I attended the media launch, and it was a little weird – I was one of the few people there who was not single.

Yes, you read that right. I’m not single. I’m not in a relationship – yet – I’m seeing a wonderful man on a regular basis and we’re getting to know each other better. But this is not about me. Not completely.

Of course, the first question everyone asks, especially when you’re an antisocial recluse person who takes herself to knitting coffee dates, is “Where did you meet?”. So, are you sitting down?

Tinder.

Yes, Tinder

I’d been on Tinder for months, if not years, with no results to speak of. Then I made one change to my profile. Just one. I added more pictures of my rainbow hair. And suddenly all the matches came flooding in.

Underestimating the value of a dating profile

Yes, the pictures made a difference. I specifically asked what made him swipe right, and he admitted it was the hair.

For someone edging towards my fortieth birthday, the idea of dating was quite daunting. Where do you go to meet people? Thanks to the internet you don’t even have to put on real pants. But that doesn’t make this journey any easier.

But Jo and Rachelle from Dating Profiles are like your personal GPS on this road fraught with disaster. You know how the lady patiently recalculates your route and never swears at you for deliberately ignoring her directions? That’s Jo and Rachelle.

Dating Profiles was founded to enable men and women to have a better online dating profile, to take ownership of their online dating presence, and to improve their overall dating experience and have fun. There are many people using the online dating apps who are genuinely looking for companionship, relationships, love and potentially marriage. Everyone deserves to be loved and to love and there is someone for everyone.  Putting the onus on the other person in the online dating world has become prevalent often leading to higher dissatisfaction in online dating overall. Dating Profiles aims to change this by returning to the basics of attracting and supporting people who are genuinely interested in a sincere, meaningful dating experience. At Dating Profiles we believe that as the world evolves, society has lost its way in the transition from traditional dating to online dating.

Share your story and stand a chance to win

Jo and Rachelle are passionate about helping people improve their dating experience, through dating workshops and coaching, profile writing, and Dating Profiles Social Club for Singles.

Dating Profiles is the first of its kind in South Africa, and their first seminar takes place in Johannesburg at the end of June.

If you need a little online dating help, and not ready for the commitment of extreme hair colour treatments, I’ll help you out. I have two tickets to the seminar, valued at R1 450, up for grabs. So you can take a friend. Even if your friend is in a relationship because friends go with friends to events that will improve their friends’ life. And maybe they can learn something too.

For a chance to win, comment below with an awkward dating memory. I’ll even get us started: I lost my balance when hugging the guy I’d just met for the first time goodbye. On the upside, he whispered in my ear “I told you I’d sweep you off your feet.” And he turned out to be this amazing man I get to chat with every day. So you never know 😉