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IAP Career College Guide to
Become a
Matchmaker
Rachel Russo
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IAP CAREER COLLEGE® GUIDE
TO BECOME A MATCHMAKER
By Rachel Russo
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
Contents
1. Introduction���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8
1.1 A Career in Matchmaking���������������������������������������������������������9
1.2 The Matchmaking Industry����������������������������������������������������10
1.3 Benefits of Being a Matchmaker���������������������������������������������11
2. What a Matchmaker Does�������������������������������������������������������������14
2.1 Services Provided by a Matchmaker�������������������������������������14
2.2 Phone Consultations����������������������������������������������������������������17
2.2.1 Setting Yourself Up for Success �����������������������������������17
2.2.2 Questions to Ask Prospective Clients ������������������������18
2.2.3 Taking Charge of the Phone Consultation �����������������19
2.3 Face-to-Face Consultations�����������������������������������������������������20
2.3.1 Preparing for the Consultation ������������������������������������21
2.3.2 Conducting a Client Interview ������������������������������������22
2.3.3 Administering a Personality Test ��������������������������������34
2.3.4 Making the Sale �������������������������������������������������������������34
2.4 How to Do the Matchmaking�������������������������������������������������36
2.4.1 Develop a Database �������������������������������������������������������36
2.4.2 Making the Matches ������������������������������������������������������37
2.4.3 Pitch the Match to Both Parties������������������������������������39
2.4.4 Confirming the Details �������������������������������������������������40
2.4.5 Getting Dating Feedback ����������������������������������������������40
3. Getting Ready����������������������������������������������������������������������������������43
3.1 Skills and Knowledge You Will Need�����������������������������������43
3.1.1 Skills Assessment ����������������������������������������������������������44
3.1.2 Basic Knowledge of Psychology ���������������������������������45
3.1.3 Interpersonal Skills �������������������������������������������������������45
3.1.4 Business Skills ����������������������������������������������������������������47
3.2 Learning by Doing��������������������������������������������������������������������49
3.2.1 Volunteer Matchmaking Experience ��������������������������49
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
3.2.2 Internships ����������������������������������������������������������������������51
3.2.3 Part-Time Jobs ����������������������������������������������������������������53
3.3 Learn From Other Business Owners��������������������������������������54
3.3.1 Information Interviews �������������������������������������������������54
3.3.2 Mentoring �����������������������������������������������������������������������57
3.3.3 Associations �������������������������������������������������������������������59
3.4 Educational Programs��������������������������������������������������������������60
3.4.1 Degree Programs �����������������������������������������������������������60
3.4.2 Certificate Programs �����������������������������������������������������61
3.4.3 Continuing Education Courses �����������������������������������62
3.4.4 Business Courses �����������������������������������������������������������62
3.5 Resources for Self-Study����������������������������������������������������������64
3.5.1 Books �������������������������������������������������������������������������������64
3.5.2 Websites ��������������������������������������������������������������������������64
4. Getting Hired�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������66
4.1 Types of Employers������������������������������������������������������������������66
4.2 How to Find Job Openings������������������������������������������������������68
4.2.1 Advertised Positions �����������������������������������������������������68
4.2.2 Unadvertised Positions ������������������������������������������������71
4.2.3 Create a New Job �����������������������������������������������������������72
4.3 Job-Hunting Materials�������������������������������������������������������������75
4.3.1 Your Resume ������������������������������������������������������������������75
4.3.2 Cover Letters ������������������������������������������������������������������79
4.3.3 Other Materials ��������������������������������������������������������������82
4.4 Job Interviews���������������������������������������������������������������������������83
4.4.1 How to Prepare for an Interview ��������������������������������83
4.4.2 Interview Questions ������������������������������������������������������87
4.4.3 Following Up �����������������������������������������������������������������92
4.5 The Job Offer�����������������������������������������������������������������������������93
4.5.1 Salary �������������������������������������������������������������������������������93
4.5.2 Deciding Whether to Take the Job ������������������������������95
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
5. Starting Your Own Business���������������������������������������������������������97
5.1 Getting Started��������������������������������������������������������������������������99
5.1.1 Creating a Business Plan ����������������������������������������������99
5.1.2 Choosing a Business Legal Structure �����������������������106
5.1.3 Choosing a Business Name ����������������������������������������111
5.1.4 Choosing Your Location ���������������������������������������������113
5.2 Financial Matters��������������������������������������������������������������������116
5.2.1 Start-up and Operating Expenses �����������������������������116
5.2.2 Start-up Financing��������������������������������������������������������121
5.2.3 Taxes�������������������������������������������������������������������������������125
5.2.4 Insurance�����������������������������������������������������������������������127
5.2.5 Setting Your Fees����������������������������������������������������������130
5.2.6 Client Contracts������������������������������������������������������������131
5.2.7 Getting Paid�������������������������������������������������������������������137
5.3 Working with Support Staff��������������������������������������������������141
5.3.1 Employees versus Contractors�����������������������������������141
5.3.2 Finding Support Staff��������������������������������������������������142
5.3.3 The Interview Process��������������������������������������������������143
5.3.4 References����������������������������������������������������������������������145
6. Getting Clients������������������������������������������������������������������������������147
6.1 Choose Your Target Markets�������������������������������������������������148
6.2 Marketing Tools����������������������������������������������������������������������149
6.2.1 Printed Materials ���������������������������������������������������������149
6.2.2 Your Portfolio����������������������������������������������������������������153
6.2.3 Your Website ����������������������������������������������������������������159
6.2.4 Social Media������������������������������������������������������������������162
6.2.5 Your Elevator Pitch �����������������������������������������������������169
6.3 Marketing Techniques������������������������������������������������������������173
6.3.1 Online Marketing���������������������������������������������������������173
6.3.2 Paid Advertising�����������������������������������������������������������176
6.3.3 Free Media Publicity ���������������������������������������������������182
6.3.4 Networking ������������������������������������������������������������������187
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
6.3.5 Promotional Events �����������������������������������������������������190
Conclusion��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������192
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
1.
Introduction
Congratulations on embarking upon your journey into a unique and
fulfilling career path. As a matchmaker, you will be a part of a booming,
recession-proof industry. You’ll enjoy a lucrative career as you help
diverse singles find love and marriage. You’ll wonder how you got so
lucky as to snag a position in which you actually get paid to socialize
and chat about dating on a daily basis! Soon enough, you‘ll discover
that your occupation — and the glamorous lifestyle that comes with
it — is always the hottest topic of conversation at dinner parties. Trust
me, I should know! After working as a professional matchmaker and
relationship coach for the past five years, I can say with confidence
that my friends are still as excited about my career as they were from
the very first day I started! I know firsthand that working in the
matchmaking industry makes for extraordinary opportunities. Now
is your chance to learn everything you need to be successful in this
fabulous career.
In this guide, the IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker, you
will develop a profound understanding of the nature of the industry
and the benefits of this important work. With knowledge of all the skills,
tools, education and experience that is essential for matchmaking, you’ll
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
be prepared to secure employment with a matchmaking agency or to
start your own business. The following chapters will cover everything
from writing a business plan to selling your services to your very first
client. When it comes to matchmaking, you will see that there is truly
no better time to get started than right now!
1.1
A Career in Matchmaking
Although utilizing the services of a professional matchmaker may
seem like a modern-day trend, matchmakers have been facilitating
marriage proposals for centuries all around the globe. Traditionally,
matchmaking has been quite popular in Jewish communities where
people often regarded it as a mitzvah, or good deed.
Many matchmakers today are Jewish and specialize in setting up
people who’d like to marry someone of the same religion. NYC’s #1
Jewish Matchmaker, Shoshanna Rikon of Shoshanna’s Matches, says
that “Bringing people together in the Jewish community has been the
most rewarding aspect of being a matchmaker.” In cahoots with the
matchmakers from earlier days, she agrees that “word of mouth has
been the most valuable marketing tool for generating new business.”
Indeed, it seems that some things never change!
People frequently associate matchmaking with the Jewish yenta, but for
centuries, matchmakers have been popular with those of all religions
and cultures. Matchmakers, from family members to outsiders, were
often present in Catholic and Hindu societies. Arranged marriages
were the tradition all over the world, especially in Asian countries like
India, Japan and China, as well as in Mexico, Russia and many African
and Middle Eastern countries.
In the past, matchmakers were not always compensated for the
introductions they made. Some just set up their family and friends
until others outside of their own social circles began recognizing
their talent for putting people together in a romantic context. Many
matchmakers got their start from setting up family members.
In the twenty-first century, it is often difficult for people to find and
maintain relationships. Despite the seemingly endless array of romantic
options, as evidenced by the number of people using online dating
sites, many singles realize that true love is not always just a mouse click
away. In the United States and Canada, many people work long hours
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
that leave little time for socializing. Americans barely use their vacation
time, let alone lounge around in cafes like the Europeans! They do not
live in the close knit communities of yesterday with friends, family or
clergy who make it a priority to help them find a spouse. In addition,
many men and women find themselves divorced with the challenge of
having to start all over again in a dating scene that they haven’t been a
part of for years. With nearly everyone looking for love, the talents of
matchmakers will seemingly always be in demand.
1.2
The Matchmaking Industry
Perhaps today, more than ever, Americans feel entitled to “life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.” For many, the American Dream may
have deviated from the 1950’s inspired two- kids/white picket fence/
Tupperware party/suburban paradise, but for the most part, it still
includes love and marriage. In the U.S. and Canada — as well as in
other countries — people want more out of their relationships than
ever and are doing more than ever to find them!
The high value Americans place on long-term romantic relationships,
combined with the number of adults who are single, makes for a
booming dating industry. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the
United States — with over one hundred million singles — has the
highest single population of any other country, excluding India and
China! As many speculate, the singles market is only growing due to
a high divorce rate. In addition, Americans are delaying marriage to
pursue higher education and diverse career opportunities. While there
is less of a stigma toward those who are single, people are also less
likely to look down upon those who embrace the trends of the current
dating industry, which includes everything from matchmakers, to
speed dating, to websites to generate dates.
Indeed, research shows that people became a lot more comfortable
with the idea of online dating since the launch of Match.com in the
mid-nineties. Since the turn of the 21st century, online dating has
truly taken off with currently well over 400 million active users
worldwide (according to Statista), but the matchmaking industry, or
“offline dating” has exploded as well. According to the website of The
Matchmaking Institute, which has trained and certified matchmakers
since 2003 when it was established in NYC by Jerome Chasques and
Lisa Clampitt, the industry has grown rapidly in the last few decades.
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
Annual statistics reported by The Matchmaking Institute state that
there are now anywhere between 45,000 - 50,000 “dating professionals”
working in the industry worldwide. The Institute’s industry stats
also report that the overall dating industry (both online and offline)
is worth over $9 billion, with offline matchmaking accounting for
between $750-800 million of that in the United States alone. People are
always looking for love, and many are willing to pay a premium for it.
Clearly, when it comes to matchmaking, there is no shortage of money
to be made.
Today, the lives and careers of matchmakers fascinate Americans,
as evidenced by the number of recent television shows about the
profession including Indian Matchmaking, Confessions of a Matchmaker,
Tough Love, Matched in Manhattan and of course, The Millionaire
Matchmaker. There are even books that are solely about the day to
day life of a matchmaker; most noteworthy is Samantha Daniel’s
Matchbook: The Diary of a Modern-Day Matchmaker.
The popularity of matchmaking may have lots to do with the portrayal
of matchmakers in the media, as well as the nature of the online dating
industry. It seems that the Internet dating craze has helped the field
of matchmaking grow! Without a doubt, any experienced online dater
could understand why many singles have turned to matchmakers
after a stint of dating people from the Internet. To sum it up, people
lie online! (Typically, men lie about their height, women lie about
their weight and both sexes are guilty of posting the most flattering,
outdated photos they could find!) Someone acting as a go-between
to make sure people presented themselves accurately was a welcome
change for those who became frustrated with online dating. Hence,
the appeal of the modern day matchmaker!
1.3
Benefits of Being a Matchmaker
An Exciting Life
For someone who is a “people person,” matchmaking is an exciting
career. Matchmakers tend to be quite the social butterflies, often
attending posh parties and networking events to recruit new matches,
even flying across the country to meet the upscale client who can’t
come to them. As a matchmaker, everyone will want to be your friend,
and if you are good at your job, you will never be short of wedding
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
invitations. You’ll have a reputation as a fascinating person who took a
unique career path and you’ll gain the level of respect that comes with
the profession.
Satisfaction from Doing Important Work
According to Sigmund Freud, the definition of mental health is the
ability to work and love. A career that that enables you to pair people
together and help them develop the ability to find and maintain
a healthy, loving relationship is such a valuable and rewarding
experience. Obviously all set-ups don’t result in wedding bells, but as
a matchmaker, you’ve planted the seed. After 17 years in the business,
Julie Ferman, Founder of the LA based matchmaking service, Cupid’s
Coach, says “More than anything I enjoy watching the clients relax
into the dating process, discovering new insights about themselves
and about the opposite sex. Witnessing those ‘Aha’ moments – I think
that’s what’s kept me going all these years.” Encouraging clients to
blossom in their love lives may be the greatest gift of all.
Helping People Find Love
And then, as Queen suggests, there is indeed “a crazy, little thing
called love”.
When initially asked what the most rewarding aspect of her work was,
Julie stated: “The love stories, of course. I married off both a father
and a son from the same family – that was such a thrill. Recruiting the
perfect man for my VIP client and receiving their holiday card a year
later with a photo of their new baby – that was so touching for me.”
As a professional matchmaker, I have also experienced that joy of a
successful match. When I found out about the first engagement of two
people I introduced, I was ecstatic! This is the kind of work that really
makes a difference.
Low Start-up Costs
As a matchmaker, you can work from home, as long as you have a
business phone and computer with Internet access. You can get a
nice looking website up and running on a budget, and you can create
professional looking business cards with very little money. You
will want to set aside some money to attend networking events for
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
recruiting purposes, but this does not have to be expensive either.
You can work without an office for quite some time by holding client
meetings at client’s office or local cafes. After obtaining business
insurance coverage, professional liability coverage, and some office
supplies, you will be good to go!
Lucrative Career
For most people, starting a matchmaking business is not the ticket
to “get rich fast,” but it is an industry where big bucks can be made
with motivation, talent, hard work and organization. As evidenced
by the Matchmakers survey conducted by the Matchmaking Institute,
in good U.S. and Canadian markets, the majority of matchmakers
can make between $100,000 and $500,000 annually. According to the
survey, over 12% of matchmakers make more than $1 million! Not too
shabby, huh?
Helping yourself find (or maintain) love
As a matchmaker, you get paid to think about and chat about dating
and relationships every day. It is nearly impossible to help people
without helping yourself in this capacity. Throughout the course of
your career, you will gain incredible insight about human nature,
gender and relationship dynamics. People will tell you things that they
wouldn’t tell anyone else. Sometimes, you will learn from your clients
just as much as they learn from you. If you are single, your expert
status unfortunately doesn’t make you immune from bad dates, but
you have a tremendous advantage! Who better to know how to find
the single men and women than the matchmaker?
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
2.
What a Matchmaker Does
It’s no secret that matchmakers are hired to make matches! They use
their intuition and knowledge of personality and compatibility to
parlay love into their clients’ lives by setting up introductions. But what
does this job look like on a day to day basis? How does a matchmaker
actually spend her working hours?
This chapter illustrates the basic services that matchmakers provide,
with step-by-step instructions on how to do the work required in
matchmaking. The information is applicable to matchmakers who
work independently or for those working with matchmaking firms.
2.1
Services Provided by a Matchmaker
People hire matchmakers to meet prospective candidates for romantic
relationships, with the hope of being introduced to “the One.”
This section of the guide provides a basic overview of the services
that matchmakers provide. In the next part of the guide, Section
2.2, you will find more detailed information about each of these
services, including sample questionnaires you can use in your own
matchmaking business.
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
Personal Consultations
Matchmakers typically meet with potential clients in person for an
initial consultation. However, before doing so, most matchmakers
offer brief phone consultations to potential clients to determine if they
are a fit for their service.
After learning some basic information, such as a person’s age, marital
status, location and preferences in a mate, they schedule a face-toface interview. This initial meeting may last an hour or two and take
place at the matchmaker’s office, the client’s office or a perhaps over
lunch or coffee in a more casual setting. In a personal consultation,
a matchmaker will make a thorough assessment of a person’s life,
taking notes on important areas of interest including details on family
background, education, career, hobbies and relationship history.
TIP: Matchmakers today often run background checks on clients
to ensure that they are who they present themselves to be.
They make sure that they do not take someone on who
has told a lie about his/her marital status or has a criminal
record.
In addition, there will also be an in-depth discussion of exactly what
the client is looking for in a match in terms of everything from religion
to income to hair color. All of this information will become part of
a client’s file and/or profile which will be used to make matches by
marketing clients to others.
Essentially, the consultation is an opportunity for the client to tell his
or her story and build a rapport with a relationship expert who will
develop a plan that results in opportunities for romance.
Introductions
During a personal consultation, a matchmaker must sell the service to
a potential client and have that client sign a contract. Their agreement
includes the number of introductions the matchmaker guarantees to
provide — often within a certain time frame. Most matchmakers offer
more than just one match, because it usually takes a couple tries for
even the most skilled of matchmakers to “hit the nail on the head” by
providing an introduction to the client’s future husband or wife!
Once a client signs on, a matchmaker must fulfill their contract by
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
providing the number of introductions that were agreed upon at the
initial consultation. Matchmakers will create matches by reviewing
the information of other clients in their database and sometimes go
outside of their database to recruit appropriate matches. Recruiting can
include anything from approaching people on the streets, to launching
an ad campaign, to holding singles events to attract a new clientele.
Matchmakers must always screen matches before introducing them to
their clients.
Depending on a matchmaker’s business model, introductions may
be made at events, online or the old-fashioned way of exchanging
contact information after making phone calls to both parties. Some
matchmakers allow clients to view photos and profiles, while others
arrange the dates down to the dinner reservation, instructing clients
to trust in the process, and giving out phone numbers for emergency
use only.
Coaching
Many people who utilize matchmakers either have little experience
dating the type of people who’d be ideal for them or have been out of
the dating scene for a long time due to being divorced or widowed.
Others are busy professionals who don’t put much time into thinking
about how they would be perceived by potential suitors. As a result,
many matchmakers find themselves acting as dating/relationship
coaches and image consultants for their clients. While some make
referrals to other professionals or add coaching as a separate item
on their menu of services, many matchmakers include an element of
coaching as a part of the typical matchmaking process.
It is quite standard for matchmakers to offer some coaching, including
tips on dating etiquette, and advice for specific situations. Clients
who feel comfortable speaking of their relational difficulties in the
consultation are likely to seek advice on everything from the creation
of a successful dating profile to suggestions for what to wear to the
opera! As a matchmaker’s database grows and she learns from the
experiences of clients, the matchmaker is able to offer sound advice.
In addition, nearly all matchmakers share honest and detailed
post-date feedback that comes from a client’s matches. Throughout
the matchmaking process, clients often share the details of their
correspondence and dates with their matchmakers. This can be
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extremely helpful to the client for developing an awareness of the
beliefs and behaviors that do not suit the client in a dating context.
This type of coaching can lead to important changes in the client’s love
life, and ultimately success in finding “The One.”
2.2
Phone Consultations
The key to a successful client consultation is for both you and your
potential client to be as prepared as possible to get started working
together. You must get to know this potential client in a short period
of time, and you must also sell yourself and your service to him or her.
This process can be facilitated with a successful phone consultation.
The protocol below for client consultations can be tweaked to best suit
both your and your business’ needs.
2.2.1 Setting Yourself Up for Success
Your first contact with prospective clients may be over the phone, when
they call in response to your marketing to ask about your services and
prices.
For this reason, it is important that your telephone is always answered
in a professional, friendly voice with your company name. If you
are not available, have your voice mail take a message. Do not allow
children or anyone who isn’t involved with your business to answer
your phone, and be sure to have your voice mail pick up if you are
running after a screaming child or the family dog. A harried response
does not make a good first impression of your business.
Have a full packet of your marketing materials (see Section 6.2) on
your desk near the phone so you can refer to them, and be sure you
don’t leave anything out. If possible, get the caller’s phone number
and email address. Then you’ll have it to enter it into your database
if the caller becomes a client. You’ll also have it if the caller doesn’t
immediately become a client but is someone you wish to keep in touch
with. (Remember to get permission before adding a prospective client
to an email list.)
If someone sounds like a likely prospect, you can use this first call
to arrange a face-to-face meeting to discuss your services in greater
depth than what a phone call will allow. To arrange a meeting, gently
taking control of the conversation, keep your answers concise, and
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focus on what a valuable service matchmakers provide — personal
introductions between relationship-minded, compatible singles.
2.2.2 Questions to Ask Prospective Clients
You will need to become an expert at screening people on the phone
to avoid wasting your time with people who will not utilize your
service. You should get a clear idea of whether or not a person seems
“matchable,” and most importantly, if he or she has the means and
desire to make the financial investment and commitment required
to working with a matchmaker. Key questions to ask in a phone
consultation are:
Sample Phone Consultation Question Sheet
• Can I get your best contact number in case we get
disconnected during this call?
• Can I ask you a few questions to determine if you are a fit
for my service?
• What is your current location?
• Where did you grow up?
• What is your level of education and current occupation?
• How did you hear about this matchmaking service?
• Is there anything that prompted you to contact a
matchmaker right now?
• When did your last relationship end?
• How long was your longest relationship?
• Do you have any children or want children?
• What are your requirements for a mate?
• How important, on a scale of 1 to 10, is it for you to find a
healthy and successful long-term relationship?
• Are you able to make the time commitment and financial
investment of working with a matchmaker?
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• Is there anything preventing you from getting started at this
time?
• Can I have your email address to confirm the details of our
meeting?
• Can you send me a photo beforehand?
2.2.3 Taking Charge of the Phone Consultation
You can also expect that the prospective client will have some questions
for you. Members of the public calling you for the first time will
typically be searching for information about your services and what
they cost. During the phone consultation, you can give clients a brief
description of how your matchmaking service works. However, many
prospective clients will already know what a matchmaker does but
will want to find out about pricing before setting up an appointment.
While you may decide against revealing all the membership options
and prices over the phone, you should not keep your consultation fee
a secret.
You’ll want to make the potential client as comfortable as possible about
setting up the face-to-face meeting by managing his or her expectations
beforehand. Coming to that initial meeting with some good notes on
the client’s details and the nature of the phone conversation will help
the client feel understood. You will look organized and professional
and are more likely to get the sale! Your conversation might go
something like this:
Sample Script for Telephone Inquiries
SINGLE: Hello. I’m interested in your matchmaking service.
How much do you charge?
YOU:
Thanks for contacting me. My name is _____________.
And you are?
SINGLE: Sally Single.
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YOU:
Do you prefer if I called you Sally or Ms. Single?
SINGLE: Call me Sally.
YOU:
Well, Sally, our company has many excellent
packages available, and the price depends on what
you are looking for in a match and the ease with
which we could find you someone who meets your
criteria. Have you had a chance to see our website
and the details on our matchmaking services?
SINGLE: No. I just got your number from an advertisement I
saw in a magazine, and thought I’d call. I’m not even
sure I understand exactly what a matchmaker does.
YOU:
My goal, Sally, is to get to know you very personally
and then come up with several men I could introduce
you to. I do this in a few different ways that I’d be
happy to tell you about in person. First, however, I
want to ensure that our service would be a fit for you.
(Ask questions from Sample Phone Consultation Question
Sheet in section 2.2.2.)
YOU:
2.3
So it sounds like our service could help you find the
ideal partner. Let’s arrange a personal consultation
this week, so I can help you get a better understanding
of how I can help you, as well as discuss options with
you. I have Monday, Wednesday and Friday open —
which day would you prefer?
Face-to-Face Consultations
The fact that a busy person has agreed to meet with you means they are
interested in your services. While there is no guarantee that you will
land a particular client, if they have a need for your services and are
meeting with you, you have a good chance of getting their business.
During your initial meeting your goal should be to learn as much
as possible about the prospective client and what they want, so you
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can show them how hiring you will help them achieve their ideal
relationship.
2.3.1 Preparing for the Consultation
During your initial consultation, the client will be deciding whether
or not to hire you. It is therefore important to remember that the client
will be making judgments about your professionalism based on how
you look and behave. Arrive on time or a few minutes early, make sure
your clothing and grooming are impeccable, and make sure you have
everything you need.
Where to Meet
If you are fortunate enough to have an office outside your home and it
is a nicely decorated space, by all means have the consultation in your
office. You will be close to all of the materials you’ve gathered during
your research and learning stage and will be able to answer questions
with pictures as well as words. Likewise, if you have a home office
that is nicely decorated and free from interruptions (i.e. no children,
barking dogs, etc.) and you are licensed to have a home-based business
as discussed in Section 5.1.5, you can have the meeting there.
If, on the other hand, you do not have either of these spaces available
to you, you should meet at a spot you know will allow you to have
a private and uninterrupted conversation. This could be the client’s
home or office or a quiet room in a tea house or restaurant.
What to Wear
What you wear to the first consultation should be dictated in part
by the type of client you are meeting. For instance, a navy suit that
you would wear to a meeting with a corporate executive may be too
formal for a consultation with someone who works in a creative field.
When in doubt, wear a two piece suit (pants or skirt with jacket) over
a shirt or sweater so you can remove the jacket if necessary. To express
your creativity, you can add a funky accessory such as jewelry, a scarf
or tie.
Remember your mother’s advice: You only get one chance to make a
first impression. Yours should say polished and professional.
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What to Bring
Over time you will develop your own checklist of what to bring to an
initial consultation. In the meantime, here is a list of possible items to
bring:
• Your business cards
• Your brochure (see Section 6.2.1)
• Your portfolio (see Section 6.2.2) or reference letters from
past clients
• A notepad and two pens
• Optional: a laptop computer or tablet
• A matchmaking client consultation questionnaire (see
below)
• Blank contracts (see Section 5.2.6)
2.3.2 Conducting a Client Interview
Learning how to acquire a plethora of information about someone
in a short period of time will be a tremendous asset to your work as
a matchmaker. In getting the Cliff Notes version of one’s life, you
must be careful not to come across as too hasty or the person will feel
invalidated and will be less likely to build a rapport with you. Rapport
building is so crucial in the matchmaking business; people are putting
you in charge of a very personal area of their lives and must feel you
understand them.
One of the best approaches to paving the way for extracting the most
useful information from the client is to start out by breaking the ice
with easy, comfortable communication. Engage him or her in a bit of
small talk and begin by delving into topics that are likely to be easy to
talk about. (Note: It is better to start off with questions about careers
or hobbies, as opposed to prompting a detailed analysis on the reasons
behind a recent break-up!)
Before getting into the lengthiest part of the consultation —
interviewing the client and discovering what he or she requires in a
match — you will want to provide additional details about the nature
of your business and the way the service works. For instance, if you
run background checks on all of your clients to ensure their safety
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and make sure people you set up are who they appear to be, mention
this now. (You should be running background checks. It is indeed an
industry standard!) Tell the client exactly what the background check
entails.
Your goal here is to make sure the client has a thorough understanding
of what you will accomplish in today’s meeting and in your work
together. You will make the client more comfortable by taking the focus
back off of him or her. After you have made your brief presentation
and assured the client that all personal information is confidential,
you can begin with your questionnaire.
The following form provides a useful means for rapport building and
will help you collect the most significant facts in a timely and organized
fashion. You can always create additional questions, incorporate
personality tests like the Meyers-Briggs, or edit this form after you’ve
had more experience doing interviews.
Sample Client Consultation Questionnaire
Education and Career
Can you tell me about your experience from high school
onward? You can share some details about high school if they
are really significant, but we are really looking to trace your
history from early adulthood onward.
What college(s) did you attend and when did you graduate?
What was your major/minor?
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What was your first job out of school?
What other positions/industries have you worked in before
your current position?
What is your job title and how long have you been in this
position?
What is your job description and work like on a day to day
basis?
What is your approximate income?
Do you have any other career goals/plans I should know
about?
Hobbies/Interests
What do you most like to do for fun?
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What sports, if any, are you interested in watching or playing?
Are you into art, music, theatre or movies? What types?
What do you like to read?
What is your idea of a great weekend?
How do you define a great vacation?
Name some of the places you’ve travelled to.
What type of foods do you most enjoy?
Health/Beauty
Are you generally in good health?
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What is your approximate height/weight?
Do you work out? At home or at a gym? How often?
Do you smoke?
If female and you desire children, are you able to have them?
Do you drink rarely, socially, frequently and/or use any
recreational drugs?
What is your eye color/hair color and style of dress?
Where do you shop for clothes?
Religion/Politics/Life Motto
Were your raised with religion?
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What religion do you identify yourself with now?
How frequent do you practice?
Are you comfortable with dating outside your religion? Which
religions? (How will this impact marriage/children?)
What are your political views?
What is your worldview or life motto? Glass half-full or
halfempty?
Do you have a mentor from your life or someone you’d aspire
to be like from TV?
When it comes to relationships, are you more traditional and
modern about who pursues?
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Family
Please tell me about your family of origin and briefly how you
would describe your childhood.
Who raised you and where?
How long are/were your parents married?
What is their ethnic background?
What did they do for a living?
Do you have siblings? What are their ages, marital statuses and
occupations?
How often do you contact your family?
Who are you closest to within your family?
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Would you say you are very much like your family or very
different, personality-wise? Would you describe yourself as
more extroverted or introverted?
How would your family and friends describe you?
Relationship History
Have you ever been in love? What was it like for you?
Tell me the details about the person you loved (i.e personality,
career, physical type, etc.) and the nature of your relationship
(healthy or unhealthy dynamic).
How old were you both when you got together?
Were your married or engaged?
How long did it last and why did the relationship end?
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Can you provide me these same brief details for all of your
significant adult relationships, in chronological order?
Match Criteria
Describe the type of person you would be compatible with.
Age range?
Race/ethnicity?
Religion?
Education level?
Occupation?
Income?
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Height/Body Type?
Marital Status?
With or without children?
Interest in marriage/having children?
Personality type?
What is the most important quality in your partner?
Do you strongly prefer someone who is affectionate and
complimentary, even in public?
What celebrities’ looks are you most attracted to?
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When in a relationship, how often do you like to see your
partner?
What is the distance you are willing to travel?
What are your deal breakers?
Preferences/Availability
Are you willing to let us run a background check on you?
Can you provide your driver’s license or social security number?
The background check is usually back within two weeks. Are
you ready to meet someone then?
