By Guest Blogger Damona Hoffman

Image courtesy of Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As an online dating coach who’s been there, done that and married a man that I met online — people are always asking for my online dating secret.

Ready for it? You have to think of yourself as a “product” that you are selling online to the right “buyer.” If you make the majority of your purchases online, why should finding a mate be any different?

Think of how a product catches your eye online — intriguing pictures, clever product descriptions and an attention-getting launch strategy. What if you did the same for your online dating profile?

Here are my top five online dating secrets to help you get noticed on a dating site and make the connection last:

1. Get As Many People Into the Funnel As Possible

That way YOU can make the choices about who you want to go out with and get to know better. Online daters often make their profiles so exclusionary that they turn people off. When you say things like, “Do not message me if you’re over 40,” you may also be turning off those who are under 40 with your demanding tone.

2. Wear Color in Your Photo

When you’re looking a selection of photos that, on the surface seem very similar, primary photos with you wearing bright colors will get the guy to click your picture first.

3. Creating a Profile Is an Art

You must balance being confident with being humble to come off as attractive without sounding arrogant. I recommend that every profile includes four items: something you love, something you hate, something that makes you laugh and something that makes you cry. Use words that convey passion like exciting, brilliant and unbelievable.

4. Don’t Overshare on Photos

Many sites now allow you to post 10 or more, but usually you can convey all the information that you really need to with just three to five pictures. More photos create clutter and “brand confusion” and can end up showing something that turns a suitor off unnecessarily.

5. Always Do Drinks on the First Date

Coffee, tea, soda, martinis, wine, beer — pick your own poison, but give yourself a limit. You want to keep the first date short and keep your head clear.

If you get offline as quickly as possible to see if the hunk online is the real deal, you can turn a catfish into a real catch and find true love online like I did!

For more advice to get you online dating like a pro, visit DearMrsD.com and claim your free video “The Biggest Online Dating Mistakes You’re Making Right Now – and How to Fix Them.” Match.com, JDate, and HurryDate are just a few of the dating sites that recommend Damona “Dear Mrs D” Hoffman’s new book Spin Your Web: How to Brand Yourself for Successful Online Dating. Pick up your copy now at Amazon.com!