to her? How will you spend your time together? How do you feel when you’re with her? Just write it out.
Spend 5-10 minutes each day visualizing the two of you together. Feel the feelings. Feel how much fun you’re having etc. Then take action (including the steps below) and follow any gut hunches telling you to drop into a coffee shop etc. Think of them as nudges from the universe.
Step 2: Find and Choose a Dating Site
You may need to check out four or five dating sites before you find one or two that are suitable for you. The large dating sites like Match or Lavalife are good for most men. If you want to meet women of a certain religious faith, a specific ethnicity, over 40 etc – take a look at niche dating sites. They may have fewer members than the large sites but they are more targeted.
Join as a free member, an option most sites provide, and take a look around. How many women from your area belong to the site? Are members active? If there aren’t many women from your city or most haven’t been online for weeks or months – find another site.
To save time finding a site, check out our dating site reviews.
Step 3: Create a Unique and Compelling Profile
This is the step where most men (and even women) go wrong. If you want to stand out from the other guys – you’ll need a catchy online name, at least one professional looking photo, and a profile that paints a picture of who you are.
Your online name, photo and perhaps the first line from your profile are all your potential date may see in search results. Choose an online name that capture who you are and is memorable. John123 isn’t as catchy as TravelLover. A profile with photos gets more views and contacts that those without.
You need to create a profile that is uniquely you. If your profile is like all the other ones, you’ll get lost in the crowd. Read some of the profiles so you can see what other guys are writing. Instead of generalizations use specifics. “I love mystery books” isn’t as specific as “I love the suspense that James Patterson creates in his Alex Cross books. They’re real page turners!”
If you’re short on time or not into writing, there are profile writing services that can craft a profile for you.
| In the “Online Dating Success Tactics”report you get seven ways to punch up your profile and make it uniquely you. You’ll also discover tips for picking the right dating site for you and insights into contacting potential dates. |
Step 4: Check out Profiles
Once you’re crafted your profile (and checked your spelling) it’s time to find women who interest you. Most sites let you search profiles based on criteria such as age and location. Take a look at the profiles and save the ones you like to your favorites list.
If the dating site you joined has a forum, take a look to see if there is a thread for men and women in your area. You may find an opportunity to connect with some local women or find local singles events that others on the site are going to.
Step 5: Make Contact
While it may be tempting to send dozens of women the same cut and paste message all at once, don’t. Customize your message so each woman knows you read her profile. Just pick out something in her profile that jumped out at you and comment on it.
Even more important than the message – the subject line. It needs to be catchy and different from the norm so it catches her attention. Many women, especially if they’re attractive, are likely being bombarded with messages so they’re bound to just open the ones that catch their eye.
Once you’ve been conversing with a woman for a bit, ask her out on a date. You just have to trust yourself on the timing. Even if there’s chemistry online, there may not be when you meet and vice versa.
Now it’s up to you…
Take Action
As Gretzky said – “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” If you have yet to try online dating – give it a shot. If you are already dating online but aren’t getting the results you want – spruce up your profile, subject lines and messages.
* Source: Chadwick Martin Bailey for Match.com in 2009 and 2010. Study Results (PDF)
Learn from a Guy Who Met 398 Women in 4 Years Online Dating
In this video discover:
– Three insider secrets to meeting more women (10 min. mark)
– One of his best email subject lines that gets women to chase him