Building Your Dating Brand*

Photo courtesy of Forbes

TAKE A BUSINESS-MINDED APPROACH

Starting a business and building a relationship share striking similarities. Both ventures require a leap of faith, strategic planning, and resilience. Just as a startup seeks that idea-saving investment, a relationship often hinges on finding the right partner. Like navigating a business, couples must make joint decisions, manage shared resources, and maintain open communication. Both journeys are filled with trial and error, and the importance of self-awareness cannot be overstated. While external advice is abundant success lies in understanding one's strengths and weaknesses, and persistently pursuing long-term goals.

In both business and relationships, common pitfalls can hinder progress. Inadequate planning, a lack of understanding about the market or partner, and a reluctance to seek assistance are frequent obstacles. By prioritizing organization, curiosity, and unwavering commitment, we can overcome these challenges. Recognizing the parallels between these two endeavors offers valuable insights into fostering success in both personal and professional life.

In an Andrea-esque nutshell? Have a plan. Do the legwork. Put yourself out there. Reap the rewards, with the expectation that returns are not necessarily a linear progression or happen from the get-go. Some startups can get lucky, but most require a good amount of blood, sweat and tears.

PUT WORK INTO PERSONAL BRANDING

Clever personal branding is the secret sauce to stand out in the crowded online dating world. Most profiles blend together, offering generic lists of interests and preferences. That’s boring and isn’t going to grab anyone’s attention. Instead, think of your profile as an artfully constructed brand identity. You want to be unforgettable for all the right reasons. By displaying your unique qualities and values, you create a compelling narrative that resonates with potential matches. Just like a successful business, your personal brand should be memorable, consistent, and authentic. A personal brand is your story and how you present yourself. It demonstrates your unique qualities and skills. You need to stand out in the dating macrocosm – and your brand will lead the way.

Avoid the Vanilla Profile Trap. The problem? Most online daters fall into the trap of generic profiles. They list places they've traveled, hobbies they enjoy, or the must-have qualities in a partner. This bland approach is, quite frankly, a snooze fest.

Photo courtesy of Financial Magazine

Craft Your Narrative. Imagine your profile as a story about you! Use strong visuals and spellbinding text to highlight your personality, interests, and values. What makes you tick? What are you enthusiastic about? This personal branding strategy will help you connect with potential matches who share your interests and outlook on life. Give us some swagger, some edge, something that makes you the most intriguing person in the room.

Borrow from Business Branding. Think of the successful brands you know. What makes them memorable? They have a clear, consistent message. Apply this concept to your profile. Develop a short, impactful tagline that summarizes your unique essence. Keep it brief, like the slogans of major companies. This tagline will be your personal branding statement in the dating world.

With one client, a 42-year-old writer and global traveler living in New York City, we used the catchy “Flower Child with a Rock n’ Roll Soul,” which – without having to say more – conveyed her essence as a calm, crunchy mama with a perchance for a fun time. So, get your creative cap on.

Ready to build your brand and start dating the right people? Click here to find out how--it's free and it's 15 minutes with me!

*This is an excerpt from Andrea McGinty’s new book which will be available in late Fall 2024. Her new book combines her business savvy principles (from starting a small business that turned into a $90 million dollar company to having her help you personally as a dating coach/relationship expert) translated into the strategies of dating. 

Informative, yes.  Fun, you bet.  Results-oriented, no doubt.