Finding a soul mate today has become big business – $2 million-plus annually. How do you determine whether to use a professional matchmaker or an online dating service?
Follow this expert advice to help you navigate the dating services terrain.
Do
Do determine the cost
First, you need to determine if you can afford a personal matchmaker or online dating service. Professional matchmaking fees can be costly – some start at $25,000 and can run into six figures depending upon the firm’s clientele and the level of service.
If you are a professional looking to remove as much risk as possible out of your search for a partner and don’t have time to cull through responses from an online service, then a professional matchmaker is the better choice for you.
If, on the other hand, you are really just looking to play the field and see what might be out there as a good match for you, then an online service can help you find potential candidates who share your interests.
Do research the service you intend to use
Whether you are planning on using a matchmaker or an online service, you should research and check out the service you plan on using by asking these questions:
- How long has the firm been in business?
- How large is the pool of men and women?
- How strong is the advertising campaign to attract men and women to the pool of potential candidates?
- What is the firm’s Better Business Bureau rating? Matchmaking and dating are big business and unfortunately, it doesn’t take much today for someone to hang up a shingle and call themselves a professional matchmaker — or develop a computer algorithm and market it all over the internet.
- What is the firm’s success rate and how do they define success? Is it a marriage or a relationship that lasts more than six months? How is success quantified by the firm?
- Do they show current photos of potential matches before you meet them?
- If you’re working specifically with a matchmaker will the matchmaker meet the potential match for you first on your behalf?
- Can you speak with some of their clients before retaining the firm?
- How long has the staff been with the company? Obviously the longer the staff has been working with the company the more experienced they are, which is important in the dating industry.
- Will they be discreet with your personal information?
Do challenge everything they say
If a selection service claims that they received an award, you should ask them who gave the award and why?
In the dating industry, it is better to ask questions and be completely satisfied than to pay for a service that may or may not work well for you.
Do make sure you are truthful with what you want in a match
When you are speaking with your matchmaker or filling out your profile online, you have to decide what traits are most important to you in finding a mate.
You shouldn’t ever settle for a match that isn’t the right fit for you, but you also should gauge your expectations for a real-world match.
Be truthful of what you want so that your selected service can find someone who will meet your needs and expectations and vice versa.
Don’t
Do not pick the least expensive service
Unfortunately in the matchmaking/dating industry, you will get what you pay for. Finding the love of your life is not an area in which to scrimp and save – it is a very important investment in your future.
Do not forget to ensure there is a good connection with the matchmaker
You should make sure that you and the matchmaker you are working with having a good connection and can work well together.
It’s similar to choosing a doctor, dentist, lawyer, or accountant – you want the best possible service that is specialized for you – not a cookie-cutter service that doesn’t take into account your specific individuality as well as your needs and desires.
Do not expect to meet the girl/guy of your dreams overnight
A good matchmaker will help you learn a lot about yourself in the course of finding the perfect match for you. And that takes time.
You may discover certain traits and requirements for a good match that perhaps you never even considered previously.
Give it time so that you aren’t jumping into a relationship and forcing something that isn’t going to work in the long run.
Do not hesitate to let them know if the match is not a good fit
If there is something that has changed since you first started a process, alert your matchmaker/service so they can adjust accordingly.
Summary
There are many ways to meet and find potential partners. Anyone who is motivated to seek that special someone has many tools available to them today – it is more than simply being in the right place at the right time (although that can and does occasionally still happen!).
Knowing what to look for in selecting a matchmaker or dating service helps to provide confidence in this all-important search.
Source: Barbie Adler via expertbeacon.com
Photo Credits: Julia on Match.com by Flickr: Jordan; Check Man, Cross Man and Jump Man ©ioannis kounadeas – Fotolia.com
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