Lisa Hoehn is a specialist in giving makeovers to people’s online dating profiles, through her business, Profile Polish. And she’s an expert in her field alright. Her book, You Porbably Shouldn’t Write That: Tips and Tricks for Creating an Online Dating Profile That Doesn’t Suck, is a testament to her specialization, in which she has collated all things one needs to do succeed at online dating by perfecting their profiles.
In the book, she says,
“I’m a serial online dater – which means I’ve sent and received thousands of messages, corresponded with hundreds upon hundreds of men, and been on (without exaggeration) at least one hundred first dates.”
Image source: Shutterstock
In brief, Hoehn’s Profile Polish, rewrites clients’ profiles, and the book is the collation of all her hard-won advice.
Here are some of the tips and tricks – basically a number of ‘don’ts’ – that she doles out for the average online dating layperson:
1. Pick a username that isn’t terrible. Because you get noticed when you either get it right or screw it up.
2. Don’t insult any group of people. That would just go to show you’re a jerk.
3. Don’t tell, show. Pick one or two anecdotes and expand on them instead of just listing out your interests.
4. Don’t refer to a woman as a girl. That’s just you begging to be perceived as sexist.
5. Avoid the clichés like the plague. How else would you stand out from the rest of the herd?
6. Don’t use hashtags. Leave them for Twitter and Instagram.
7. A picture’s really worth a thousand words. So ditch bad ones and upload ones that show how you are – today.
8. Don’t mention your ex. That just shows you’re not over them. Yet.
9. When it comes to reaching out, get specific by talking about something from their profile. Show them you’ve read their profile.
10. Don’t talk about a ‘new beginning,’ or a ‘fresh start,’ or ‘getting back on your feet.’ That just shows you have baggage.
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11. For crying out loud, stop! Using! Exclamation point! For every sentence! Being overeager is just as offputting as being indifferent.
12. Stop making cheesy, corny, romantic statements. Because they’re cheesy and corny!
13. Don’t follow the herd by using the phrase, ‘just like everyone else.’ You’re not. You’re you. Be proud of the fact.
14. Don’t write, ‘My friends say that I’m…’ Describe what YOU are like, not your friends’ opinions.
15. Never make blatantly sexual references. Because it’s gross and creepy, not to mention GROSS!
16. DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. Because you’re not yelling.
17. Don’t talk about money. Because it’s gauche, and not to mention, too personal.
18. Don’t talk about your medical history. Enough said.
19. Don’t use more than one emoticon. Use words to express how you feel, not punctuation marks.
20. Don’t say you’re looking for a ‘drama-free’ relationship. That just shows you’ve clearly been in one, and it’s not very attractive, to be honest.
These are just some of the things that Hoehn has outlined in her book. To learn more about how to present your online dating profile on a dating platform, check out her book.
Are you guilty of committing any of these above blunders in your online dating profile? Tell us in the comments below.
Featured image source: Shutterstock
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