By Jessica Smith
The World Wide Web offers us an unending sea of possibilities, and people aren’t hesitating to take advantage of the dating scene that the Internet has to offer. Many of us lead busy and hectic lives, and it can seem impossible to meet someone worth dating on your own, so the convenience of dating sites can make finding “the one” easier. Of course, you can flirt with people online by sending smiley faces or winks, but all body language and human contact is lost. That said, even though you may not be able to charm your possible love interest physically, here are some ways to flirt online while simultaneously keeping your cool:
1. Wit and humor: The easiest way to break the ice is by making people laugh. If you can make someone break out into a fit of laughter or bring a smile to their face, you’ve already caught their interest and they’re going to feel more comfortable to be themselves around you. The sooner the tension is broken, the sooner you’ll be going out on real dates.
2. Step by step: When you’re chatting online instead of in person, it’s easy to reveal information you wouldn’t normally be ready to reveal if you were face-to-face. Take things just as slow as you would if you were meeting in person. This will keep a little mystery alive in the relationship and keep them coming back for more.
3. Honesty: When you’re communicating over the Internet, you can be whoever you want to be and say whatever you want to say. Your partner will be analyzing you the best he or she can, but if they find out later that you were dishonest, you’ve ruined your chance at love. Being truthful is a key ingredient to a successful relationship, so start it off right.
4. Friendship: Become friends before lovers. Get to know each other as much as you can virtually before you meet each other physically. You’ll feel like you’ve known the person forever if you’ve both been honest with each other. This way, you already have an emotional attachment and all that’s left is the physical attraction.
5. Play hard to get: The Internet is all around us. We have it at work, at home and even on our phones. That means you’re available almost 24/7 to interact online. Play hard to get! Don’t respond right away, or don’t respond all day. The person on the other end will be checking their chat or email constantly to see if you’ve responded, and once you finally do, you’ll have them hooked.
6. Compliments: Handing out compliments is an art. Over the web, you have to compliment each other without sounding creepy, and say something that will receive a positive response. You’re probably not going to be the first guy or girl to tell them they’re beautiful or handsome, so be creative. A well thought out and personalized compliment will lead to infatuation and potentially more conversation.
7. Confidence: Being confident without being cocky is a turn on. We all want someone who is sure of who they are and is always willing to be themselves in any situation. Don’t pretend to be someone else, because more than likely your date will be able to see through that when you meet in person. If you can exude as much confidence as you do online in person, you just might seal the deal.
What steps did you take to meet your partner while online dating? Share your comments below.
