quote:

ORIGINAL: garyFLR

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheLilSquaw

gary,

3 paragraphs?
That seems long to me for an introduction email.

I admit I wouldn't read that.

That's probably why I haven't been very successful.
Thanks for your input. I suppose, if you get loads of messages a day, if the first line doesn't grab you, it gets binned, I see your point of view.

quote:

ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders

quote:

ORIGINAL: DaddySatyr

My profile is so detailed that IF I decide to send a lady a message, it will be nothing more than:

"I really liked your profile and I think we have quite a few things in common. Please take a look at my profile and see if you agree?"



Peace and comfort,



Michael

See now just to be awkward, I wouldn't respond to this. Firstly, because it's generic enough that it could be a copy-paste (I've had a couple of emails like this in the past week, very similar wording, and they obviously haven't read my profile since it says not looking). Secondly because it puts the burden on me to start the conversation. It sort of says 'I'd like to talk to you' but doesn't lead into anything or suggest a topic. For me personally it needs a hook - even something as simple as 'I see you're on board a yatch in your profile picture. Do you do much sailing? I got to try it for the first time on holiday in France last year and really enjoyed it'. Now a topic has been offered rather than putting the onus on me to think of one.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheLilSquaw

quote:

ORIGINAL: garyFLR

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheLilSquaw

gary,

3 paragraphs?
That seems long to me for an introduction email.

I admit I wouldn't read that.

That's probably why I haven't been very successful.
Thanks for your input. I suppose, if you get loads of messages a day, if the first line doesn't grab you, it gets binned, I see your point of view.

When you introduce yourself for the 1st time to someone in r/t do you go into your entire life story? I hope not.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Aedonix
My question is this. by use of a word count estimate, what is the ideal length of tha first message? (Let's leave content out of this, that is a whole other topic all on it's own right there!)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheLilSquaw
When you introduce yourself for the 1st time to someone in r/t do you go into your entire life story? I hope not.

quote:

ORIGINAL: LafayetteLady

quote:

ORIGINAL: graceadieu

I'm not sure off the top of my head how much text 500 words is - it's been a while since I wrote an essay, haha. I feel like that's maybe a full page double-spaced in Word? If so, that's much too long.

I agree with the advice of 3-7 sentences. One sentence, e.g. "Hi, you're cute!" isn't enough (I got a lot like that when I was more active on the "other side") and will get ignored. It should be long enough to make it personalized and interesting. But more than a couple paragraphs is just too much for an introduction. You wouldn't give a huge speech the first time you met someone in real life, right?

Again, haven't finished whole thread yet, so if someone answered, my apologies.

500 words is almost one page in Word at 12pt Ariel, SINGLE SPACED. With an extra return between paragraphs. Oh, and that is with margins set at .75 all around.