When would you prefer to meet dates?
Are you taking any vacations in the near future?
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When is the best time to reach you? Do you prefer contact by
email or phone?
What is your best contact information?
Reading Between the Lines
As a matchmaker, you are not to act as a therapist, but you should
become an expert in active listening. You want to demonstrate that you
understand what your potential client is communicating on a deep
level. You will want to look interested, periodically showing that you
are paying close attention with a head nod or a smile. Asking followup questions will send the message that you really care. Conveying
this sense of empathy is essential to developing a good working
relationship with clients.
You want to listen with a third ear, reading between the lines so to
speak, to learn the important information that the person in front of
you is not directly stating. Look for clues in body language, facial
expressions, style of dress, tone of voice and content of the conversation
to determine what someone is really like and what he or she values.
You will want to assess for negative attitudes about the opposite sex,
looking for patterns among family members, or trends regarding the
type of men or women the client has been involved in relationships
with. Does he or she seem to date the same kind of person over and
over, re-creating the same relationship dynamics?
Observe and take notes on everything, so you can later use this
information to find appropriate matches.
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2.3.3 Administering a Personality Test
You may also want to administer a personality test to better help
your clients find suitable matches. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
assessment is one test designed to measure the ways in which
personality impacts one’s perception of the world and decision making
process. See the following resources for free personality tests:
• Jung Typology and Myers-Briggs Tests
www.humanmetrics.com
• Other Personality Tests
www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/personality
•
Myers-Briggs Types
www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbtibasics/
• 16 personalities
www.16personalities.com
2.3.4 Making the Sale
If you have carefully pre-screened and qualified yours leads from the
first phone conversation, and presented yourself as a knowledgeable
and empathic professional properly following the protocol for client
consultations, converting prospects into closed sales should be the
natural result of your meeting.
As mentioned above, while there is no guarantee that you will land
a particular client, if someone has a need for your services and is
meeting with you, you have a good chance of getting their business.
Your purpose during the initial consultation is to turn a prospective
client into a client. The way to do this is by identifying what your
client needs and wants, so you can communicate how your services
will benefit them.
This is where your interpersonal communication skills will really pay
off (see Section 3.1.1 if this is an area you need to improve). While you
should certainly give prospective clients an overview of your services,
during your initial consultation you should mostly ask and listen. Aim
to have your client do at least 80% of the talking. Of course, take your
cue from the client. If they prefer not to do a lot of talking, don’t try to
force it.
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Instead of simply describing all your services, focus specifically on
what the client wants. The issue of money, and if your fees and service
are worth the cost, is bound to be raised either on the phone or at the
meeting. If you followed our script for the telephone call you have
already planted the seed in the client’s head that you will take all the
stress and worrying out of the matchmaking process and hopefully
you won’t have to justify your fee during the consultation. If you do
get involved in this conversation, remember to focus on the benefits of
your services, which include:
• You can actually save them money because you will save
them from the expense of going on a lot of dates with people
they are incompatible with.
• You can save them many hours of time that they would
spend finding a partner in other ways — such as frequenting
bars, going to singles events, or online dating.
• You can introduce them to people they would otherwise
never meet and create opportunities that could help them
grow and change their lives.
• You can provide honest, objective advice that will help them
in dating and relationships.
• And perhaps most importantly, you can help them find love
and increase the chances of them having a healthy, longterm relationship or marriage with someone who suits them
best.
Remember to focus on what the person wants. Ask them why they are
interested in hiring a matchmaker, and what they think a matchmaker
can do for them. They may talk themselves into hiring you!
Ideally, the time to close the sale is on the same day as the client
consultation. Sometimes people who seem really interested are still
not able to commit right away, though. Depending on your skills of
persuasion, you may be able to engage them in a conversation that will
overcome all of their objections. Other times, you should just respect
their wishes to wait or sleep on it, and contact them at a later time to
follow up. Often, these people will appreciate a matchmaker who is
not pushy and they’ll later become clients when they’ve had time to
think things through on their own time schedule.
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If you have done nearly all you can to make the sale and a client still
won’t budge, it is best to just gracefully accept the situation and of
course, collect your consultation fee. You may consider crediting this
fee toward membership if the client chooses to sign up at a later time.
If they don’t sign up, you may have just dodged the bullet of working
with a difficult client.
2.4
How to Do the Matchmaking
2.4.1 Develop a Database
When starting a matchmaking business, it is ideal to spend a few months
creating a database of eligible singles before taking on a paying client.
Julie Ferman of Cupid’s Coach says: “Don’t even think about taking on
your first paying client until you have a really respectable community
of people to line up for matching.” While other matchmakers may
beg to differ, most would agree about the importance of this early inperson recruiting to developing a healthy network of eligible singles
who are currently seeking romantic relationships. Chapter 6 will
explore the many ways you can build your database, from networking
to advertising.
One of the most important notions to embrace is the necessity of
getting into the habit of making recruiting for matches a part of your
lifestyle. As a matchmaker, you must constantly be on the lookout
for new clients by making friends everywhere, leaving no stone
unturned. You should be working even in your social time! After all,
you never know if the guy next to you in line at the supermarket is
single or knows someone who is single. It’d be in your best interest
to carry around notes and photos on your clients — or have access
to them on your mobile device — so that you can show a potential
recruit a client on the spot! Since it is the nature of the business to
constantly lose clients as they get into relationships, you must be
extra aggressive about going out weekly to maintain your client base
and pool of matches.
In the beginning, your database may just be friends and friends of
friends or family members. (Social networking sites like Facebook can
help expand that!) You will need to take some people into the database
for free until you can ensure that it is ethical for you to charge people
for the service.
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Several software programs are available to help you organize and
store your database, such as:
• Dating Pro Matchmaking Software
www.datingpro.com/matchmaking-software
• Smart Match App
https://smartmatchapp.com
• Global Love Database
https://globallovedatabase.com
Whether your database is a software program, a bunch of files or a fat
Rolodex, the key is to be organized with the ability to quickly pull up
information about clients and potential matches.
2.4.2 Making the Matches
For many matchmakers, the process of making matches is difficult
to explain because they pair people together using their intuition.
Gut instincts are often correct, but you must look for points of
compatibility to ensure that a match will be a good one. You can
increase the chances of making a successful match by really learning to
understand personalities and the types that mesh well together. Often,
people equate shared hobbies with compatibility, but for a successful
long-term relationship, it is really much deeper. You should get a clear
idea of how your client has acted in past relationships, paying careful
attention to any patterns or dating trends.
In considering all the characteristics on the Sample Consultation
Question Sheet, you’ll have a solid notion of who a client sees himself
or herself with, as well as a picture of his or her ideal relationship.
Make sure that picture includes more than just a woman who will
enjoy watching football on lazy Sundays and also reflects important
elements of compatibility, like style of communication and expression
of affection. Essentially, successful matchmaking is developing
an understanding of the attributes clients desire along with the
attributes that foster long-lasting chemistry and romance. For a lot of
matchmakers, these are skills that strengthen over time. So, where to
start?
To begin with, you must make sure that two people are a match “on
paper.” For example, are they within or close to each other’s desired
age range and location? From your initial interview, you will have
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an understanding of your client’s must-haves, preferences and deal
breakers. You should have an understanding of which preferences are
most important, so that if you can’t provide the first you can provide
the second. Most importantly, you must avoid the deal breakers! Some
common deal breakers to look out for include: marital status, position
on children, religion, education level, age, location, and physical
criteria like height and weight.
For many, deal breakers include a previous marriage or having
children. Having young children, especially having full custody of
young children, is often at the top of the deal breaker list. The desire
to marry and/or have children is another major deal breaker, as is
religion. If you are making matches between people with different
religious backgrounds, you must consider levels of religiosity, and
expectations for how involved one’s partner and future children will
be in the other’s religion. These factors, as well as education level,
often reflect a person’s core values.
While it is important to encourage clients to be open minded and
flexible with match criteria, it is best to give the client what he or she
wants in these areas. If you feel that it is nearly a perfect match, except
for one factor, you may find yourself wishing to present the match
anyway. The client can always say no. Research shows that birds of
a feather flock together more than opposites attract, so people who
have a lot in common may be able to look past something that would
otherwise be unappealing.
Another very important question to ask yourself in making a match is:
Do these two look like they go together? Can you see them together
physically? If the answer is no—for instance, if he’s 5’9” and 125 lbs,
while she’s 6’2” and 180 lbs—you may want to go with your gut.
Chances are, if you think they will look awkward and be uncomfortable
with each other after meeting them, they will think the same thing!
The importance of setting clients up with matches who you believe
they’d be physically attracted to cannot be underestimated.
You will definitely need to consider factors like height, body type and
style of dress when determining match potential. Clients should get as
specific as possible about their physical “type,” mentioning celebrities
they find attractive or showing you photos of exes if possible. While
you should always encourage clients to look beyond the surface, and
make it clear that you can’t promise a Brad Pitt look-alike, you should
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do as much as you can to facilitate chemistry by setting them up with
someone who has a majority of the characteristics they’d find attractive.
2.4.3 Pitch the Match to Both Parties
If you are attempting to match two paying clients, it may not matter
who you contact first. However, it is often wise to approach the client
who is most selective to spare the other client the disappointment of
being rejected. Depending on your business model, you can either call
the client and describe the match first, communicate through email by
initially sending a description and/or photos, or send the email and
then follow up with a phone call. If you are matching a client with a
non-paying person that you recruited for your database, you should
always contact the recruit first. (The idea is to avoid disappointing the
people whose money you have!)
When presenting a match, you want to sound as excited as possible.
This will probably come naturally if you meet all of your clients and
recruits in person and take on people that you genuinely like working
with. The client will sense the enthusiasm in your voice. You want to
give just enough of the crucial information to pique interest, but be
careful about spending too much time rehashing the same details or
providing too much information. You don’t ever want to force a match
on someone, but sometimes people will express reluctance toward
those who appear to be perfect matches for them! (Fear of intimacy,
perhaps?) This is where mastering the art of persuasion comes in. As
a matchmaker, you are the public relations, marketing, and the sales
person! If you want a business in which you actually make matches,
it is to your advantage to be convincing. Otherwise you are going to
be the one who is disappointed, as you will be spending a lot of time
setting up great matches only to experience the frustration of hearing
clients say “no,” often because of one tiny factor.
To avoid people turning down your matches, you should be as prepared
as possible. Study their files and develop a clear understanding
of everything they communicated at their initial meetings. Also
review any correspondence you’ve had with them throughout their
matchmaking process, as well any notes you have on feedback from
dates you’ve arranged in the past. With this preparation, you should
be able to overcome any objections they have by using evidence to
support your belief in the goodness of the match. You should be able
to anticipate any objections they have in the first place. You can choose
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to address them beforehand (i.e.“I know you prefer someone who is
college educated, but this man never graduated because the business
he was running became so successful that he realized he didn’t actually
need to get a college degree to make it big! He feels dropping out was
the smartest thing he ever did!”), or wait until the client brings them
up.
Above all, you should stress the positive about the other person,
including all that you believe the two will have in common. Always
be as specific as possible in sharing your insight on why you think
a match will work. If a client wants to know things about the match
that you do not have knowledge of, promise to find out and contact
the client as soon as you have the requested information. Lastly, if
someone prefers to take some time to think about a match, show that
client respect by giving him or her the opportunity to reflect on it as
long as needed.
2.4.4 Confirming the Details
After you get a “yes” from both parties, it is up to you to arrange the
match. When formulating your business model, you must decide how
involved in the arrangement of the date you will be. Do you want to
have the type of service that allows the clients to speak beforehand or
just exchange numbers in case of an emergency? Will you be the type
of matchmaker who actually finds out your clients’ schedules and
restaurant preferences, and makes reservations for lunch or dinner?
Whatever the case may be, the time to arrange the match is while it is
still fresh in everyone’s minds. Be sure to promptly record the match
and day the date will take place within your computerized system or
files.
2.4.5 Getting Dating Feedback
The last step in the matchmaking process is to follow up with both
parties after the date. This shows the clients that you care about
them and their experience with your service. A prompt follow up is
professional and essential to your success as a matchmaker. Dating
feedback is helpful to the clients, as it gives them insight as to how
they are perceived in a dating context. It often gives people the honest
feedback and closure that they’d never get from a date outside of a
matchmaking service. It can encourage an awareness of things that
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they’d like to change about themselves and spark that change in a
timely fashion. As a matchmaker, it will be an invaluable tool in helping
you match your clients in the future. You will learn more about your
clients and often revise or add match criteria after receiving dating
feedback. You can use the feedback form below or create one of your
own.
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Sample Dating Feedback Form
Client name:
Name of match:
Date you met:
How would you rate this date on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the
best experience?
What did you like about this person?
What did you dislike about this person?
Did you make plans to see each other again?
Would you like to receive another match at this time?
Is there anything else that you’d like to share that would be
helpful in matching you or your date in the future?
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3.
Getting Ready
Now that you know what the job involves, this chapter will give you
information on how to further develop the skills you will need to
succeed in this career.
Before you begin applying for matchmaking jobs or start a matchmaking
business, there are several steps that may make it easier for you to
transition to this career. In this chapter, you will discover how to
develop your skills, knowledge and experience. By following this
advice, you could make yourself much more attractive to prospective
employers and clients.
3.1
Skills and Knowledge You Will Need
Matchmakers need to use a variety of skills to do their job well. As
you will read in this chapter, the skills you need to succeed as a
matchmaker can be learned. However, if you already have relevant
experience or an aptitude for matchmaking, entering this career will
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
be even easier for you. So let’s take a look at the specific skills and
knowledge that can help you succeed in matchmaking. Later in this
chapter you’ll find plenty of resources to develop these skills through
education and self-study.
3.1.1 Skills Assessment
Here are some questions that reflect traits shared by many matchmakers.
Make a mental note or put a checkmark next to all that are a “yes” for
you.
Signs of Matchmaking Talent
If you are a “natural matchmaker” you likely have proven your
talent in several ways. See how many of the following can be
used to describe you:

You are in love with love. You think being in a great
relationship is the ultimate pleasure in life.

You live for the romantic comedy and the romantic novel,
and always want to hear the “how-we-met” story of the
couples you know.

You’ve introduced friends and family in the past, and they
ended up dating for the short or long term.

You can read others easily with a genuine knack for
assessing the things and people they’ll like and dislike.

You can quickly identify attributes that would make or
break compatibility.

You wear rose-colored glasses (figuratively), with an eye
for noticing the good in humanity and seemingly negative
situation.

People have always asked you for relationship and dating
advice.
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3.1.2 Basic Knowledge of Psychology
While a psychology degree is certainly not a prerequisite to becoming
a matchmaker, a basic understanding of human behavior can be
very helpful to this profession. A knowledge of the human psyche
can really help matchmakers read non-verbal communication, make
sales (especially when closing a difficult client), understand the keys
to compatibility, and provide sound advice to clients about relational
issues.
Books and magazines that may be helpful for understanding the basics
of psychology include Psychology for Dummies, by Adam Cash, The
Complete Idiot’s Guide to Psychology, by Joni Johnston, and Psychology
Today Magazine (www.psychologytoday.com).
The American Psychological Association (www.apa.org) and the
Canadian Psychological Association (www.cpa.ca) are also good
sources of psychology-related information.
3.1.3 Interpersonal Skills
As a matchmaker, you will not only need to have a knowledge of
basic human psychology and compatibility, but you will also need to
work effectively with many people including your clients, employees,
professionals in similar or complementary industries and everyone
else you do business with. As a result, your interpersonal skills (i.e.
your skills in dealing with other people) will be one of the key factors
in ensuring that you are successful in this business.
Following are some key interpersonal skills and why they can be so
helpful to you in the matchmaking profession.
Developing Relationships
To have a successful matchmaking business, you first must have clients
who will hire you to perform the work. When prospective clients find
out about your services, chances are they will want to meet with you
to determine whether there is a “fit” between their needs and your
services. If people have a choice between two different matchmakers
who both have similar experience and capability, they are more likely
to select the matchmaker that they “liked” the most and felt the most
comfortable with. Think about the individuals who you choose to do
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business with, for example when you need a haircut. As a general rule,
people prefer to do business with people who they like. Chances are,
if you don’t like someone or how they treat you, you will take your
business somewhere else if you have that option.
If you are able to develop a rapport with people and build their trust in
you, they are more likely to want to hire you to do the job. One of the
best ways to develop that relationship is to show genuine interest in
them and their needs. A common mistake many new business owners
make is to talk too much about themselves while trying to sell their
services. Instead, you should focus on asking others about themselves.
Then listen attentively to the responses, using the listening tips
provided below. If you show interest in prospective clients and their
needs, they are more likely going to show interest in you and want to
hire you to be their matchmaker.
Besides developing relationships with clients, you will also need to
develop relationships with other business people. For example, if you
plan singles events and have a good relationship with event planners
or restaurant and bar owners, they are more likely to come through or
help you get what you want when you need something in a rush or
when you need something that is difficult to track down. A business
owner who has a good relationship with you is much more likely to go
the extra mile for you, which will in turn make you look good to your
clients. Just as importantly, suppliers can recommend your services to
prospective clients. If this is an area you want to improve, pick up a
copy of Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Listening
Being an excellent listener is key to providing your clients with the
service they want. While listening seems like an easy skill to master,
most of us experience challenges in at least one of the following
areas involved in listening: paying attention, understanding, and
remembering.
You can become a better listener by focusing fully on someone when
they are speaking. Here are some ways to do that.
If active listening is a skill that you would like to improve, there are a
number of resources available. An excellent book that can help you to
hone your active listening skills is I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple
Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationships, by Michael S. Sorensen.
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Verbal Communication Skills
Good verbal skills are helpful when you are selling yourself to
potential clients or when you need to communicate with employees,
suppliers, or other business people, such as your banker. Many people
prefer to work with somebody they can understand who “speaks their
language.” To improve your verbal communication skills, ask friends
or a vocal coach for feedback on any areas that could be improved,
such as: clarity of speech, use of slang, proper grammar, or altering
your tone of voice to eliminate any harshness. (You can find vocal
coaches online.)
Reading Non-Verbal Messages
In addition to hearing what people say, a skilled matchmaker also
notices non-verbal communication (tone of voice, facial expression,
body language, etc.). These signals can give you valuable clues about
what the other person is thinking. Being able to “read” people can
not only help you get the job, it can help ensure you keep your clients
satisfied. For example, did a prospective client fold their arms when
you made a particular suggestion? If so, they may be communicating
that they disagree, even if they don’t actually say so.
Although body language can’t tell you precisely what someone is
thinking, it can give you clues so you can ask follow-up questions,
even as basic as “How do you feel about that?” If you want to improve
this skill, you can find some excellent advice in books such as How
to Read a Person Like a Book, by Gerald I. Nierenberg and Henry H.
Calero.
3.1.4 Business Skills
As a matchmaker, you are a business owner, so the more skilled you
are in this area, the better the chances are that your business will be a
success. The skills you’ll need to run a matchmaker business include:
• Business planning
• Financial management
• Hiring and supervising contractors
• Marketing and sales
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Financial management is crucial. The more you can keep your expenses
down while building revenues, the more successful you will be. For
some tasks, you can hire employees or contractors to help you, such as
a bookkeeper or someone who can help with the marketing for your
business. Keep in mind, though, that the fewer people you need to
hire to help you manage your business, the lower your overall costs of
running the business. An investment in a few courses to develop these
skills can pay for itself very quickly.
You will likely find reading the entire guide before you launch your
business helpful, but you can quickly identify particular areas you
may want to focus on by reviewing the table of contents. For example,
Section 5.2.1 provides advice on start-up and operating expenses, and
Section 5.2.2 gives you advice about start-up financial planning. Both
these sections provide website links to online resources to help you
find further help in these areas.
One tool for helping you to focus on what business skills are involved
in being a business owner is business planning. Section 5.1.1 looks
in detail at how to develop a business plan to get your business up
and running by outlining and clarifying what services you will offer,
deciding how you will finance your business, creating a market
plan, etc. In addition to addressing these important business issues,
a business plan will also help you to understand some of the other
basic “hard” skills required of a business owner, such as marketing
and accounting skills.
The following resources can also help you develop your business
skills:
• SBA
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a leading U.S.
government resource for information about licensing,
taxes, and starting a small business. You can find a range
of resources including information on financing your new
business, business plans and much more at www.sba.gov.
• SCORE
The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is an
organization of U.S. volunteers who donate their time and
expertise to new business owners. You can find information
on taxes, tips for starting your business, or even find a
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IAP Career College Guide to Become a Matchmaker
mentor who will coach you and help you maximize your
chances of succeeding as a new business owner. Visit them
at www.score.org.
• Canada Business and Industry
This Canadian government website offers information on
legislation, taxes, incorporation, and other issues of interest
to Canadian business owners or those who do business in
Canada. For more information and a list of services they
offer visit their website at www.canada.ca/en/services/
business.html.
3.2
Learning by Doing
Because matchmaking is such a competitive career to get into, having
some hands-on experience could give you the edge over other
applicants. This section provides a variety of ideas and resources to
help you build your experience, develop your knowledge, and add to
your credentials.
Some ways to learn the ropes of the industry include volunteering
your experience, matchmaking for your friends and family, getting an
internship or part-time job assisting a matchmaker, or being employed
at a matchmaking agency before starting your own business.
3.2.1 Volunteer Matchmaking Experience
One of the best ways to prepare for a career in matchmaking is by
volunteering. Although you won’t be paid, you will build credentials
that can help you get hired in future. You will gain practical experience,
develop your knowledge, and possibly make valuable contacts that
could lead to future paid work.
Imagine being able to do what you love, get valuable experience,
and make a difference in your community at the same time. You can
do all of these things by volunteering to be a matchmaker for a local
organization for singles or a parish in your community. Singles groups
and religious organizations are often huge advocates of marriage,
looking for help bringing people together, and you’ll get the benefit
of helping a worthy cause while you hone your skills. This is also an
excellent way to make contacts in the community to help you land a
paying job when you are ready.
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You can find help in locating your community’s non-profit groups
through the Internet. GuideStar is a searchable online database
of more than 1.8 million non-profit organizations in the United
States. CharityVillage has a similar database of Canadian non-profit
organizations at http://charityvillage.com/organizations. Another
great resource is VolunteerMatch at www.volunteermatch.org.
You might also contact your local Volunteer Center or Chamber of
Commerce. In many communities, these organizations run a volunteer
matching program and can help make the introductions you need to
get involved.
Matchmaking for Family and Friends
One way to get hands-on matchmaking experience is to offer your
services free of charge to friends and family members. For example,
you may start by helping a friend who is using an online dating site
by identifying potential matches from the website or your own social
network. You may use a website like Craigslist.org to market your
friend after creating a personal ad. You can then screen prospects over
the phone or in person.
When a friend or family member wants to use your matchmaking
services, try to treat them the way you would treat a “real” client.
Schedule a meeting at their home, then try to work with them the way
you would with an actual client, using the steps described earlier in
chapter 2.
To avoid misunderstandings, it’s also a good idea to prepare a simple
contract even if you’re working with family members. (Let them know
you need the practice.) See Section 5.2.6 for more information about
client contracts, which includes a Sample Engagement Letter for use
with individual clients.
Lisa Clampitt, matchmaker, shares, “helping people find love makes
me feel like I have changed the world for two people that may never
have met each other if it was not for me. “ Just think of how special it
is to make successful matches for those closest to you! Of course, if you
are single yourself, you can gain practical work experience and reap
the personal benefits of doing matchmaking for yourself.
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3.2.2 Internships
An internship is a short-term, entry-level position that gives you
hands-on work experience. As an intern you would go to work for
a company at regularly scheduled times (although you might work
as few as eight hours per week) and carry out tasks assigned by your
supervisor. The main difference between an internship and a regular
job is that most interns are not paid.
Although you will likely be volunteering your services to a company,
you get practical work experience that can be very helpful once
you start applying for jobs or start looking for clients for your own
matchmaking business. In fact, many employers consider internships
as real work experience when making hiring decisions.
As an intern you can make valuable industry contacts, learn new
matchmaking skills, and build your resume and portfolio. You can
offer your services for as little as a week; however, you will have the
opportunity to learn more if you can arrange a longer internship.
Finding an Internship
If you are currently enrolled at a college or university, your educational
institution may arrange internships programs for students. (These
may also be called “work-study” or “co-op” programs.)
Online you may be able to find event planning internships posted
at employers’ websites, Craigslist.org, and major career sites such
as CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com, and sites specifically for
internship programs. Although there is not a site that specifically lists
matchmaking internships, the Online Personals Watch website, at
http://onlinepersonalswatch.typepad.com advertises internships and
jobs available at online dating companies. You may be able to gain
relevant experience through these companies, as well as referrals to
matchmaking companies from the businesses listed on the website.
Here are some of the top sites with internships for students:
• CareerRookie.com
• Internweb.com
• InternshipPrograms.com
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Another option, particularly if you are not a student, is to set up
your own internship. First decide which companies you would like
to work with. (See chapter 4 for information about different types of
companies that hire matchmakers) Then start calling. If they do have
such a program they will tell you how to apply.
If you want to work with a small company such as a local matchmaking
firm, ask to speak with one of the owners. Ask the receptionist, or look
the company up on the Internet first, to find out the owner’s name.
Whether you get through to the owner, or speak with someone else in
the company, explain that you would like to volunteer your services
as an intern.
While you might think any company would jump at the chance for
free labor, some companies are so busy the owner may feel they don’t
have time to train an intern. (In a few cases a matchmaker may not
want to help train a potential competitor, either.) So be prepared to sell
yourself, using your interpersonal communication skills. Explain why
you will bring value to the company.
One thing that most companies need is help doing the tasks that no
one else wants to do. If you are willing to answer telephones, make
photocopies, run errands, do the filing – in other words, if you are
willing to do “whatever it takes” to help them out – say so.
If someone is interested in having you intern for them, they will ask
you to come in for an interview and may ask to see your resume
and portfolio. In many ways, applying for an internship is similar to
applying for a job. You will learn more about that in chapter 4.
Making the Most of an Internship
Once you have an internship, do a first-class job with every task you
are given, even the menial tasks. Everyone “pays their dues” when
they are starting a new career, and those who do it with a positive
attitude can make a great impression.
Look for any opportunities to get actual matchmaking experience —
even if it means working a few more hours than you originally agreed
to. Volunteer to help out whenever you can. Be someone who does
such a great job that you will be missed when the internship is over.
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Here are some other tips for making the most of your internship:
• Don’t forget to ask questions. If you are unsure about a
task you have to complete, or even if you’re just curious
about some aspect of the matchmaking business, ask your
supervisor. It’s their job to supervise you, but they can also
be a valuable source of information, as well.
• Work on what interests you. If a project comes up that you
would like to work on, ask your supervisor if you can get
involved.
• Get organized. Keep records of your work. Consider starting
a journal of your internship activities, and try to document
every project you work on for your portfolio. Keeping track
of everything you’ve learned can help you when you apply
for a job in the future.
• Set up evaluation sessions with your supervisor. This gives
you a chance to ask about projects or assignments and get
feedback on your performance.
• Learn what the other employees in the company are
responsible for. This will give you an idea of other types of
jobs in the matchmaking industry.
• Attend professional association meetings. Your company
likely belongs to at least one; ask your supervisor about
attending a meeting.
• Keep a list of networking contacts.
At the end of the internship, ask your supervisor for a written letter of
reference. If you have done exceptional work, you may even get a job
offer from the company you interned for.
3.2.3 Part-Time Jobs
Another good way to get related experience is by taking a part-time
job for a company involved in the dating industry. Even if the job
doesn’t focus on matchmaking, it can give you an opportunity to learn
valuable skills that could help with your future business. The type of
experience that will be valuable to you as someone just getting started
in this business are as follows:
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Singles Event Planning
Experience planning and promoting singles events can be very
attractive to employers interested in hiring matchmakers. Whether
you are working with a company that organizes speed dating events
or you’re throwing parties on a freelance basis, you will have the
opportunity to interact with singles, while honing your organizational
skills and creating the type of environments that could lead to some
great matches.
Online Dating Profile Writing
Since the majority of people who contact matchmakers have previously
been members of online dating sites, it is a good idea to familiarize
yourself with this medium for meeting people. Interviewing singles
by phone or in person and then helping them create and revise online
dating profiles is a great way to develop your interpersonal skills
and practice marketing diverse singles. Assisting clients with online
dating is a great way to learn about the preferences of both men and
women, as well as the mistakes people make in the world of modern
day dating.
In the next chapter you will find information about types of employers
and learn how to get hired.
3.3
Learn From Other Business Owners
One of the best ways to learn about matchmaking is by speaking with
people who are currently working in the industry. In this section you
will find a variety of ways to connect with people in the industry.
3.3.1 Information Interviews
Information interviews are another effective way to learn about the
matchmaking industry. An information interview is defined as a brief
meeting with someone who is working in a career you are interested
in learning about.
Ask your network of contacts if they know anyone who works in a job
that involves matchmaking. If possible, go beyond getting a name and
telephone number. Instead, ask the individual who personally knows
the business owner to make the initial contact with the owner and/or
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matchmaking staff, explain that you are learning about matchmaking,
and see if you can call them to ask a few questions.
If no one in your network knows anyone who is a matchmaker,
you can try arranging a meeting with a cold call. You can find a
matchmaker certified by the Matchmaking Institute by visiting their
Find Certified Matchmaker page (https://matchmakinginstitute.com/
home/findcertifiedmatchmaker/). You will need to register and give a
few detail about yourself to be connected with certified matchmakers
in your area, but this process is free. Alternatively, you can do an
online search using phrases like “matchmaker” and your town or
“matchmaker near me” to find professional matchmakers in your area.
To find other small consulting firms, check your favorite online
search engine or consult your local Chamber of Commerce for firms
in your area. Large and small firms will often have receptionists
or administrative assistants answering the phones. They can be a
valuable source of contact information. Ideally, you want to reach a
senior person and directly ask them for a meeting.
Although you are conducting an “information interview,” it’s usually
best to avoid using that term when you first call. Many professionals
assume someone who wants to set up an information interview
is actually looking for a job, not simply looking to learn about the
profession. So they may decline to meet with you if they do not have
any current job openings.
Instead, say that you are studying matchmaking and politely ask if
you can arrange to meet with them for 20 minutes to learn about the
career. People are much more likely to agree to a meeting if they know
it won’t take too much time. Be prepared that the matchmaker may
not be available for a personal meeting but may be willing to answer
questions on the phone or by email. If they make such an offer, take
them up on it! If you’re sending an email, you’re more likely to get a
response if it is limited to only a few key questions.
