How to Land a Valentine Online
Valentine's Day is two weeks away and you're without a date. No need to fear. There are plenty of fish in the online dating sea who are also in your position. To find a Valentine for February 14th, try these tips from cyber dating expert Julie Spira:
Initiate contact. I have a saying, don't wait, initiate. I truly mean it because a man sometimes will be flattered when he sees your email in his inbox.
Log on to your dating website or social network in the morning, and keep your account open all day long. By the time you come home for dinner you might have quite a few emails there. You might be surprised.
Update. Men love to gravitate to the new fresh face. Log on to your profile, and just tweak a few sentences here and there. Upload new photos and change the order of your new profile photo to refresh the look of your profile. If you've done something interesting recently, such as returning from a trip or seeing your favorite band in concert, add it to the profile, as often that will raise the rank of your face in his search.
Be detailed. In your online dating profile be specific and include some of your goals and achievements. If you wrote a book, you should be proud about it. If you sang in a concert, talk about it. People will find you much more interesting. Be specific about what you're looking for and who you really are.
Don't lie! I believe in authenticity in your online dating profile. I wish singles wouldn't lie about their age, but many do. I encourage them to mention their true age in the body of their profile if they insist on shaving off a few years to fit into a search. You must come clean by a first date, as chances are your date has done a Google search and will know anyway. Let people know how recent your photos are. They'll be relieved to know that what they see is what they really will get when they meet you."
I do believe in love at first sight, but I'm a hopeful romantic.
Online dating safety is so important. You should meet your date in a public place where there are other people around. Keep as much of your personal information private, until you really get to know someone. That includes -- don't give out your last name, don't give out your home phone number, and don't let them know exactly where you work.
Sometimes you're on a date with someone, and you've had this terrific phone chemistry, and then you meet them in person and you feel a little uncomfortable, feel free to excuse yourself from the date, and just say you have somewhere else to go.
More tips from Julie Spira:
Julie Spira: Don't Cancel Your Online Dating Profile (VIDEO)
32 Online Dating Sites That Tweet
Julie Spira: Is He Looking for Love or Booty? (VIDEO)
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For more Valentine's Day guidance, join Julie Spira in a live chat Feb 3, 3:30pm EST, 12:30pm PST.
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Julie Spira is a Cyber Dating Expert and author of the best-selling online dating book, The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. Her upcoming book The Rules of Netiquette, inspired by an ex-fiancé who broke their engagement via email, teaches us how to effectively and politely communicate through online and social tools.
