As a professional matchmaker and relationship coach, I hear the same complaints from clients over and over:
* Scrolling is not getting me the results I want.
* People are dishonest and misrepresent themselves online.
* Searching through all the online profiles is time consuming (and disheartening!)
* I am not connecting in person with people I do meet online.
* Online dating is starting to feel like a second job.”
Sound familiar? These are just some of symptoms of online dating fatigue. Online dating certainly has its pros (inexpensive, low emotional risk, convenient), but it often doesn’t give people the results they desire. For those who are not making romantic connections through online dating platforms, don’t despair there is another way!
Professional matchmaking has been around for as long as people have been dating and is a reliable and safe way to meet potential partners. With a declining interest in impersonal communication and increasing frustrations with online dating, professional matchmaking is making a big comeback! These are the top 5 reasons why more and more people are gravitating away from online dating and towards the use of professional matchmakers.
1. Time
 Time is something money can’t buy and if you ask people what they want more of in life, the answer is almost uniformly time! On average, people log into online dating sites 10 times per day and spend roughly 90 minutes each day searching for potential partners. That’s over 10 hours per week spent scrolling and searching, with often nothing to show for it.
A professional matchmaker understands that your time is valuable and after you invest some initial time for an interview and assessment, your matchmaker will happily put in the time and effort necessary to do the searching for you. Once he or she knows what you are looking for in a partner, they will be able to hand select quality matches for you and weed out those who are not a good fit. Hiring a matchmaker could potentially save you an extra 40 hours per month of free time! Oh, think of the possibilities!!!!
2. Confidentiality
 Ever worry that your family, boss, co-workers, friends or exes will see and evaluate your online dating profile? Many of my professional clients avoid online dating for that very reason. This worry is alleviated when you work with a professional matchmaker. Matchmaking databases are not open to the public or even to paying clients! In my database, each and every client is treated with strict confidentiality. I always assure my clients that the only people who will know that they are in the database or seeking matchmaking services are myself, whomever they share the information with and the individuals they are matched with for dates.
3. Honesty
 Professional matchmakers are known for being very honest. In my experience, I find it helpful to remain optimistic for clients, but also also to offer realistic expectations. I am honest with my clients who have some characteristics that may make them more difficult to match (unemployed, smoker). I explain that although finding matches won’t be impossible, it may take a little longer. Professional matchmakers will work hard for their clients, but being honest about expectations is essential.
4. High Quality Prospects
 Anyone with an email account and a credit card can sign up for a online dating and of course they can create whatever bio and submit whatever photograph they choose, which unfortunately means that the online dating world is fraught with deception and misrepresentation.
Professional matchmakers solve that problem by personally vetting each and every candidate with a one on one interview process and in some cases even background checks. Since matchmakers will have personally met with your matches and hand selected your dates, you can be assured that your matches will be who they say they are!
5. Finding people who are SERIOUS about a relationship
 Professional matchmakers tend to be more expensive than online dating services which means that people who are willing to put in the money and effort to work with a matchmaker rather than just swiping right are probably more committed to creating a lasting connection.
Introductions from friends, online dating platforms, meeting people spontaneously and professional matchmakers .... no matter which route to take to meet other people, be proactive, have a clear idea of what it is you are looking for in a partner and most importantly, have fun and enjoy the process!
About the author: Michelle Fraley, MA, WPCC is a relationship coach and professional matchmaker and founder and owner of Spark Matchmaking & Relationship Coaching, LLC. Her mission to help people connect and maintain healthy, satisfying relationships using mindfulness and intentional love. She lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and 4 furry children.
Connect with me:
www.sparkmatchmaking.net
michelle@sparkmatchmaking.net