It’s important to remember that while some people are generous with
their time and encouraging to newcomers, others may simply be too
busy to meet with everyone who wants career advice. If someone you
contact says they don’t have time for a meeting, politely ask if they
know anyone who might be available to talk with you.
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If the matchmaker agrees to a personal meeting, arrive on time, dressed
professionally, and come prepared with a list of questions. Following
are some questions you might ask:
• How did you get started in matchmaking?
• What do you enjoy most about your work?
• What do you wish you had known when you were first
getting into matchmaking?
• What are typical duties in your job?
• What are typical duties in entry-level matchmaker or
matchmaker assistant positions?
• What are the things you look for when you are hiring a
matchmaker for your firm?
• Based on a quick review of my experience to date, what
training or experience do you think I should pursue next?
• What are the skills and talents I should develop to be able to
make successful matches?
• How can I learn about what makes people compatible?
• What advice do you have for someone just getting started in
matchmaking?
• Is there anyone else you can refer me to who is looking for
someone with my skills, or who might be willing to meet
with me?
• Which professional associations, websites, or publications
should I look into?
• After the meeting, send a thank you note to the person you
met with and, if someone referred you, thank that person as
well.
TIP: While owners of matchmaking businesses may be willing
to speak with you, be aware that they probably will not be
eager to help if you plan to start a competing business in the
same city. However, if you are going into a niche they do
not serve, they might be willing to answer questions about
their business such as which marketing techniques they
have found most effective.
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If you want to make a good impression, it’s usually not a good idea to
stay longer than agreed without permission. Let the matchmaker know
when the 20 minute time limit is up, say you know they are busy, and
offer to leave. If the matchmaker doesn’t have another appointment,
they may be happy to extend the meeting. Thank them for their time
and any referrals they were able to provide.
Most importantly, this is not the time to ask for a job. A direct request
puts the person who has done you a favor by meeting with you in an
awkward spot. You can, however, ask if they will keep your resume to
pass along and keep on file for future job openings.
3.3.2 Mentoring
Another way to learn is to find a professional matchmaker who is
willing to be your mentor. Princeton University’s WordNet defines
the word mentor as “a wise and trusted guide and advisor.” A mentor
can provide you with personal training in matchmaking to help you
launch your own career.
TIP: Job shadowing involves spending a day, a week, or some
other limited period of time observing someone work. It
allows you to learn more about a career, ask questions, and
actually see what a job entails on a daily basis. When seeking
a mentor, you may want to ask if there is an opportunity to
observe your mentor on the job.
Once you have identified a matchmaker who you would like to have
as a mentor, approach them with a letter of introduction (see sample
below). In your letter:
• Explain why you selected this person as a potential mentor.
It may be their success in an industry you are interested in
or that you admire their marketing skills or business model.
Whatever the reason, let the potential mentor know why
you chose them out of all the other matchmakers. But don’t
ask a local matchmaker that you’ll be competing with to
mentor you, or you might get a negative response. Look to a
matchmaker in another city or town.
• Make a specific request. Don’t just say you want them to be
your mentor; explain what you are asking. Do you want to
talk with them on the telephone once a week for 20 minutes?
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Do you want to meet with them once a month over lunch?
Do you want to communicate with them on a weekly basis
via email? Also, be open to their offer of an alternative
method of contact, as you are the one asking for a favor.
Some people shy away from mentoring because they fear
it will take too much time or energy. Assure your potential
mentor this won’t be the case.
• Offer something back. While some matchmakers charge
a fee for mentoring (see below), others will provide the
service at no charge. However, there may be many demands
on their time, so you can offer to refer the mentor business
locally, or you may have another skill that you can offer in
return for mentoring services. Maybe you are a computer
whiz and can offer to set up the mentor’s new computer
network. Or maybe you can write great advertising copy,
and offer to write the mentor’s next brochure.
Sample Mentoring Request Letter
Matchmaking Plus
Attn: Helen Heart
Dear Ms. Heart,
I recently came across your article on communication differences
between men and women in the February edition of Love
Magazine.
I was very impressed with the insight you shared and did some
research on your background as a matchmaker. I wholeheartedly
commend you for the work that you do.
As a recent psychology graduate who has focused much of her
studies on interpersonal relationships, I would love to work
with people in this capacity. I am wondering if you would be
willing to mentor me in this new career.
I know that your time is very valuable, and that you probably
have little free time as the CEO of a successful matchmaking
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company. Thus, I am asking you to consider having a brief
phone chat with me, and then perhaps we can stay in touch via
email in the near future.
I would really appreciate this opportunity, and I look forward
to hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.
Thanks so much,
Faith Hope
3.3.3 Associations
IAPO International Association of Professional Matchmakers
IAPO International Association of Professional Matchmakers is a
membership organization created to provide education and business
development services for people working as, or studying to become, a
professional matchmaker.
Benefits for Members
Numerous benefits for paid members including: discounts on
the Matchmaker Certificate Courses offered by the International
Association of Professions Career College; quarterly newsletter with
practical advice to help you achieve greater success in your career;
additional discounts on hundreds of products and services for both
business and pleasure including: restaurants, hotels, computers,
movie tickets, books, flowers, cell phones, gifts and much more from
popular companies such as Dell, Target, Sears, Disney, FabJob, Toyota,
Sprint, and many more in the U.S., with some discounts available in
other countries. Plus, you may display the seal of membership of the
IAPO International Association of Professional Matchmakers on your
own website and marketing materials.
Join the growing IAPO Professional Matchmaker community today
and start accessing all of the benefits membership offers.
Visit www.iapcollege.com/program/membership-matchmakers for
more information about benefits and membership fees, and to join.
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Other Associations
Matchmakers Alliance
www.matchmakersalliance.com
3.4
Educational Programs
Unlike some professions such as accounting or engineering, there are no
specific educational requirements required to become a matchmaker.
However, there are a number of educational credentials that can make
a good impression on both employers and clients, including:
• Degree programs
• Continuing education courses
• Professional certification
Each of these educational opportunities will be covered in this section.
In the section that follows, you will find other ways to learn about
matchmaking through self-study.
NOTE: Information about courses and other educational
programs is provided for the convenience of readers and
does not represent an endorsement. Only you can decide
which educational program, if any, is right for you.
3.4.1 Degree Programs
Generally, if you are looking to get hired for a full-time job as a
matchmaker, you’ll find most employers would prefer you to have a
degree, preferably in a field related to psychology, human resources,
marketing/communications or business. A degree offers a potential
employer proof of your industry-related education.
TIP: If you want to work in the matchmaking industry without a
degree, your opportunities will be greatest if you start your
own matchmaking business, as discussed in chapter 5.
While a degree can certainly be useful if you want to start your
own matchmaking business, it is not essential. That’s because many
clients are more concerned with finding a matchmaker who has
real world experience setting up introductions for people just like
them. For example, if a potential client knows you have a reputation
for introducing hundreds of couples who’ve married, he probably
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won’t ask, or care, whether you have a degree as you have clearly
demonstrated your matchmaking ability.
In the end, getting the job or the client is a matter of them trusting in
your ability to perform and succeed in creating quality matches. If you
want to become a matchmaker without getting a degree, you can use
some of the other techniques described in this chapter to learn about
matchmaking.
Types of Degrees
The types of degrees employers will look most favorably upon when
evaluating someone for a matchmaking position are degrees that
provide in depth-knowledge that can apply to a variety of fields. They
involve the liberal arts and science-based education a psychology
degree provides, or the communication and marketing/sales skills
that a degree in marketing or business ensures. Certainly the study of
human resources is helpful, as there are clearly similarities between
recruiting people for jobs and recruiting people for relationships!
Since there are no degrees in matchmaking to date, a well rounded
collegiate education may be the best preparation for matchmakers in
terms of formal education.
TIP: If you want to earn a degree but don’t want to attend classes
full-time, consider another option such as online or distance
learning which you can do at your own pace.
3.4.2 Certificate Programs
If you are looking for a flexible program that has classes that meet in
person and online for a short period of time, you should consider a
certification program. Both small colleges and large universities offer
certificate programs that could prove to be very helpful to someone
interested in matchmaking. Many schools offer certificates in the
subjects of psychology, business, communications, human resources
and marketing. The exact number of courses and details of the
programs will vary, so make sure you find the one that is best for you.
Remember to think outside of the box and be open minded to diverse
programs. In your research, you may find unique certification programs
— like event planning, for example — that could increase your
desirability as a professional matchmaking employee exponentially!
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You can check out IAP Career College’s Event Planner Certificate Course
(https://www.iapcollege.com/program/event-planner-course/) if this
is an area that interests you.
3.4.3 Continuing Education Courses
Your local college or university may offer business or psychology
courses, even if it doesn’t offer a certificate in the subjects. Through
the continuing education department you may be able to take a single
course on a Saturday or over several evenings. Not only can this be a
valuable learning experience, you can also list any courses you have
taken on your resume.
Virtually every college and university has a continuing education
department, although the department may be called adult education,
continuing studies, educational outreach, extension or further
education. If you can’t find a listing for the continuing education
department on the college’s website, call the college’s main switchboard
and ask for the continuing education department.
When you visit an educational institution’s website, there are a
variety of terms you can use to search for courses. Depending on
your interests, you might try searching for courses in administration,
management, or marketing of any areas related to matchmaking.
For example, you could search for terms such as “relationships” or
“psychology of love.”
TIP: In addition to continuing education courses, some colleges
and universities will allow individuals to take single courses
from the psychology or business department by registering
as a non-degree student.
3.4.4 Business Courses
Earning a degree, diploma or certificate in business can be helpful in
running your own business. However, a formal business education
is not necessary to run a matchmaking business. There are many
successful business owners who are self-taught and have never studied
business. Others have taken a course here and there but do not possess
a degree. However, the skills you learn in business classes can come in
handy. Depending on which of your skills you would like to develop,
consider taking courses on topics such as:
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• Advertising
• Basic Accounting
• Business Communications
• Business Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Merchandising
• Retailing
Your local college or university may offer these and other business
courses. Through the continuing education department you may be
able to take a single course on a Saturday or over several evenings. If
you can’t find a listing for the continuing education department on the
college’s website, call the college’s main switchboard and ask for the
continuing education department. They will be able to tell you about
upcoming courses.
If you are not interested in attending courses at a school, or you don’t
have the time, another option that can easily fit into your schedule
is distance learning. Traditionally these were called correspondence
courses and the lessons were mailed back and forth between student
and instructor. Today, with the help of the Internet, there are many
online courses available. Again, check your local community college,
university, or business school to see if they offer online courses.
You can also take courses specifically for the type of business you have.
For example, if you plan to run a matchmaking business, then you’ll
want to brush up on some basic skills such as how to handle sales calls
and do business to business or social networking.
Your local Chamber of Commerce may also offer training courses
and seminars for new business owners. Many also offer consultations
with retired executives and business owners who are well-qualified
to offer advice. To find the Chamber near you in the U.S., use the US
Chamber of Commerce Directory (https://www.uschamber.com/co/
chambers). In Canada, visit the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
(https://chamber.ca/).
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3.5
Resources for Self-Study
This section provides information about books, periodicals and
websites that can help you get a business education. Through selfstudy you can quickly brush up on a particular subject or stay on top
of current business practices.
3.5.1 Books
Amazon.com lists more than 345 books on the subject of matchmaking,
but of course you do not have the time to read them all! So here is
a selection of excellent books you may want to start with. Look for
them at your local library, browse through them at a local bookstore,
or order them online.
Some of the books that follow were written by professional
matchmakers who share their secrets with singles trying to find love,
while others were written by journalists who researched the industry
firsthand. Recommendations are as follows:
• Become Your Own Matchmaker: 8 Easy Steps for Attracting Your
Perfect Mate, by Patti Stanger and Lisa Johnson Mandell
• Crash Course in Love, by Steve Ward and JoAnn Ward
• How to Date Men: Dating Secrets from America’s Top
Matchmaker, by Janis Spindel
• Make Me a Match: The 21st Century Guide to Finding and Using
a Matchmaker, by Matchmaking Institute, Introduction by
Lisa Clampitt
• Matchbook: The Diary of a Modern-Day Matchmaker, by
Samantha Daniels
3.5.2 Websites
If you type “matchmaker” into a search engine, you will have literally
thousands of websites to choose from. So here’s a short list of the
best websites for getting started learning about matchmaking. The
following sites either provide detailed information, or links to detailed
information, on numerous aspects of matchmaking.
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• Forbes.com -- Will technology disrupt the matchmaking industry
Article on industry trends
https://www.forbes.com/sites/
forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/01/19/will-technology-disruptthe-matchmaking-industry/?sh=6112a7872d15
• New York Times -- What it’s like to work with a matchmaker
Article on matchmakers’ income and fees
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/style/what-its-like-towork-with-a-matchmaker.html
• Entrepreneur.com -- Matchmaking isn’t just for dating; It’s a
model for many new businesses
Article on the growing trend of “matchmaking” as a
business model
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/270312
• Esquire -- ‘When the Dow is down, love is up’: modern
matchmaking is booming
Article on matchmaking and online dating
https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/sex/a34931203/
matchmaking-dating-services-online-apps/
• Refinery29 -- I went to a matchmaking agency to cure my dating
app fatigue
Article from the perspective of a potential client
https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/12/8737331/datingagency-matchmaking-review
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4.
Getting Hired
Once you have developed your skills and knowledge of matchmaking,
it’s time to start getting paid for your talents.
As a matchmaker you have many exciting career possibilities which
fall into one of two categories: (1) get a job in the matchmaking industry
or (2) start your own matchmaking business. This chapter focuses on
the first of these two options. In the next chapter, you will learn how
to start your own matchmaking business and “get hired” by clients.
Whether you see a matchmaking job as an end in itself or as a stepping
stone to starting your own matchmaking business, the information in
this chapter can help you land that job.
4.1
Types of Employers
Matchmakers are almost solely employed at traditional matchmaking
or dating agencies. The best way to find matchmaking and
dating agencies is to do an online search using keywords such as
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“matchmakers”, “dating agency” and “dating service” and your
town, and see what comes up in your area. While there may be other
types of organizations that hire matchmakers, these types of agencies
generally do the most hiring.
Other possible employers include:
• Great Expectations
www.ge-dating.com
• It’s Just Lunch
www.itsjustlunch.com
• Serious Matchmaking
https://janisspindelmatchmaker.com/
• Kelleher & Associates
www.kelleher-international.com/locations.html
• Selective Search
www.selectivesearch.com
• Model Quality Introductions
www.modelqualityintroductions.com
• Valenti International (California)
www.valentimatchmaking.com
• Master Matchmakers
www.mastermatchmakers.com
• Three Day Rule
www.threedayrule.com
• VIDA Select
www.vidaselect.com
• Elite Matchmaking
https://elitematchmaking.com/
• Love & Matchmaking
www.loveandmatchmaking.com
• Dating Options (UK)
www.dating-options.co.uk
It’s not just large companies that hire matchmakers. Individual
matchmakers who have built a successful business may hire
Matchmaker Assistants or Recruiters.
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4.2
How to Find Job Openings
There are a variety of ways to find job openings. This section covers
both traditional and non-traditional ways to find job openings,
including how to create your own job.
4.2.1 Advertised Positions
“Checking the job ads” is the traditional way to look for job openings.
However, it can also be the least effective way for most matchmakers
to find a job. That’s because for every good entry-level position that’s
advertised, there may be a hundred or more applicants. Nevertheless,
if you want to do a complete job search, or if you have specialized skills
or extensive work experience, you could find your next job advertised
online.
Company Websites
Many large firms post information on their websites about how to
apply to work for them. In addition to lists of current job openings,
they may have any of the following:
• Online application form
• Explanation of what they’re looking for in employees
• Description of their work environment
• Profiles of current employees
• Information about career paths at their company
• Advice on how to prepare for an interview, including
examples of the types of questions you might be asked to
discuss with the interviewer.
Large companies get many applications from those seeking
matchmaking positions, but don’t overlook smaller firms’ sites.
Even if a company website does not have jobs posted, many provide
information on how to pursue employment with the company. If
there is no link for “careers” on the home page, click on the link for
information about the company. That will usually take you to a page
that includes a link to job postings. Section 4.1 of this guide includes
websites for some major employers.
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Job Websites
While print media such as newspapers and business magazines
continue to provide a reliable source of information about who’s
hiring and current openings, the Internet has taken over much of this
role. Today, most newspapers run job ads on their website as well as
print them in the paper.
And job seekers can now find positions advertised at a variety of job
sites, the most popular of which are:
• CareerBuilder
www.careerbuilder.com
• Monster
www.monster.com
• Indeed
www.indeed.com
• SimplyHired
www.simplyhired.com
• Job Bank (Canada)
www.jobbank.gc.ca
While the general job boards offer the greatest number of positions, you
may find the ideal job for you on a site like LinkedIn (www.linkedin.
com), as matchmaking agencies and independent matchmakers
looking for assistance often post there. Just go to the site and search
using terms like “matchmaker jobs”, “dating jobs” and “relationships
jobs” and see what comes up.
The following was a listing for matchmaking jobs in NYC published
by Deborah Cannon, CEO of Sublime Matchmaking:
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Scout for Matchmaker (NYC)
New York City’s Most Popular Upscale Dating Search Firm
Makes Matches Between Single Men and Women Who are
Serious About Finding a Partner. We are looking for people who
are social, outgoing, fearless about approaching strangers and
interested in making money using your winning personality.
FUN, flexible, rewarding. Full-time or Part-time. Start
Immediately!
Requirements:
• Self-discipline to set regular days and evenings for
Scouting
• Social Personality that is fearless in approaching
successful, single, affluent men ages 30-60
• Large Number of Social Network Contacts on
Facebook Helpful
• Polished, Professional Appearance
• Network of High Net Worth Men Highly Desirable
• Must live in NYC
Details:
• Full in-field training provided; ongoing assistance to
assure your success
• Suggested Scouting Locations throughout Manhattan
Provided
• Full-time Preferred; Part-time OK; You Make Your
Own Schedule
• No closing required; Scouts are required only to meet
as many
• men as possible weekly and explain our services
• Collect business cards for email and/or phone call
follow-up
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If interested, please email a photo, resume and note why you
think you could be fabulous at Client Acquisition. I will get
back to all qualified candidates right away to schedule phone
interviews, followed by Face-to-face interviews for our final
picks.
4.2.2 Unadvertised Positions
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the
U.S. Department of Labor, “eighty percent of available jobs are never
advertised.”
Even among the types of employers that usually do advertise for
matchmaking, smaller companies are unlikely to spend hundreds of
dollars to post jobs at a site such as Monster.com. So how do these
employers find employees? The two primary ways are through
referrals and direct contact from job-seekers.
Referrals
Many employers find employees through referrals, or word of mouth.
When a business owner needs a new employee, they will typically
ask friends, business associates, and current employees if they know
anyone who might be suitable for the job.
Studies have consistently found this is how more than half of
management and professional positions are filled. For example, Global
Career Transition Study by DBM of 6,917 clients who changed careers
that year reported that 54% worldwide and 61% in the United States
found re-employment through networking. According to the report,
“Networking is still the number one way job seekers, worldwide,
are finding new employment opportunities.” Likewise, the U.S.
Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that
“over half of all employees get their jobs through networking.”
What is perhaps most significant for job-seekers is the fact that
most positions obtained through word of mouth are found through
acquaintances instead of through friends or family. A study by
sociologist Mark Granovetter, now with Stanford University, titled
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Getting a Job: A Study of Contacts and Careers, found that 84% of
the respondents who found a job through personal contacts learned
about the opportunity from someone they saw only “occasionally” or
“rarely.” That’s because you likely know many of the same people that
your close friends know, whereas acquaintances are likely to know
other people and hear about different opportunities.
In Section 6.3.4 you will find practical advice on how to network to
find matchmaking clients. You can use the advice in that part of the
guide to help you meet and connect with people who can hire you –
or recommend you to someone who can hire you – for a full-time job.
Direct Contact
Even if you don’t know anyone connected to a particular company,
it may still be possible to get a job there by contacting the company
directly. About 10% of the participants in Granovetter’s study were
hired after applying directly to an employer.
It happens rarely, but sometimes a manager will have just decided that
they need a new person when they happen to receive a phone call or
email from someone who looks like they might be an ideal candidate
for the job. Many employers would rather find someone this way than
invest all the time and effort in advertising the job, screening resumes,
and interviewing numerous candidates.
If you decide to make “cold” contact with employers (as opposed
to the “warm” contacts that come through networking), it’s a good
idea to focus on specific types of employers. This will allow you to
target your job search most effectively since it takes time to track
down hiring managers’ names, tailor your resume, and prepare
personalized cover letters explaining why you want to work with that
particular company.
4.2.3 Create a New Job
Even when no job is open, someone may hire you if you can show
them that you will give your employer more value than you cost. To
do this, you will need to know what you can do for an employer that
will outweigh the costs to the employer of hiring you. Here are some
examples of things that employers see as “costs” when they hire a new
employee:
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• Your salary
• Your benefits
• Resources you’ll need to do your job (e.g. computer,
supplies)
• Time of other staff members to train you
• Time of your supervisor to oversee your work
As you can see, you will need to demonstrate to an employer that you
would bring them more value than simply covering the cost of your
salary. Here are some examples of things that employers may see as
valuable:
• Increasing profits by getting more sales
• Increasing profits by reducing the company’s costs
• Freeing up your boss’s time so he can do more important
work
• Reducing your boss’s frustration by doing tasks she doesn’t
like doing herself
For example, a busy matchmaker might hire you to be her assistant if
you can convince her that, with your help, she could do more of the
tasks she enjoys — like matchmaking — and less of those she doesn’t
enjoy, such as recruiting for new clients. In addition, a matchmaking
company may hire you as a matchmaker if you have a lot of contacts
in the niche market in which they specialize.
Working Interviews
One way to prove your value to an employer is with a “working
interview.” Working interview is a term that is sometimes used
to describe a temporary paid position that may lead to full-time
employment if the worker does a satisfactory job.
However, when you are looking at creating a new position, you
can have a “working interview” by volunteering to spend a day
or more doing the job you would be hired for. Here’s how one
applicant pitched an editor of this book in an email application
for a job:
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“If you are uncertain of my qualifications or fit within your
organization I am willing to provide a week of my time for a
working interview during which I would carry out the day to
day functions of the position on a volunteer basis.”
In this case, the applicant was not asked to volunteer her services
for a week, but the initiative she took in making the offer helped
her land the job. Even a single day spent in a working interview
might help you land a position.
To create a job for yourself, you will need to deal directly with someone
who has the authority to hire new people. This does not mean contacting
the human resources department of a large company, unless that is the
department you want to work with. The human resources department
fills positions that already exist. If you want to create a new position,
you will need to speak with the appropriate department manager or,
in the case of a smaller company, the owner of the company.
You will need to meet with this person and learn what their needs are
in order to figure out how you can create value for them. It’s best if
you can establish a relationship with someone through networking.
However, you may even be able to create a job through cold calling.
For example, here is the type of message you might leave on someone’s
voicemail:
“Hello (name of matchmaker), this is (your name). I have experience in
the matchmaking industry, and would like to meet with you to discuss
how I could recruit men for Master Matchmakers and increase your
client base by marketing your services to singles in my community.
Please call me at (insert your phone number) so we can schedule a time to
meet. (If you actually reach the person, simply change the last sentence to ask
when would be a good time to meet.)”
If the company is looking to increase profits, as many companies are,
this call is more likely to get returned than a call simply asking if there
are any job openings. You may need to be persistent and make a lot
of calls, but if what you are offering is something that will bring a
company more value than it costs, you can create a job.
For many people, creating a job is simply too much work. After reading
how much self-employed matchmakers can earn, you may think: “If
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I’m going to ask people to hire me, why don’t I do it for contracts
worth thousands of dollars per match instead of asking for a job worth
thousands of dollars per month?” While there’s a certain amount
of job security in a full-time job, many people who are attracted to
matchmaking prefer self-employment. If that’s you, you’ll find good
advice on starting your own matchmaking business and getting clients
in chapters 5 and 6.
4.3
Job-Hunting Materials
4.3.1 Your Resume
As most job seekers know, a resume is a written summary of your
work experience and other qualifications to do a job.
Which Type of Resume Is Best for You?
There are three common resume formats: chronological, functional,
and combination.
Chronological Resume
The chronological resume is the most commonly used format. It
lists work experience in reverse order, starting with the most recent.
Employers prefer chronological resumes because the format makes
it easy for them to quickly weed out candidates whose previous
experience doesn’t precisely match what they’re looking for.
A HotJobs.com survey found that 84 percent of recruiters prefer
chronological resumes so it’s a good choice for those with a solid work
history in consulting. However, if you are new to matchmaking, a
functional or combination resume will likely be a better choice for you.
Functional Resume
Instead of listing your experience chronologically, the functional
resume organizes your experience to highlight your skills and
accomplishments. In a functional resume you create headings for
each consulting skill you want to demonstrate (such as matchmaking
or coaching), and summarize your previous experiences and
accomplishments using those skills.
The functional resume is a good choice for career changers because
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it emphasizes your relevant skills rather than specific jobs you have
held. However, because this format is often used by applicants who
have gaps or weaknesses in their work history, some employers view
functional resumes with suspicion.
Combination Resume
The combination resume (also known as a hybrid resume) combines
elements of both the chronological and functional resumes. It includes
a section with headings of relevant consulting skills and summaries
of your accomplishments in those areas. This section is followed with
a summary of previous jobs similar to what you might include in a
chronological resume.
This resume is often the best choice for new matchmakers because it
highlights your skills while giving employers the chronological work
history that most want to see on a resume.
Writing Your Resume
Even if you have never been paid to act as a matchmaker you can write
a powerful resume that can help you get a job in the matchmaking
industry. In order to do this you will need to get some related
experience using several of the methods suggested in Chapter 3. Even
if the only matches you made were for yourself:
• Do include professional affiliations, certifications, or
educational programs attended. This includes membership
in matchmaking associations (listed in Section 3.3.3 of
this guide) or even attending a workshop conducted by a
matchmaker’s organization.
• Do show that you have the matchmaking skills described
in chapter 3 of this guide. Include both paid and volunteer
accomplishments and experiences.
• Don’t include irrelevant information. Some employers
make a decision about a resume within seconds, so a
resume containing information about your age or number
of children could be rejected before the employer has even
finished reading it.
• Don’t go back further than 10 years on your resume unless
you have done something exceptional. Some employers
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believe what you learned or did more than a decade ago is
outdated.
• Don’t list references on your resume, but consider including
quotes on your resume from people who have worked with
you.
• Do ask someone (preferably in the matchmaking industry)
to review your resume before you send it to an employer.
• Do choose an attractive paper stock (if you’ll be taking it in
person), lay it out nicely, and make sure there are no typos.
You are applying for a job where professional presentation
matters.
Sample Resume
Andrea Applicant
Want A Job Way
Hiremenow, CA
Phone: (123) 555-1212
E-mail: andrea@abc.com
Objective
A position that enables me to apply my communication, event
planning and sales skills in a matchmaking context
Event Planning Experience and Skills
• Consulted with singles and sold them event packages,
both on the phone and in person
• Interviewed singles and recorded information in
database
• Arranged for events and promoted them within the
community
• Used the Internet to market the business
• Executed successful speed dating and singles events
• Customer Service and Sales Representative
Experience and Skills
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• Used active listening skills to determine clients’ true
needs
• Kept in touch with customers by telephone and email
• Received testimonials from satisfied clients (available
on request)
• As a sales representative, consistently met monthly
quotas
Work and Volunteer Experience
• Planned parties for friends and family, 2017-2022
• Worked for 2 singles event planning companies, 20162022
• Volunteered for Relationship Hotline, providing
advice to couples in crisis 2019-2021
• Previous experience as a membership consultant in a
health club
Education
• Successfully completed course on “Planning a Singles
Event” at Princess College Continuing Education,
2022
Memberships
• Member of ISES, The International Special Events
Society
As this sample shows, you can create an impressive resume even
without a college degree or previous paid experience as a professional
matchmaker. This sample includes matchmaking experience and
credentials you may be able to acquire relatively quickly using the
techniques described in chapter 3 – such as experience obtained
through volunteer work and continuing education. This resume also
shows how a career change can emphasize relevant non-industry
experience from previous jobs.
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4.3.2 Cover Letters
If you are submitting your resume by email or mail, it is recommended
that you include a cover letter. Your cover letter should be tailored to
the company and explain why you are an ideal candidate for the job.
Here is what it should contain:
• The position you are applying for.
• A brief summary of relevant experience you have in
matchmaking.
• A statement about why you want to work for this particular
company.
• How the employer would benefit by hiring you.
• A request for an interview.
• Your contact information.
TIP: Keep your cover letter to one page. Because employers may
make quick judgments, a short well written letter can be
more effective than a long one.
To see what to do – and what not to do – in a cover letter, we have
included two sample letters prepared in response to this ad:
ASSOCIATE MATCHMAKER
Uber-Matchable Matchmaking is seeking an Associate Matchmaker to
help singles find love by working closely with our senior matchmaking
staff by interviewing clients and facilitating introductions. If
you have previous matchmaking experience, along with strong
interpersonal customer service skills, please apply at Uber-Matchable
at Matchmaking@gmail.com.
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Sample Cover Letter 1
Dear Sirs:
I saw you’re ad. This is the kind of job I’ve been looking for. I’m
pretty sure I would enjoy it and it would be good experience for
me. I’ve already sent out a bunch of resumes without much luck
so I hope you’ll hire me. As you can see I have everything your
looking for. Its your loss if you don’t hire me. Call 5555-1212.
Andy Applicant
In the cover letter above, Andy has done a number of things wrong.
See how many of these mistakes you noticed:
• The letter is addressed to “Dear Sirs.” Andy could make a
better impression by addressing it by name to the person
who will be reviewing resumes. If you don’t know who
to send your letter to, you can phone to ask the Human
Resources department or address your letter “Attention:
Human Resources.” Since the person reading your letter
may be a woman, avoid saying “Dear Sirs.”
• It doesn’t say which position is being applied for. Many
companies advertise more than one position at a time.
• It has typographical and grammatical errors (e.g., confusing
“you’re” with “your”). Letters should be proofread before
being sent.
• The letter focuses on what Andy wants (to enjoy the job
and get experience), instead of what the company wants.
Employers want to know what value you will bring to them.
• The letter doesn’t mention the company by name. Andy
could make a much better impression by doing a little
research in order to say something flattering about the
company. (You can find out what companies pride
themselves on by checking their websites.)
