Working with a professional matchmaker is a little different than just jumping into the dating pool. Face it: you’ve decided to work with a matchmaker because you don’t want to waste your time. You want quality results. What you may not have considered is that essentially, you will be marketing yourself as a commodity. While we don’t like to think of ourselves in terms of being a ‘product’, keep in mind that you’ve gone this route because you want to do things differently this time. Viewing the process as less of a social exercise and more of a marketing campaign can actually help get you the results you are after.

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Dating isn’t easy.

Dating is hard. This is probably what brought you here in the first place. Think of all the time and money you have spent on people who are completely wrong for you, only to face rejection and disappointment. It’s enough to make even the most committed people throw in the towel. Most people have a tendency to jump right in to the dating scene without much forethought or preparation. The truth is, before you set off on your journey to meet ‘the one’, you need to get to know yourself first. This will help build confidence in what you have to offer, determine what it is that makes you happy, and to pinpoint what you want and don’t want in a relationship. In marketing terms, we call this differentiation, value proposition and determining your ideal (and not so ideal) customer personas.

How do you compare to the competition?

Like any worthwhile marketing endeavor, you need to represent yourself in the best possible light. You only have to look at the personal profiles you see on some of those free dating sites to know that if you don’t pay attention to the small details, you’re not going to get a lot of response. Much like marketing a product or a brand, working with a professional is going to help. You need to stand out from the competition. You need to put your best foot forward, and sometimes put yourself out there in ways you never considered before.

A professional matchmaker can help you to highlight your most attractive qualities and bring them into sharper focus. Concentrate on building your strengths and don’t worry too much about the areas where you feel you are coming up short. Like the old song says: accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative!

In short, embrace what makes you wonderful and drop the rest like a hot potato. Disclaimers, self-deprecation and lack of confidence are guaranteed romance killers, even at the best of times.

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Putting the work in.

The most successful brands in the world do a lot of legwork before they even begin their campaigns. A top brand is never number one by accident. Relating this to your personal situation, you can see how your profile is going to become the blueprint for your success. Your appearance is important. After all, it’s often the first thing people see, and first impressions count for a lot. Your photos need to be flattering and representative of who you are as well as who you want to attract.

For instance, even though you love fishing, your profile picture shouldn’t be of you in hip-waders standing thigh-deep in a river. Unless you’re looking for a fishing buddy, this probably isn’t going to work. Ditto for what you divulge in your profile. There are things that need to be said, and things that don’t need to be said. You need to use words and phrases that will pique interest and make a potential match want to learn more about you. Above all, you need to be positive and upbeat. Make this your mission statement, and always stay ‘on message.’