Online Dating Message Alternative Openings to ‘Hey’

“Hey’. It’s the standard conversation opener for text messages, Whatsapp notes, face to face interactions and everything in between. But what sort of impression does it make in an online dating message? We’re here to tell you why a short and simple ‘hey’ won’t cut the mustard anymore and, if you’re serious about getting a rural dater to respond to your overtures, you’re going to have to get a little more creative.

What’s wrong with ‘hey’?

It’s time to think about approaching online dating as you would a real-life, face-to-face interaction. Would you approach someone and just say ‘hey’ and nothing else? Nope, we didn’t think you would. When you start chatting to someone you do so with a purpose – that is, an intention to share information, to find out something or to build connections. The exact same thinking applies to online dating. If you must, start your message with ‘Hey’ and follow on with questions, comments, or conversation, all unique to that person and their rural dating profile.

Does ‘hey’ say ‘I’m interested in you?

The short answer is ‘no’. Sending a quick ‘hey’ signals that although you are attracted to someone’s profile picture and basic Muddy Matches information, you haven’t really taken the time to read more about this particular countryside daters’ hobbies, interests and relationship dreams. The upshot, that you are lazy and can’t really be bothered. Not a good first impression is it?

Does ‘hey’ sell yourself?

The point of sending an online dating conversation is to spark the sharing of thoughts and feelings back and forth so that you get to know your rural match better. Sending a common ‘hey’ will neither make you stand out from the crowd of other online daters, nor give your potential countryside match anything to respond to. Ideally, your online dating message will be unique to the person you’re talking too, and unique to you, as well.

So what to use instead of ‘hey’?

Whilst we have nothing against the word ‘hey’, put what you’ve learnt so far in this blog post into practise and follow it up with some tasty, attention-grabbing nuggets. There are three golden rules: One – make it clear that you’ve taken the time to read through your country match’s online dating profile and that you are sending a message unique to them by referring to their profile or their online dating pictures in what you say; two – include something about yourself to make you stand out from all the other online daters out there; and three – ask some open-ended questions to get the conversation started.