• By saying “I’ve already sent out a bunch of resumes without
much luck” and “I hope you’ll hire me,” Andy sounds
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desperate. Employers may wonder if there’s a good reason
why no one else has hired Andy.
• As you can imagine, saying something like “It’s your loss if
you don’t hire me” does not make a good impression!
Employers would be more impressed with this letter:
Sample Cover Letter 2
Andrea Applicant
Want A Job Way
Hiremenow, CA
Phone: (123) 555-1212
E-mail: andrea@abc.com
Attention: Betty Boss
I am writing to apply for the Associate Matchmaker position
advertised in the New York Times.
Uber-Matchable Matchmaking needs someone who has previous
matchmaking experience and the natural ability to work with
diverse people. As my resume indicates, my experience and
skills match these qualifications. I have a proven track record of
creating successful matches, and have numerous testimonials
from satisfied couples.
I would be honored to work with you, and I’d like to arrange a
meeting to discuss how I can be of service to Uber-Matchable
Matchmaking. Please call me at 123-555-1212 to arrange a
meeting at your convenience. I look forward to hearing from
you.
Andrea Applicant
Your own cover letter will of course depend on the position you are
applying for, and the company you are applying to. It should also
include your name and contact information at the top of the page.
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4.3.3 Other Materials
Portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of samples of your work that you take to an
interview. A portfolio can help you stand out from other applicants. It
offers an employer proof that you have the skills to do the job.
Working as a matchmaker gives you a perfect opportunity to create a
portfolio. As you gain experience in the field, your portfolio will build.
If you don’t have a portfolio — get busy and create one.
Section 6.2.2 explains how to create a portfolio even if you have no
previous paid matchmaking experience.
Letters of Recommendation
When you submit your application, including one or more letters
of recommendation can help you get called for an interview.
Recommendation letters can be particularly important when you
don’t have a lot of paid matchmaking experience on your resume. A
glowing letter describing how impressed someone was with the work
you did as a matchmaker can give you a huge advantage over other
applicants.
People qualified to write letters of recommendation can be former
work supervisors, co-workers, teachers or professors, board members
from organizations you have volunteered with, professionals in the
matchmaking field, or as a last resort, friends and family members.
Letters of recommendation should be on high-quality paper and
typed in a readable font. Copies are fine. Keep a file just for letters
of recommendation so they stay clean and fresh. Try to keep them as
current as possible, updating with new ones as you request them.
It is great if you can get a letter of recommendation “customized” to
a specific job position, but that is not always necessary. Most skills
required are transferable from other settings and situations. As long as
the letters are positive, hiring managers can identify that the skills you
have can be used in varied job duties.
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TIP: Be certain that, should a hiring manager call the writer of the
letter of recommendation, his or her response will be a good
one. Sometimes a person who was happy to write a glowing
recommendation will have forgotten details of your work
as time passes. Especially if you have not worked for that
individual for some time, be sure to call them first and get
an assurance that they will still speak of your work in the
best possible way.
Business Cards
Your name, title, phone number, email address and website on a
professionally designed card will create a polished impression and
make it easy for people to pass on information about you.
Even if you’re not currently employed as a matchmaker, you can have
some personal business cards made up that include your name and the
title “Matchmaker” (or another title you prefer, such as “Love Agent”
“Matchmaking Specialist,” “Senior Matchmaker,” etc.)
Spend some time creating a readable, stylish business card for yourself
that clearly spells out the services you offer as a matchmaker. (See
Section 6.2.1 for tips on creating business cards.)
Carry these cards with you always — and don’t be shy about handing
them out! You never know when a casual conversation may lead to a
job opportunity.
4.4
Job Interviews
Your preliminary work has paid off: The employer wants to meet
with you for an interview. But before you break out the champagne to
celebrate, you’ll have more work to do.
4.4.1 How to Prepare for an Interview
Preparation is key to ensuring that prospective employers see you as
someone who is a fit with their company. You can get ready for the
interview by conducting further research, dressing professionally,
and coming prepared with everything you might need during the
interview.
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Researching the Company
Once you’ve scheduled the interview, it’s time to learn more about
the employer so that you can ask relevant questions and speak to their
particular needs during the interview.
Chances are, most of what you learn will not become a topic of
conversation during the interview. However, the employer will be
listening for evidence that you are thoroughly familiar with their
company. In a recent survey of the 1,000 largest companies in the U.S.
by the staffing company Accountemps, 47% of the executives polled
said that the single largest mistake an interviewee can make is to
display “little or no knowledge of the company” for which they were
applying.
Your first stop for company information should be the company’s
website. If you are applying to work with a large company, you can also
check out websites such as D&B Hoover’s (www.dnb.com/products/
marketing-sales/dnb-hoovers.html) for company information.
Finally, review the resources mentioned throughout this book so that
you can be up on industry news, particularly anything related to the
employer’s niche.
TIP: Don’t forget that interviewers can research you online just
as easily as you can research them. Do a Google search of
your name to see what comes up, and take down anything
from sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook.com that
employers might consider unprofessional.
How to Dress
The dress code for work in the matchmaking industry on a typical work
day may indeed be more relaxed than that of the typical corporate
job. However, this varies in different agencies and geographic regions.
For the purpose of an interview, it is better to be overdressed than
underdressed. Since most people who are matchmakers are women,
a suit or jacket with a skirt or dress would be the most polished and
professional look. Male job candidates should wear suits. Since, as a
matchmaker you’ll often focus on your clients’ appearance, it is wise
to look your absolute best.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. You probably would
not dress formally if you were interviewing for work in a totally
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laid-back environment (a small Hawaiian company that works off a
beachfront, for example). So the best advice is to learn more about the
company. In a recent article on CanadianLiving.com, Roz Usheroff, a
communication and image specialist, says, “Absolutely research the
company you are going to interview with. Know their dress culture.”
There are a number of ways that this information can be found. Do
you know somebody who works there, or somebody who knows
somebody? Ask them about the dress code. For the more assertive,
there’s always the option of taking a quick trip to the company’s
parking lot as employees arrive or depart for work to get a first-hand
look. Just remember to make it a quick trip; no loitering or anything
conspicuous. Avoid visiting the office before your interview if the
parking lot is controlled by security, requires an appointment to be
on the property, or presents other obstacles which could put you in an
uncomfortable predicament.
If you don’t have an opportunity to learn about the dress code or observe
people who work at the company, then dress in standard corporate
attire. For women, a matching suit or jacket and skirt in navy, dark
grey or black couple with a tailored blouse in an appropriate neutral
color is a great place to start. For men, a two piece suit in navy or dark
grey with a white or neutral shirt and a simple (i.e. not loud or overly
trendy) tie represents a classic corporate-minded outfit.
In the final analysis, it’s always best to use simple good judgment when
weighing the options between one outfit and another, with a nod to
erring on the side of the more conservative. This also applies to any
jewelry, cosmetics or other accessories that might prove distracting or
risk being considered flashy. And of course, have groomed hair, clean
nails and polished shoes. Remember, when you’re being judged on
whether or not you’ll fit in, every detail counts, no matter how small.
TIP: An important tip if you are traveling to an interview: Pack
your interview clothes and accessories in your carry-on
luggage. Don’t let a delay in getting your baggage ruin your
chances for your new job.
What to Bring
To look confident when arriving for an interview, you want to appear
as unencumbered as possible. However, while it would be nice to
stroll in with nothing but your winning personality, it’s important to
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be prepared to provide some documentation or proof of your skills
and experience if asked.
The basics of what to bring to an interview include:
• Your matchmaker’s portfolio (see Section 6.2.2)
• Several extra resumes
• An updated list of personal references
• Any letters of recommendation
• Copies of certificates or transcripts
• Copies of any career-related awards you may have received
• A dozen or more personal business cards
• Your calendar, or smartphone, laptop or tablet (but make
sure all devices are silenced or turned off during the
interview)
• Some basic writing supplies (two new black or blue ink
pens, a sharpened pencil or two, and one each of memo and
legal-size notepads)
Organize all of these documents and supplies in some manner of
a hard or soft shell briefcase in black, brown or some other neutral
color. Be sure to know where everything is for easy, fumble-free access
before you arrive.
Your Attitude
Your attitude and ability to get along with people are being judged
from the moment you first walk into the place where you will be
interviewed – or even earlier, when you first speak on the telephone
with anyone from the company. Anyone you encounter in the lobby,
the elevator, the washroom, or the reception area may have input into
whether or not you are hired.
One of the editors of this guide has conducted hundreds of employment
interviews, and routinely asks the receptionist about the person who
had just been interviewed to find out if the applicant treated the
receptionist with friendliness and respect.
During the interview itself, try to be as outgoing and enthusiastic
as possible. Of course this isn’t always easy because interviews can
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make people nervous, and nervous people tend to smile less, and act
more stiff and formal than they normally would. However, in this
industry you will be constantly working with many new people. The
employer wants to see that you are comfortable even in a potentially
uncomfortable interpersonal situation such as an interview.
If you tend to be stiff and uncomfortable during an interview, it is
time to perform. Act how you would if you did not feel nervous. This
may feel unnatural at first, but behaving as if you are not nervous
can actually make you start to feel more confident. It can also be very
helpful to do some role plays (practice interviews) with a friend before
you go to the interview.
As well as being enthusiastic, be positive. Avoid saying anything
negative, especially about former employers. Focus on what value
you would bring to the company as an employee, and not on what
you want to get from the job. For example, don’t discuss how much
vacation time you want or bring up salary until the employer does.
Also avoid saying anything negative about yourself, which some
applicants do by sounding as if they are desperate for a job. Before the
interview remind yourself how much you have to offer an employer,
and that there are many opportunities for you. Believe that if this
particular job doesn’t work out, there is something better out there
for you. You want the interviewer and the other people you meet to
think: “What a nice person! It would be great to have someone like
that working here.”
4.4.2 Interview Questions
Much has been written elsewhere on the best way to approach
interview questions. The scope of this section is not to attempt to
provide an exhaustive list of all possible questions and answers, but
rather to put you in the frame of mind where you can easily identify or
tailor the nature of the question or answer to serve both your concerns
and the concerns of the employer.
Types of Questions
During the interview, questions will likely primarily focus on your
background. The interview may include a review of your resume, a
brief overview of your personal and work experience, and a line of
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questions geared towards getting a better sense of who you are as a
person and a potential employee. In addition to traditional questions
such as “Tell me about yourself,” or “Why do you want to work for
our company?” you are likely to be asked “behavioral questions”
about specific past behaviors. The purpose of behavioral questions is
so the employer can attempt to predict how you are likely to behave
in future.
“Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict at work,” is an
example of a behavioral question. The interviewer will not be satisfied
with a hypothetical answer about what you “would” do in a conflict
situation. They want to hear about an actual time you experienced
conflict. The purpose is not to see if you have ever had a conflict (they
expect you have); the purpose is to see how well you resolve difficult
situations and, if something did not work out in the past, what you
learned from it.
For a matchmaking position, you can expect to hear behavioral
questions such as: “Describe your most successful match so far. What
did you do to make it a success?” and “Describe a date you set up
where something went wrong. How did you solve the problem?”
When confronted with these types of questions, describe the situation,
say what you did, relate the outcome, and finish with what you learned
from it.
Sample Questions and Answers
There are a number of standard interview questions you can expect
to be asked. It’s a good idea to prepare some answers before the
interview so you are able to answer tough questions. Here are some
sample interview questions with suggested answers from our panel
of experts. Remember that the interviewer is not just evaluating what
you say, they are also evaluating how you say it, so speak confidently
and clearly.
Why Do You Want to Work For Us?
Prospective employers do not want a cookie cutter answer. Do your
research, read the company’s website and give them an answer that
demonstrates that you have done your homework and have the skills
they’re looking for. “Having read your mission statement, I find that
your philosophies closely mirror my own” is a good way to begin. Then
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give some specifics and explain how you can help them achieve their
goals. For example, if you want to work for a company that specializes
in Jewish matchmaking and you have organized Jewish singles events
in the past at your temple, let your prospective employer know of your
experience and contacts within the Jewish community.
What Are You Doing Now?
Explain how your current duties relate to the job you are applying
for. Also remember to mention any current volunteer experience that
relates to the job. For example, if you are social worker you might
say: “I’m currently working for a social services agency that enables
me to provide counseling for many people who experience relational
difficulties. I feel like I’ve developed a great understanding of what
people want out of relationships, and thus feel very prepared to assist
people in a matchmaking context.”
What Did You Like Most and Least About Your Last Job?
If you didn’t like a certain task at your previous or current job, and
this responsibility is required at the job you’re applying for, you could
get passed over. You should be honest if you want to find a job that
you will love, but you can also put a positive spin on what you like
least. For example, “What I liked least about working as a membership
consultant was awkward phone conversations that usually resulted
from cold calling. However, I know that in this industry people
contact you after finding your website or viewing all the press you’ve
received. I am not shy to pick up the phone to follow up with a lead
once I know that he or she expressed genuine interest!’
What Experience Do You Have With Matchmaking?
Depending on the company, they may want to know your experience
with not only matchmaking, but with sales, marketing, event planning,
customer service, working in teams, working with singles, supervising
and multi tasking. Give specific examples from your experience.
Include any work experience, volunteer work, internship or education
that demonstrates your skill in a particular area. For example, if you
haven’t planned singles events professionally, but have a reputation
for organizing the best double dates among your circle of friends,
mention that. This is your opportunity to show that you know your
stuff.
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What Is Your Greatest Strength?
Think about the duties and responsibilities of the job and what the
employer is most likely to value, and answer accordingly. For instance,
“My ability to come in under budget is my greatest strength.”
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
Sometimes employers ask this because they want to know whether you
are looking at their company for long-term employment or simply a
short-term job “until something better comes along.” Other employers
want to judge your ability to plan for the future. Most employers do
not want to hear that in five years you hope to be retired or plan to start
your own matchmaking business. “In five years, I’d like to have an
advanced degree and hold a management position in this company,”
is a good possible answer.
How to Answer “What Is Your Biggest Weakness?”
If you think a good answer is you’re “a perfectionist who won’t
quit until the job’s done right,” think again. The interviewer has
probably heard the same thing from countless other applicants
and doesn’t believe it’s a weakness any more than you do.
According to Vicky Oliver, author of 301 Smart Answers to
Tough Interview Questions, the worst thing you can do is give
your interviewer a “canned” answer, such as saying you are a
workaholic.
Applicants who give such a typical answer may be perceived as
dishonest or unoriginal. Oliver is one of 40 career experts and
hiring managers who gave one of the authors of this book their
best tips for handling the weakness question. So what is a good
answer? “Confessing that you’re ‘impatient’ is a small weakness
that often goes hand in hand with high performance,” says
Oliver.
But present it with a positive spin. Carole Martin, author of
Boost Your Interview IQ, offers this possible answer: “I know I
could improve my patience when working with people who
don’t work at the same pace as I do. What I have found is that
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by helping members of the team who are having problems, I
can move things forward instead of being frustrated and doing
nothing.”
How Do You Feel About Overtime?
If you shy away from overtime and unorthodox work hours,
matchmaking is not for you; it’s not a 9-to-5 job. What you need
to know, as the prospective employee, is how much overtime the
company would be asking for and if you’re willing to make that kind
of time commitment.
Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
“Yes” is the appropriate answer here. Having researched the company,
you can ask specific questions that show that you’ve done your
homework, that you know who they are and what they do, and that
you are ready to join the fold. For example, you might ask a question
such as:
“I noticed on your website that your company is planning to expand
overseas this year. Would someone who has the ability to travel be a
desirable candidate for you?”
Finally, ask questions to get a good sense of your specific duties. Make
sure that while you’re busy proving that you’re a good fit for the
company, you’re also satisfying yourself that the company is a good
fit for you. For example, you might ask:
• What would your expectations for me be during the first six
months on the job?
• What happened with the previous person who held this
position? (Find out if they got promoted. If they quit or were
let go, ask why.)
• What are you looking for in an employee?
You can expect interviewers to ask a variety of questions based on
the position and their personal preferences about what they want in
an employee. You may be also asked questions about what motivated
you to apply for a position as a matchmaker.
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If you are asked something you haven’t prepared for, try to answer
honestly. This will help ensure the position is a good fit for what you
are looking for. Plus, interviewers say they are turned off by applicants
who tell them what they think the interviewer wants to hear.
4.4.3 Following Up
Following up after an interview can be almost as important as the
interview itself. A survey of 650 hiring managers by CareerBuilder.
com found that nearly 15 percent of hiring managers say they would
not hire someone who failed to send a thank-you letter after the
interview, while 32 percent say they would still consider the candidate,
but would think less of him or her.
So make sure you send a thank you. Within 24 hours after the
interview, write a thank-you letter to the person who interviewed
you and anyone else who may have been helpful to you, such as the
interviewer’s assistant. You can send a thank-you letter by e-mail, but
if you really want to stand out, follow-up the email with a hard copy,
either hand-written or typed.
Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at
CareerBuilder recommends that your letter have three paragraphs.
“In the first paragraph, thank the interviewer for the opportunity. Use
the second to sell yourself by reminding the hiring manager of your
qualifications. In the third paragraph, reiterate your interest in the
position.”
Here is a sample thank you note.
Sample Thank You Note
Ms. Jane Doe
Director, Event Planning Division
ABC Company
Dear Ms. Doe:
I just wanted to thank you for taking time from your busy
schedule to meet with me today to discuss my candidacy for
matchmaking with ABC Company and to let you know that I’d
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be delighted to work with you. I feel my experience and career
goals are an excellent match with your matchmaking needs.
During our discussion you mentioned that ABC has a goal to
decrease budget spending by five percent by the end of your
current fiscal year. My expertise in budget management would
greatly assist in achieving that goal.
If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate
to contact me by either phone or email.
Thank you again for the opportunity to meet with. I look
forward to hearing from you at your convenience.
Best,
Mary Matchmaker
4.5
The Job Offer
You’ve been offered the job. Take a moment to congratulate yourself
on how your efforts have paid off, then focus on the final stage in
accepting a matchmaking job: ensuring that their offer meets with
both your current needs and future goals.
4.5.1 Salary
If an employer is interested in hiring you, they will bring up the issue
of salary. (You should avoid being the first one to bring up salary
because it can create the impression that you are more interested in
the pay than the position.)
To maximize your salary, try to get the employer to state a figure first.
If you are the first one to mention a specific salary figure, and it’s lower
than the one the employer had in mind, you risk getting hired for less
than they might have been willing to pay you. Therefore, if they ask
your salary expectations, try turning the question back to them by
saying something like “It depends on exactly what I would be doing.
What is the salary range for this position?”
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What if their proposed salary offer falls short of your expectations? A
recent survey by CareerBuilder.com found that 58% of the executives
surveyed leave room for negotiations when proposing a new hire’s
salary. Of course, in order to negotiate for more, you’ll have to present
a strong case for why your particular set of skills and experience might
warrant a higher salary than what’s currently on the table.
Before you begin negotiations, make sure that you’re on top of current
industry salary ranges in your geographic location. Here are ways to
find salary information.
Although you can network with matchmaking professionals to inquire
about salary information, the best approach may be to use online
resources.
A great resource for regional salary information is Salary.com,
which includes industry figures from all over the United States. On
Simplyhired.com, you can also type in “matchmaker” and compare
salaries among different cities.
According to ZipRecruiter.com, the average matchmaker’s salary
in the United States is $45,500 per year, a figure that is comparable
with that of a human resources recruiter. However, average salaries
can vary considerable based on region. In New York, for instance,
the average is $47,000. Other factors that influence salary include the
company, the inclusion of benefits or commissions, the experience and
education level of the applicant, and the company’s fees for service.
The average salary probably seems a bit low, considering the
expensive fees that matchmakers are known to charge. Indeed, many
matchmakers make a lot more than these averages—although not
always right away.
According to a recent CNN.com article, many matchmakers make
six figures. As per a survey by the Matchmaking Institute, there was
a considerable increase (18.9% to 24.4 %) in matchmakers making
between 100-500K annually and a decrease in those making less than
100K. In addition, 12% of matchmakers surveyed made a million
dollars, and a little over 6 percent made over a million. Indeed,
matchmaking is a career with a lot of earning potential that depends
upon how you manage your talents, resources, and time.
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Once you arrive at a figure based on your research, consider preparing
your counter offer based on the slightly higher end of what you would
be willing to accept. So long as your talents warrant consideration at
this higher pay scale, there’s a good chance the employer will propose
a salary somewhere between their initial offer and yours, if not accept
your offer outright.
If the employer isn’t flexible on salary, they may be able to offer
higher commissions, or be willing to negotiate vacation or overtime.
In an article titled “Mastering the Art of Salary Negotiation” at the
CareerBuilder.com website, James Powell says if the salary offer is
low you should “discuss a 60, 90 or 120-day performance review and
negotiate a potential minimum percentage increase” or ask about a
year-end or signing bonus.
If this is your first matchmaking position, remember that what the
position might lack in a hefty paycheck, it will make up for in valuable
experience working in the field, and you’ll be in a much better position
to negotiate a raise in the near future.
While effective negotiations can lead to a higher salary, if you really
want unlimited potential for income, then you should consider being
self-employed. In the next chapter you will learn how to start your
own matchmaking business.
4.5.2 Deciding Whether to Take the Job
No amount of money or prestige will make it any easier to show up for
work when you have grave reservations about the job or your work
environment. Above and beyond the general nervousness and unease
associated with the big interview, ask yourself:
• Did you feel at home in this workplace?
• Did the employees you noticed appear happy, or stressed?
• Will you likely be overwhelmed by the workload, or
perhaps underwhelmed?
• How will the hours affect commitments to your family,
social life, or important hobbies?
• Will there be room for advancement on the scale that you’d
like to see your career progress?
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Answers to questions such as these can help you decide if the job is
worth taking and keeping.
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5.
Starting Your Own Business
As a self-employed matchmaker, you can enjoy freedom and
the potential for much higher income than you might earn as an
employee. If you dream of having your own matchmaking business,
the information in this chapter will help you get started.
Starting Full-Time or Part-Time
If you are currently employed, some of the questions you may need to
consider are:
• Should I quit my job and start my matchmaking business on
a full-time basis?
• Should I remain at my current job and start a matchmaking
business on the side?
• Would my employer let me keep my job on a part-time basis
so I could be available to meet with clients during business
hours and have a secure source of income while I’m getting
my business off the ground?
While some of your choices will depend on external factors such as
whether or not your employer allows employees to moonlight, other
choices will be yours to make.
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Other Start-Up Decisions
Whether or not you are currently employed, there are many other
decisions you will face when starting your matchmaking business. For
example:
• Should I have a matchmaking specialization or offer general
matchmaking services?
• Should I incorporate?
• Should I work with one or more partners?
• Where should I set up my office?
• What should I name my company?
• What systems do I need to set up (e.g. for invoicing)?
• How much should I invest in start-up costs?
• Should I hire support staff?
• What types of insurance should I get?
• What fees should I charge?
This chapter is designed to help you make these and other decisions
you will face in starting your business. (The next chapter will help
you decide how to market your business to attract clients.) It begins
with creating a business plan and continues with an overview of
other factors you’ll need to consider in starting your own business.
Chapters 5 and 6 also offer strategies, tips, and advice for increasing
your chances of success in the early stages, and insight into how to
make your business successful in the long term.
Throughout the chapter you will also find many helpful resources
for further information. If you could use more help with all areas of
starting a business, the following are excellent sources of information:
• Small Business Administration
The SBA offers help with business start-ups and has a
variety of programs and services for the small business
owner. There is at least one SBA office in every state in the
United States. Call the Answer Desk at 1-800-U-ASK-SBA
(827-5722) or visit www.sba.gov.
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• SCORE
A non-profit organization, SCORE has over 11,200
volunteers who provide counseling and mentoring to new
business start-ups. They also offer business tips on their
website. Visit www.score.org.
• Canada Business
You will find a wide range of information at this site,
including a step-by-step guide to walk you through starting
your new business. Visit www.canada.ca/en/services/
business.html.
• Nolo.com
Nolo is a publisher of plain English legal information. They
also offer free advice on a variety of other small business
matters. Visit their website at www.nolo.com.
5.1
Getting Started
5.1.1 Creating a Business Plan
Business planning involves putting in writing all the plans you have
for your business. If you will be seeking financing for your business,
the lender will expect to see a business plan that shows you have a
viable business idea with an excellent chance for success. Even if you
don’t need financing (most matchmaking businesses don’t), putting
ideas on paper will give you the “road map” of where you want to go
with your business and how you are going to get there.
A business plan can also help you avoid costly surprises. If you
are considering whether to leave a secure job to start your own
matchmaking business, a business plan can help you determine the
resources you will need to start your business and decide when the
timing is best to get started. It will help you determine if you have
enough funds set aside to support yourself while you get the business
up and running.
If you make the effort to draw up a good plan now, you can be
confident that it will pay off in the future. You may find over the
course of your research that your thoughts change about how you will
set up your business. For example, you may have been planning to
specialize in matchmaking for clients in a specific demographic, but
during your research you might identify a growing trend that would
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make it profitable for you to easily target your services to an entirely
different market.
After reading this chapter, and the next one on finding clients, you
will be able to start creating your own business plan. It is a document
you will probably read repeatedly as you start to operate your
business. In the meantime, this section will give you an introduction
to business planning, walk you through key components of a business
plan, and conclude with a variety of resources to help you create your
own business plan, including links to further information, business
planning software, and business plan templates.
TIP: If your business plan is going to be shown to anyone, such
as potential investors, make sure you proofread it carefully.
For a brief overview of the following information, click on Writing
Your Business Plan.
While the format of a business plan can vary, one good approach is to
divide the body of your business plan into the following sections:
• A description of your business
• Your marketing plan
• Your financial plan
• Your management plan
In addition, your plan should include the following items:
• A cover sheet
• A table of contents
• An executive summary
• Financial projections
• Supporting documents
Description of Your Business
A description of your business is just that—a description of the business
you plan to start and operate. The key is to include information about
your business so that everyone who reads your business plan will
know you’re on to something viable.
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You’ll need to state in this section that, as a matchmaker, you’ll be
operating a service business. Get specific about the services you’ll
provide. If you will have a matchmaking specialization, state that in
your description.
Should You Specialize?
Most professionals market themselves as specialists. For example,
unless a doctor is a general practitioner, he or she will specialize as
a pediatrician, cardiologist, plastic surgeon, etc. Similarly, lawyers
specialize in criminal law, intellectual property, immigration, etc.
Likewise, most matchmakers choose to specialize.
Many matchmakers feel it is easier to get started in the business as a
specialist rather than a generalist because you have narrowed down
the options of who your potential clients may be and these potential
clients will perceive you as an expert in that area.
However, depending on your particular business, it may be better for
you to be the equivalent of a general practitioner. For example, if you
live in a rural area, you may need to offer all types of matchmaking
services or offer your services to all types of clients in order to attract
enough business to be profitable.
When choosing a specialization, in addition to considering which
areas you have experience in and are most enthusiastic about, you will
need to consider which areas are most in demand.
Also watch for emerging trends which can help you recognize
opportunities for your matchmaking business. The resources in Section
3.3 can help you keep on top of trends in the matchmaking industry.
The description of your business should also explain the legal structure
of your business. Will you have a sole proprietorship, for instance,
or incorporate? You’ll find more information about legal structures in
Section 5.1.2.
In this section you can also discuss the matchmaking industry
generally, touch on points you will address in other parts of the
business plan, and include details about how your business will
operate. For example, you could describe your business hours. Do
you plan to be available during regular business hours? If you are
working at another full-time or part-time job, when will you be
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available to meet with clients? You could also identify the planned
location of your business, and why it’s appropriate for your business.
You can conclude the description of your business by clearly identifying
your goals and objectives such as sales targets. Support them with
information you’ve acquired about being a matchmaker. It’s here that
you’re explaining exactly why you’re starting this business and what
you hope to accomplish with it.
Your own company description will be unique to your matchmaking
business. You’ll find business plan models you can follow in the
resources listed at the end of this section.
Your Marketing Plan
Following are key elements of a typical marketing plan. You will find
additional information to help you plan your marketing in chapter 6
of this book.
Your Clients
The most important elements of a good marketing plan are defining
your market and knowing your customers. Knowing your customers is
important because it allows you to tailor your services to accommodate
those clients.
You don’t want to limit yourself to a market that is too narrow—that
can limit the scope of your business once it’s underway. For example,
you’ll have many more prospective clients if you target “doctors”
rather than “radiologists.” And targeting all “professionals” will
give you an even larger market. Quantify your market and use your
marketing plan to paint a picture of a wide and ready market that
needs your matchmaking services.
Competition
All businesses compete for customers, market share, and publicity.
So it’s smart to know who your competitors are and exactly what
they’re doing. To provide services that are different and better
than those of your rivals, you need to evaluate your competitors’
services, how they’re promoting them, who is buying them, and
other information.
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Pricing
You’ll learn more about setting fees later in this chapter, but know that
you should address this issue, at least briefly, in your business plan.
This section should consider factors such as competitive pricing, costs
of labor and materials, and overhead.
Your Market Strategy
You’ll need to think about how you’ll advertise and promote your
business. Have a budget in mind, or at least set percentages of your
income that you’ll invest back into marketing the business.
Your Financial Plan
Financial management is crucial to running a successful business.
Your business plan should describe both your startup costs and your
operating costs. The startup budget includes all the costs necessary
to get your business up and running. Operating costs are ongoing
expenses, such as advertising, utilities, rent and so forth.
Remember to include the following items in your budgets. Notice that
some expenses overlap on the startup and operating budgets. More
information about start-up expenses is provided in Section 5.2.1.
Start-up Budget
Legal and professional fees, licenses, equipment, supplies, stationery,
marketing expenses.
Operating Budget
Make a budget for your first three to six months of operation,
including expenses such as: personnel (even if it’s only your own
salary), rent, insurance, marketing expenses, legal and accounting
fees, supplies, utilities, printing, postage and courier, membership
dues, subscriptions, and taxes.
Your financial management plan also should address the accounting
system you plan to use. Many small business owners conduct their
own accounting, using software such as Quicken (www.quicken.
com) or QuickBooks (http://quickbooks.intuit.com), while others hire
someone to set up a system.
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Your Management Plan
No matter how large your business is, managing it requires
organization and leadership. Your management plan will therefore
address issues such as:
• Your background and business experience, and how they
will be beneficial to your matchmaking business
• The members of your management team (even if you’ll be
the only member)
• Assistance you expect to receive (financial help, advice, or
other forms of aid)
• Plans for hiring employees, either now or in the future
• The duties for which you and any employee or employees
will be responsible
• A general overview of how your business will be run
The Extras
In addition to these major areas, your business plan should include the
extras mentioned earlier:
A Cover Sheet
This identifies your business and explains the purpose of the business
plan. Be sure to include your name, the name of the business, and the
name of any partners, if applicable. Also include your address, phone
number, email address, and other relevant information.
