How To Make A Good First Impression

We are starting to publish a series of articles on how to draw more attention to your profile. In this series you will find simple recommendations that really work. They will help you make your profile more appealing and your communication on the site more effective. The first article tells you how to make a good first — and the most important — impression, how to draw more attention to your profile. We will talk about selecting photographs for your profile.

If you really want to find your better half, you will have to look through hundreds of profiles on our site and your future partner will have to do the same. In this case the most important thing is to screen out the unsuitable candidates, the people who definitely do not meet your criteria as well as to draw the attention of those who is looking for someone like you. To do that, you need to select the main photograph correctly.

The main photograph has to be striking

Your potential partner may open your profile, may read about your interests and discover that you two are the kindred spirits but this will happen only if your main photograph attracts his attention. The main photograph has to be striking. It’s best if it is of good quality and shows your face clearly.

The pictures in your profile have to show your individuality and one photo is not enough to understand what the person is like. That’s why it’s good to have various photographs. Select at least 5 to 10 photos where you look natural and at ease: be yourself, do not pose for the camera, do not take unnatural poses like photo models do. The photographs should reflect your interests and your personality. The most general advice is to select the pictures which you would send to your friends and family to show them what you’ve been up to. Try to select good quality photographs which show you clearly. And, of course, do not use the photographs where you are hugging a man (or a woman) unless this person is your close relative.

Select the pictures that show what you like

It is useful to make a list of your hobbies and select the photographs according to it. For example, if you like sports, show that: pick one or two photos where you are skiing, swimming in the pool, etc. If you have a pet, you most probably have been photographed with it. Do you have a hobby? Do you like drawing or stamp collecting? Do you spend your spare time fixing a car or cooking a feast? Show how you do it and what the end result is: a delicious dinner, a work of art, etc. Have you gone on vacation recently? Show where you have been. Do you love your job? Show your work place. If you have a child, have his or her photo ready as well. There’s no need to make this photo available to all visitors, but keep it ready for the one with whom a more serious relationship will develop.

Among the photographs there should be some that are full-length portraits as well as some which show your face clearly. If you feel uneasy about your appearance, do not put those photos up for everyone to see, but send them only to those with whom you communicate. If you are not very happy about your looks, select the photos that make drawbacks less obvious: for example, loose-fitting clothes hide a full figure; if you think that your nose is too long, do not use photos showing your profile, etc. If you have a chance to hire a professional photographer, have several photos taken — best of all, portraits. A good photographer will know how to emphasize the good looks and how to cover up the problems. But do not go overboard trying to conceal what you don’t like about yourself otherwise the personal encounter with you might disappoint your chosen one.

Remember that a genuine smile makes any face prettier and the most important quality of any person is not the appearance, but the soul. Photographs are necessary just so that the one looking at your picture on the computer screen could see into your soul and choose you among all the others.

Start right now

Try to work on your photographs right now. After you have selected your photos, look through them again. If you did it right, then one look at the pictures will show who you are. They will help you make the first impression — create a bright, appealing and interesting image which will draw more attention to your profile. If you see that your profile looks better now, send your photos to blog@tau2.com: both the ones you used to have and the ones you have now. We will add those photographs to this entry with a link to your profile. This way you will inspire other TAU2 member to use varied pictures in their profiles and will get a chance to draw more attention to your own profile.

From the next article in this series you will learn how to fill out your profile correctly, how to tell about yourself and your expectations of your partner.