With an ocean of eager single women, online dating sites offer unparalleled opportunities. But picking up on the Web has its own set of challenges and pitfalls. Avoid these mistakes, and you’ll be offline in no time.
1. Spray and Pray: This is when a person sends out a bunch of impersonal emails (the Spray) and then hopes somebody will take the bait (the Pray). No woman wants to be the target of a direct mail love campaign.
2. Searching for Veterinarian Barbie: Being too specific in your profile can make you come off as shallow or overly picky. Searching for a six-foot, 28-year-old blonde vet with no kids, and a six-figure income? Remember: Your profile is a wish-list, not an order form.
3. No Boundaries: It’s a big blunder to ask inappropriate or overly personal questions while emailing or chatting, such as “Do you have any pictures of yourself in a bikini?” or “How much money do you make?” Lots of women say that bringing up sex too soon is a deal-breaker.
4. Eternal Emailer: Don’t let online dating replace the real thing. Many singles believe that if an in-person meeting doesn’t take place in good time, something’s amiss. Is he married? Doing time? In high school?
5. Out of the Ballpark: The final deal-breaker is emailing someone when you’re way outside her criteria. If she’s looking for a 20-something, college-educated Christian and you’re a 40-ish atheist who didn’t survive sixth grade? Good luck.
Image courtesy of d70focus.