Table of Contents
This goes just under your cover sheet and tells what’s included in your
business plan. Use major headings and subheadings to identify the
contents.
Executive Summary
Basically, this is a summary of your business plan. It should summarize
everything you’ve included in the main body of the plan.
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Financial Projections
This is an estimate of how much money you’ll need to start your
business, and how much you expect to earn. Remember to support
your projections with explanations.
Supporting Documents
If you will be seeking start-up funding, you’ll be expected to include
financial information. This may include your personal (and business,
if applicable) tax returns for the past three years, a personal financial
statement (get a form from your bank) and a copy of a lease agreement
if you will rent office space.
Resources
There are a number of excellent resources available to help you write
your business plan. The following are among the best:
• SCORE
A non-profit organization, SCORE has volunteers who
provide counseling and mentoring to new business startups. They also offer an outstanding free business plan
template, available in Word or PDF formats, and an online
workshop on how to “Develop a Business Plan,” as well
as many other tips and resources. Visit www.score.org/
resource/business-planning-financial-statements-templategallery.
• Small Business Administration: Writing a Business Plan
The SBA offers help with business start-ups and has a
variety of programs and services for the small business
owner. The site also has links to sample business plans, a
business plan workshop, an interactive business planner
and more. Visit www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-yourbusiness/write-your-business-plan.
• BDC: Business Plan Template
This Canadian site offers a free business plan template
and information on what to include in your business plan.
Visit www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/
templates-business-guides/business-plan-template.
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• BPLans
Offers a wide range of free resources on their website,
including 500 free business plan templates. Visit www.
bplans.com. Also see their Dating Matchmaking Service
Business Plan Template here: www.bplans.com/datingmatchmaking-service-business-plan.
• LivePlan
Palo Alto offers business planning software that will help
you create a professional business plan. An affiliate of
BPlans, LivePlan gives you access to the same templates
but helps you customize them to suit your own business
planning needs. Visit www.paloalto.com/business-plansoftware.
5.1.2 Choosing a Business Legal Structure
Like all entrepreneurs, matchmakers are faced with the decision of
how to legally structure their business. You may be familiar with the
different forms of legal structures — sole proprietorship, partnership,
corporation or limited liability company -- but it’s worthwhile to
review them briefly so that you can consider your options. In this
section we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of each for
businesses. For a concise overview of advantages and disadvantages
for each of these legal structures, click here.
Sole Proprietorship
A sole proprietorship is any business operated by one single individual
without any formal structure or registration requirements. A sole
proprietorship is the simplest and least expensive business legal
structure when you are starting out. It is also the easiest because it
requires less paperwork and you can report your business income on
your personal tax return. One drawback to this type of business is that
you are personally liable for any debts of the business.
Without going through any formal processes, you can begin your
matchmaking business simply by getting the word out that you’re in
business. With this said, however, there are usually business licenses
and permits required by local municipalities in order for you to
conduct business. The costs of these licenses are usually minimal, but
be sure to check with your local municipal licensing office.
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Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of starting your
matchmaking business under the sole proprietorship model.
Advantages
• Easy to start
• Low start-up costs
• Flexible and informal
• Business losses can often be deducted from personal income
for tax purposes
Disadvantages
• Unlimited personal liability: the sole proprietor can be held
personally responsible for debts and judgments placed
against the business. This means that all personal income
and assets, not just those of the business, can be seized to
recoup losses or pay damages.
• All business income earned must be reported and is taxed as
personal income.
• More difficult to raise capital for the business
Incorporation
Incorporation of a business means that a separate, legal corporate
entity has been created for the purpose of conducting business. Like
an individual, corporations can be taxed, sued, can enter contractual
agreements and are liable for their debts. Corporations are characterized
by shareholders, a board of directors and various company officers. As
such, ownership interests can be freely transferred.
Creating a corporation requires filing of numerous documents to
legalize your matchmaking business, as well as formally naming a
president, shareholders, and director(s), all of whom can be a single
person as set out in the company charter. As the rules and forms
required for incorporation vary from state to state and province to
province, it’s best to consult your local business licensing office or a
local lawyer specializing in incorporation.
While it is probably best to seek legal expertise when incorporating,
if you have the expertise and knowledge, you can incorporate your
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own business or use one of the many online resources that specialize
in these matters.
Here is a list of some of the advantages and disadvantages to
incorporating your matchmaking business.
Advantages
• Protect personal assets and income from liability by
separating your business income and assets from your
personal.
• Corporations get greater tax breaks and incentives
• Ownership can be sold or transferred if the owner wishes to
retire or leave the business
• Banks and other lending institutions tend to have more faith
in incorporated businesses so raising capital is easier
Disadvantages
• Increased start-up costs
• Substantial increase in paperwork
• Business losses cannot be offset against your personal
income
• Corporations are more closely regulated
An S Corporation is similar to the corporation in most ways, but with
some tax advantages. The corporation can pass its earnings and profits
on as dividends to the shareholder(s). However, as an employee of
the corporation you do have to pay yourself a wage that meets the
government’s reasonable standards of compensation just as if you
were paying someone else to do your job.
Partnerships
Another business structure that some matchmakers choose over sole
proprietorship or incorporation is the partnership. A partnership is
precisely as its name implies, a business venture entered into by two
or more people with the intent to carry on business and earn profits.
Partnerships can be beneficial for matchmakers as the workload and
finances can be shared, and partners with differing areas of expertise
can increase business opportunities.
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You must register your partnership with a corporate registry. This
does not mean that you must incorporate, only that you are making
a formal declaration of entering into business with another person or
persons. Be sure to consult your local business registry and a lawyer
specializing in business registry. The primary purpose for doing this
is for each partner to protect himself or herself concerning issues such
as sharing profits, liability and dissolving the partnership equitably.
Below are some of the potential advantages and disadvantages to
partnerships:
Advantages
• More equity for start-up costs
• Broader areas of expertise can lead to increased
opportunities
• Lower start-up costs than incorporation
• Some tax advantages
Disadvantages
• All partners are equally liable for the other’s mistakes with
the same liability as a sole proprietorship
• Profits and losses must be shared
• The business must be dissolved and reorganized when a
partner leaves
Beyond any legal issues, before going into business with a partner you
should spend many hours talking about how you will work together,
including:
• What each of you will be responsible for
• How you will make decisions on a day-to-day basis
• What percentage of the business each of you will own
• How you see the business developing in the future
• What you expect from each other
During your discussions you can learn if there are any areas where
you need to compromise. For example, one of you may want to start
your business as a part-time job, while the other wants to work fulltime and eventually build a business that will employ more people.
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You can avoid future misunderstandings by putting the points you
have agreed on into a written “partnership agreement” that covers any
possibility you can think of (including one of you leaving the business
at some point in the future).
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
A Limited Liability Company is a newer type of business legal structure
in the U.S. It is a combination of a sole proprietorship (where there is
only one member of the LLC) or partnership and a corporation, and
is considered to have some of the best attributes of each, including
limited personal liability.
An LLC business structure gives you the benefits of a partnership
or S corporation while providing personal asset protection like
a corporation. Similar to incorporating, there will be substantial
paperwork involved in establishing this business structure. LLCs have
flexible tax options, but are usually taxed like a partnership. Here are
some of the advantages and disadvantages of LLCs:
Advantages
• Limited liability similar to a corporation
• Tax advantages similar to a corporation
• Can be started with one (except in Massachusetts) or more
members like a sole proprietorship or partnership
Disadvantages
• More costly to start than a sole proprietorship or partnership
• Consensus among members may become an issue
• LLC dissolves if any member leaves
• Not a recognized entity in Canada
In the end, choosing a business legal structure for your matchmaking
business is a personal choice, and the advantages and disadvantages
should be considered thoroughly. Many matchmakers begin their
independent venture as a sole proprietorship because of the low costs,
and incorporate as the business grows and the engagements become
larger and more complex. For more information about business
structures take a look at the resources available at FindLaw.com. The
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direct link is www.findlaw.com/smallbusiness/incorporation-andlegal-structures.html.
For some additional government resources to help you decide which
structure to choose in the U.S., try the Small Business Administration.
Visit www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choosebusiness-structure. In Canada, visit www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/
strat-buy-business/start-business/advantages-different-businessstructures.
5.1.3 Choosing a Business Name
There are a few things to consider when deciding how to name your
business. Your business name needs to:
• Describe what you do
• Be easy to pronounce
• Attract customers
• Be unique
• Be available
To choose a name for your matchmaking company, start by taking a
look on the Internet to see the names that other matchmakers have
chosen. Notice which names stand out. When you’ve decided on a few
names that sound fabulous, let some friends and colleagues know what
you’re thinking of calling your business, and ask for their comments
and opinions. The decision is still up to you, of course, but the instant
reactions of “real people” can be a good indication of whether you are
on the right track or not.
Here are name samples from the matchmaking business owners we
surveyed.
• Master Matchmakers
• VIP Life
• Shoshanna’s Matches
• Sublime Matchmaking
• Cupid’s Coach
In most jurisdictions, once you have chosen your business name
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you will also have to file a “Doing Business As” (DBA) application,
to register the fictitious name under which you will conduct your
business operations. The DBA allows you to operate under a name
other than your own legal name.
Filing a DBA usually takes place at the county level, although some
states require that you file at the state level, publish your intent to
operate under an assumed business name, and sign an affidavit
stating that you have done so. However, in most cases it’s usually
just a short form to fill out and a small filing fee that you pay to your
state or provincial government. You can find links at the Business.
gov website to the appropriate government departments where you
can file your business name at www.sba.gov/business-guide/launchyour-business/choose-your-business-name.
It’s important that your business name not resemble the name of
another similar business offering similar services. For one thing,
prospective clients may confuse the other business with yours and go
with your competitor’s services instead of yours. In addition, if you do
use a name too similar to another business that was in business first
they will have grounds for legal action against you.
Before officially registering your business name, you must conduct
formal fictitious names and trademark searches. (The fictitious names
database is where non-trademarked business names are listed.) A
trademark database lists all registered and trademarked business
names. In the U.S., the essential place to start is with the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office. You can hire a company to do a name search for
you, or conduct a free search yourself at the PTO’s website at www.
uspto.gov/trademarks.
In Canada, the default database for name searches is the Newly
Upgraded Automated Name Search (NUANS) at www.nuans.
com. There is a $13.80 charge for each NUANS search. You can also
hire a company to help you with name searches, trademarks and
incorporating your business for a fee. Check online for “corporate
registry services” to find other companies.
Business Licensing
Your city hall should be able to tell you if you need a license to work
from home (may be known as a home occupation license) and, if so,
where to get it. In many communities, to obtain a license to work at
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home you will need to fill out a form, provide your business name
and phone number, and give some details about the nature of your
business. Most questions on the form are designed to detect and deter
people who will be a nuisance or a risk to their neighbors, and will
not apply to you. This license should cost you about $100, and will be
valid for one year.
You may also be required to have a county or state license so be sure to
check with regulatory agencies in your area to determine what you’ll
need. The U.S. Small Business Administration has helpful information
about state and federal licensing requirements. Visit www.sba.gov/
business-guide/launch-your-business/apply-licenses-permits.
In Canada, business licenses are issued at the municipal level so check
with your local municipality for help with acquiring a business license.
Many municipalities offer business license applications right on their
websites. For a province-by-province list of Canadian municipalities
and their websites, visit the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
page on Provincial and Territorial Associations at https://fcm.ca/en/
resources/provincial-and-territorial-associations. For information
about licensing and regulations for businesses in Canada, check
out the Permits, Licenses, and Regulations page on the Canadian
Government’s website here: www.canada.ca/en/services/business/
permits.html.
5.1.4 Choosing Your Location
Before you can decide where to locate your business, you have to
determine what functions you need your office to serve. Take into
consideration the services you provide and what tasks you will need
to do in your office. Consider whether you will meet with clients at
your office. Many matchmakers don’t, and sometimes travel to the
client’s home or place of business. Others meet in public at cafes or
diners. You will also need to consider if you have enough space to
store documents and other materials, and space for future employees
or partners to work.
Much like choosing a business name, your choice of office location
may depend on client perception. However, if you don’t intend to
invite clients to your office, then a home office is the most economical
place for you to establish your business. Many matchmakers choose to
keep their office in their home for the long term.
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Working from Home
For many people, the biggest benefit of working from home is the end
of the commuter lifestyle, greater freedom, and the ability to spend
time with family. Another benefit for eligible businesses is that you
can deduct from your income taxes a percentage of your mortgage
payment and property taxes (or rent) and a share of utilities and
maintenance costs.
There are various methods to make those calculations, but by far the
easiest – and most acceptable to the IRS – is to use an entire room,
and to use it for no other purpose. In the U.S., IRS Publication 587 has
information on how to compute the calculation and file the deduction.
You can download this information by visiting the IRS website and
searching for the publication numbers from the search engine on the
front page. The direct link is here: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p587.pdf.
The other thing you should check before deciding on an office at home
is local zoning. Most places won’t have a problem with a home-based
business that adds only a few cars a day to the automobile load on your
street. Most will, however, prohibit you from posting a sign in your
front yard, which is okay anyway, as you will not get any clients from
drive-by traffic. To find out the rules in your area, look up “zoning” or
“planning” on your municipal website.
In addition to any legalities, working from home requires some
planning with family members. Set regular office hours that you
will insist on, both for your own focus and to keep family members
from intruding when you need to work. It will be tempting for the
family to interrupt you. So make it clear you are at work unless it’s
an emergency. (The garage on fire is an emergency; needing to know
where the cookies are is not.)
Office Space
While a home office works well for many matchmakers, others prefer
to rent a separate space. If you find it challenging to stay motivated, or
tend to get easily distracted when you’re at home, an office may be just
what you need to help you focus on business. A separate space also
creates a better impression if you plan to have people visit you. If you
want a place to meet with clients, or work with employees, you might
want to consider getting an office outside your home.
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If you decide to rent space, start by determining what your
requirements are. Look for a place that is convenient to get to from
your home, and that gives you quick access to any services you may
need. You can use the checklist below as a starting point.
If you want the appearance of a professional office space, but cost is
an issue, consider shared office space in a business center or executive
suite. These facilities are typically furnished offices that provide you
with receptionist and mail services. They may also offer photocopiers,
printers, Internet access, and conference rooms that you can use for
client meetings. Do a Google search for your city and “office space”,
“shared office space”, “business center” or “executive suite”.
Office Space Checklist
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Will this be an easy commute for me? (You don’t want to
have to battle traffic to and from work every day if you can
avoid it.)
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Is the neighborhood or district safe? (You want to feel
comfortable in your office and you want this for your clients
as well.)
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Is the parking area lit well? (Drive by at night and look at
the lighting. You don’t want to have to walk to your car in
the dark.)
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Is the parking convenient for my clients, employees, and
me? (Even if you don’t mind a long hike, your clients will
expect convenience.)
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Is there space for growth? (You don’t want to have to move
to a bigger office next year.)
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Can I afford it? (You’ll want to read your lease agreement
carefully, and crunch some numbers in your budget before
you agree.)
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5.2
Financial Matters
5.2.1 Start-up and Operating Expenses
Although your clients will reimburse you for expenses that can be
directly attributed to the projects you do for them (see Section 5.2.6),
you will have a number of business expenses that you won’t be able to
bill to your clients. Fortunately, a matchmaking business is a relatively
inexpensive business to start.
Use the sample expense sheets below to estimate your start-up
expenses and your monthly operating expenses. Note that even if an
item is listed, that doesn’t mean you have to budget for it. You may not
need it, or you may already have it. You should also consider if there
are expenses not on this list that will apply to you.
Start-Up Expenses
Item
Low
Office furniture
(see checklist later in this section)
Computer
Printer/copier/scanner
(separate or all-in-one)
Office software
Phone(s)
(mobile and/or landline, including setup costs)
Office supplies
Stationery
Business cards
Printing
(brochures or other marketing materials)
Website setup costs
(design, domain name, etc.)
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Business licenses/fees
Professional consulting
(lawyer, accountant)
Other
(list each item)
TOTAL
Monthly Operating Expenses
Your monthly operating expenses include both fixed and variable
costs. Fixed costs remain the same from month to month regardless of
the amount of work you do (examples include rent and membership
dues), while variable costs may vary from month to month (examples
include travel and taxes). To estimate monthly variable costs, start by
estimating a yearly total than divide that by 12 for a monthly average.
Monthly Operating Expenses
Item
Low
Salaries
Benefits
Rent
(or portion of mortgage)
Office supplies
(see checklist later in this section)
Telephone
Internet service
Postage and courier
Travel expenses including mileage
Insurance costs
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Membership dues
Printing materials
Marketing expenses
Web hosting
Magazine subscriptions and
professional literature
Training and conferences
Legal and accounting services
Banking expenses
Entertainment
Taxes
Other
(list each item)
TOTAL
Creating a monthly budget will help you plan for your first year in
business. After the first year, you can then build a budget for year two
based on what you actually spent during your first year. Your monthly
budget will also help you determine what costs you need to cover
before you start making a profit.
Your own costs may vary widely from those of other matchmakers,
depending on what you currently have and what you plan to do with
your business. For example, your rent might range from $0 if you have
a home office to $1,000 per month for leased office space.
Following are checklists of typical office equipment and supplies
required for a matchmaking business. Most of the large retail office
supply chains can set you up with everything you need for your office
at a reasonable price.
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Office Furniture and Equipment Checklist
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Bookcases for reference material
Chair(s)
Computer and software
Printer/copier/scanner
Desk (one or more)
Filing cabinet
Lamps and lighting
Storage shelves
Work table
Supplies and Small Equipment
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Accordion files
Binders
Brochures
Business cards
Business stationery
Calculator
Cell phone
Day planner
Digital camera (for taking and uploading client photos)
Envelopes (all sizes)
File folders
File labels
Index cards
Mailing labels
Mailing envelopes
Paper
Paper clips
Paper cutter (for trimming brochures, postcards, etc.)
Pens, pencils, markers, and erasers
Post-it notes
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Keeping Track of Your Finances
Here are some tactics to use to keep track of your business income and
expenses. First, open a business account at a bank, trust company or
credit union, even if you are using only your own name to do business.
Use this only for paying the bills of the company and your own salary,
which you then deposit in your personal account.
Get a style of business check that requires you to record checks you’ve
written. You want to create a paper trail for your business account so
you are able to:
• Prove your deductions at tax time
• See at a glance where your money has gone
• Create balance sheets that your vendors or other financial
institutions may request from time to time
Also, keep track of your accounts receivable, accounts payable, and
so on in a ledger book, which you can get at any office supply store.
Or else use an electronic bookkeeping package. The most popular
bookkeeping software for small businesses is Quicken (www.quicken.
com).
For under a hundred dollars, Quicken’s Home and Business program
will help you prepare invoices, manage your accounts, and generate
reports from your records.
Finally, keep two additional ledgers – small enough to carry in
your purse or briefcase – so you can log (1) mileage (or other travel
expenses), and (2) everything you spend during the day (remember to
keep personal and business expenses separate).
Also carry an envelope so you can keep receipts for everything you
buy. The cup of coffee you buy for a prospective customer, the latest
issue of a business magazine, the mileage you travel to a client’s office,
the pack of paper you pick up at the office supply store, the admission
charge for a trade fair — these and many other expenses should
be accounted for so you can minimize your taxes. And, of course,
knowing exactly where your money is going will help you plan better
and cut back on any unnecessary expenses. So make it a habit to ask
for a receipt for every expense related to business.
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Be sure to re-file these at night in the appropriate files in your file
cabinet. The business receipts should be stapled to the order form
for each purchase/service for a client. No matter how you design a
system, make sure it works for you and that you can find receipts for
anything at any time.
5.2.2 Start-up Financing
Although the start-up costs for matchmaking are minimal, you may
want to secure a loan or investment to get through the early months,
purchase some office equipment, or lease office space.
In business, there are two basic kinds of financing: equity financing
and debt financing. The decision to choose debt or equity financing
usually will be based on your personal financial position and how
much additional money you need in order to get your business started.
Essentially, equity financing is when you agree to give someone a
share in your business in exchange for an agreed amount of investment
capital from that person.
Debt financing is any form of borrowing money, including a loan,
lease, line of credit or other debt on which you must pay interest in
order to finance the original principal amount. Sources for this kind
of financing include banks, credit unions, credit card companies,
suppliers, and so on. If you buy a computer system for your company
and pay for it in monthly installments over a couple of years, that is
a form of debt financing since you will pay interest on the amount
you finance. Consider all your options carefully and, especially before
you enter into any kind of long-term debt arrangement, speak with an
accountant and a lawyer first.
Only you can decide which financing sources will be the best ones for
your business and your personal situation. The most important thing
is to make sure you agree to loan repayment terms that you can live
with and that are realistic for you. In the following sections we’ll look
at some of the sources of each type of financing and the advantages
and disadvantages to each.
Additional advice on all aspects of financing your business can be
found at the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/business-guide/planyour-business/fund-your-business and www.sba.gov/businessguide/manage-your-business/manage-your-finances. In Canada, visit
www.canada.ca/en/services/business/grants.html.
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TIP: Many financial consultants recommend having a nest egg
to live on while you are starting up your business. Some
suggest at least six months’ of living expense money — that
is, all the money you will need monthly to pay all your
personal living expenses, bills, and debts, so you can focus
on your new business without stress. This is apart from any
start-up capital you might need for the business itself.
Commercial Loans
Commercial loans are loans that you can get from a financial institution.
These include traditional banks, credit unions, savings and loans and
commercial finance companies. The terms of your loan will depend
upon several things, including your credit score, your collateral, and
your ability to pay back a loan. Be sure to compare interest rates and
terms of lending to see which institution offers the best deals.
When you are starting your business, financial institutions will likely
lend the money to you personally rather than to your business, as a
result, they are much more interested in your personal financial status
than your business plan. A business just starting up won’t count as
collateral, so you’ll probably need to guarantee the loan with personal
assets like your house or your car.
They will look at how much money you need every month to pay your
bills, what kind of resources or assets you have, what kind of debt you
are in, and how you will repay this debt.
Once your business is established, if you want a commercial loan in
order to expand – for example to open matchmaking offices in other
cities – the financial institution may be willing to lend the money to
your business rather than to you personally.
In that case, the lending institution will insist on seeing a formal
business plan that demonstrates clearly-defined financial and business
goals. (If you haven’t read it already, see Section 5.1.1 for advice on
creating a business plan.) You will also need to prepare a loan proposal,
which includes a credit application, and provide information about
your business including the following:
• The type of loan you’re applying for
• Amount you are requesting
• What you will use for collateral
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• How the money will be used
• Information about your business, its name, legal structure,
tax numbers, existing loans, taxes owed, assets
• Details about the business owners or principals: name,
mortgages, source of other income
Family and Friends
One of the greatest resources for your start-up money will always
be the people you know who believe in you and your ideas — your
family and friends. Very often they will help you with money when all
other resources fail you. They usually will agree to payback terms that
aren’t as strict as commercial lenders, and they are usually pulling for
you, too. As with any other kind of loan, it is important to make sure
that you and the other parties completely understand and agree to
the terms of the loan. Make sure you have a written document which
states when and how you will pay the loan back.
Another possibility is to ask a family member to co-sign a commercial
loan for you. Co-signing means that this person agrees to take on the
financial responsibility of the loan if you should fail. Family members
are often willing to help you out this way. Make sure, before friends or
family members help you out by co-signing a loan, that they are really
comfortable doing so.
Partners
One of the simplest forms of equity financing is taking on a partner.
Having a partner in your business brings additional skill sets, business
contacts and resources to the venture. Most importantly, a partner can
bring money to help pay for start-up costs and assist with ongoing
operations. You’ll need to decide whether your partner will be active
in the running of the company or just a silent partner who invests
the money, receives income from the business, but has no say in how
things are run. (You can read more about Partnerships as a form of
business legal structure in Section 5.1.2.)
You as an Investor
Never forget that you might be your own best source of funding. One
nice thing about using your own money is that you aren’t obligated to
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anyone else or any other organization — it is yours to invest. This can
be an excellent solution for individuals with some credit problems. To
raise your own capital, you can:
• Cash out stocks, bonds, life insurance, an IRA, RRSP, or
other retirement account
• Increase your credit on charge cards (remember that you
will pay high interest rates on these)
• Use personal savings
• Take out a second mortgage or home equity loan on your
house or other property
• Sell something valuable, like a car, jewelry, real estate, or art
Government Programs
Small Business Administration Loans
The Small Business Administration (SBA) doesn’t actually lend
you money. However, they do offer a whole range of supports and
services including Lender Match that can help small businesses get
off the ground. Additional information can be found at www.sba.gov/
funding-programs/loans.
Under the Lender Match program, the SBA works with approved
lenders to provide loans to small businesses, through a program the
SBA has with lenders called the 7(a) Loan Program.
The SBA sets specific guidelines for loans made by its partnering
lenders, community development organizations, and micro-lending
institutions, and guarantees loans made by those lenders up to 85%.
This reduces risk for lenders and makes it easier for them to access
capital, making it easier for small businesses to get loans.
According to the SBA, loans guaranteed by them can range from
small ($500) to large ($5.5 million) and can be used for most business
purposes, including working capital and fixed assets. These loans
also come with a number of benefits and supports, so there are good
incentives for exploring this option. The SBA suggests you have your
business plan, financial statements and projections, and credit history
ready when you start the matching process.
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The SBA also has a Microloans program, which offers loans to start-up
and newly established businesses through non-profit entities at the
local level up to a maximum of $50,000. The average loan is about
$13,000. Interest rates for these small loans vary between about 8 to 13
percent.
With Microloans, the SBA provides funds to intermediary lenders,
who administer the program. Lending and credit requirements are
not universal and are individually decided by the intermediary.
Microloans can be used for working capital, inventory/supplies,
furniture/fixtures, and machinery or equipment. Before your loan is
approved, you may have to undergo business training or fulfill other
planning requirements which should help you with your business’s
launch and expansion.
Government Programs in Canada
If you plan to open a matchmaking business in Canada, you might be
interested in the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) (www.
bdc.ca) or the Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP)
(www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csbfp-pfpec.nsf/eng/h_la02855.html).
The BDC is a financial institution owned by the federal government that
offers consulting and financing services to help get small businesses
started. They also have a financing program aimed specifically at
women entrepreneurs.
The Canada Small Business Financing Program is much like the SBA
7(a) Loan Program mentioned earlier in this section. The maximum
amount you can borrow is $1,000,000, and no more than $350,000 can
be used for purchasing leasehold improvements, improving leased
property or purchasing or improving new or used equipment. The
CSBFP works with lenders across the country to offer loans at 3%
above the lender’s prime lending rate.
5.2.3 Taxes
If you are properly informed and prepared you won’t have to face
your tax responsibility with a feeling of dread. In fact, once you are
organized and you have enlisted the help of a good tax professional,
taxes become just another regular business task.
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Get Informed First
The best thing you can do to be sure of your personal and business
tax obligations is to find the information you need before you start
your new business. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a number
of informative documents online that you can look at today to learn
the basics about everything you need to prepare for your taxes as a
small business owner. If you read these documents and understand
them, you will have no surprises at tax time.
One helpful document is the Tax Guide for Small Business that outlines
your rights and responsibilities as a small business owner. It tells you
how to file your taxes, and provides an overview of the tax system
for small businesses. You can find this document at www.irs.gov/pub/
irs-pdf/p334.pdf. For more general information for small business
owners from the IRS visit their website at www.irs.gov/businesses/
small/index.html.
For Canadian residents, the Canada Revenue Agency also provides
basic tax information for new business owners. This includes
information about the GST, how to file your taxes, allowable expenses
and so on. You can find this information and more helpful documents
at www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency.html.
It is also important to be informed about your tax obligations on a state
and local level. Tax laws and requirements vary on a state-by-state
basis and locally, too. Make sure that you find out exactly what you
are responsible for in your state and city. In addition, it is important
to find out about sales tax in your area. The Tax Foundation provides
information on a state-by-state basis for personal, sales and other
taxes at https://taxfoundation.org. In Canada, you can also consult the
Taxes page on the Canadian Government’s website at www.canada.
ca/en/services/taxes.html.
Getting Assistance
If you decide you would prefer a qualified tax professional to help you
handle your taxes, you will find you are in good company. Many small
business owners decide to have a professional handle their taxes. An
accountant can point out deductions you might otherwise miss and
save you a lot of money.
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Once you’ve determined what your accounting needs are you may
be able to find a professional accountant at the Accountant Finder
website (www.accountant-finder.com). This site offers a clickable
map of the United States with links to accountants in cities across the
country. Alternatively, the Internet is a good place to find listings for
accountants in your area.
You will also need to understand payroll taxes if you plan on hiring
employees. Each new employee needs to fill out paperwork prior to
their first pay check being issued. In the U.S. this will be a W-4 and
an I-9 form. In Canada, the employee will have to complete a T-4 and
fill out a Canada Pension form. Both the W-4 and the T-4 are legal
documents verifying the tax deductions a new employee has. The
amount of tax you will withhold as an employer varies and is based on
the required deductions an employee has as specified by the federal
government. Make sure you retain the forms in a folder labeled with
their name and store them in a readily accessible place such as a filing
cabinet in your office.
Check with your state or province’s labor office to make sure you
are clear about all the forms employees must fill out in order to work
for you. The sites below give more information on legal paperwork,
including where to get blank copies of the forms your employees will
need to fill out.
• IRS: Employment Tax Forms
www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/
employment-tax-form
• Canada Revenue Agency: Forms and Publications
www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/formspublications.html
5.2.4 Insurance
Insurance can help protect the investment you make in your company
from unforeseen circumstances or disaster. Types of insurance for the
small business owner are listed in this section. Contact your insurance
broker to determine whether these or other types of coverage are right
for you.
You may also want to check out the National Association for the SelfEmployed (www.nase.org) which offers reasonably priced insurance
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plans for self-employed people. If you will be working out of your
own home, the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association
has an information page on home-based business insurance here:
www.rmiia.org/business/home_business_insurance.asp.
Liability Insurance
This insurance (also known as Errors and Omissions Insurance)
protects you against loss if you are sued for alleged negligence. It
could pay judgments against you (up to the policy limits) along with
any legal fees you incur defending yourself. For example, if a client
tries to sue you, claiming you took his money and didn’t find him an
appropriate match, you might find this type of insurance valuable.
