Post Pictures
Put up lots of pictures. People are unlikely to respond if there aren't any pictures. Use pictures that are only of you – no friends or family. It’s not always clear who is who and don’t use pictures where you've blurred or cut out other people on the picture.

Know What You Want
There are dating sites that specialize or have search options for just about everything including ethnicity, marriage, faith, or casual friendships. Pick one that is appropriate to what you’re looking for. [That’s why we’re here to help!]

Save Money
Sign up on your dating site for the max amount of time. Most dating sites offer significant discounts [50% and more] if you sign up for a longer period of time. Finding ‘the one’ [or ‘the ones’] is not likely to happen during the free trial period. The free trial period is great for letting you test out the site and see if the members are generally a good fit for your criteria.  

Be Honest
You are only going to waste time and money if you are dishonest in your profile. Use a recent photo and don’t lie about your age or weight. There is someone out there for everyone! Being dishonest will only lead to disappointment and wasted time.

Safety Tips
We encourage you to be honest but not everyone is. The mentally unbalanced, weirdoes, and freaks are online too. Follow these tips on your first few dates to help keep yourself safe.

• Meet and stay in a public place
• Let someone know where you are
• Schedule a check in call with a friend during the date
• If you’re getting the creeps – trust your gut and leave
• Do not meet or be picked up at your house and don’t give out your home address
• Don’t give out your place of employment
• Don’t give out your last name [or make one up]

As your relationship progresses you can being to give out some personal information as you feel comfortable. Give it time.

Take a Winning Picture

Your picture is your best selling tool so make it a good one. You can have several pictures in your profile but you need one good headshot as your main pic. Keep these guidelines in mind:

• You and only you in the picture.
• Find a non-distracting background. You can hang up a bed sheet or find a neutral wall.
• Aim for diffused natural light. You do not want harsh light from above – it will create unattractive shadows on your face.
• Don’t pose straight ahead like a mug shot - tilt your head, raise your chin, swivel your shoulders – create some angles in the picture.
• Black and white is generally more flattering – if you have a photo editing program you might try turning your picture grayscale and slightly increase the contrast. 
• Crop the photo to center yourself in the frame
• Remember the size at which someone will actually be viewing your photo. No one is going to notice a zit or stray hair.

With digital cameras you can take as many as you want - so experiment and go crazy!