After creating a quality profile (which in itself is a daunting task, when you think about how many people there are on all the various online dating sites trying to stand out from one another), you need move forward. Making the first move online is not as easy as one may think.
Browsing the personal ads is not difficult. As you scroll down page after page, when someone of interest catches your attention, read the full profile and either hot list that person for future contact and move on to the next profile, or crack a silly joke, take another sip of Courvoisier, and continue the quest. At some point it would be appropriate to contact some of these people with a personal message, but making the first move online to someone you’ve never contacted before requires some thought.
Remember that there’s competition, so the message you write will not only need to be personalized, but it will have to set you apart from the rest of the crowd. Sending a form letter to every contact on the hot list is not only rude, but it is also considered a form of spam and frowned upon by the dating sites members and management. Making the first move online should be your form of introduction to someone whom you’d like to know better. This person stood out from thousands of others, so any message to them should reflect that fact. Put your best foot forward and show the unique qualities that make you different from all the rest.
The first contact does not mean that in a paragraph your life story has to be told in detail, nor does it mean net worth and material wealth should be itemized as well. It’s more important to merely say hello and explain what it was about that person that prompted you to write. Then possibly find some way of conveying some of your interests while allowing that incredible personality to shine through. Making the first move online is only difficult if you attempt it without any plan or direction. Each person a message is sent to is an individual, and should be treated as such. Imagine how someone might feel if they found out they were send the same letter that a hundred others had received.
When making the first move online, understand that there will not be response for every message sent. It is however considered good form to acknowledge the email and a polite “thank you, but no thank you” is always a good policy.