TIP: For some small businesses, getting a Business Owner’s policy
is a good place to start. These policies are designed for small
business owners with under one hundred employees and
revenue of under one million dollars. These policies combine
liability and property insurance together. Small business
owners like these policies because of their convenience and
affordable premiums. You can find out more about these
policies at the Insurance Information Institute (www.iii.
org/commerciallines/whatitdoes/types).
Property Insurance
This insurance covers losses to your personal property from damage or
theft. If your business will be located in your home, you’re most likely
already covered with homeowner’s insurance. However, it’s a good
idea to update your plan to provide coverage for office equipment and
other items that aren’t included in a standard plan.
If your business will be located in a building other than your home, you
may need an additional policy. If you rent space, you’ll need property
insurance only on the equipment you have in your office — the owner
of the building normally would pay for insurance on the property.
Life and Disability Insurance
If you provide a portion of your family’s income, then you need to
carry life insurance and disability insurance to make certain they are
cared for if something happens to you. If you become sick or otherwise
disabled for an extended period, your business could be in jeopardy.
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Disability insurance would provide at least a portion of your income
while you’re not able to work.
Business Interruption Insurance
This insurance covers your bills and lost profit while you are out of
operation for a covered loss, such as a fire. Just because the business is
shut down doesn’t mean the bills stop coming. This type of insurance
covers ongoing expenses such as rent or taxes until your business gets
up and running again.
Car Insurance
Be sure to ask your broker about your auto insurance if you’ll be using
your personal vehicle on company business.
Health Insurance
If you live in the United States and aren’t covered under a spouse’s
health plan, you’ll need to consider your health insurance options. The
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 established
Healthcare.gov as your primary resource to obtain affordable health
insurance.
TIP: Some insurance companies offer discount pricing for
members of particular organizations. When you are looking
for organizations to join, whether your local Chamber of
Commerce or a professional association, check to see if
discounted health insurance is one of the member benefits.
Canadians have most of their health care expenses covered by the
Canadian government. For expenses that are not covered (such as
dental care, eyeglasses, prescription drugs, etc.), there are several
insurance companies that offer private health and dental insurance.
Do an online search for “health insurance in Canada” and then review
and research your options thoroughly before purchasing any plan.
Self-employed professionals also may qualify for tax benefits by
setting up their own private health care plan. In order to be eligible for
these tax benefits, you will need to meet certain requirements as laid
out by the Canada Revenue Agency in their Private Health Services
Plan (www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/
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premiums/private-health-services-plan.html). Your accountant can
also offer additional advice regarding your eligibility for this benefit.
5.2.5 Setting Your Fees
One of the biggest challenges for novice matchmakers is determining
how much to charge clients and how to present the bill. However,
through the research and interviews conducted in the process of
writing this book, we found a number of matchmakers willing to share
their fees and the process used for setting those fees. We have distilled
their advice into a step-by-step formula you can use for setting fees.
This section also offers insights on factors you may want to consider in
setting your own fees.
As mentioned in the introduction, matchmakers can earn $1,000 to
$50,000 or more per client. Factors affecting the fees you may charge
include:
• Your income requirements (this includes how much you
want to be paid, your business expenses, and how much
profit you want your company to earn)
• Your reputation
• Your specialization
• Your client and their budget
• Your relationship with the client
• Your competitors’ fees if you will be competing for projects
• Your geographic location (In the U.S., Northeast and West
Coast matchmakers may charge more than their Midwestern
and Southern counterparts. This reflects the overall cost of
living in each region.)
As you can see, some of these factors involve market conditions, while
others, such as your income requirements, are entirely under your
control.
Matchmaking is not the type of business that typically has hourly or
daily fees. Most matchmaking agencies charge clients a flat fee for
retaining their services that often ranges from $2,000 to $10,000, although
there are plenty of matchmakers that frequently charge upscale clients
between $15,000 and $24,000, as well as $50,000 and greater.
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A fair price should depend not only on who you are and how much
you’d like to — and can — make within your geographic region, but
also an honest assessment on the ease or difficulty you will have in
matching clients’ criteria.
Setting fees for a matchmaking client is largely up to the discretion
of the matchmaker. Fees depend mostly on the matchmaker’s notion
of what their target market is willing to pay for, the expense of time
and resources needed to match a specific client, and the prestige of the
matchmaker.
Matchmakers who charge anywhere from $2,000-$5,000 usually
provide a certain number of matches. At this price range, two to five
matches are considered fair. Sometimes matches are promised within
a year, but often over an unlimited period of time. Matches are not
typically guaranteed to be delivered within months—although they
often are. A good rule of thumb is quality and not quantity; underpromise and over-deliver!
Matchmaking for upscale clients willing to pay $10,000-$50,000
includes the same number of matches if a matchmaker is very famous
and established in business. These prices, however, often include a
few more matches or coaching, as people do expect more matches and
a more personalized level of services at a higher dollar.
5.2.6 Client Contracts
A contract is vital. It can help avoid misunderstandings by ensuring
you and your client have the same expectations of the work to be
done. Your contract or agreement should explain what services you
will provide for the client and how you are to be paid. Your contract
may include all of the following:
• Your name, company name, address and contact
information
• The client’s name, company name (if applicable), address
and contact information
• Description of the services being provided
• When the services will be provided
• Any services not being provided
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• Fees, including payment terms, deposits, and
reimbursement of expenses
• Cancellation policy
• Signature lines for you and the client
Below you will find two samples. You can adapt these contracts to fit
your needs. The first is a sample engagement letter you might use for
a small matchmaking package with an individual client. You could ask
your clients to sign it at your initial meeting, or have them return it to
you later.
The second is a services agreement which you could adapt for
use with a larger client, for example, if you have been hired by an
organization (such as a singles association or a dating website) to
provide matchmaking services. It covers a number of additional areas,
such as a liability disclaimer.
Before using any contract, make sure you have it reviewed by your
lawyer to ensure it protects you and meets your particular needs.
For example, even if you will only be working on small projects for
individuals, ask your lawyer about including additional clauses in
your engagement letter, such as a limitation of liability clause.
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Sample Engagement Letter
(On Your Letterhead)
[Insert name of Client]
[Insert address of Client]
[Date]
Dear [Name of client],
As promised, I have set out below a description of the services
that [your name/company] will provide to you.
I will provide the following services: matchmaking consultation,
three introductions over an unlimited period of time, and
coaching.
My fee for the services performed will be as follows:
[Insert rates, amount of deposit, etc.]
If you agree that the foregoing fairly sets out your understanding
of our agreement, please sign a copy of this letter in the space
indicated below, and return it to me at [insert address or email
address].
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
Agreed and Accepted:
[Insert name of client]
Date
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Sample Services Agreement
THIS AGREEMENT is made this [date] day of [month], 20___.
BETWEEN
[insert name of your client] (the “Client”); and [insert your name or
your company’s name] (the “Matchmaker”), collectively referred
to as the “Parties.”
1.1 Services
The Matchmaker shall provide the following services
(“Services”) to the Client in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement:
[Insert a description of the services here].
1.2 Delivery of the Services
Start date: The Matchmaker shall commence the provision of
the Services on [insert date here].
Completion date: The Matchmaker shall complete the Services
by [insert date here] (“Completion Date”).
Key dates: The Matchmaker agrees to provide the following
parts of the Services by the specific dates set out below: [insert
dates here if you have agreed to specific milestones].
1.3 Fees
As consideration for the provision of the Services by the
Consultant, the fees for the provision of the Services are [insert
fees here] (“Fees”). The Client shall pay for the Matchmaker’s outof-pocket expenses in their expenses as agreed by the Parties.
1.4 Payment
The Client agrees to pay the Fees to the Matchmaker on the
following dates: [e.g. 50% deposit payable before work begins; also
specify whether the price will be paid in one payment, in installments
or upon completion of specific milestones].
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The Matchmaker shall invoice the Client for the Services that it
has provided to the Client [monthly/weekly/after the Completion
Date]. The Client shall pay such invoices [upon receipt /within 30
days of receipt] from the Matchmaker.
Any charges payable under this Agreement are exclusive of any
applicable taxes or other fees charged by a government body
and such shall be payable by the Client to the Matchmaker in
addition to all other charges payable hereunder.
1.5 Warranty
The Matchmaker represents and warrants that it will perform
the Services with reasonable skill and care.
1.6 Limitation of Liability
Subject to the Client’s obligation to pay the Fees to the
Matchmaker, either party’s liability arising directly out of its
obligations under this Agreement and every applicable part
of it shall be limited in aggregate to the Fees. The Matchmaker
assumes no liability due to the quality of items or services
purchased for the Client.
1.7 Term and Termination
This Agreement shall be effective on the date hereof and shall
continue until the completion date stated in section 1.2 unless
terminated sooner.
EXAMPLE:
If the Client terminates this agreement for any reason, within
three business days the Client will reimburse the Matchmaker
for the consultation fee, deposit, and any out-of-pocket expenses.
1.8 Relationship of the Parties
The Parties acknowledge and agree that the Services performed
by the Matchmaker, its employees, sub-contractors, or agents
shall be as an independent contractor and that nothing in this
Agreement shall be deemed to constitute a partnership, joint
venture, or otherwise between the parties.
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1.9 Confidentiality
Neither Party will disclose any information of the other which
comes into its possession under or in relation to this Agreement
and which is of a confidential nature.
1.10 Miscellaneous
The failure of either party to enforce its rights under this
Agreement at any time for any period shall not be construed
as a waiver of such rights. If any part, term or provision of this
Agreement is held to be illegal or unenforceable neither the
validity nor enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement
shall be affected.
This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between
the Parties and supersedes all prior representations, negotiations
or understandings.
Neither Party shall be liable for failure to perform any
obligation under this Agreement if the failure is caused by any
circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not
limited to acts of god, war, or industrial dispute.
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction
in which the Client is located.
Agreed by the Parties hereto:
Signed by:
On behalf of:
[the Client]
Signed by:
On behalf of:
[the Matchmaker]
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5.2.7 Getting Paid
Whatever type or combination of fees you decide is best for your
company to offer, make sure you and your client agree to it in writing.
A sample contract appears in the previous section, but you will need
to revise it according to the specifics of your arrangement with your
client.
At the end of your initial matchmaking consultation, if the person you
interviewed wants to become a client, but is not ready to pay your fee
in its’ entirety, you should ask for a non-refundable deposit (e.g. $500$1,000) with the balance payable on the terms you both agree to.
You have a variety of options for getting paid by your customers.
Accepting Checks
When you accept checks, especially for large amounts, you may want
to have a back-up system for getting paid if the client has insufficient
funds in their checking account. One option is to ask the client for a
credit card number which will be charged if the check does not clear.
You can accept checks from clients with greater assurance by using
a check payment service such as TeleCheck (https://getassistance.
telecheck.com/), provided by First Data. This type of service compares
checks you receive with a database of millions of bad check records,
allowing you to decide whether to accept a check from a particular
client.
Accepting Credit and Debit Cards
You may find that some clients will want to pay with credit cards; if
so, you may want to consider getting a merchant account and card
processing equipment. (You can also process credit and debit cards
through an online payment processing service or ecommerce solution
without needing a merchant account or equipment; these will be
discussed in more detail later.)
American Express and Discover cards set up merchant accounts
nationally and internationally. MasterCard and Visa are local.
(For international information, visit the country-specific Visa and
Mastercard websites.)
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To become a merchant directly accepting MasterCard and Visa, you
will have to get accepted by a local acquirer (a financial institution
licensed by the credit card company). Because yours is a new business,
you may have to shop around to find one that gives you good rates
(you may be charged between 1.5 and 3 percent per transaction for
the service, and often an initial setup fee and perhaps ongoing fees for
maintenance).
You might also have to provide evidence of a good personal financial
record to set up an advantageous rate, at least until you’ve become
established in your business and have a good track record for them
to look at. Remember, the bank is granting you credit in this instance,
“banking” on the fact that your customers will not want refunds or
that you won’t try to keep the money if they do.
These days, although the acquiring bank will be a local bank
somewhere, it need not be in your hometown. Numerous payment
processing services are available online to help you set up a merchant
account. MasterCard and Visa accounts, as well as American Express
and Discover, can all be set up through your local bank or by going to
the websites of each of these companies.
Debit cards are processed the same way as credit cards, but with a
debit purchase, the funds come directly out of the customer’s account
at the bank and are deposited directly into your business bank account.
There is no credit involved for the customer or merchant. Setting up
debit payments is usually part of the payment processing package
you set up with your merchant account, as is the card reader which
will allow you to process both kinds of cards. There may be a short
delay or small charge to you for debit purchases, initially or ongoing,
depending on the bank. And you will have to get the equipment to
process the payments and print receipts. (Federal law mandates
receipts be provided to customers for debit card purchases.)
Square (https://squareup.com/us/en) provides ways to process
transactions anywhere using their tools. One option is using their small
card reader accessory that plugs into your mobile device, enabling
you to swipe cards and receive payment through your smartphone
or tablet. Customers will receive copies of their receipts via email.
A newer device allows you to read chipped credit cards or accept
payments with contact-free devices.
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DirectPay (https://www.directpayinc.com/?r_done=1) is another way
to get merchant account credit and debit card services, and offers a
variety of other tools useful to the professional matchmaker, including
online shopping carts and the ability to accept payments on-the-fly
with a swipe reader accessory to your smartphone.
If you expect to receive a lot of international payments (especially if
you are selling matchmaking services online), you may want to let
your bank, credit card company or merchant account provider know,
as they may be able to offer you better rates for processing international
payments. For instance, American Express offers businesses a “multicurrency” plan (https://www.americanexpress.com/us/merchant/
multi-currency-payment-processing.html?intlink=merchantpaymentprocessing-solutions-mccy) that allows you to accept
payment in over 100 different currencies. Keep in mind though that
online payment companies (see below) tend to offer better rates for
international payment processing than the more traditional merchant
accounts.
Accepting Payment Online
With so many technological advances in recent years, you and your
clients now have a number of payment options that can be done
remotely. If you don’t think you’ll be completing many transactions
in-person or on-site and don’t want or need to invest in payment
processing hardware (e.g. POS system or debit/credit card terminal),
some of the following options might appeal to you.
Electronic Funds Transfer / Electronic Money Transfer
An Electronic Funds Transfer, or EFT (sometimes known as an e-check
or wire transfer), is a payment made by transferring funds directly
from the client’s bank account to yours. In the United States, this is
often referred to as an “ACH” (automated clearing house) transfer.
If you will be receiving EFTs from clients for your services, you will
need to provide them with your bank details, such as account number
and routing number, when you submit your invoice. Alternatively,
you can set up EFT (or ACH) transfer capabilities through online
payment processing companies like Stripe or PayPal (more on these
below).
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An Electronic Money Transfer or EMT (also known as an e-transfer) is
similar to an EFT in that payment can be sent directly from one bank
account to another.
For e-transfers, the sender simply adds the recipient’s name and
contact information (email address or mobile phone number) in their
online banking account and can then transfer money to that recipient.
For more information on EMTs, visit Zelle (www.zellepay.com/) in the
U.S., and Interac (www.interac.ca/en/consumers/products/interac-etransfer/) in Canada.
Online Payment Service Providers
In addition to online bank transfers for sending and receiving
payment, you can also use online payment service providers to
process payments. The most well-known of these are Stripe (https://
stripe.com/) or PayPal (www.paypal.com)]. These services offer a
variety of easy and relatively low-cost possibilities for businesses to
process payments, including online bank-to-bank transfers like those
discussed above, online credit and debit card payments (without
needing your own merchant account), ecommerce payments via your
website, as well as “digital wallet” capabilities.
Digital wallets store customers’ credit/debit card or bank details,
which can then be used to make quick and easy online transactions.
Digital wallet apps, for instance Apple Pay (www.apple.com/), Venmo
(https://venmo.com/), and Google Pay (https://pay.google.com/), can
be installed on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, but
you can also use your laptop or desktop computer to register and use
their services to make online payments.
While digital wallets are primarily useful for online payments, you
can also process digital wallet transactions in person, but only if you
have the appropriate payment processing hardware, such as a device
that inserts into your mobile phone.
If you intend to set up your business to process payments through a
service like Stripe or PayPal, note that these services typically charge
a greater discount rate, which is what the banks and credit card
companies call the 1.5 to 3 percent they withhold from your payments.
There are no monthly service or other account-related fees, but you
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will surrender a small percentage of each transaction to a service like
PayPal.
Accepting Checks
When you accept checks, especially for large amounts, you may want
to have a back-up system for getting paid if the client has insufficient
funds in their checking account. One option is to ask the client for a
credit card number which will be charged if the check does not clear.
When accepting checks, it’s important to get a credit card number,
driver’s license number, and full phone number and address (you
might even want to check it online quickly to insure they are legitimate).
If you have any doubts as to their honesty, it might be a good idea not
to accept the check and let the sale go.
You can accept checks from customers with greater assurance by using
a check payment service such as Clover Check Acceptance, which
compares checks you receive with a database of over 51 million bad
check records, allowing you to decide whether to accept a check from
a particular client. The company also provides electronic payment
services, from telephone debit card processing to electronic checks.
You can find out more about Clover’s services at www.firstdata.com/
en_us/products/small-business/all-solutions/telecheck.html.
5.3
Working with Support Staff
You may be working on your own when you first start your business,
but at some point you could decide to hire people to work with you.
For example, you might hire an assistant or someone to help market
your company. You might hire these people as employees, or you
might sign them on as contractors.
5.3.1 Employees versus Contractors
Here is an overview of the differences between employees and
contractors.
Even though you are not writing paychecks to contractors, but rather
checks for contracting fees, there are still tax considerations. For more
information about employment taxes, contact the IRS or Canada
Revenue Agency.
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5.3.2 Finding Support Staff
So, how do you find staff when you need help? There are several routes
you can take, including running an ad in the classified section of your
area newspaper, working with an employment service, or seeking
help on an online job site such as those mentioned in chapter 4.
However, the first place to start is by using word of mouth to get
the word out that you are looking to hire someone. Ask friends,
family, and acquaintances if they know anyone who might be a good
candidate to work with your business. You can also spread the word
through organizations that you belong to. You can find out more about
networking in Section 6.3.4.
For More Information
Before you hire, check with your local department of labor to
find out all the rules and regulations required as an employer.
There may be other state and federal rules and regulations that
may apply to you, including: health and safety regulations,
Workers’ Compensation, minimum wage and unemployment
insurance. Before you hire someone as an employee, it’s a good
idea to get some additional information concerning regulations,
taxes and so forth. In addition to your local department of labor,
visit the sites below for more information:
• IRS: Businesses with Employees
www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-selfemployed/businesses-with-employees
• U.S. Department of Labor: Major Laws
www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/majorlaws
• Canada Business: Hiring and Managing Employees
www.canada.ca/en/services/business/hire.html
• NOLO: Human Resources
www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/human-resources
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If you need help for just a limited time, you might consider contacting
a temporary employee service. These services provide employees
on a temporary basis. You pay the service, and the service pays the
employee. It also provides benefits to the employee and takes care of
payroll, taxes and so forth. You’ll likely need to pay more to the service
than you’d pay to a permanent employee, but if you only need help for
a limited amount of time, it may be worth it.
The selection process starts with the prospective employee filling
out an application. Here are some other things to look out for when
prospective employees come in to fill out an application or drop off a
resume:
• Are they dressed nicely? Well-groomed?
• Are they polite or do they say, “Gimme an application”?
• Are they alone? Chances are that if the potential employee
can’t come to fill out an application without their best friend,
they can’t work without their friends either.
• What does your gut instinct tell you?
5.3.3 The Interview Process
The purpose of an interview is to get to know potential applicants as
much as you can in a short period of time. It is therefore important
that most of that time be spent getting the applicants to talk about
themselves. Most employers with limited interviewing experience
spend too much time talking about the job or their business. And
while that is certainly important, it won’t help you figure out to whom
you are talking and if that person is a good match for your store. A
good rule of thumb to follow is that the applicant should do 80% of
the talking.
To make the best use of your time, have a list of questions prepared
in advance. This will keep the process consistent between applicants.
You can always add questions that pop up based on their answers as
you go along. You can find a list of questions in Section 4.4.2.
To get a sense of how an employee will actually behave on the job,
it is also a good idea to ask “behavioral questions.” Behavioral
questions ask applicants to give answers based on their past behavior.
An example is “Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult
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customer. What was the situation and how did you handle it?”
Instead of giving hypothetical answers of what someone would do
in a particular situation, the applicant must give examples of what
they actually have done. While people’s behavior can change, past
performance is a better indicator of someone’s future behavior than
hypothetical answers.
You can also ask questions that communicate your company policies
to discover if the applicant will have any issues in these areas. Some
examples are:
• When you are working, I expect your full attention to be on
my customers. I do not allow private phone calls unless it is
an emergency. Is that a problem?
• It is important that we open on time. I expect my workers
to be punctual. Is there anything that could keep you from
being on time for every shift?
By being clear on specifics and details in the interview, you can hash
out any potential problems right then and there or agree to go your
own ways because it is not going to work.
What You Can and Can’t Ask
You should be aware that there are some things you simply cannot ask
about during a job interview. Some are illegal and others are insulting
and open the door to charges of discrimination. They include questions
about:
• Age
• Race
• Religion
• Marital status
• Family status or pregnancy
• Disability
• Workers Compensation claims
• Injury
• Medical condition
• Sexual orientation
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5.3.4 References
Once you have found an applicant who appears to be a good fit, you
can learn more by checking their references. The best references are
former employers. (Former co-workers may be friends who will give
glowing references no matter how well the employee performed.)
Many companies will not give you detailed information about a past
employee. They are only required to give you employment dates and
sometimes they will confirm salary. But many times you will be able
to learn a lot about a potential applicant from a reference phone call.
A good employee is often remembered fondly and even asked about
by a former employer. An employer may not be able to tell you much
about a bad employee for liability reasons, but they can answer the
question “Is this employee eligible to be rehired?”
Here are some other questions you can ask:
• How long did this person work for you? (This establishes
the accuracy of their application.)
• How well did they get along with everyone? (This will give
you information about team skills.)
• Did they take direction well? (This is another way of asking,
“Did they do their job ?”)
• Could they work independently? (Or did they sit around
waiting to be told what to do next?)
• How did they handle stressful situations? (This is important,
especially if you are busy.)
Finally, conclude with the question “Would you rehire this person?”
The response should be an enthusiastic “yes!” If the reference hesitates
or gives a response such as “I can’t answer that because we don’t have
that position currently available in our company” chances are that
person is telling you “No, I would not rehire this person.” You can
try to probe further by saying: “Hypothetically, if you did have the
same position available, would you rehire [name of applicant] to do
the job?” If the reference gives a non-answer such as “Well, I’d have to
check with human resources...”, “That’s no longer my department...”,
“I can’t answer a hypothetical question...”, etc., this person is not
giving a good reference for the applicant. It’s possible the reference
is just being cautious, but if other references are similarly “cautious,”
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the applicant probably did not leave a good impression with previous
employers.
When gathering references, it’s important to read between the lines
and watch for what references are not saying. While it’s pretty clear
when a past employer says “This is one of the best employees I have
ever worked with, and I would rehire him/her without hesitation,”
most references will not be as clear about bad employees. Instead,
when you ask about the employee’s strengths you may hear a pause
as they try to search for something positive to say, followed by a
lukewarm response such as “he was punctual” or “she kept her desk
tidy.” If the references are weak, it means at least that the applicant
had poor judgment in choosing references.
If the references make you feel comfortable, call the employee to let
them know they have a job and to come in and fill out the paperwork.
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6.
Getting Clients
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but your husband is great! After just
spending an hour with the two of you, I know you are perfect together!
How did you meet him?”
“Do you want the real story or the fake story? (Pause). We met through
a matchmaker!”
“Wow! Really? Tell me about this matchmaker. It’s a jungle out there;
dating is exhausting! Heck, maybe I should try matchmaking too.”
This is an example of the way many matchmakers find clients — through
word of mouth. As you probably know from personal experience, a
recommendation from a friend is perhaps the most powerful form of
advertising that exists.
But don’t despair if you are just starting out, or if you want to sell your
matchmaking services to a market you have no previous experience
with (for example, if you want to work with the wealthy, but have no
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clue how to make connections with multi-millionaires). In this chapter
you will find a variety of ideas to help you attract clients. And once you
have done a great job for those first few clients, you can start attracting
more through word of mouth.
6.1
Choose Your Target Markets
Before you start trying to sell your services to prospective clients, you
should decide which types of clients you want to be a matchmaker for.
These are your “target” markets.
It can be tempting for a new matchmaker to say something like “I
want to make introductions for anyone who’ll pay me!” Avoid the
temptation. It is costly and time-consuming to try to market your
business to “everyone” and the truth is that some people will be
more interested than others in the services you have to offer. In fact,
people are more likely to hire you if they see you as an “expert” who
specializes in what they need.
When you are just starting out, of course you might take whatever
business comes your way. However, you can focus your marketing
efforts on the target markets you most want to work with. Once you
start getting more business, you may be able to give up work you find
less rewarding, and spend your time on clients and projects you find
most rewarding.
Your target market will depend on any specialization you identified,
such as matchmaking, coaching, or planning singles events. If you want
to do matchmaking for people who are also interested in relationship
coaching, you may market your services to the type of people who
attend lectures and self-help workshops within your community.
Once you have decided who your target markets are, you can prepare
materials and plan marketing activities that will most appeal to those
groups. As you get more experience you may decide to go after new
target markets, or your business may naturally evolve to focus on
particular types of clients. However, starting with some specific target
markets in mind can help you focus your marketing efforts most
efficiently – saving you both time and money.
Here are some types of clients that typically hire matchmakers who
you might consider targeting:
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• Young, urban, professionals: Busy, upscale individuals who
lack the time to meet other professionals.
• “A” listers: Celebrites and millionaires who want discrete,
personalized service.
• Middle aged: The divorced, with or without children, looking
to get back into the dating game.
• Senior citizens: Seniors who were never married, divorced, or
widowed and are looking for love in their elder years.
• Religious: Anyone who wishes to meet someone who shares
their faith.
6.2
Marketing Tools
6.2.1 Printed Materials
Your printed materials include business cards, stationery (such as
letterhead, envelopes, and mailing labels), and other marketing
materials such as brochures.
If you have a computer with a high quality laser or ink jet printer,
you may be able to inexpensively print professional looking materials
from your own computer. Free templates for the print materials you
are likely to need in your business can be found online.
Hewlett-Packard offers templates for a variety of programs at www.
hp.com/sbso/productivity/office. For example, you can create a
matching set of stationery (business cards, letterhead, envelopes) in
Microsoft Word or a presentation in PowerPoint. The site includes
free online classes and how-to guides to help you design your own
marketing materials. Another excellent resource is the Microsoft
Office Online Templates Homepage at http://office.microsoft.com/enus/templates. At this site you can search a database to find templates
for:
• Business stationery (envelopes, labels, letters, memos, etc.)
• Marketing materials (brochures, flyers, newsletters,
postcards, etc.)
• Other business documents (expense reports, invoices,
receipts, time sheets, etc.)
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As an alternative to printing materials yourself, and for materials
that won’t fit through your printer (such as folders), consider using
a company that provides printing services. Beautiful stationery can
convey to prospective clients that you have a good eye and a high
standard of excellence. Your printed materials can be easily designed,
paid for and delivered without leaving the house. Here are links to
some companies that provide printing services for small businesses:
• FedEx Office
• Acecomp Plus – Printing Solutions
• The Paper Mill Store
• Vistaprint
While the resources listed above can help with all your printing needs,
here is some advice about two types of materials that are particularly
important for marketing purposes – business cards and brochures.
Business Cards
The first thing on your list of marketing tools is your business cards.
This is one item that you can’t do without as a matchmaker. A business
card gives clients the essential contact information for your business,
and every time you hand one out you should think of it as a mini
advertisement.
The basic information to list on your business cards includes:
• Your name
• Your title (such as President or Associate/Senior
Matchmaker)
• Your company name
• Your contact information (phone numbers, email address)
• Your web address
In addition, consider including the following items to promote you
and your consulting services.
• Professional memberships and certifications (e.g. Member,
Professional Matchmakers Association; Graduate, The
Matchmaking Institute)
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• Your specializations and services offered
• Company logo
• Your mailing address
Keep business cards the standard size, 2 x 3 ½ inches, and if possible,
invest in a sturdy card that has a good weight and feel to it. The cost of
business cards can vary depending on how much or how little of the
work you do creating them. You can make your own business cards
inexpensively if you own or have access to a computer. Office supply
stores sell sheets of cards that can go through any type of printer.
You can also hire a graphic artist to design a logo, do the layout and
even arrange for printing. Most print shops have a design specialist
on staff to help with these matters as well. Whichever way you decide
to go, make sure your business card is a reflection of you and your
matchmaking business. For most matchmakers cards with a logo
of hearts are fine, but perhaps there is an image that more clearly
illustrates your specialization.
When ordering your cards from a printer, the more you order the less
expensive they are. When you order 500 cards, for example, the cost
is minimal, starting around $50 depending on how many colors you
have on your card and the card stock you use. Shop around to see
where you can get the best deal.
Another alternative when you’re just starting out is to use free
business cards from Vistaprint.com. You can order 250 cards from
them, using a variety of contemporary designs, and you only pay
for shipping. The only catch is that they print their company logo
on the back. If you don’t mind having their logo on the back of your
business cards, this is very economical. If you prefer not to have
another company’s name printed on the back of your business cards
you can order 250 cards for about $20 plus shipping from Vistaprint
without their logo.
Once your cards are printed, always keep some on hand, as you never
know who you might run into. Keeping your business cards in a case
is more professional than keeping them scattered across the bottom
of your briefcase or bag. It will also ensure that you only hand out
pristine cards, and not a worn or stained card.
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Brochures
You will have many opportunities to give out your business card. But
there are also times to give out brochures. For example, when you give
a presentation at a networking meeting (see Section 6.3.4) or when
people seem particularly interested in your services. You should also
provide some to the companies with whom you do a lot of business
in case someone asks them if they know a matchmaker they could
recommend.
Brochures give prospective clients an overview of what your business
is about. Some matchmakers choose to develop very detailed brochures
while others prefer a clean look with less detail. If you decide to create
a brochure for your business, it should of course contain your company
name and contact information, including your web address. It can also
include information such as:
• Information about the services you provide
• A description of your professional qualifications
• Benefits of hiring a matchmaker (e.g. save time, avoid stress,
spare yourself the frustration of nightlife and online dating)
• Photographs of singles events you have planned and happy
couples you have brought together
• A photograph of you
• Testimonial quotes from satisfied clients
You can purchase low-cost photos (a few dollars each) through
websites such as www.istockphoto.com or www.dreamstime.com.
