Jacki has been a part of the online dating world for six weeks but has but has only received three emails from prospective dates. None of them worked out before she even met them. “What in the world am I doing wrong?” she wondered.
After completing your profile you may find that you aren’t getting as many responses as you may have anticipated. You may have done everything you thought possible – such as having a great close-up photo taken, filling out the profile entirely, using good grammar and spelling, and even having your best friend of the opposite sex approve the content.
So what in the world can be added or subtracted to bring more responses?
Think about the advertising that attracts your attention. Aside from the slick graphics and good content you are probably drawn to reading it because it tells a story. One of the basic rules of great copywriting is that the content should tell a story.
Stories have been a way for people to communicate since the days when we drew on cave walls. Today our stories can be as long or short as we choose, but they remain stories. They draw in readers to learn more about who we are.
We have been listening to stories since we were children. Good teachers use stories. The Bible is written in stories. Fairy tales teach character and consequences using stories. History is a great long story and is still being written. Great advertising tells a story from the reader’s point of view and how the reader can benefit from the product.
The goal in online dating is to find a match. We are looking for the best match we can find, but we won’t find that match if people aren’t reading our profile. In order to get them to read the profile, tell a story. Stories are a wonderful way of demonstrating characteristics and qualities we want to communicate without coming out and just saying, “I’m kind.” Or “I am disorganized.”
Stories can even be just a couple of words. You might replace the “I’m disorganized,” with “I can never find my keys.” Both statements give the same information but the second is more creative and in just a couple of words you’ve told a short story.
Incorporating stories into your profile isn’t difficult, it just takes a bit more time and creativity. For instance, if the online dating questionnaire asks, “Where would you like your first date to take place?” your answer can focus on the first date but hint at beyond.
“I would like to meet in a public place, like a coffee shop or for lunch, so we can talk and get to know each other. If things work out well we may find that we enjoy biking together, going to sporting events or just relaxing around a campfire with friends.”
This answer is straightforward but hints at the personality and interests of the person behind it, leaving a definite perception of a person who enjoys exercise, sports and participation.
Include stories, no matter how short, in your answers, and you may find that your mailbox begins filling up with people who want to get to know the ‘you’ they found in your profile!
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