Now with dating while distancing on most of our minds, we’ve moved quickly moved towards new ways of getting to know somebody, or keeping that spark alive.
And while it’s not something you may have considered doing before, it’s certainly worth considering now. Not only can it be a good way of getting a feel for who your date is, but it’s a great way of keeping in touch with somebody you might just have been newly dating.
However, many of our clients have expressed that they find the idea of a video date slightly intimidating. So, we’ve compiled a list of our top tips and expert advice. We hope this helps!
Arrange a time and place. Like a normal date, be punctual. Arrange a nice area in your home, with no distractions and good lighting. Maybe give it a little tidy too!
Be mindful of your body language. Good posture radiates confidence, as does strong eye contact. Slumping, on the other hand, can make you seem low energy and uninterested.
Subtly mirror your match’s body language. This is an effective sales technique because it subconsciously makes the other person feel more relaxed and comfortable with you – and it works just as well for video chats! The key is to do it subtly, like if they leans back, then you do the same. But don’t copy *every* gesture. If you cross the line into mimicry, your match will likely notice.
Be positive. Negativity is a mood killer! Especially these days! Complaints about your day, things you don’t like, past relationship drama… Just don’t go there. Focus on what you bring to the table and what makes you happy, and your match is much more likely to say yes to meeting again.
Wear headphones. If you have headphones, use them. Relying on the built-in speaker and microphones can result in annoying feedback on your match’s end, or even worse – an obnoxious echo.
Don’t chew gum (or eat). Watching – and hearing – someone chew or move a cough drop around their mouth is distracting and off-putting. And eating during a video call is just rude.
Avoid staring at yourself. If you can’t resist the urge to check yourself out, shrink that square as much as possible or remove it entirely from the screen.
Resist the urge to fidget. A lot of movement will be just as distracting on camera as it would be in an actual face-to-face conversation.