They are called “personal ads” for a reason.
You are advertising your attributes to try and attract Mr. or Ms. Right. So you’ll want to write your ad in such a way that it stands out from the crowd.
Here are 10 tips to advertise yourself in a way that you will get your personal ad noticed.
- Be honest. Nothing is as disappointing as finding out that someone who claims to be athletic and fit, is in fact a couch potato who weighs 400 pounds. So, don’t lie. You’ll get found out and break their trust from the outset.
- Add a picture. It’s your face, be proud of it. Don’t use that pic from 5 or 10 years ago either. Show who you are now. And don’t forget to SMILE!
- Add voice. Your voice and manner of speech say a lot about you and many dating sites allow you to upload a voice message. Record a message with your dulcet tones and have them swooning before they can click ‘Respond’.
- Show, don’t tell. If you have a great sense of humor, don’t just tell people that you’re funny and make them wait to find out if it is try. Say something humorous in your ad.
- Be realistic. Let’s face it. Most of us don’t look like George Clooney or Charlize Theron. So drop expectations that the person you will meet online looks like a star.
- Be appropriate. Avoid off-color jokes and sexual inuendo (unless of course that’s just who you are and how your speak all the time).
- Give to get. Avoid rambling lists of qualities and attributes that you want in a person. Create attraction by talking about your characterists and personality. Like attracts like.
- Be positive. You may be lonely and miserable, but try not to let it show unless you’re look for a shrink. Also avoid taking an arrogant “like it or not” stance. Let the good in you shine through.
- Create an attention grabbing headline. Avoid the overused “SWM seeks SWF”. Dare to be different. Study personal ad headlines and see what strikes your fancy. Use those as a model to write your own.
- Edit your ad. Check your ad for misspellings, poor grammar and boring bits. Work on your ad until you are sure of its appeal. Have a friend look at it and make suggestions.
Finished drafting your perfect personal ad?
OK… Copy and paste it to your favorite dating site and click submit.
Hi Bobby: Not necessarily so! I discovered (during my heydays!) women looking for a “well-educated” man were after men well-educated/knowledgeable in the wants of women. In my case, it wasn’t “big bucks” they were after (‘cos I had none), but “big bang”!
I always get the feeling when i read someones profile (woman) and see that she is looking for a well-educated man, that this is just another way of saying that she is looking for a guy that makes big bucks. What do you think?