If you've been internet dating for awhile, you know that sometimes you have great experiences... and sometimes you have not-so-great ones. Sometimes things just seem to run smoothly from searching to checking out profiles to chatting to meeting in person; and it's at these times that you really see how great internet dating can be. Even if it doesn't work out with that particular person.
But other times, the whole experience, from head to tail, is an exercise in frustration. You search and don't find the kind of people you're looking for. The ones that you do contact don't seem interested in you. And the ones that are interested in you are not exactly your cup of tea.
You will never be able to have total control over the internet dating process. After all, there are people behind every single one of the profiles you look at, and people don't always behave like you want them to. But there are things you can do to increase your chances of having a positive internet dating experience. One of the most important? Knowing what the process is supposed to look like when it goes well. Below is a description of your average positive internet dating experience from beginning to end... and why each step involved is important.
Step 1: An Effective Search
Sometimes the people you speak with online are the ones that contact you. Other times, however, you have to go looking for them. A good dating experience will start off with the kind of search that gives you the greatest number of good potential contacts possible. This means being detailed but open in your search, allowing for a large range of focused candidates.
Step 2: Detailed, Concise Profiles
Whether you search or are searched for, a positive internet dating experience starts off, of course, with the profiles. If profiles don't include the detail or information that you're looking for, it can lead to frustration-- especially if you see that same kinds of omissions over and over again. People who are looking for your profile feel the same way, so be sure to be detailed without going overboard.
Step 3: Two to three emails
After having made contact via an internet dating site like Datepad, you'll exchange some emails with the person concerned. While you can make a date to chat online right away, many successful contacts begin with several emails. Why? Because emails require zero commitment, and can give you a better idea of a person's suitability than their profile alone.
Step 4: One to three chatting sessions
After having exchanged emails, it's time to chat online. While many couples use internet chat for months on end before meeting in person, it's best to keep chatting to just a few sessions in order to avoid problems transitioning to an in-person relationship. You also want to be sure to chat at least a little before meeting. An online chat will give you a chance to see how your new contact reacts to what you say when you say it. You get a lot of necessary insight into who they are.
Step 5: One or more telephone calls
While many couples go straight from online chat to a live date, you increase your chances of having a positive internet dating experience if you follow up chatting with a phone call prior to meeting. Why? Because five minutes on the phone with somebody can often tell you enough to make an in-person date unnecessary. Which can save you a lot of unwanted frustration.
Step 6: Photos Match Appearances
When you finally do meet for an in-person date, the comparison between the profile photo and the actual person is incredibly important. It's very rare for an in-person encounter to be successful if one or more parties are disappointed in the physical appearance of their date. If the photos match up to your date's expectations, you're starting the date off on the right foot.
Step 7: Email Follow Up
After going on that first date and having it go well, most successful internet daters follow it up with an email. Simply letting your date know that you had a good time is sufficient. This not only makes your intentions clear (you'd like to see them again), it also gives them the chance to make theirs clear with their response.
While there's no perfect formula to a successful internet dating encounter, many of them tend to have a similar structure. And while you may find success even if you skip or change some of the steps below, it probably won't come without some frustration at the outset. No matter how you go about it, though, the real key to a positive internet dating experience is a positive attitude. Relax and focus on having a good time, and you never know what might come of it.
