Soon enough everyone you talk to will be a job prospect, or at least good experience. You need to be the type of person that enjoys talking to people about themselves and wants to see others succeed. Sound easy? Cool.
Right now, you’re still low key. Just work on casually introducing friends to friends that you think might make a good couple. Hang out in groups and keep it pressure-free. You don’t need to send them off on a romantic getaway quite yet.
When you’re choosing the right match for someone, it’s important to analyze their past relationships. Ask them about what did work and what didn’t work so you can help them avoid making the same relationship mistakes again. [1] X Expert Source Louie FelixDating Coach & Matchmaker Expert Interview. 5 May 2020. This can actually help your matchmaking abilities, too. If you know Paul rushes into serious relationships, you won’t think to pair him with Steven who is a 100% commitment phobic who likes to play the field. Who the people are on paper matters only as much as who the people are in their own minds.
This won’t be such an issue when you only have a few clients to handle. But when they start coming in droves, you’ll need a way to make sure your job doesn’t literally drive you crazy. It’s good to have multiple copies of everything, too, just in case something goes wrong.
Make sure it’s a reputable program, though. There are plenty of courses out there that are complete bunk and are just looking to take your money. Do your research before you pay anyone anything. This isn’t mandatory, but it is recommended. A good course will also delve into the business aspect of it, helping you stay profitable in addition to getting clients and making successful matches.
The upside is that you get handed everything you need. The downside is that you have less autonomy and can’t make your own rates. That being said, you could always start out working for someone else and if you like it, turn it into your own business prospect.
Data on your projected market – who it is, how big it is, etc. Identifying your company’s needs, at least initially Coming up with marketing ideas to promote your “product” Determining initial costs Research potential work spaces Identifying potential investors
If you’re planning on keeping it at just you and your website, you may be able to get away with not having a name or slogan. “Norma Jean – Professional Matchmaking Since 2014” will do just fine (though you may want to avoid rhyming). For now, don’t fret about it. Concentrate on what you have to offer and the answer may come to you.
You may want to consider hiring an accountant and/or a legal advisor to help you get going in this process. The money needs to be tracked down the penny, especially in the early stages (mainly for tax purposes and to determine qualifying terms).
The benefit of having a brick and mortar establishment to your name is that you can work on the individual level with clients in the area. Meeting face to face will definitely give you a better read on them and likely lead to you producing better matches. It’s also helpful for those that don’t want to work through a computer.
You won’t want to charge on the basis of a relationship. Instead, try to focus your rates more widely. For example, for $1,000, they can have access for an entire year to your entire pool of clients that are looking for people like them. You’ll work with them as much as they need to find that perfect person. It’ll all depend on what kind of services you offer and what kind of people you’re dealing with.
A lot of it will be networking. Get your business a Twitter and Facebook, make events, attend events, and be the face of your company. Friend people, give them your card, sign up with a local bar, crash a speed dating event, and go to where your clients are. They may not be able to find you by themselves. After all, they’re too busy looking for love.
In the interview process, you’ll need to get personal. Everything from their sexual history to how they sleep at night to their physical preferences to their relationship with their mother. You need to see the person like their significant other would see them. Talk about all the taboos and get their dirty laundry aired out. You need to see their bad side, too. You really have to coach your clients, because they might never have had to express what they’re looking for out loud before. By digging deeper, you can see what the person really wants, which might sometimes be a little different than what they say they want. [3] X Expert Source Louie FelixDating Coach & Matchmaker Expert Interview. 5 May 2020.
Along with this, each client should be filling out informative paperwork on their own person as well. Have, in writing, all their information. Start with the basics – their name, phone number, employer, etc. – and end with personal questionnaires getting at the aspects of their personality. By the end, each client should have a folder you can reference later when need be.
Singles’ events are veritable gold mines for a person in your business. It’s best if you’re single yourself, but you could probably work your way around that with enough charm and poise. It’ll be very clear you’re in there to make a buck, so put on your best outfit and keep the genuine smiles ready when you go in for the kill.
In addition to supplying the services you said you’d supply, you’re also keeping in the loop as to how you’re doing. If they fall madly in love, that’s a success you can put under your belt and something you can talk about in the future. When you’re pitching yourself to your next potential client, Stacey and Zach are a good way to show you have the chops and are worth the investment.
Because of this, you need to know what gets your client(s) going. Start with the physical stuff first, since that’s the easiest. Once you find someone who you think meets their physical requirements, you can move onto the personality and values of their potential mate.
Often this will mean getting real with your clients. Have they ever been abused? Do they end up dumping their significant others when things start getting tough? Do they have trust issues? Any mental illnesses or hints thereof? Are they aggressive or overly temperamental? Are they a doormat? These are all things that matter to their happiness in a mate and to your success as a matchmaker.
That’s the extreme of it. The other side is those clients that just aren’t actually ready for a relationship. We all know those people that say they want a relationship (and a successful one at that), but in reality they just need to love themselves first. If someone comes to you who is just too insecure to have a stable, adult relationship, let them know the truth. Maybe they don’t even know.
More often than not people are different in a relationship than they are just as themselves. They become stronger or weaker, have different expectations, different priorities, and focus on different things. This is the person you need to get to know beneath who they are on the outside. It’s not just who they are, it’s who they are as a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Let’s say Cliff has been on a couple dates with several of your clients and nothing has worked out. In that situation, you may want to take Cliff aside and have him talk through the dates so you can pinpoint “where he’s going wrong. " It could be that he just has high expectations and isn’t letting the relationships progress, or he’s doing something silly like obsessing over an ex. You want your clients to be successful, but sometimes they need a prod in the right direction.
