Lately, lots of clients have been asking me if speed-dating is still something they should check out. My answer is, YES! Some of you know that years ago I owned a speed-dating service in Calgary (now under different ownership) and there were over 65 marriages as a result of my events. 65!! And that is not including all the people who didn’t let me know they got married or are in successful long-term relationships. When building a repertoire of HOW you are going to meet your match, definitely include some trips out to speed-dating events.
Here are some basics on speed-dating to get you started:
Choosing a speed dating service is like choosing any type of service. You want to explore a minimum of three different companies in your area, much like getting three quotes from different painters before making your selection.
Things to consider when selecting a speed-dating company:
- How long have they been in business?
- Where do they host their events? (Bars, cafes or restaurants?)
- Do they have any testimonials or success stories?
- Do they have specific age categories?
- Are they easy to contact and do they provide information in a timely, friendly way?
Start digging by first going to your online phone directory and seeing who is listed under “Dating”. Make a list with phone numbers, websites and general impressions from the ad. Next, do a broad Internet search. Type in key words like “speed dating,” or “singles events”, along with the name of your city. Make a note of all that comes up. Be careful, many companies have tricky advertising and don’t truly have events in your area. Pick your top three, make a note of their web addresses. Later, go back to the three sites you chose and look for some of the attributes listed above. Finally, I suggest calling the speed-dating service and speaking with the owner if you have super specific questions.
Speed-dating is not the only thing you can do to meet your match but it shouldn’t be dismissed until you’ve tried 3 events with preferably 3 different companies.
To your authenticity,
Love, Christine