One of the hardest things about meeting anyone online is breaking through the awkwardness of what you say to them after you say “Hi.”
The first thing to do is not to make yourself so nervous. After all, every other dude on the site is looking for new guy friends, too.
Here are some tips for starting your contact on the right foot:
- Take time to read the other guy’s bro-file before you write him a message. No matter how nice a guy he is, he will probably not be interested in meeting you if the two of you have absolutely nothing in common. The other guy has written all this stuff for a reason.
- Avoid TMI (Too Much Information) syndrome. When you talk only about yourself, it gives others the impression that you never listen. Keep your first message to a reasonable length: more than a haiku, but not a novel either. Also, don’t forget to ask at least one or two questions. It’s always easier for someone to write a reply when they can answer a question.
- As always, check your spelling and grammar. It’s never good to come across as ignorant. Or a LOL-cat.
Here’s a hypothetical example of a first message:
Hi, Tyler. My name is Jason, and I really liked what you said in your bro-file! We share a lot of interests, like cow-tipping and competitive backgammon. It also looks like our taste in music is really similar. Slavic grunge is so awesome! What’s your favorite band? I noticed that you included a photo of your pet tarantula: I have one too, named Thor. He’s going to be three years old this June. Do you have any other pets? I hope to hear back from you, because you sound really cool. Have a great day.
Regards,
Jason
As you can see, it’s not all that hard to put something like this together. And if Tyler doesn’t answer, just forget you sent the note and move on. That’s the worst-case scenario, anyway. Besides, it beats getting rejected in public.
Happy bromancing!
-The Blog Dude