If you want to publish photos of your own clients, whether on your
website or in print, be sure you have them sign a release form that
gives you permission to use the images in any of your promotional
materials without compensation. Most people are happy to have their
images used in such a positive way but there may be exceptions. Here
is a sample of a release form you can use.
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Sample Release Form
I hereby give (insert your name) permission to use my photograph
taken of me on (insert date) at (insert location) for promotional,
online or commercial purposes. I am of legal age.
(Print Name)
(Date)
(Signature)
If you are printing only a few copies of your brochure, you may be
able to find nice paper at your local office supply store or one of the
websites listed earlier in this section, which you can run through your
printer. You can use software such as Microsoft Publisher to design
and print your own brochures, or you could try a free online template
where you download the template and create the design and print
using your printer. You can find brochure templates at the Microsoft
Office and Hewlett-Packard websites mentioned at the beginning of
this section.
For a professional look you can use a service such as Vistaprint or a
printer in your area to do it for you. Look online for “Printers” near
you. The cost starts at around $50 at Vistaprint, and can go much higher
for other printing companies printing with color and glossy paper.
Many printers will have an in-house design department who can do
the artwork for you, but make sure you have a hand in developing the
text. You are the best-qualified person to describe what your business
is all about. Also, check for any typos in your phone number, email
address or other contact information or you will be paying the printer
to fix 1,000 brochures or doing it by hand.
6.2.2 Your Portfolio
A portfolio shows examples of your work and may include the
following items from the singles events you have planned or love
matches you have created:
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• Photographs of singles events and couples you’ve brought
together
• Collateral materials from the event (such as brochures,
posters, news releases, etc.)
• Testimonials or letters of recommendation from satisfied
clients or singles that you planned the events for
• Letters, notes or copies of emails from attendees
congratulating you on the success of events or dates you’ve
set up
• Media about events or clients’ weddings (include wedding
invitations as well)
• Anything else that shows your skill as a matchmaker,
including articles you’ve written or were quoted as an expert
source in, interviews, links to podcasts and blog entries, and
audio and video recordings
A portfolio offers prospective customers proof that you have the skills
and creativity to do the job. So use this opportunity to not only let your
previous experience shine, but also include the backstory behind how
each match came to be and the learning you’ve had along the way.
And make the whole package look interesting and unique.
These days, most matchmakers have their portfolio entirely online;
however, there may be some cases where a potential client is looking
for a physical portfolio, in which case it may come in handy to prepare
both versions from the outset. How to create both types is discussed
in more detail below.
A portfolio generally includes some or all of the following elements:
Table of Contents
This is a must for physical portfolios with a lot of content. For your
online portfolio, make sure you have a clear, navigable menu.
Mission Statement
You should include a short but powerful mission or work philosophy
statement that briefly sums up your goal(s), and what your thinking
is. This should be clearly visible on the home page of your online
portfolio.
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Biography
Include a short biography, which has information about your interests,
background and expertise. Include a photo of yourself as well.
Samples of Your Work
This is the heart of your portfolio, so include photos, videos, and
any other materials that best express your skills and expertise as a
matchmaker. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and
nowhere is this truer than when you are trying to showcase your
matchmaking capabilities. However, a picture with a few lines of text
to give it context and a story can say that much more.
With every client you take on, ask permission to take photographs or
even short videos of their successful match. One suggested guideline
is to choose a total of 15-20 photographs of matches you are most
proud of, and which best reflect your talent and experience.
Compose some explanatory text for each photo that identifies it and
gives it context and backstory. Here you could write about how you
handled any obstacles or challenges you’ve faced, if any, on a particular
matchmaking endeavor; how you incorporated feedback from the
client; what you learned, etc. This way you are offering insights into
the thought and work progress you’ve made, which in turn show
what you are capable of. If the stories aren’t there, the photos won’t
speak for themselves!
Make sure the photos are of high quality and sized to load quickly for
the online viewer. Nothing will give a worse impression than a photo
that is out of focus or takes too long to load on a potential client’s
phone. Keep in mind—quality is more important than quantity!
Testimonials
You should include some testimonials and/or letters of recommendation
from previous clients and employers.
The best testimonials are those written by clients you have
successfully found matches for. However, you can also include letters
of recommendation or references from past employers if the letters
say good things about your abilities in areas that are important in the
matchmaking business, such as communication and interpersonal
skills, or event planning skills. Even a few good quotes from a letter
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would work. You can also include any positive reviews you’ve gotten
on social media or online review sites and appropriate thank-you
notes you have received. Be sure to get permission where necessary.
Make sure your testimonials are displayed in a way that’s eye-catching
and emphasize a variety of your skills and achievements. See the
sample below.
Sample Testimonial
Maggie Matchmaker did such a wonderful job matching us
together! Thanks to Maggie, we had the perfect courtship,
engagement, and wedding we had only dreamed of before
meeting each other. Her intuition and guidance has changed
our lives forever ...
Maggie Matchmaker promises personalized, professional
service, and that is exactly what she delivers. It was a pleasure to
work with her. Her calming demeanor helped extinguish all the
anxieties we both had about opening ourselves up to love again.
We would certainly recommend Maggie’s matchmaking service
to single family and friends, and wish her success in the years
to come.
Brenda and Josh Couple
Awards and Recognition
Include any awards or other recognition you have received. These
should be directly related to your skills as a matchmaker. You can also
include any press coverage you’ve received for your work or projects
you’ve been involved with. Also include any professional certifications
and affiliations.
Contact Information
Make sure you include information about how the viewer can contact
you, including your email address, phone number, mailing address,
contact form, etc. Don’t forget your social media addresses (e.g.
LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.).
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What Else to Include
Your portfolio can include anything else that could impress someone
who is considering hiring you. For example, if you’ve written any
articles or your matchmaking business has been mentioned in a
newspaper or magazine story, you could include a link or a photo.
You should also include any sample materials you have, such as event
flyers, brochures, or website links.
Some matchmakers create a portfolio blog to include added reflection
on their experience and methodology. A blog is also another way for
you to engage with potential clients and anyone visiting your portfolio;
you can leave room for feedback and people will come back regularly
to read your most current posts.
This is not for everyone and should only be included if you plan to
keep it up-to-date and it’s relevant to your overall portfolio design
and marketing strategy. One added advantage of including a blog is
that it increases your online search visibility, so people will find your
portfolio online more easily. For more information about blogging
and search engine optimization, see Section 6.2.3 on developing your
website.
Make sure that your portfolio includes your business name and logo if
you have one. Read on to find out how to get items for your portfolio
and how to put it together. At the end of this section, you’ll find some
tips on how to create a portfolio if you don’t yet have materials from
actual matchmaking.
Putting It All Together
You should prepare an online portfolio, and if you think it necessary, it
could be useful to prepare a physical portfolio as well, collected neatly
into an attractive binder for in-person meetings and more traditional
clients.
For a physical portfolio, there are several different options for
displaying the materials. One possibility is to put everything into a
professional-looking three-ring binder with plastic sheet covers to
protect the pages. If you wish, you can mount your photographs and
other portfolio materials onto thin cardboard. All of these supplies are
available from any office supply store.
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Another possibility is to use a portfolio case, which you can purchase
online or at a local art supply store. Portfolio or presentation cases
come in a variety of sizes (for example, 11” x 14”, 14” x 17”, 17” x 22”)
and cost from about $15 to $150-plus, depending on the size, material,
and how fancy you want it to be. Keep in mind that although clients
will be primarily interested in what’s inside the case, your portfolio
is an expression of who you are and what you do, so the case should
reflect that as much as what’s inside.
When it comes to creating your online portfolio, there are many good,
free portfolio sites available, such as Behance, Dribbble, or Format.
These sites guide you through the development of your portfolio
and host it for easy access. Keep in mind that while having your
portfolio on portfolio-hosting sites may be easier, they allow you less
customization and control.
The option that will give you the most control over your portfolio’s
layout and appearance will be creating and hosting it on your own
website, on a dedicated page; or alternatively, creating a dedicated
portfolio website by making your entire website your portfolio, broken
up into various subpages.
Section 6.2.3 suggests software like Adobe Dreamweaver and
WordPress to create your own website. The same software enables
you to create professional-looking portfolio pages. Adobe Portfolio
and WordPress Portfolios offer customizable themes you can add
to your site. Alternatively, if you decide to hire a professional webdeveloper, they can design the portfolio page or dedicated website for
you, making sure it’s in line with your overall brand.
If you are creating a dedicated website for your portfolio, your home
page should immediately jump out at the viewer with a few simple
photos, and one or two sentences about your goals, professional
activities, and your mission or philosophy statement. Then you can
create separate subpages for all the different content you are including,
for instance, the About Us page can include your bio, photo, and maybe
a downloadable resume; samples of your work can come under a
Gallery page; a Testimonials page for positive comments and reviews;
a Contact Us page; a Blog page; and so on. If you decide to dedicate
your whole website to a presentation of your portfolio, you will also
want to include additional pages for your business, such as the services
you offer, or an online shop for products you sell. You should create
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a good, clear navigation menu which makes it easy for the viewer to
find all the information you’ve provided on the subpages.
Make sure your portfolio is “optimized” for mobile viewing on tablets
and mobile phones (this is discussed for your website in the next
section). Also, get some feedback from friends, family, and colleagues
before you make it “live”. Is everything working correctly (on a
computer as well as a mobile device)? Are the photos loading quickly?
Is there anything missing? Is there too much, or too little, information?
If you don’t yet have materials from actual matchmaking you can
create sample ones. For example, you could come up with an idea for
a singles’ event, then produce a collage of what you would do for that
event. Include photos of food, design a sample invitation (check online
or a local stationery store for ideas), create an event day itinerary, etc.
6.2.3 Your Website
Your website can be an important tool for marketing your services.
It gives prospective clients an opportunity to learn more about you
and your services at their convenience any time of day. It may also
introduce you to new clients you might otherwise not encounter
through other marketing activities.
What to Include on Your Website
Any information you would include in a brochure (described in
Section 6.2.1) can also be included on your website. Here are some
ideas of what to include on your website to get you started:
• Home page with links to navigate through your site.
• “About Us” page so that your customers can learn more
about you and your company. This should include your
credentials and a photograph of you.
• A way to contact you, including at least your company
name, telephone number and email address. This should
ideally be on every page, but you can also have a “Contact
Us” page with your business mailing address, email address
and other contact information. Information about your
services and the benefits you offer to potential clients.
• Testimonial quotes from satisfied clients.
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• Helpful information you have written such as a dating
advice column, articles, tips, checklists, and other content
that shows your expertise. Adding new content on a regular
basis can keep people returning to your site.
• Consider adding some photos of happy couples or people
you introduced from your singles events. It is, of course, best
to include wedding photos and invitations.
• To build up a contact list, you could offer a free email
newsletter, and include a place at your website where
visitors can subscribe. Your newsletter could include articles
about the types of services you offer and information about
holiday specials, events, and other news. Your newsletters
can also be posted online.
Designing Your Website
Clients will judge the quality of your business and services by what
they see on your site. If you don’t have the time or expertise to design a
polished website yourself, you can have a professional web developer
build and maintain your site. There is no shortage of web designers, so
search online for one in your area.
If you are already experienced at creating web pages, you can design
your website yourself. Applications such as WordPress, Adobe
Dreamweaver, or Wix have made creating web pages possible for just
about anyone with the time and energy.
You may also use the website development tools offered by domain
and hosting companies, described below.
Getting a Domain Name
To present a professional image and make your web address easier for
clients to remember, consider getting your own domain name, such
as www.yourbusinessname.com. There are a number of sites where
you can search for and register a domain name. One web host we have
found that provides good service for a low cost is www.godaddy.com.
Yahoo! Small Business also offers a quick search for domain name
availability.
If your preferred domain name is available, but you’re not yet ready
with your website, you can also “park” your domain. This means that
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you register the domain so that someone else does not take it before
you’re up and running with your business website. You then park the
domain with your web host.
Finding a Host
Once you register your domain, you will need to find a place to “host”
it. You can host it with the same company where you’ve registered the
name. For example, if you register a domain name through GoDaddy,
you might use their hosting services to put your website online.
You may also be able to put up free web pages through your Internet
Service Provider (the company that gives you access to the Internet).
However, if you want to use your own domain name, you’ll likely need
to pay for hosting. You can find a wide variety of other companies that
provide hosting services by doing an online search.
Promoting Your Site
No matter how much you spend on creating your website, if people
don’t know it exists, it won’t help your business. Make certain you list
your site on all your business forms, cards, and brochures. Encourage
people to visit your site by mentioning it as often as you can, for
example, whenever you write an article, give a presentation, or are
interviewed by the media.
Make sure people can find your website by getting it into the search
engines and listing it with industry websites. Registering your business
with search engines and online directories is discussed in more detail
below.
Your web hosting company may offer a search engine submission
service for an additional fee. You can find information about
“optimizing” your website, to help it rank higher on search engines,
at the Search Engine Watch website at http://searchenginewatch.com
and at Google’s Webmaster Help Center at www.google.com/support/
webmasters.
In addition to the free search engine listings, you can advertise on the
search engines. See Section 6.3.1 for more information.
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Sites of Successful Matchmakers
It’s a good idea to visit websites of other successful matchmakers
for inspiration. Here are a few we admire in addition to the
matchmaking experts interviewed for this guide (see the
Acknowledgements at the start of this guide):
• Shannon Tebb
https://shannyinthecity.com/
• Janis Spindel Serious Matchmaking Inc.
www.janisspindelmatchmaker.com
• Kailen Rosenberg
www.thelovearchitects.com
• Leora Hoffman Associates
www.leorahoffman.com
• Lisa Ronis Personal Matchmaking
http://lisaronismatchmaking.com
• Sameera Sullivan
https://sameerasullivan.com/elite-matchmakingnew-york-ny
• Patti Stanger
www.millionairesclub123.com
• Samantha Daniels
www.samanthastable.com
6.2.4 Social Media
Effective use of social media platforms has fast become almost a
necessity in marketing small businesses. Each type of social media has
a distinct style and audience you will want to understand in order to
effectively market your business through this medium. You can use
social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, do microblogging (brief updates) at Twitter, create videos to post at YouTube,
and post photos of your matchmaking successes on Instagram, among
other online marketing activities.
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There are countless books and online articles available offering advice
on social media marketing for small businesses. You will most likely
not have the time to maintain a high level of activity on all of the
platforms listed below. Explore the different sites and get to know
their demographics before focusing on a few that work well for you
and your target markets. Social media can be time consuming, so you
want to be strategic in how you spend your time!
When you have decided which platforms you want to use, consider
the following advice on setting up social media accounts:
1. Create a business account or page, separate and distinct
from any personal accounts you may already have.
2. Create a username as close to your actual business name as
possible. Keep this username consistent between platforms,
so it’s easier for people to find you.
3. Use your logo for a profile picture, or an image closely
associated with your business.
4. Fill in the about or bio section of every platform you sign up
for. Describe who you are, what your mission is, and where
you’re located. You will likely be limited by a character
count, so keep it brief. Include a URL to your website and a
way to contact you.
When you post on social media, you want to make sure your content
is seen by as many people as possible. That means working with the
specific platform’s algorithm. An algorithm determines the size of the
audience who will see your post, and how high up it will appear on
their feed. Every platform’s algorithm is different, but in general, it
is impacted by how recent your post is and how much engagement
(likes, shares, comments, and/or views) it receives. In general, the
more engagement you already get, the more visible you’ll be.
To gain traction with the algorithms, post frequently and
consistently, on a regular schedule. If you fall too far behind on
your posting schedule, a potential customer might think you are
no longer in business. Post a combination of visual and textual
information that is most appropriate to the particular app you are
using (for example, Twitter is more text-based, while Instagram is
almost entirely visual).
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One important way to learn is to follow other matchmakers and dating
coaches, in particular any high-profile social media “influencers”
you’ve discovered while learning about the career. What content are
they sharing? How are they interacting with their audiences? The key
to successful social media activity is to engage; don’t just put up your
weekly blog post or interesting article and let it sit there. If followers
make comments, respond and create a conversation. Thank people
for sharing. Comment and reply to your connections when they post
interesting, related content. Engagement increases your business’s
visibility organically and leads visitors to your profile.
Use hashtags wherever possible (like on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram). Hashtags are basically a sorting system. Whenever
someone searches for a hashtag featured in the caption or comment
of your post, your content will show up in the results. Limit your
hashtags to only a few and separate them from your post’s main text,
so they are not intrusive.
Choose your hashtags strategically! While general hashtags (such as
#matchmaking) are more widely searched for, your post may be lost in
a sea of other posts using the same hashtag. Long-tail hashtags (such
as #matchmakinginaustin or #datingafterdivorce) are more specific,
drawing an audience which is more likely to see and be interested
in your content. Use a mix of both, with more focus on the long-tail
hashtags. You can also use your location in hashtags to attract followers
in your area.
Below is a list of some of the major social media platforms available.
Facebook
With over 2.7 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the world’s
largest social network. You must first register a personal profile to
create a business profile, then you can access features such as posting
photos/videos; attracting followers with whom you may exchange
messages and live chat; publicizing events including issuing invitations
and tracking planned attendance. You can also accept reviews on
your page and respond to them. Since Facebook has become one of
the primary ways people search for local businesses, having an up-todate and active business page is an important marketing tool. There
is no charge to join and use Facebook; it is supported by advertising
revenue. You may also purchase paid Facebook Ads, which reach
beyond your followers to as wide a target audience as you choose.
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Twitter
Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that allows
users to send and read text messages which are referred to as “tweets”.
Founded in 2006, there are currently over 330 million active users. As
a registered user, you can both post and read tweets (unregistered
users can only read tweets). You may tag each of your tweets with a
hashtag (#) subject line, allowing users who were not actually sent the
original tweet to access the message. Twitter offers analytic tools that
allow the user to review the performance and impact of their various
messages. There is no charge to join and use Twitter; it is supported
by advertising revenue. You can also purchase ads on Twitter, which
reach a wider audience than those who “like” your profile.
Instagram
Instagram is a highly popular social media app for sharing pictures and
videos. Snatched up by Facebook as a huge opportunity, Instagram
is now the second largest social media platform and boasts 1 billion
users worldwide. You can embed Instagram photos onto your website
or blog, making it a useful tool for marketing, as well as link it directly
to your site. You can cultivate a following through sharing engaging
posts, Instagram Stories and Reels, and tips related to your business,
as well as engage potential clients. You can also purchase ads on
Instagram, which can reach a wide audience.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social networking website for people in professional
occupations, and has fast become an essential tool for professional
networking. Launched in 2003, LinkedIn now has over 760 million
members in over 200 countries and territories. Along with posting
profile information similar to that found in a resume, users can establish
and maintain ”connections” (people who have some sort of relationship
to the user). A contact network is then built up consisting of the user’s
direct connections, the connections of each of their connections (or
“second-degree connections”) and also the connections of seconddegree connections (or “third-degree connections”), so that the user
may gain access by messaging new virtual acquaintances through
mutual contacts. There is no charge to join and use basic LinkedIn, but
there is a subscription charge to access various “Premium” services.
You can also advertise on LinkedIn.
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YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website owned by Google where users can
upload, view and share videos; videos stream on your computer or
other device using Adobe Flash Player (a free download application).
Launched in 2007, there are currently over 2 billion unique users on
YouTube. You need to register to post videos, but unregistered users
are free to view most videos (with the exception of adult content).
YouTube videos may be viewed on the YouTube website or embedded
in and viewed at other websites. Although there is a premium
subscription service available, there is no charge to join YouTube,
and the vast majority of videos on YouTube are free to view, being
supported by advertising revenue. In fact, if you post a popular video,
you can earn money by selling space to run advertising (called a “preroll”) as an integral and unavoidable part of your video.
Reddit
Reddit describes itself as the “front page of the internet.” According
to Alexa Top Sites, Reddit is the 7th most popular site in the United
States and Canada, and 18th worldwide. Reddit is made up entirely
of user-generated content; basically a huge collection (we’re talking
millions) of forums or “subreddits”, where people can subscribe, share
news and content, and comment on other people’s posts. Reddit users
(“redditors”) rate posted content up or down (upvotes or downvotes),
and this pushes the content up or down the list of the subreddit—
going up obviously makes a post more popular as more people see
it. Very popular posts can then end up on the main reddit homepage,
potentially catching the eye of all of Reddit’s viewers (upwards of
430 million), as well as internet browsers without a Reddit account.
Anyone with a Reddit account can create a subreddit on any topic for
free, as long as it stays within the site’s community guidelines. Each
subreddit has its own moderator, who can edit the appearance, put
up and take down posts, and even ban users. There are also admins
who are employed by Reddit who oversee the whole site, ensuring
that content fits their policy.
Pinterest
Pinterest is a social networking site that lets users create visual bulletin
boards of their interests including recipes, images, videos, and ideas.
It is a virtual bookmarking tool where you “pin” things of interest.
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Your “pins” can be shared on other social networks like Twitter and
Facebook. For businesses, it is a great way to showcase examples of
your services, and others can “pin” images from your board onto
their Pinterest and other social media accounts. You can also embed
Pinterest to function within your own website.
TikTok
TikTok is an app which allows users to upload 15-180 second videos. In
June 2020, TikTok officially announced “TikTok For Business”, which
allows businesses to create ads which they can share on the platform.
TikTok’s main user base started out as primarily teenagers and young
adults, who popularized the app; however, this is changing as more
adults have begun to use it as well. It lends itself best to authentic and
humorous content.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a popular platform which allows users to share images or
short videos which disappear in a few seconds after being viewed. It is
a mobile-only app with 249 million active users. Similarly to Tik-Tok,
Snapchat is best for funny and genuine-appearing content, such as
behind-the-scenes looks into your business. As the images are fleeting,
they need to make a quick impact and remain memorable once they
disappear.
Social Media Analytics
You can check how well your various posts or paid advertisements are
doing through the built-in analytics systems social media platforms
offer. While the specifics of what you can do varies from platform
to platform, the provided tools are meant to help you optimize your
marketing strategy. The most important metrics to keep an eye on
include:
• Volume: The total number of people talking about
your business, including things like mentions, tags and
hashtags. Look separately at the number of individual
people talking about your business and the number of
mentions. You can look at when volume is higher, and
measure whether a new marketing campaign has in any
way increased volume.
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• Engagement: How many times someone interacted with
your account, including likes, comments, shares, clicks,
and more. You can measure the engagement rates of single
posts or all of your posts combined, and your overall
profile. Examine which posts have a higher engagement
and check for patterns. For example, if your videos do
better than images, consider favoring videos in your social
media marketing strategy. You can also take a look at the
demographics of users who engaged with your content,
checking to see who is most interested in what you offer.
• Reach: A measurement of the number of people who could
potentially see your posts. When coupled with engagement,
reach can help you understand how effective your post was
at capturing your audience’s attention. If it reached a very
wide audience but only a small percentage chose to engage,
you may have to rethink your ad designs.
Social Media Management
If managing several social media platforms at once and keeping up
with a consistent posting and content creation schedule sounds like
a lot of work, it is! If you have the funds to do so, you might consider
hiring a virtual assistant with a digital marketing background to help
you manage your social media accounts. If your business really takes
off down the road, you might even consider hiring a full-time digital
marketer or social media marketer.
If you want to brave social media and content creation on your own,
you might find it helpful to use a social media management software
solution such as Hootsuite. Social media management software is
intended to make your online marketing efforts easier by automating
tasks like scheduling content to be posted at a certain time, giving you
details about how marketing material posted to different platforms
is performing all in one place, as well as allowing you to monitor
comments and engagement on one interface rather than constantly
checking each individual social media platform.
These are just a sampling of the social media options available to you
in marketing your business. Many entrepreneurs find the number
of social media sites overwhelming. If you want to learn more about
how to use them, search online for reliable and up-to-date advice
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or consider purchasing a book on the subject such as Social Media
Explained: Untangling the World’s Most Misunderstood Business Trend by
Mark W. Schaefer.
6.2.5 Your Elevator Pitch
Imagine you have stepped onto an elevator with someone who has
just asked what you do. During that elevator ride, you’ll have about
60 seconds to give a brief explanation of your business and services.
Because this person – like most other people you meet – may be
someone else who could become a client or otherwise help your
business, you want to say something to get the listener immediately
interested in you and your business.
What you would say in this situation is your “elevator pitch.” And
while most occasions to tell people about your business won’t happen
while you’re riding an elevator, a well-crafted elevator pitch may be
the single most effective, and least expensive business development
tool you can have. Your elevator pitch, like your business card, is a
basic business marketing tool. But it can be particularly powerful in
helping you generate sales. Here is advice on creating an elevator
pitch from Marg Archibald, co-author of the IAP Career College Guide
to Become a Business Consultant:
Whether you are speaking to a group or to a single person, the principles
of a good pitch are the same. It needs to be simple and memorable,
and because we store memories based on the emotions attached to
them, a pitch that generates feelings is going to be remembered. In
matchmaking, saying something memorable that offers proof you
can help people find love, while saving them time and money, is the
strongest card you can play.
An effective elevator pitch provides people with memorable words
they can tell others and creates positive impressions that could lead to
more word-of-mouth business for you. Your elevator pitch is always
targeted, as closely as possible, to your audience. When you’re pitching
to a group you focus on what is common to the group. Your elevator
pitch is a chance to make the group sit up and pay attention because
you connect with what matters to them.
When you are speaking to one individual, two things change. You can
tailor your pitch very specifically to that person, plus you can turn the
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speech into a dialogue in less than one minute since you already have
the person’s attention. Note that the core elevator pitch is the same,
but how you fit it into a conversation changes.
Group Elevator Pitch
You have 60 seconds to connect with the group and their priorities. You
open with your name, title and company name. You briefly describe
your business and an overview of your services. The key here is to be
brief. You sketch out the things you do that would most interest this
particular group. You outline the kinds of clients you serve (ideally
clients just like them), and tell a story proving how effective you are.
This may include a quote from a happy client. You express interest in
working for them or receiving referrals. You close with a memorable
phrase, repeating your name and company. This is perfect when it is
your turn to stand up at a luncheon and introduce yourself, although
it is a bit too long in one-on-one situation.
One-On-One Elevator Pitch
People can tune you out in 10 seconds or less. An engaging,
interactive, one-on-one elevator pitch gets the same information
across that you would present to a group but involves the listener
in dialogue sooner.
First, you need to find out more about the person you’re speaking with.
Use every bit of information you can glean about the person you’re
speaking to in order to make your pitch relevant. Your observations
are providing you information from the time you approach each other.
Keep the focus on the other person.
• Where might you have met before?
• Is he or she wearing a name tag? Does it list his or her
company? Is that company one you could work with?
• What is his or her title?
• Who has he or she just been talking to? Have you picked up
any additional information from that observation?
• How does the other person react to your name tag?
• How confident does he or she appear to be in this group?
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When you initiate the conversation, you can open with: “Hello. I’m
(your first and last name) with (your company name). I don’t think
we’ve met.”
Then pause to get the other person’s name and if possible any other
info on what he or she does.
When the other person asks what you do, you can follow simple steps:
Step 1 - Connection
• “I work with people like you.”
• “I work with businesses like yours.”
• “I work in your industry.”
If you know absolutely nothing about the other person, you can say, “I
work with (types of people/businesses).”
Step 2 – Promise
“I interview singles, and after getting to know them, set them up on
dates with people who I think they’d be compatible with.”
Step 3 - Proof
“Clients say/my last client said/most people who use my services
say…”
Step 4 - Probe
Connect the proof back to the other person and how he or she meets
people to date, or how much trouble the other person has with a
particular issue:
“Is meeting compatible singles a problem for you?/Do you have that
problem?/How do you handle that problem?”
Step 5 - Close
If this is a strong prospect, you probe further and gently work toward
trying to set up a meeting. (See the sample below for an example of
how to do this.)
If this is a weak prospect, you can ask if he or she knows of anyone that
might be interested in your services. Consider that every single person
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you meet is a conduit to people that will be helpful even if they are not
actual prospects.
Practice Your Pitch
Armed with an elevator pitch that you have practiced until it sounds
and feels natural, you can practice on friends, family, colleagues
and acquaintances. Ask for honest feedback. Pay attention to their
suggestions and make any changes necessary to create a more effective
pitch. Once you are comfortable with your elevator pitch, you’ll be
able to use it to market your business.
Sample One-on-One Elevator Pitch
Connection:
“I work with busy professionals just like you who don’t have
the time and energy to sift through lengthy profiles online or go
out scouring the bar scene.”
Promise:
“I meet with my clients personally and introduce them to
exactly the type of person they are looking for.”
Proof:
“I just got a call from a couple I introduced a few months ago.
They got engaged the other day and wanted to invite me to
their wedding! ”
Probe:
“How are you currently meeting women? Is it working for
you?”
Close:
(Strong Prospect) “I’m interested in chatting with you further. I
know plenty of women who would be interested in someone
like you. I am free Wednesday morning next week if you’d like
to discuss this further.”
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(Weak Prospect) “I’m interested in helping young professionals
like you get in touch with other likeminded singles interested
in serious relationships.” Insert some chatting about the
matchmaking industry and its problems, and relate it to his
personal life and industry. When the timing seems right,
gradually ask: “Do you know anyone who’d be interested in
consulting a matchmaker?”
6.3
Marketing Techniques
In this section we’ll look at a variety of marketing techniques,
including advertising, free publicity, networking, and promotional
events. Consider as many of these techniques as possible to help you
get the word out about who you are and what you do. Generating
clients from marketing is not formulaic and not every strategy works
for every matchmaker with the same success. The key is to determine
what combination works best for you.
6.3.1 Online Marketing
In the last few years, online marketing has taken off, eclipsing more
traditional types of marketing such as print and broadcast advertising
and telephone directories. To ensure people find your business these
days, you will need to market your business online, through both
“organic” (free) media, like social media posts, online directories and
search engines, and review sites; and through paid online advertising.
Knowing your target market will help you determine which forms
of online marketing will work best for you and get you the most
business.
Online Directories and Business Listings
A highly effective way to promote your business is to make business
profiles on websites that specialize in online directory listings. This
includes well-known online directories such as Superpages, Yellow
Pages and Yellow Pages Canada, and Whitepages. Many of the
professional associations discussed in Section 3.3.3 also host online
directories where members can list their services.
