Six tips for taking your online relationship offline

These days, more and more singles are giving the traditional methods of meeting potential partners a miss. Instead of relying on introductions by mutual friends, hanging around in bars or nightclubs, attending social functions, and so on, they are signing up to a social media or dating sites. Social media is everywhere these days, and whether or not you are an active user of the likes of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or any of the other outlets, there is every chance you at least dabble and one or more of these and in modern world its hard to deny the profound impact of social media on relationships. These can be such a convenient way of getting to know someone, and it can all be done from the comfort of your own home. But even if you click with someone in the online environment, the time will come when you have to introduce yourself in a social setting. This can be tricky, but here are six tips towards making the transition as seamless as possible.

Always be truthful when communicating online

With social media, there is sometimes the temptation to hide behind the mask of anonymity. When communicating by messages, the person on the receiving end has no way of gauging how accurate your statements are. There can be a temptation to spin tales or perhaps embellish hobbies to make yourself appear more interesting. However, when you eventually meet face-to-face, ‘untruths' will be brought under the spotlight. So the golden rule is, don't tell any porkies!

Choose a realistic date location

Nothing could be more off-putting to a prospective partner than being invited to some suitable venue for that all-important initial date. Think carefully about suggesting where to meet up, and keep these locations neutral. Choose a pleasant bar or an outing to see a popular film. If you happen to be a fan of something like ice hockey or WWE wrestling, suss out how whether these would be of any interest to your partner.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself

Sometimes people see the first date like an initiation test. Before heading out to the rendezvous, they might go considerable lengths selecting outfits or fussing over hairstyles, or simply fretting about what sort of impression they are going to make. But don't see this date is something which is going to define your life. Try and approach this offline encounter from a more relaxed perspective.

Don't put off taking your relationship offline

How do you choose the optimum moment for taking your online relationship into the offline world? While there is no definitive answer, it would be far better to do so in the shorter-term rather than putting it off for a considerable time. While it can be fun making someone's acquaintance virtually, you will never really get to know the real person until meeting them face-to-face.

Think about what you are going to talk about

How well you connect when you take things offline will hinge on the chemistry you can develop. If there many gaps in the conversation, this will make both parties doubtful about getting together for date number two. So it would be worthwhile planning conversation topics in advance. This doesn't mean producing a notebook from your pocket at opportune moments. Simply mull over some generic subjects beforehand, such as favorite films or amusing incidents which happened at work.

Have clear goals about what you want to achieve

Agreeing to meet up for your first offline date is certainly where you should be focusing your attention but you should also pay due consideration to the future aspirations you might have. You should look upon this initial encounter in the context of how you would like your relationship to progress. Where will you invite your new partner for the next date? How soon will this occur? Are there things you could do differently when you meet up for this follow-on liaison? All of these questions will help build your confidence.