A PERFECT ONLINE DATING AD!
A GUIDE TO
EFFECTIVE ONLINE DATING ADS
So you've decided to give online dating a
whirl! Surfin' and
searchin'
the ads is fun... and may yield some tasty material.
But it's
much
easier to post your own profile, let 'em have a peek,
then let
them
come to
you.
Your ad has to stand out from the
crowd... you only have a few
seconds to catch his attention and draw him in for more. So take
your time with this. Treat your profile like a it's a resume for your
dream
job...because it kind of is...
First pick up your local newspaper and give the
print personals a
thorough once-over. Look for clever headlines and screen names.
Make note of
interesting things the writers reveal about
themselves.
It's okay to
"borrow" a great idea, put your personal
twist on it, and
then put it in your
own ad.
So give your personal a lot of
thought... write and re-write it... punch
it
up... polish it... (spell-check it). Let your buddies check it out. Run it
by a trusted male (straight) friend. Ask him what would make him
answer a personal ad. (Aside from a promise of wild sex).
We've put together a great guide here to
help you construct a
personal ad that will get responses... So get to it, girl...

A personal ad consists of 5 parts: The
photo, the headline, the
screen name, the body or profile, and the closing. Here's how:
ONLINE DATING ADS

POST A SUPER
PHOTOGRAPH
Online dating ads...
Don't lie with your photo. Do NOT post
your college yearbook picture
if you've since had 3 kids and put on 30 lbs. It's lying, and it'll come
back and bite you in the butt. Use a current picture, please.
Get some new photos made. Get your buddy
who's an amateur
shutterbug with a nice camera to give you a "shoot". Or, go ahead
and spring for a session at a professional studio. You can frame one
of
the
8 X 10s and give it to your Ma for Christmas. Kill two birds with
one
stone.
Follow these tips to create a portrait
with impact:
- Put together a snappy, dressy casual
outfit...in your most
flattering color.
- Get your hair done at the salon the
morning of the session.
- Then have your makeup applied
professionally... at the
cosmetics
counter of an upscale department store (ask her to
apply it on
the heavy side).
- Have several shots taken, inside and
outside, head shots and
shoulder/head.
- For each shot, think of something
funny or pleasant... and smile..... with your eyes and your mouth.
- Take the proofs and run them by your
platonic male friend...
let him pick the best ones.
- Have your selections put on a
CD- easier to access & download.

ONLINE DATING ADS

MAKE YOUR HEADLINE
SCREAM!
Online dating ads...
It's the attention grabber, the first
impression. A witty, personal,
fun headline is essential. What did you see for headlines as you
studied the print personals? Blah! Bland! Boring! But then a few
jumped out at you, didn't they?
Well, that's what you gotta do... jump
out. Gear your headline
towards
the kind
of man you want to respond...and somehow think
of a way to grab him!
NO: "Lonely sensitive babe
ISO tall handsome hero"
YES: "First mate seeking
captain for high-seas
adventures"

ONLINE DATING ADS

PICK A CLEVER SCREEN
NAME/ USERNAME
Online dating ads...
Make your "handle" creative and catchy like your
headline. It's okay to toot
your horn a little bit... but outright bragging is a put-off. DO NOT
call yourself a "Hottie". Instead, tout your best feature or hobby:
"Soulful blue-eyes" "Boston Blondie"
"Petite Peach"
"Memphis Mama" "Green-eyed dancer" or
"Sexy scuba girl"
Get it? Good..

