There’s so much talk these days about online dating services – but online dating is not the only way to meet someone. Remember a few decades back when the most popular way was your friend arranging a blind date for you and another friend? Sometimes tragic, sometimes fun, blind dates seemed prone to failure. This is why professional matchmakers are a good idea. Matchmakers? Yes, they provide dating services. So what are some of the most common ways to meet somebody these days?

Online dating services are available (thousands of them), and on these you fill out a registration form, create a public profile, pay some money (usually), and browse through the database for possible dates. If you’re lucky you might receive some “winks” or “emails” from people on the service – this could take hours, days or weeks depending on how attractive you are to those members. Online dating can be fun, but be wary of giving out too much information about yourself online – at least initially.

Perhaps you’re not a big internet user or don’t like the fee scales or complexity of online dating services. Phone dating is quite big at present, but a little under the radar. There are various versions of phone dating out there: either you send and receive SMS text messages and pay per message sent, or you phone up to a chat service at a price per minute or for the call, and browse short introduction messages and talk to real people in themed “rooms” like “the lobby”, and “the bar”. This type of service can work well for out and about users, with mobile phones.

Video dating is a more personalised service, where you go to a dating agency / video production service and make a 1 minute video about yourself. You pay to have this put on the database with your details, and each month, members of the service are sent 1 or 2 dvd’s of all of the new members that month. Put it in your DVD player, watch (and love) at the many introductions, and take note of the ones you like. Your advert has a special email address at the dating agency service – reply to this address and your email will be automatically forwarded (privately) to the advertiser… who may choose to respond to you.

If all of these “remote” services seem bad to you, consider going to a speed dating date. Most large cities now advertise and run these. A group of guys and girls, all random, go to a venue and are made to interact with each other for a few minutes one on one. At the end of the night, you vote for those people you liked the most – your vote includes your phone number or email address. If both sides are happy with the vote, you may choose to go out again together and start dating. Saying that, I’ve personally known some people who just go back to one person’s house and start making love! I’m not suggesting that – but I guess it must work for some people. Let’s call that the “fast track dating”.

More often than before, bars now offer “singles nights” where you can come along, drink and get to meet a whole bunch of random people in a bar setting. No pressure, and a lot of laughs to be sure. Most bars put on free bar snacks throughout the night to keep the 100-300 people staying and drinking. If you’re the kind of guy or girl who likes to “work the room”, you may well enjoy this as a productive night out.

Dating services will continue to evolve as technology gets better and better. Getting professional help with your dating is not taboo – in fact, many people do it. Think of the thousands of people reading this blog around the world, and you’ll understand what I mean. From the list above, think about the best option for you and how you like to meet people. Find a dating service, and find love… now!

Dating and looking for your perfect match? Find your match at Xpress.com, Amateur Match and Webcam Club.