The Tipping List
Do you Give Good E-mail?
4 tips to make sure you have him at LOL
-Gina Anderson
Long gone are the days of polite, face-to-face chitchat. Today's dating madness is all about "e" - e-courting, e-maintenance and even the occasional e-Dear John. Your e-mail says a lot about you when it comes to getting to know a potential suitor. Whether you're braving the world of online dating or taking the plunge by actually contacting the suit who gave you his business card, keep these tips in mind and your e-impressions are sure to be good ones.
1. Save the grand tribunal for your first date. Asking the basics (Where did you grow up? What line of work are you in?) and even a few fun throwaways to illustrate your personality (What's your favorite cult classic? Sean Connery vs. Daniel Craig?) is totally acceptable during your initial e-mail exchanges. But inundating him with Q's will only leave fewer A's for when you finally meet.
2. Keep it brief but bold. You know that feeling you get when a colleague shoots a 40-page PowerPoint your way "for review"? 'Nuff said. You can say a lot in 100 words and still come across as your witty, worldly self. No need to compete with War and Peace. Avoid e-rants (you'll lose him at "It all started in junior high..."), but don't be afraid to share a (short!) story - especially if you think it will make him laugh.
3. Timing is e-verything. Exit "How long do I wait to call?" and enter "When should I e-mail him back?" Feel out the situation during your first few conversations - is he a BlackBerry bullet who writes back within 30 minutes, or does he run more with the dial-up crowd? Neither is necessarily an indication of his romantic interest, but it does give you more insight into his personality and lifestyle. Most importantly, you set the rhythm that makes you most comfortable.
4. B Urself. If u like 2 communicate via the commonly accepted e-slang, go 4 it. But u can still get ur point across w/o throwing 2 many :) into the mix. Or, if crafting an incredibly contemplative, opulent mirage of words is more your speed, then do it. Even though face time has been replaced with e-time in the dating arena, it doesn't mean you shouldn't be confident in who you are and what you bring to the table. (And running spell-check never hurt anyone either.)
