For
months, Chris' online profile sat there, hardly drawing attention.
"I realized that my profile was about as exciting as a cold weekend
in Buffalo," says Chris, a marketing consultant. "It was just too
plain."
So, on a recent Friday evening, Chris invested an hour retooling and
refining his profile. By Monday morning, he found several responses
in his inbox.
"I was shocked that I was able to draw so much attention with so
little effort," he says.
It's not hard to create a profile that not only attracts more
attention but produces more responses. It just takes a bit of
creativity and inspiration. Try these nine effective tips to get
started:
1. Create a crafty headline. Like the front page of a newspaper
draws your eyes to a story, a great headline can draw eyes to your
profile. Use it to say something distinctive, as well as highlight
your best attributes: "Professor looking to learn from the best" or
"San Fran consultant wants match to set the Bay Area on fire."
2. Don't oversell yourself. Remember; it's an online profile, not a
resume. Be selective with how you describe your best features. For
example, "attractive" is a relatively safe way to imply you're
comfortable and confident with the way you look. "Very good looking"
or "Strikingly handsome" just makes you sound like a conceited
idiot. Other alternatives are to talk about the fact that you're an
"avid reader," "an outdoorsy guy" or "a family person."
3. Choose a photo that compliments you. OK, you and your friends
thought that picture of you downing a pint of Guinness dressed only
in a novelty hat and underwear in a bar on St. Patrick's Day was
funny. But since you're trying to attract dates (not win the idiot
of the year competition), opt for something a bit more mature and
flattering. Remember to avoid photos that show you being embraced,
squeezed or otherwise touched by another person. Don't make it look
like you're already taken.
4. Avoid mentioning the "ex." No one wants to hear about how you're
looking for someone to help you lick your wounds and get over the
person who plucked out your heart and stomped it into the gutter of
despair. Let it go.
5. List your favorite things. We all would like to climb Mount
Everest or sail the globe, but let's be realistic: How many times in
a lifetime does that happen? Instead, highlight your ritual weekend
bicycle ride or your collection of 70s classic rock.
6. Be reasonable. Limit your list to maybe five favorite things or
so. Otherwise, potential matches will think you're just too much
into yourself. And, besides, you'll want to save something to talk
about on your first dates.
7. Keep it interesting. How many potential matches truly want to
join you while you "hang out with your friends," fix cars, or hunt
for the best beer in town? Instead, describe your more inspired
goals.
8. Two words: Spell check. Remember, your profile is a reflection of
your personality. Misspelled words, poor grammar and too many
clichés can be big turnoffs to potential dates.
9. Have fun. Your profile should be both informative AND
entertaining. Keep it light, engaging and refreshing.
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