Help: How to not be boring on dating sites

Page 1 of 1 [ 10 posts ] 

rjay09
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 10 Jun 2008
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 49
Location: West Chester, PA

17 Sep 2008, 10:27 pm

I recently joined OKCupid, and I really like it so far. There are quite a few cool sounding girls in my area who I think I could potentially talk to.

But I've talked to some already, and I realized just how bad I am at conversation - even on AIM. I just ask obvious questions, eventually it dead ends, awkward silence, then someone has to go. Or I send a message and never get a response. Or I will get a response, we will exchange, and then nothing happens.

It feels like my approach is entirely one dimensional, but I have no idea how to make myself or my conversational skills more interesting. I also think my profile probably sucks. Does anybody have advice on how to market myself better on these sites?



hale_bopp
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Nov 2004
Gender: Female
Posts: 17,054
Location: None

17 Sep 2008, 11:00 pm

Well if you want to start a conversation, it's a good idea to ask interesting questions about their interests. I'm on a dating site, and those are the ones I am most interested in. (Just an example.. other people will be different), but it's worth a try :)



Drakilor
Pileated woodpecker
Pileated woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Age: 177
Gender: Female
Posts: 186

18 Sep 2008, 11:17 am

This is a particularly trivial task. The solution is to dress yourself in outlandishly exotic clothing and converse about the most obscure of subjects.


_________________
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."


makuranososhi
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 12 May 2008
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,805
Location: Banned by Alex

18 Sep 2008, 11:34 am

rjay09 wrote:
I recently joined OKCupid, and I really like it so far. There are quite a few cool sounding girls in my area who I think I could potentially talk to.

But I've talked to some already, and I realized just how bad I am at conversation - even on AIM. I just ask obvious questions, eventually it dead ends, awkward silence, then someone has to go. Or I send a message and never get a response. Or I will get a response, we will exchange, and then nothing happens.

It feels like my approach is entirely one dimensional, but I have no idea how to make myself or my conversational skills more interesting. I also think my profile probably sucks. Does anybody have advice on how to market myself better on these sites?


There are some great books of questions at your local bookstore (I know B&N has them) that can help - some are geared more conversationally, others more romantically. Ask questions of their responses; in general, people appreciate someone taking an interest in them. Lastly, accept that you will not get a response from some 70% of your attempts. I had someone write me recently who had actually initiated a conversation some 6-8 months prior then didn't respond when I wrote back... as I am happily involved, the timing was poor. Good luck, and let me know how it's going!


M.


_________________
My thanks to all the wonderful members here; I will miss the opportunity to continue to learn and work with you.

For those who seek an alternative, it is coming.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!


LePetitPrince
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Mar 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,464

18 Sep 2008, 11:59 am

A sexy picture of yours.
Remember that guys are usually four to five times more than girls on dating sites , a good written profile won't hurt for sure but don't be naive too because a well-written profile won't make much difference if you don't have sexy photos.

Girls get about at least 10 pms per day on dating sites so they don't have time to read each sender's profile , at first step they would quickly glance on the pic of each profile and if the pics attracts them enough then , and only then, would scroll down to read the rest of the profile.It's a human thing.

If you are not sexy well ...you're toasted on dating sites , you would have a better chance in real life dating.



lotusblossom
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,994

18 Sep 2008, 12:26 pm

I would say that its best to just be your natural self and if thats a bit boring, so be it. You will not be able to keep up a un-natural persona for ever and its better to find a mate who will put up with you as you are, rather than one you have to perform for (how exhausting!)

good luck :D

(you can not possibly be more boring than me, I put on my ok cupid profile, in the what do you do friday night section- " I listen to Johnathen Dimbleby's any questions on radio 4"- you cant get more boring than that, surely! :lol:



LePetitPrince
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Mar 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,464

18 Sep 2008, 12:56 pm

Quote:
(you can not possibly be more boring than me, I put on my ok cupid profile, in the what do you do friday night section- " I listen to Johnathen Dimbleby's any questions on radio 4"- you cant get more boring than that, surely!


Wait I am totally sure that you receive a lot of pms ..maybe daily while the OP probably rarely receive any , tell me that I am mistaken.



Tim_Tex
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Jul 2004
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 46,008
Location: Houston, Texas

18 Sep 2008, 1:25 pm

Actually, I read that 26% of correspondences on dating sites are initiated by females.

Since that means that 74% of them are started by guys, it means that we all (guys) need to start making the first move.


_________________
Who’s better at math than a robot? They’re made of math!

Now proficient in ChatGPT!


lotusblossom
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,994

18 Sep 2008, 1:48 pm

LePetitPrince wrote:
Quote:
(you can not possibly be more boring than me, I put on my ok cupid profile, in the what do you do friday night section- " I listen to Johnathen Dimbleby's any questions on radio 4"- you cant get more boring than that, surely!


Wait I am totally sure that you receive a lot of pms ..maybe daily while the OP probably rarely receive any , tell me that I am mistaken.


I recieve a message every couple of days from people Ive initiated with. But Ive only had scarey messages ("how do you like you breakfast") from people that Ive not made the first move with. I think those guys are probably chancers who are mailing everyone.

Ive initiated pming lots of people over the last year but they all come to nothing and I feel I have to do all the work, guys wont pm me a reminder if I forget to answer their message, they just take it as a brush off. And I probably am too boring....

I find people message a couple of times (on okcupid) and if you wont meet up they blank you.

I think its best to put most stuff down to experience.

The person for me will like me and want to write to me and wont get put off by my funny ways, and if not then they are obviously not for me.



crackedpleasures
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,367
Location: currently Belgium, longing for the Middle East

18 Sep 2008, 5:10 pm

I strongly believe in just being honest, even if it sounds boring. Because you use those sites to look for a partner, right? What is the point in finding a partner who is attracted on a role you are playing rather than being attracted to the real YOU? Better to have 1 PM per fortnight who is genuinely interested in who you really are, that is better than daily PMs of people attracting to fake info in your profile.


_________________
Do what Thou wilt shal be the whole of the Law.
Love is the Law, Love under Will. And...
every man and every woman is a star
(excerpt from The Book of the Law - Aleister Crowley)

"Od lo avda tikvateinu" (excerpt from the Israeli hymn)