Pic from intellectualdevotional.com
No matter what online dating site I scan, I find dating profiles that list so many activities, that they sound like a commercial for Red Bull, or tampons for that matter. I run. I jog. I swim. I dance. I kickbox. I ski. I climb. Ugh. And I bet they do all that without a single cramp.
Lists like that can lose the audience. They’re dull. I’d rather listen to someone with echolalia (a speech disorder where someone repeats the same thing over and over again – common in parents; cashiers who can’t get the attention of the next person in line; as well as autistic children).
Instead of making someone wonder why a presumably healthy outdoor enthusiast has the energy of a meth addict, you may want to tailor your list to about 8 – 10 activities under the interests/activities section of your dating site. Then, in the body copy of your profile, add some anecdotes that’ll make one or two of those activities more engaging and descriptive.
For instance, you can bring running to life if you have some personal rituals attached to it. One client of mine described how she loves to go for a 30-minute run just as the sun rises. Then, when she returns home, she rewards herself with hot chocolate and marshmallows even in the summer. It’s quirky and it’s personal. More importantly, it turns running into a far more interesting activity (then again, any activity is more interesting with chocolate, but you get my point).
The long list of activities does not make you sound fun, diverse and full of life. It makes you sound like someone who has difficulty completing sentences. I think this is a good time to mention one acitivity that you needn’t bother with altogether – writing your online dating profile. Instead, hire a professional ad writer to write your online dating profile – me!
Check out my online dating profile samples. Or, go straight to the personality quiz. It costs nothing to do even though it’s an important first step to a great dating profile.