ONLINE DATING ADS

TELL AN INTERESTING
STORY...
Online dating ads...
Really take your time with the body of
your ad. Rewrite it 'til it
sparkles with class, sincerity, substance. Keep it light, pleasant,
positive. Drop the sarcasm, negativity, sadness, loneliness, anger,
desperation... all are downers & turn-offs!
Show your uniqueness, your
personality... and above all, stand out
from the crowd.
There's 2 parts to the body:
1. Your bio---tell a little about yourself
2. What do you want? Place your order!
1. Your bio---be honest here. Don't
sabotage a potential relationship
by lying up front. DON'T describe yourself as a petite, blond 30-something if
you're really slightly overweight, naturally mousy brown and 42. He'll figure it
out when you meet, you know... and you'll be shot down!
Take your chances... tell the truth, then
you can relax and enjoy the
online dating experience... without worry.
In telling your story, think like a
man. A man will NOT be drawn to
sappy, sentimental girlie stuff, like:
- walks on the beach
- candlelit dinners
- committed relationships
He WILL be drawn to fun, adventure and
sex:
- Mention any hobbies a man would find
interesting
- Sports you like to attend or
participate in
- Organizations or groups you belong
to
- What you find fun
- What people like about you
- Play down the sexual side of
things---be a woman of mystery...

2. Now, what do you want? Who are you ISO?
- Don't narrow down the pool of
potentials by being too selective
about physical traits. Your soulmate may well end up being
short,
balding and grey-headed... really.
- Be honest here, too. Ask for
sincerity, kindness, a good sense
of humor, and a warm heart.
- Tell them what you're really looking for...
a date with a good
man!
ONLINE DATING ADS
THE CLINCHER...MAKE
THE SALE, HONEY
They teach salespeople in training to "Ask
for the sale"...
Well,
at the end of your personal ad, it's time to "Ask for the date".
Challenge the reader to contact you... send an email... to get in touch
soon... "You'll be glad you did!"
ONLINE DATING AD

SOME FINAL TIPS FOR A
SUPER ONLINE DATING AD
NO-NO WORDS & PHRASES TO AVOID:
- Marriage
- Sunsets
- Walks on the beach
- Candlelit dinners
- Lonely
- Commitment
- "Friends first"
- Hate sports
- Love cats
- Mother, or worse, Mom
- Soulmate
- Symphony
- Ballet
- Opera
- Meaningful relationship
NEVER:
- Divulge your income or the brand of
your expensive sports car
- Act desperate or pitiful
- Air dirty laundry of any type
- Mention your horrible marriage or
stalking ex-boyfriend
- Lie about your age, body size,
smoking habits or fondness for
children
- Post your ad until your English
teacher friend has checked it
carefully for proper grammar and spelling errors. This is
most important.
DO NOT POST THIS:
"Sensitive, caring woman,
30-something, ISO tall, dark, and
handsome Prince Charming for walks on the beach, wine at sunset,
and cuddling by the fire. I enjoy ceramics, quilt-making, and
reading a good book. I also love ballet, opera and live theatre.
You'll never find me at a soccer match or NASCAR race! My six
cats are my life! Do you think you can fit in? If so, give me a buzz!
And thanks
for reading my ad".... (YUCK)
OR THIS:
(Part of an actual personal ad
that was posted by a Cambridge academician in the form of a Q&A AD):
Q- What will we do together?
A- Start with the NYT crossword puzzle — the SATURDAY puzzle, not the punk
Sunday one. Then stroll through the Arboretum reading all the informative
placards. Then after I do forward citation checks on my papers to see if anyone
new has referenced them, and Google myself, we’ll head to dinner, where I’ll
inquire at length about the restaurant’s single vineyard cabernets and sheep’s
milk cheeses. Interspersed with all this we’ll talk about subjects of common
interest like unfair teaching loads and how all the prestigious journals have
evidently been taken over by editors with tin ears to real research.
DO WRITE SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
"SOULFUL BLUE-EYES SEEKS GOOD MAN FOR
ADVENTURES...
I am 36, naturally blonde (though you can't tell from the way I
act), with an average build. My friends say I'm the life of the
party,
always cheerful and full of energy. I have many interests,
and am
always willing to try a new sport or activity. I enjoy boating,
fishing
(yes, I can bait my own hook!), sports (in moderate doses),
and have
been known to fix my own leaky faucet. Sound like a
tomboy? I am, a
little bit, but all woman when it comes to romance.
I'm looking for
an honest man with a good heart; a sense of humor
is a must! Let's
dream up some new adventures for just the two
of us...Contact me
soon...you'll be glad you did!"
You can write your own ticket to
adventure... now that you know how
to write an effective online dating ad... good luck and happy dating!

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