The Ground Rules of Messaging
Messaging is absolutely critical to getting to know someone. It's where many connections are made or lost. But it's also a whole lot of fun. Think about it: you can go from not knowing someone to hitting it off in just a few messages. Here a few ground rules to keep in mind when you're having conversations.
Make the first move
Sending the first message shows that you're interested, not desperate. If you see someone you like, reach out to them. If you wait too long, someone else might swoop in.
Make each message unique
It's hard to have quality conversations when you blast the same message out to everyone. Take the time to make each message unique to that particular person.
Just talk
As you start to exchange messages, you may feel pressure to try to win them over. Save that for the date. Use your messages as a time to get comfortable with each other.
Be interesting
The last thing you want your messages to be is forgettable. So don't be afraid to use humor. Laughter is one of the easiest ways to connect with someone. Also, try to be as specific as possible in your responses. If they ask about your interest in travelling, don't just tell them you like to travel, tell them a story about your last trip.
Skip the physical
Fellas, this one's for you. Please talk about something other than looks. Please. She knows what she has. She wants you to look beyond that and get to know her on a personal level.
Be timely
There's nothing worse than sending a message and waiting days, if not weeks, to get a reply. You want to strike while the sparks are flying. If you like what they have to say, be sure to respond in a timely fashion.
Spell check!
Misspellings are like bad breath. Seriously. Just take an extra minute or two to spell-check your message. You'll save yourself some embarrassment down the line.
Put what you've learned to good use. Find someone new to start a conversation with.
By Steve Harvey
for Chemistry.com