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In addition to online directories, all of the major search engines have
business listings. One of the most well-known business listings you can
create is on Google Business Profile. A Google Business Profile allows
your business to show up in Google Maps results whenever someone
searches in your area. Your business also has the potential to show up
in Google’s “three pack” results, which are three businesses local to the
searcher that fit their search criteria. The three-pack shows up before
“organic” or regular search results, making it more likely that the
“three pack” businesses would be seen. For example, if an individual
in your city searches for specific phrases such as “matchmaking” and
“dating advice”, or even more generic searches like “how to find true
love”, your Google Business Profile listing might well be the first thing
they see.
Other popular search engines offer business pages as well, such as
Yahoo! Local and Bing Places, which will mean that your business
will be more likely to show up at the top of their respective internet
searches.
After registering your business profile with several directories, you
can use the various functions they offer. For example, Google Business
Profile allows you to enable one-tap calls, chats, and/or appointment
booking which can easily connect you to your clients. You can also
create posts to showcase featured services or news.
These are basically free forms of advertising, so don’t hesitate to
register your business details with as many of these directory services
as you can find. If you find registering your business with each
separate online directory somewhat overwhelming, and you want to
ensure your business is getting as wide a reach as possible, there are
services out there that will do that work for you, such as Thryv.com
(who operate the online version of the Yellow Pages) and ReachLocal.
These types of media services certainly cost but they can also take some
of the headaches away of managing your online marketing needs.
Review Sites
Another useful marketing technique is registering your business to
online review sites. Positive reviews are free testimonials which
help boost your business’s reputation. Even negative reviews can
be helpful. If you respond to unsatisfied customers in a concerned
yet positive way and offer ways to improve their experience, you
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can show that you take your matchmaking business and its online
reputation seriously and are focused on providing a fantastic service.
You can even make the disgruntled customer return with a very good
response! For baseless negative reviews, honest responses can help
show your version of the truth to other potential customers.
In a recent article at Forbes.com, marketing expert Jayson DeMers
explained why it’s “so important to be proactive” about online
reviews: “Encouraging customers to leave reviews on popular online
review sites can not only improve your reputation online, it can help
buffer your business from the occasional negative review.”
One of the best-known review sites is Yelp. Yelp provides a business
review guide in major urban areas. Originally started in San Francisco
in 2005 as a restaurant review site, Yelp is now used by over 178 million
unique users to check out local businesses providing goods and
services ranging from nightlife to auto repairs to medical services. In
fact, a study from Harvard Business School, titled Reviews, Reputation,
and Revenue: The Case of Yelp.com by Michael Luca, found that “a onestar increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9 percent increase in revenue”
for restaurants.
Anyone can read Yelp reviews, but users must open a free account to
be able to write reviews, which allow the user to assign a one-star to
five-star rating as well as to write about what they like (or don’t like)
about businesses they’ve patronized. A free Business Owner account
is also available, by which businesses may reply to reviews as well
as message users, add photos to their listings, engage in a variety of
promotional activities, and view trends and statistics for their own
page. Yelp is supported by advertising revenue; advertising can be
targeted in a variety of ways, including having your business ad appear
when users view your competitor’s page and blocking competitor’s
ads from appearing to viewers of your page.
Registering your business with search engines such as Google and
Yahoo! also function as review sites. When potential customers search
for your business or a business of your type, they will come across
your business profile with the browser they are using first. Users
can leave reviews and you can answer them, showcasing how many
people have been satisfied with your services.
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You can also enable reviews on Facebook, if you have a Facebook
business page. This will allow Facebook users to add ratings (which
are known as “recommendations”) and reviews on your page. Keep
in mind that you can’t delete individual reviews from your page, but
you can disable all reviews. This will remove positive reviews as well.
6.3.2 Paid Advertising
While there are many different marketing techniques, advertising is
a form of marketing that involves paying to promote your business.
There are many places businesses can advertise—from bus benches to
television commercials to the Internet.
This section will discuss both online and “offline” advertising,
including search engine and social media ads, and print media. There
are other types as well, such as advertising on TV and radio and Outof-Home ads, such as those found on billboards and bus benches.
However, these can be pricey and are probably not necessary to reach
your target markets, at least in the beginning.
While some types of advertising might be way outside your start-up
marketing budget, it is important to know what options are available to
you to help you develop your marketing plan. Some paid advertising
techniques might only be useful for big events, like a Grand Opening,
or for a specific marketing campaign. Once your matchmaking
business has started to make a profit, and depending on the target
market you want to reach, you may want to consider some of the more
expensive advertising options.
Online Advertising
The main benefit of paid online advertising is that it allows you to
reach audiences beyond your “followers”, targeting those audiences
as narrowly or widely as you choose. Your advertisements will show
up to people who are not already interacting with your business,
capturing their attention and leading them to your business. This
section will briefly discuss using paid advertising on search engines
and social media to broaden your reach, and increase your business
prospects.
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Search Engine Ads
While registering with online directories is free, you can also pay to
advertise on search engines. You might be saying to yourself, “I’ve just
registered my business on all the online directories so it will show up
in searches. Why do I need to pay for online advertising as well?” Well,
you’re paying so that your business will be the first one people will see
when they search (on the Search Engine Results Pages, or SERPs). This
doesn’t happen automatically for organic searches, and can’t even be
guaranteed with a Google Business Profile.
You can purchase paid advertisements to appear on SERPs. Often
referred to as “pay-per-click” (PPC) advertisements, these paid
advertisements come in many different forms. Some are small, textbased advertisements that show up at the top, along the side or at the
bottom of a search result page (display ads); others blend seamlessly
into the search engine results, and simply have a small “Ad” icon next
to them. Some are more visual advertisements, usually containing
photos of products with prices or text advertising a sale or special offer
(which may be a display ad or a “banner” advertisement that is long
and rectangular).
Paying for search engines ads is not as easy as just paying for an
advertisement and having it displayed or shown to search engine users.
When using paid search engine advertising, you will set a bid for the
maximum amount you are willing to pay every time somebody clicks
on or views your advertisement. Every time an ad space opens up
online, a kind of digital “auction” runs, and the advertising platform
that you are using decides which ads to run based on those who have
entered a bid.
Whether your advertisement is displayed doesn’t only depend on
how much you have bid. For search engine ads, marketers bid on
keywords that they think their target audience will use to search for
their product or service, and set a price that they are willing to pay
each time someone clicks on their ad. When an ad spot opens up on
a search engine, whether your ad is posted or not will depend on a
combination of factors including:
• How relevant the search engine judges your landing page
content to be
• The keywords that you have chosen
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• The price that you are willing to pay per click
If you choose specific search terms that few other advertisers have bid
on, you may be able to attract some visitors to your website for as little
as five cents each.
You can find information about using search engine pay-per-click
advertising on Google Ads, including bidding basics and how to
target internet users in your city. Other sites you can advertise on
include Microsoft Ads and Verizon Native Advertising. There are
also advertising platforms, such as Outbrain and AdRoll, that push
your content to the top of searches on multiple platforms.
Social Media Ads
Many social media sites also offer paid advertising that can be targeted
as widely or as specific to your market as you choose. Targeted
advertising shows your ads specifically to users who are not already
following you, potential customers who are most likely to engage with
your business. You can target based on age, gender, location, social
media activity, and interests, amongst other things. Advertisements
can include “call to action” buttons, which, when clicked, direct to
your website, a specific landing page, your social media profile, or
anywhere you choose.
If you advertise on social media, you will find that there is a large
variety of paid ad types to choose from, depending on the platform
and the type of ad you choose. The most common styles of ads include
a single image or video, or collection of images or videos, with text
and a link or “call to action”.
With some social media platforms, you will be able to choose between
full page views, banner ads, or embedded in the timeline or feed.
Other platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, your advertisement
will appear almost identical to a regular post. This format allows your
ads to be seamlessly integrated into viewers’ feeds. To increase this
effect, you can format your ads to look like regular posts as well. Other
platforms will show your advertisements more obviously. In this case,
you can be bolder with how you present the ad.
The cost of advertising varies based on the social media platform,
targeting, placement, format, and the amount of time you want it to
run, although they are based on cost-per-click (how many times your
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advertisement was clicked) and cost-per-impression (how many times
your advertisement was viewed). You can set a monthly advertising
budget, limiting the amount you are willing to spend.
Just like paid search engine marketing, there is a bidding process that
goes on for paid social media advertisements. While you can always
pay to have a display ad show up (for example, on a social media
platform), whether it reaches your target audience at peak times will
depend on how much you are willing to pay to have your ad shown.
You might bid using a PPC model, or a “pay-per-impression” (PPM)
model. A PPM model is a good choice if your goal is to primarily
increase your brand visibility rather than to have consumers visit a
website. PPM advertising models allow you to choose the number of
times that your ad is displayed, for a set price.
For information and advice on marketing your business on social
media, check out:
• Facebook for Business
• Instagram for Business
• Twitter Business
• LinkedIn Business
• TikTok for Business
Keep in mind that if you choose to invest money into paid social
media ads, you should also invest time into your organic social media
activity; that is, regular engagement on your social media accounts.
If you catch a potential client’s eye with an ad on Twitter, and they
find your Twitter profile largely abandoned, they are unlikely to try
to contact you. See Section 6.3.3 for some ideas about original content
you can create and post on your website and social media accounts to
generate free publicity for your business.
TIP: If you are interested in learning more about online
advertising and digital marketing more generally, you
can check out IAP Career College’s Digital Marketing
Certificate Course.
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Advertising in Newspapers and Magazines
Just because marketing tends to be focused online these days, don’t
assume that advertising in newspapers and magazines is obsolete!
Newspaper and magazine readers tend to be more engaged in what
they’re reading, meaning that your advertising may get more dedicated
attention than a social media ad which can be easily skipped over.
As many publications now have an online presence as well as a print
version, you can run an advertisement in both the print and online
versions. While both may be worth it to you, print advertising can
be expensive, so you may choose to focus online initially to measure
the effectiveness of your advertising before moving to print. Since
paid advertising costs, you will want to determine your target market
(see Section 6.1) to decide how best to advertise in newspapers and
magazines.
You can look for specialty publications in your community, or those
that pertain to your industry, such as local lifestyle magazines, or the
personals section of local newspapers. Read a magazine or newspaper
carefully to see if an advertisement for your business would fit with
the theme of the paper, the articles, and the other ads. Also consider
advertising in newspapers with classified ads for services like yours.
Many publications will provide you with a free media kit with lots
of information about their readership. You can usually find this
information on their website, often at the bottom of the page under
“Advertising”. This information will help you determine if their
readers are the sort of customers you are looking for and if it is the
right publication for your ad. Some publications will design your ad
for free, while others will design it for an additional cost and give you
a copy of the ad that you can then run in other publications if you
wish.
Another way to advertise online in newspapers and magazines is
indirectly, with Google Ads. Through placement targeting, Google
Ads can display your ads as banners on specific websites. You can
choose online newspapers and magazines that are a part of Google’s
Display Network—a directory of all the sites that show Google
advertisements.
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Creating Effective Ads
Some people spend years learning how to create the most effective ads.
Since we do not have years, we’re going to focus on a few key points.
• Create a consistent look and voice, using your brand and
logo to create ads that are recognizably related to your
marketing materials.
• Include your website in your contact information.
• Display information in easy-to-read fonts and use high
contrast for good legibility.
• Emphasize clarity. Too much information just becomes hard
to take in.
• Rather than just listing your services, explain how clients
can benefit from your services.
• Tell readers (or listeners) what you want them to do and
give them a reason to contact you (for example, “Call now
for a free initial consultation!”).
• Get someone to help you proofread. Don’t take the chance of
spending money to publish a print or online ad with errors
in it.
• Make sure you’re available for people who respond to your
ad. If someone keeps getting your voicemail or doesn’t get a
quick response to their email, they may give up.
One of the most effective ways to get people to contact you—and
to test the effectiveness of each ad—is with some sort of incentive.
An incentive can be anything from a discount coupon to a free gift
or a free initial consultation. To measure advertising effectiveness
with coupons, it’s a good idea to list a time limit or expiration date.
Make sure this date is clearly visible on the coupon. It should allow
customers enough time to contact you if they pick up the publication
after the ad goes live, but not so much time that they forget about the
offer, thinking they can use it well into the future. Tie the coupon to a
date that’s easy to remember, such as the end of the month.
For online advertising, you can measure the effectiveness of your
advertising through the analytics that are offered by most social
media applications, as discussed in Section 6.2.4. Social media apps
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like Facebook and Twitter offer data on the levels of user engagement
that can give you a good sense of what works and what doesn’t in
your social media marketing. Their advertising metrics also provide
you with important data about your advertising reach and if users are
clicking to go to your webpage.
TIP: One way to test the effectiveness of your advertising is to
ask clients where they heard of you. You could ask this
question during your initial consultation with clients, or
include it on any evaluation or feedback forms you use. Be
sure to keep a record of the information so you can track
your most effective marketing techniques.
For More Information
If you feel you need a more thorough understanding of the
fundamentals of marketing, consider consulting your local library or
your favorite bookseller for books about marketing your business.
Also check out the SBA’s Marketing 101 for resources on marketing.
Or you could take a short online course to provide you with the basics
of effective advertising; there are many reputable free online courses
available.
6.3.3 Free Media Publicity
One of the best ways to market — with potentially excellent results
for minimal cost — is to get free publicity in the media (magazines,
newspapers, radio, television, and online). While you don’t have the
final say over what gets reported, the exposure can give a boost to
your business. This section describes a variety of ways matchmakers
can get publicity.
TIP: Subscribe to Help a Reporter Out at www.helpareporter.
com to receive a free email newsletter containing requests
from reporters who are seeking experts to interview.
Newspaper and Magazine Publicity
One way to get a story written about your business is to send a press
release (also called a “news release”) to a writer, magazine editor,
or the editor of the appropriate section of the newspaper. The ideal
press release is a single page and should be written so that it could be
published “as is.” Read the magazine or section of the paper where
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you would like to be published and use a similar writing style for your
own news release.
In order to get published, your press release should read like a story,
not an advertisement. A press release that simply announces you
have started your business is not likely to get published, unless there
is something unusual about your business. Instead, consider issuing
press releases to announce events or community activities that your
business is involved with (see Section 6.3.5 for information about
promotional events).
Here is a quick list of tips for writing a press release.
• Make sure the press release is newsworthy. A community
event is newsworthy. A new business is not, unless there is
something particularly interesting about the business.
• Give your press release a strong lead paragraph that
answers the six main questions: who, what, where, when,
why, and how.
• Keep it short. Aim for a maximum of 500 words.
• Include contact information at the end of the press release so
that reporters can get more information.
Most magazines and newspapers publish contact information for
their editors. If the editor’s name is not published in the paper or on
the website, you can call and ask the receptionist. Newspapers may
have dozens of editors, so make sure you send your submission to the
appropriate one (for example, the Lifestyle Editor).
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Sample News Release
Maggie Matchmaker
MaggieMadeAMatch
123 Love Lane
Loversville, USA 12345
(555) 555-1212
matchmaker@email.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2022
Free Workshop on How to Be Successful In Dating
A free workshop promoting success in dating and romantic
relationships will be given at the Loversville USA Chamber of
Commerce, located at 1234 Love Lane, on April 29, 2022 from 7
p.m. to 8 p.m.
Maggie Matchmaker will share dozens of secrets from her years
of experience working in the dating industry, as well as her
response to research studies on compatibility and marriage.
Maggie Matchmaker, President of MaggieMadeAMatch, will
talk about how you can use classic age old advice to succeed in
modern day dating.
For more information, call the Loversville USA Chamber of
Commerce at (555) 555-1234.
As an alternative to writing a press release, you could find out who
the editor is, and either phone or send a brief “pitch letter” by email
or mail to suggest an idea for a story. In your pitch, remember to
focus on something that will be interesting to readers. For example,
you might suggest a story on how to save time and money by hiring
a matchmaker, or unique locations for singles events. Do some
brainstorming or consider a story based on the most common kinds of
questions customers ask you.
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While it is not necessary to submit photographs, they may help attract
an editor’s attention. You can send links to images from your website
or portfolio with your email.
You may even want to compile a “press kit”, which could include
items such as:
• A few images from your portfolio
• A bio and photo of you
• Key facts about your business
• Some FAQs about the matchmaking profession
• Links to any media appearances or articles that show your
expertise
These items can all be “stored” on a page on your website dedicated to
press inquiries. Then send the link to the page every time you send a
press release or pitch letter. This way any interested editor or journalist
has all the information they need about you right at their fingertips.
Television and Radio Talk Shows
Phone local radio and TV shows to let them know you are available
to provide dating and relationship advice to their viewers or listeners.
Shows that might be appropriate include morning shows and afternoon
talk shows. The person to contact is the producer of each show.
When you contact them, be sure to emphasize how much the show’s
audience will benefit from an interview with you. Keep in mind that
they are not interested in giving you free advertising – their ultimate
goal is to improve their ratings, so anyone they interview should be
dynamic and interesting.
Also, keep in mind that many station employees are overworked and
underpaid. If you can make their job easier you are much more likely
to land an interview. The best way to make their job easier is to include
a list of “frequently asked questions” with the letter or news release
you send them. This is a list of questions that you think listeners might
like the answers to. Chances are, whatever you find people asking
your advice about are questions that an audience would be interested
in, as well.
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Write an Article or Column
One of the best ways to get free media publicity is to write articles or
a column for a media publication, such as a newspaper, magazine,
newsletter or website. While it can be tough to break into the larger
media outlets, there may be an opportunity to write for smaller
newspapers, local magazines, or industry-related newsletters or
websites.
You might have to start small — perhaps a community website or even
a throwaway shopping circular. You may even have to pitch five or six
media outlets before finding success. Use your own blog as practice,
building up your journalistic writing skills. Offer to “guest post” on
popular blogs you’ve discovered in your research.
Share these posts widely on your social media accounts and in your
email marketing to clients, and pay attention to which posts get the
most traction. Post on heavily trafficked sites like Medium (https://
medium.com/), which is free to post and will get your content out to
an even wider audience. If you’re effective, you’ll develop a following,
and you should be able to upgrade to more highly trafficked websites,
or a magazine or daily newspaper published in your area.
You could write on any topic related to dating, or propose an “Ask
the Matchmaker” column where you would answer questions from
readers. The length and frequency of your column will depend on
the publication. You might produce a weekly 500-word column for a
local newspaper, or a monthly 1,000-word column for a newsletter or
magazine.
Make sure your article or column provides valuable information to
the publication’s readers. As with press releases, articles that sound
like an ad for your services are not likely to get published. Write
about something in your area of expertise; for example, if you’re a
matchmaker, you could write about how to avoid common mistakes
people make on first dates.
If you are hoping to get published, email the editor and include your
first column or article. Ask if they would be interested in a regular
feature. Be sure to include the link to your press kit and maybe some
links to some of your more popular blog posts. If they want to publish
your article, they may offer to pay you. However, even if they don’t
pay, you should consider letting them publish it in return for including
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a brief bio and your contact information and web address at the end of
the article or column.
6.3.4 Networking
Networking may be a little intimidating at first but is a valuable
marketing tool and one that gets easier every time you use it. So what
exactly is networking? Simply put, it is interacting informally with
people for the purpose of finding new clients. The people you network
with can either be prospective clients, or anyone who could refer you
to clients.
Friends and Family
The first people you should network with about your business are
people who already know you. This includes your friends, family
members, neighbors, former co-workers, members of organizations
you belong to, and anyone else that you have a relationship with.
These are people who are likely to be interested in hearing about your
new business because they are interested in you.
You can tell these people in person that you have started a new business,
but it can be even more effective to mail a personal letter letting them
know that you have opened a business as a matchmaker. Include a
few business cards in the envelope and encourage the recipient to pass
them on to people they know who may benefit from working with a
matchmaker.
While people who know you may send some business your way, you
can greatly increase the number of potential clients you can reach by
meeting and networking with new people.
Networking Clubs
Networking clubs typically include one member each from a variety
of industries (e.g. insurance, financial planning, law, real estate,
etc.). Meetings may include a meal, an opportunity to network, and
presentations by speakers. In some clubs, each member is expected to
bring a certain number of leads to the group each week or month.
To become a member you are either recommended to the group by
an existing member or you might approach the group and ask to sit
in as an observer for a couple of meetings then apply for membership
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if you find the group is a good fit for you. You may be asked to give a
short presentation about your own business and what you can bring
to the group. The types of activities will vary with different groups,
so don’t settle on the first one you visit if they don’t seem to offer
what you’re looking for. Make sure the members represent the kind of
people you’re trying to connect with for clients, or who might know
others who would benefit from your services.
One way to find a networking club is through word of mouth. Ask
people you know who are in sales such as financial planners. You can
also look for networking groups online. Business Network International
(www.bni.com) has more than 2,300 chapters around the world. Also
consider joining a local Meetup group for entrepreneurs. Search for a
local group at www.meetup.com.
Connecting at a Networking Event
To help you strike up a conversation at a networking event, business
consultant Marg Archibald recommends using an elevator pitch and
developing a tag line that you can use to quickly identify yourself
and what you do. If your tag line is interesting or intriguing people
will naturally ask you for more information. You could try something
like:
“I’m Maggie the Matchmaker, and I save singles time, money, and
frustration by helping them find great relationships.”
Once you start talking about your business, ask others about theirs and
show an honest interest in what they do; don’t start scanning the room
for your next prospect. For the next few minutes at least, the person in
front of you is the most important person in the room. Meeting people
and getting to know them a little better is the first step toward effective
networking.
Membership Organizations
Another excellent way to network is by joining associations that
prospective clients may belong to. Some examples include:
• Business organizations such as your Chamber of Commerce
or a group for women business owners
• Service clubs such as Rotary Club or Kiwanis Club
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• Organizations of any group you are already a member of,
such as alumni associations or ethnic groups
• Clubs that attract the wealthy, for example, golf, polo,
yachting, and country clubs
Membership fees may vary from $20 to hundreds or even thousands
of dollars (the latter if you want to join an exclusive country club or
private golf club). The more expensive clubs usually require current
members to introduce you and put you up for membership, so you
may have to join some less exclusive clubs in order to meet people who
might also belong to the more expensive clubs. Many less exclusive
clubs will let you attend a few times for a nominal fee so you can
decide if you really want to join.
Also check out your local chamber of commerce. To find the Chamber
near you, visit www.officialusa.com/stateguides/chambers. In
Canada, visit www.chamber.ca.
If you simply attend club functions without getting involved, the
value of the membership will not be as great as if you truly pitch in.
What sorts of things can you do to help out and gain the attention of
others whose good will can help your business grow? Here are some
suggestions:
• Serve on a committee
• Write articles for the association newsletter
• Volunteer to help out with the organization’s events
• Run for election to the Executive Committee
TIP: You should also join professional organizations in your
industry, such as those discussed in Section 3.3.3. You might
be able to partner with other matchmakers or an established
matchmaker might be able to send work your way. At the
very least you’ll be able to learn more about the industry.
Following Up
Many matchmakers find the best way to sell their services to
prospective clients is with a personal consultation. If you start talking
with someone at a networking event who you think is a good prospect
for your business, you could say something like:
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“Let’s get together for coffee to talk about that. I’d be happy to share
some ideas with you about how I can make introductions to exactly the
type of men you describe you are looking for.”
Alternatively, you might follow up by email or phone with people you
meet at networking events to arrange consultations. If someone asks
you to send information by email, send it within the next day. Make
absolutely certain you spell her name correctly and repeat the email
address back to confirm it. Also ask for her phone number for followup purposes. Call in a couple of days to ensure she received the email
and ask if she has any questions. Then ask if she would like to use your
services or meet for more information.
6.3.5 Promotional Events
Give a Speech or Seminar
Even if you don’t join organizations, you may still be able to connect
with their members and get new business by being a speaker. Many
organizations have speakers for breakfast meetings, luncheons,
workshops, and annual conventions.
Matchmakers could pair up with other like-minded professionals,
such as dating coaches, and offer lectures on dating or an “Ask the
Relationship Expert” Q&A session. A reasonable fee, depending on
the experience and prestige of the matchmaker, could be charged for
admission. Matchmakers can include workshops with exercises and
group activities with a lecture, or market them as a separate event.
These could take place anywhere from a classroom setting like a
community college, adult education center, or church hall to a trendy
lounge or hotel banquet room.
To let people know that you are available to speak, contact networking
organizations, such as those discussed in the previous section or at
earlier points in this course, and ask friends and acquaintances if they
belong to any groups that have presentations from speakers. To prepare
a talk that the audience will find interesting, consider what their needs
are. For example, if you’re speaking to a business networking group,
you might talk on “How to be a savvy digital marketer,” while a
women’s group might be interested in hearing tips on how to lead
men toward commitment from the very first date.
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While you probably will not be paid for your presentations, it can be
an excellent opportunity to promote your business. Your company
name may be published in the organization’s newsletter, it will be
mentioned by the person who introduces you, and you will be able to
mingle with attendees before and after your presentation. You may get
a free breakfast or lunch too!
Instead of or in addition to speaking for organizations, you could
present your own free seminars or workshops. You can hold it at your
office, if you have one, or you may be able to rent a meeting room
inexpensively at your local Chamber of Commerce or a local hotel or
convention center. To help you market your event you could use your
social media accounts or Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.com), or you
set up a Meetup group as www.meetup.com. Although you can ask
people to pre-register, you may get some last minute attendees if you
accept registrations at the door.
To get people to attend, make sure it is a topic that people are interested
in, and present it at a time that is convenient for your audience. If
you are marketing to corporate clients, schedule your event during
business hours. If you are marketing to the public, you’re likely to
have the best turnout on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday evening.
You’re likely to get a larger turnout for a shorter event (e.g. an hour)
than one that lasts for hours.
If you give a good talk and offer useful advice, you will be seen as
an expert. As long as there are people in the audience who need
matchmaking services, this can be an excellent way to attract clients.
On the day that you deliver your speech, be sure you bring plenty of
business cards and brochures so you can hand them out to everyone
who attends. You’ll want people to remember you and have your
contact information if they decide they might be able to use your
services.
If you feel your speaking skills could be better, you can get
experience and become more comfortable talking to groups by joining
Toastmasters, an international organization that helps people develop
their speaking skills. To find a Toastmasters chapter near you, visit
www.toastmasters.org.
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Teach a Class
Teaching a class can be a great way to earn extra money, establish
your reputation, and meet prospective clients. You don’t have to have
a degree to teach adults — just lots of enthusiasm and knowledge of
your subject.
The first step is to review the current catalog of continuing education
courses offered by local colleges, universities and other organizations
that provide adult education classes in your community. Call and
ask for a print catalog if they do not have course information at their
website. Once you have reviewed their current list of courses, come up
with some ideas for new courses. (They already have instructors for
any courses that are in their catalog.)
Once you have an idea for a new course in mind, call the college
or organization and ask to speak with whoever hires continuing
education instructors. They will tell you what you need to do to apply
to teach a course.
Host a Singles Mixer
A matchmaker can charge people for a singles mixer during which
they meet other singles at a bar/restaurant/lounge. These dates don’t
need to be full dinner parties, but two- to four-hour gatherings that
include drink specials, appetizers, open bars or buffets. They may
or may not have a DJ or other form of entertainment. Price would
depend on the matchmaker’s budget as well as the costs of the venue.
Sometimes, business owners will require a minimum per person fee,
perhaps around the range of $25-$35 per person.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing the IAP Career College Matchmaker
Certificate Course! Now that you have familiarized yourself with the
information, advice, and resources in this course, you are well on your
way to starting an exciting new career as a professional matchmaker-congratulations!
We hope that you have found the information helpful, and that you will
continue to refer to it often for answers to your questions, inspiration,
and tips and tricks to excel in your dream matchmaking career.
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Earn a Certificate in Your
Dream Career
The next time someone asks you “Why should I hire you for your
dream career?” or “What are your credentials?” imagine being
able to say: “I am a trained professional with a certificate from the
International Association of Professions Career College!”
Benefits of Having a Certificate in Your
Dream Career
A certificate from the International Association of Professions Career
College may give you:
• Respect as a professional plus a sense of confidence and
achievement
• A competitive advantage when marketing your services
• A credential for your resume when applying for
employment
• Assurance to clients of your professionalism and evidence
of your expertise
• Higher earnings (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics publication Certificates: A fast track to careers)
Now that you’ve read this IAP Career College guide, which is the
textbook for the certificate course, you can earn a certificate in as little
as four weeks part-time from the comfort of your own home. Please
see the following pages for a full list of certificate courses offered.
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Antiques Shop Owner
Art Gallery Owner
Bakery Owner
Bar Owner
Bed and Breakfast Owner
Book Editor
Book Publisher
Bookkeeper
Bookstore Owner
Boutique Owner
Brewery Owner
Bridal Salon Owner
Business
Business Analyst
Business Consultant
Business Ethics
Cake Decorator
Candy Store Owner
Cannabis Business Owner
Career Coach
Caterer
Chocolate Shop Owner
Cleaning Business Owner
Closet Organizer
Coffee House Owner
Craft Store Owner
Cybersecurity Project
Manager
• Dance Studio Owner
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Death Doula
Digital Marketing
Dog Daycare Owner
Dog Walker
Doula Business Owner
Economics
End-of-Life Doula
Errand Assistant
Etiquette Consultant
Event Planner
Executive Assistant
Executive Coach
Fashion Accessories Store
Owner
Fashion Designer
Feng Shui Consultant
Fitness Club Owner
Florist
Freelance Writer
Genealogist
Gift Basket Business
Owner
Gift Shop Owner
Gourmet Food Store
Owner
Graphic Designer
Hair Salon Owner
Handyman Business
Owner
Happiness Coach
Home Decor Store Owner
• Home Stager
• Human Resources
Consultant
• Ice Cream Shop Owner
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Owner
• Life Coach
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• Makeup Artist
• Management
• Management Consultant
• Matchmaker
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Owner
• Office Manager
• Organic Farmer
• Party Planner
• Party Store Owner
• Personal Assistant
• Personal Chef
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• Personal Shopper
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• Pet Hotel Owner
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Pet Sitter
Pet Spa Owner
Professional Organizer
Professional Photographer
Project Manager
Psychology
Public Relations
Consultant
Relationship Coach
Restaurant Owner
Sales Professional
Secondhand Store Owner
Social Entrepreneur
Social Media Consultant
Sociology
Spa Owner
Stationary Store Owner
Tea Room Owner
Teacher of English as a
Foreign Language
Time Management
Travel Consultant
Virtual Assistant
Web Designer
Wedding Planner
Weight Loss Center Owner
Wellness Coach
Wine Store Owner
Winery Owner
Yoga Studio Owner