Hot Tips For Valentine’s Day

 

From Rachel Greenwald author  of

Step #1: The night itself

Next Sunday night, February 14^th, I want you to make a date with yourself to find new love prospects right from home. Your date begins at 7:00pm—be sure to look good, so you feel good about yourself, even though you're home alone. Make a list of six friends to call between 7:00pm and 8:00pm: singles, marrieds, male, female, old high school friends, anyone you haven't spoken to in awhile. Some won't be home, but if you dial six, you'll likely end up speaking with 2 or 3. Catch up with them on their lives, and then directly ask if they know anyone to fix you up with. Tell them that "love is in the air tonight" and would they please play cupid for you?

Next, from 8:00pm to 9:00pm, plant yourself in front of your computer and do the same thing with email and Facebook: reach out to six or more friends and wish them "happy valentines day" and ask them to play cupid for you.

Your goal is to snag 2 fix-ups by the end of the night. This evening may feel a tad embarrassing, but your friends don't perceive it that way, I promise! They truly want to help you find love. This is a proactive "date" to turn lemons on Valentines Day into strawberry lemonade by the following week!

Step #2: Right now!

With a week left before Valentines Day, don't sit around and feel glum: there's something very productive you can do! I want you to send a Valentines card to everyone you know (at least 100 people)! Think of this like a "direct mail campaign." This love holiday is the perfect opportunity to communicate with your "best customers" (i.e., friends, family, and acquaintances) and remind them that you'd love to meet someone wonderful. Here's how to make it work:

1) Find your best photo and make 100 copies to include in your cards (the photo copies should only cost about $30 total). If you don't have an existing photo you love, simply ask a friend to take one with a digital camera. Make it a fun photo in an active setting: hiking, biking, or painting. Your photo conveys that you're enjoying your life, but I'd love to have someone to share it with.

2) Insert the photo in your card and send it out to absolutely everyone you know, including not only all your friends, colleagues, and neighbors, but your dentist, doctor, realtor, and high school math teacher. You want everyone to see how great you look, so they'll feel good about fixing you up.

3) Spend the time to hand-write a personal note on each card. Perhaps set a goal of writing 14 cards each night over the next 7 days. Include a brief note customized to the recipient, and then most importantly, include this line at the end: "P.S. In honor of Valentines Day, I have decided this is the year that I am going to find someone wonderful with whom to spend my life. Do you know anyone to fix me up with?"

So make Valentines Day count this year: be proactive not only on the night of February 14^th, but throughout this coming week leading up to it. By next year at this time, I know you'll have a romantic dinner for two on your calendar!