In a recent study, it was found that 2
out of every 5 single people between the ages of 24 and 50 use, or have
used, Online Dating services.
Imagine That!
Think about walking into a room where
there are 100 strangers and finding out that 20 of them use the same mechanic
that you do. The odds are mind boggling.
They would easily confess to using the
same mechanic but they won t confess to using an Online Dating service.
Why? There still seems to be some
stigma attached to Online Dating no matter how effective and rewarding it has
become. Yet, it thrives and it would be a pretty safe bet that if all 100
strangers are single and between the ages of 24 and 50 that 20 of them do use,
or have used, Online Dating services.
Another fact is that only about 5% of
people who use Online Dating services actually establish a relationship with
someone they first make contact with.
OK, think about another room full of
100 strangers only this time they all are of the opposite sex and eligible. If
you walked into that room in the real world, how many would you be attracted to?
Maybe 10 if you are really lucky, right? Internet Dating is no different so
don t expect miracles.
Only 10% of people who join Online
Dating sites actually get any replies and that is a truly sad fact.
The reason is that 90% don t bother
to write an interesting profile or upload pictures of themselves.
That s a lot like fishing without
baiting the hook. I wonder what they expected. The 10% who do get noticed have
posted upbeat profiles and pictures.
Last but not least is that paid sites
are better than free sites. The reason is that they work.
On free sites there is absolutely NO
screening process at all! The fee for joining a paid site is small as compared
to going out for dinner or buying movie tickets and you meet a lot more people
in a lot less time if you work at it.
What Online Dating Isn t
Now, it s time for me to clear some
assumptions and dispel the common myths about Online Dating. Some people,
especially those who have lived a little longer, still think there is some
stigma attached to Online Dating.
They think a person must be an
odd-ball, pervert, or totally unacceptable in the real world to have to resort
to using an Online Dating service. They couldn t be more wrong.
Online Dating has exploded in the last
few years. Over 40 million people of all ages, both sexes and from all over the
world can t be wrong. These same people, also, think internet dating is
dangerous.
It could be but it doesn t have to
be if a person uses a little common sense. The same kind of common sense that
would keep you from giving any stranger you met on the street your personal
information.
We all use the internet to research
almost every aspect of our lives medical, major purchases, jobs, investments,
etc. We gather information that helps us to succeed in all ways.
We make travel plans, we get
information about colleges, we shop, and we download music. The internet is not
just for geeks anymore. Why not use that same internet to insure our success in
our personal lives? Meeting people expands our horizons and enriches our lives.
The whole world has shrunk to a single
neighborhood because of the internet. Dating the girl or boy from next door
could mean someone from half way around the world now.
You could find the love of your life
in the town you live in or in a city 50 miles away or 1000 miles away or even in
another country. The internet makes it all possible.
There is no stigma attached to using
Online Dating services and it s safe and effective. It makes good sense and is
an efficient use of our time, energy and money.
