Online Dating Tips

When you are comfortable with someone you’ve met through an online dating service and have determined it’s time to actually meet face to face, there are some things you should definitely avoid:

Don’t be afraid to ask for that first date: whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s really alright for you to ask for that first face to face meeting. While it used to be the man making the first move, ladies, if you’re interested in meeting someone face to face that you’ve been introduced to through an online dating site, don’t hesitate to ask!

Once you’re actually going out on the date these dating tips will help:

· Don’t be distracted – turn off your cell phone (pager too if you have one), and pay attention to your date – don’t be checking out everyone who walks by your table. If you’re constantly being interrupted by a cell phone then your date will get the impression you’re not interested!

· Don’t be someone you’re not! – None of us are perfect. You want to make a great impression on your first date, especially with someone you’ve met through an online dating service. But, being pretentious or acting like you’re perfect is a sure way to scare them off!

· Don’t be argumentative, but don’t agree for the sake of agreeing! – All of us have our own opinions. You don’t need to agree with everything your date is saying if you don’t agree. Just because you’ve met through an online dating service doesn’t mean that you’ll be 100% compatible! You don’t want to insult your date’s intelligence, but you don’t want to be a doormat either.

· Don’t drink too much – while it’s perfectly acceptable to have a cocktail or a glass of wine, you want to avoid large amounts of alcohol. Too often people who are introduced through an online dating service make this mistake and turn what might be a pleasant evening into a very unpleasant experience.

· Don’t turn your date into a war story session! – When you are meeting your online dating match face to face for the first time, this is probably not a good time to talk about the bad dates you’ve had since you registered with the online dating service! This sends out a bad signal.

· Don’t talk about bad past relationships – Many people who use online dating services are divorced or widowed. Leave the stories about your past relationships for a much later date (if you ever get that far). First dates should be about new beginnings and this isn’t the time to drag up your history.

· Don’t make physical advances – Nothing is more unsettling to men on a first date (whether it’s a match from an online dating service or other first date) than a woman who immediately begins clinging to them. The same is true for women; they don’t want to have a first date with a man who makes unwanted advances.

• Don’t be worried about ending your date early – if you are not comfortable or you just feel that the date was a bad idea once it’s started, there isn’t any harm in being honest and open about it.

Your online dating experience can be a powerful and positive influence in your social life. Do not feel you have to fall insanely in love with the first person you were introduced to through your online dating service!