In the era of online dating, you would be forgiven for thinking that matchmakers and traditional agencies are a dying breed, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. While online dating apps have attracted the attention of singletons worldwide offering the premise of easy dating, many people have quickly become disenchanted with the labour-intensive scrolling of potential dates, the casual hookups and the alarming number of fake profiles.
When looking for a potential life partner you are essentially looking for a joint CEO
of your life. Someone who shares your values, aspirations and lifestyle and is genuinely looking for a long-term committed relationship – all areas where dating apps can fall short. As a result, there are a vast number of matchmaking and introduction agencies out there to help those looking for love, but with so many to choose from how do you know which is the right agency for you? Our guide on selecting a dating agency will reveal all.
Extensive expertise to help you get the best from your dating journey
You wouldn’t buy a car from a pushy salesman with no credentials, so why should outsourcing your dating journey to a professional be any different? While it is easy to play matchmaker for friends and family who you know well, it is an entirely different ball game when it comes to finding that life partner for a client.
An experienced matchmaker will spend some time getting to know all the little details that make you, you. It is not simply enough to know who you are and what it is you want from a partner. Sometimes the smallest nuggets of information that you give can help experienced matchmakers find a partner with similar interests, ambitions and aspirations. These nuggets can be crucial if you are to find that successful lifelong partnership you are looking for – but can be glossed over by inexperienced matchmakers, leading to unsuitable matches and a delay to your dating journey.
Matchmakers can help you learn so much about yourself too. You may think you know exactly what you want in a partner but find that after a few conversations with your matchmaker, they raise some good points that cause you to re-evaluate what you are really looking for in a relationship. Utilising the expertise of an experienced matchmaker when selecting a dating agency, can lead to more successful and fulfilling relationships overall, not to mention more fun and less stress on the dating journey as you go through!
Reputation and knowledge of the industry is priceless
When looking to select an agency, bear in mind that reputation and knowledge of the industry can be key differentiators when it comes to finding that perfect partner for you. Like most industries, technology and new fads have an impact on the dating sector and every year, new platforms or trends arise to “help” those looking for love, creating a minefield when looking for the one that is right for you.
Knowledge of the dating industry is key, and you will find that most reputable agencies have either been around for a long time or they are run by individuals with extensive expertise and previous roles within the industry. Always ask about the agency history as this will give you a good insight into how the agency came about and the people that are behind it.
This goes hand in hand with reputation. Matchmaking agencies that have been operating for a substantial length of time or run by individuals that have been involved in the industry for a long time generally have a stronger reputation than those that haven’t. Reputation is not something that can be bought, so look out for reviews and testimonials from clients as this will give you a good indicator as to how others have found the journey. Coverage in well-respected media publications is also a good indicator of those with strong reputations as it showcases their expertise and knowledge of the industry in an unbiased way.
Identity checks and in-depth interviews for peace of mind
One of the biggest downfalls of dating apps and unreputable agencies is the lack of checks, allowing people to be whoever they want to be. This makes them a prime location for fraudulent profiles and cybercriminals looking to prey on the unsuspecting and vulnerable.
Safety and security are high priorities for matchmaking and introduction agencies, and they will always carry out ID checks to make sure that every individual is legitimate and who they say they are. After all, they do not want to introduce a client to somebody that has not been through the same verification process that their clients have undertaken.
Qualifications speak a thousand words
Matchmakers and relationship coaches or therapists are completely different entities. While matchmakers make good sounding boards to discuss the emotionally-charged process of looking for love – often providing support and encouragement along the way – they are not qualified professionals trained to provide advice and opinions on matters of relationships or emotional disorders.
If services like these are necessary, a reputable agency will have specially trained professionals that they can refer you to rather than giving you that advice and guidance themselves, unless they have the qualifications to support it.
While selecting a dating agency that is reputable is important, it is even more important that you choose a matchmaker that is right for you. You will be working closely with this individual and have to trust them to understand you and what you are looking for, in order to find that perfect partner for you. To build this close working relationship you need to be sure that they are open, honest and empathetic towards your situation. Your matchmaker will use their skills, emotional intelligence and time to help you find the life partner for you – and trust us, once you’ve found the right agency and matchmaker for you, you’ll be glad you put your love life in their very capable hands.
At Ignite Dating, we pride ourselves on our extensive expertise, knowledge and understanding of the industry to ensure that you get the best out of your dating journey. Our expert matchmakers have a decade of combined experience under their belts and using a mixture of Myers Briggs personality profiling, intuition and proficiency, we will help you to find the perfect partner for you. Your dedicated matchmaker will work closely with you to get a better understanding of what it is that you are looking for in a relationship before presenting you with carefully selected and vetted matches so you can begin your journey to achieving the ultimate goal of a lifetime partner. Ready to commit? Get in touch and let us find the perfect partner for you.
