I caught up with a girlfriend the other day. She’s happily single but looking on a dating site in the hope she may find a match. She told me a story and showed me a profile of a prospective suitor (is it PC for him to be the suitor these days?). He had a great photo and lots of information about himself. In fact the form looked a lot like a form we use in order to gain information about a business in order to start the branding process. Anyway, the story went that he was called by a lady with whom he’d been in contact with. She called him to tell him that judging by his photos he must be ‘nothing but a player’, and she hung up.
Which led us to a discussion about the conundrum of website dating (ie personal marketing). Do you dig out a photo from years past where you were (you believe) at your finest, in order to get the contacts, only to get belted at the end post when you meet face to face (what a let down!). Or do you use a nice but ‘honest’ photo so that when, and if, you meet there will be no surprises, and therefore no ill feelings at the first, and crucial, meet up?
Of course my answer is the latter of the two options. If you can present your personal brand honestly, and provide as much honest information about yourself (without painting a bulls eye on yourself for stalkers!) then those that do wish to meet you will be doing so well informed, and have already passed the first test of compatibility. hmm, a bit like clients really. Do you want 100 phone calls to find the 5 good clients, or do you get 10 phone calls for the same 5 clients? Seems to me that if you have 90 less people to screen through you’ll have more time to answer the the needs of the 5 new clients, than be waylaid wading through the surplus 90.
Back to the dating scene, we’re only looking for one great partner in the end aren’t we? (aren’t we?)
