Online dating has its perks.  You can go man-shopping at 3 am 
in your jammies.  You can search out someone who shares 
your adoration of Graham Norton, trashy tabloids or argyle 
socks.   And, thanks to your most fabulous date-ready photo, 
you can do it all looking your best, 24 hours a day.

Every day I get letters from my fabulous readers asking about 
Internet dating.  Does it really work?

Sure it does.  Of course there's always a possibility of meeting 
the Star Trek troll who lives with his mother, or worse, other 
Star Trek trolls.  The prison inmate.  The forgot-to-mention-
she's-married.  But for the most part, online dating is still a 
great way to meet someone. 

Here are a few tips to help you click online:

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Emails.
This is possibly your most important asset in successful online 
dating.  Most people will pass by a profile with no photo - no 
matter how fabulous it may be.  Most people search for profiles 
with photos only.  Dating is all about chemistry, and nobody 
wants to end up with whoever is behind door number three. 
Make sure your photo is the best possible picture of you; feel 
free to crop to get the best shot and pump up the contrast to 
add a little excitement.  (Try it, it adds an extra vaa-vaa-voom 
to your picture - you'll just pop off the page.)  Avoid using 
pictures of you and other people, even if they're blurred out. 
The message you're trying to send is fun, sexy or interesting, 
not "witness protection program."  Another good trick - wear 
red in your photo, or use a red background.  It automatically 
makes you stand out from the crowd and seem more exciting. 
(Works at a party too...)

The Profile.  Showing Your Fun Side.
Your profile is your second most important tool.  The key here 
is to use advertising principles to create immediate interest 
and action.  Here's what you need to create a profile that pulls: 
A snappy headline, three key points (it's not a resume darling, 
it's small talk...) and a big finish.  (Known to advertising people 
as a "Call To Action.") 
 Try to avoid sounding needy or negative.
(It's always best to have a friend desperado-check your profile 
before you post - especially a friend of the opposite sex.) Avoid 
bad puns, clichés and pitiful jokes, such as "Go Ahead, 
Click My Day" or anything that sounds desperate like 
"Are You Prince Charming?" or "Searching For Soulmate." 
Funny is good, and frankly, nothing works better than humor 
to intrigue and bring those eligibles flying into your inbox. 
Here are some interesting ones:
"My dog needs a mom." 
"Outdoorsman seeking good catch"
"The girl below me is a stalker"
Most people will click on a profile with a funny title just 
to see what the person says next.  And last but not least, 
SPELLCHECK!  The technology is there, sweets, all you 
have to do is push the button.

Email Suave
Okay, so now you're ready to make contact.  Emailing a 
potential date is like flirting.  You want to captivate without 
giving everything away.  Both humor and intrigue are 
great ways to break the ice, and send those sparks burning 
over the DSL.  Start off your email with something like "I 
noticed the most interesting thing about you."  Don't spill 
what the interesting thing was, just use it as a teaser. 
They won't know if it's the Haiku profile or their in-depth 
knowledge of macramé that snagged you, but people are 
fundamentally curious. It will gnaw at them until they 
write back and Bingo, you've got contact. 

Once again, it's important to keep your emails snappy - short 
and charming.  Go into too much depth and you'll induce your 
online Romeo or Juliet to snores.  In-depth analysis of your 
feelings is what therapy is for - this, my darlings, is flirting.

Another tip: don't send a barrage of emails to one person, 
follow their pace and try to keep up.  (If they send 4 a week, you send 
4 or so every week.) 

Safety First!
 Finally, never, NEVER give your personal information out 
to a stranger, and although in traditional dating settings 
a man should ALWAYS pick up his date at her door, meeting 
someone you don't know is a different situation entirely. 
Always remember to be safe, meet at a public place, and take 
a friend if you can. Let someone know where you'll be and 
when you'll be home, and be sure to take your cell phone 
with you.  Always trust your instincts, and if a little voice is 
telling you something's not right, pay attention and hit the door. 

 Have faith and be safe  - Eventually you'll meet someone 
fantastic, and you'll just, well, click.