If you like some one you may have to ask them for a date. For men this is standard practise and for women, this process is becoming increasingly common. If you are thinking of asking someone on a date consider the following quick dating tips:

1. Why are you asking them out, is it for the right reasons and what do you expect as a result of them saying yes or no?

2. Be prepared that the person you ask may say no and in which case do not take the rejection personally.

3. When asking someone out choose your moment carefully and practise what you might say in advance so that you don't appear tongue-tied.

4. If the person you ask says yes, ensure you already have thought of a place, date and time for the date so that you display signs of thoughfulness.

5. Be prepared for the person asking why you want to date them so that you are able to flatter and create a sense of trust immediately. People can be wary and they may want to know some reasosn behind your request. Better, anticipate this by saying "would you like to come to dinner, I have always thought you are great fun..".

6. Make sure that your request for a date does not pressurize the person in any way. If they want to think about it, let them. But don't chase.

7. Make sure that when you ask someone on a date you smile and keep things fun and happy. Being confident and smiley will elicit a far more positive response.

8. Always have an alternative date and time or location in mind should the person be unsure of their diary. Giving a person a choice is often a marketing masterstroke.

9. If the person says no, don't chase for a reason, simply move on. They may think about things and get back to you with a yes response later.

10. If you ask someone on a date, make sure that you actually intend to go through with it. Standing people up is not allowed.

Advice for a Successful Speed Dating Outing

Tip 1: Be Prepared!

The funny thing about speed dating is that you only have six to ten minutes to decide who you consider long term partner material! You might as well make the best of it and have some solid questions prepared. Its also beneficial to have answers for these questions at the ready! Think about the most common types of questions you are likely to be asked and prepare a short response for each There is nothing worse than stumbling for words in situation where you only have a few minutes to make that all important first impression.

It is also a good idea to prepare a mini "Personal Infomercial" -- A (very) short 1 to 2 minute biography about yourself that highlights some positive aspects of your personality. Have it memorized and ready to blurt out at a moment's notice! And remember, there will be a pop quiz at your next speed dating event!

Tip 2: Top Questions!

Here are some very popular speed dating questions to ask:

* What are you most proud of in your life?
* Is religion important to you?
* What do you do for fun?
* Why did your last relationship end (Break-Up)?
* Do you want to get or have you ever been married?
* Do you want or do you have any children?
* If we got into an argument, how would we settle it?
* Where do you see yourself in five years?
* What do you do for work?
* Is sexual compatibility important to you?
* What do you look for in a (boy/girl)friend/spouse?

Tip 3: Fun Questions:

Sometimes, it is better to show a sense of humor than to appear overly serious at the first, here are some humorous questions you can use to break the ice:

* Do you kiss on the first date? If so, how soon can we go out?
* (Answer to:) How did your last relationship end?
Not with a restraining order I hope?!
* Do you have any cute friends? (brothers, sisters?)
* What is your favorite drink?
* How many hours a day do you spend working on your my-space page?
* I know we just met and this might seem a little sudden ... but could I borrow two thousand dollars?
* You wouldn't mind if my mom joined us if we go out on a date, would you?
* Didn't I meet you in 2002 at the Star Trek Convention in St Louis?
* Could you excuse me? My cat gets lonely if he doesn't hear my voice on the answering machine every hour.
* Do you give your pets birthday and Christmas presents?
* If there was an extra hour in the day, what would you spend it doing?
* Have you attended a high school reunion yet?
* What is your favorite number?
* If you could be any animal what would you be?
* If you could have any car in the world, what would it be?

Tip 4: Be Confident!

Show Confidence, Even If You Don't Feel Confident! People like their partners to show confidence. The truth is you can "Fake it until you make it". In other words, in the course of "acting" confident, you actually train yourself to be more confident! Try it, it works!

Tip 5: Make Introductions

Many times, a speed dating event is segmented by age, so you only meet singles in your age bracket. That's just one reason why it always pays to introduce yourself to as many singles as time permits. You never know when you may meet again!

Tip 6: Don't Be a Whiner

In other words, have a positive attitude going into the event. If you immediately look around, and decide, "There is no-one here for me", or "I should be with the young ones over there", You have already closed your mind to being successful. Keep an open mind, be pleasant, grin and bear it!! Who knows what connections you might make later on as a result!!

The relatively new phenomenon for online dating has caused a revolution in the way we think about and form romantic attachments. It has opened up levels of communication enormously, making it possible for us to form bonds with people on the other side of the world, track down our soul mate or just go for a couple of drinks with a new friend. But where does the true value of this service lie? Is it just an easy way to meet new people on a casual basis or can true love really be found in this way?

Like-minded people

Well, first and foremost, online dating creates a platform for people to declare ‘I’m looking for a date and I’m not afraid to shout about it’. There’s no umming and ahing where you waste hours in a bar trying to catch the eye of someone who might not be looking for anything. It therefore sidesteps that initial awkward meeting moment and cuts right to the truth. This means that quite often people on a dating site are looking for more serious relationships as they have made the effort to go somewhere where they can find like-minded relationship-seeking people. It would be much easier to go to a bar to find something casual than go through the lengthy progress of signing up to a dating site. This, therefore, suggests that online dating is populated by more serious people than time-wasters.

Niche sites

Even if a few people are just looking for no-strings-attached flings online, niche sites help to separate out the different groups and direct traffic in the right direction. For example, there are online dating sites specifically for casual relationships and even ones for extra-marital affairs. The existence of sites like these means less of this clientele sign-up for the normal sites. Also, there are niche sites on the opposite end of the spectrum designed for those looking for committed, long-term attachments. These even go so far as to call themselves ‘relationship sites.’ So, whatever you’re looking for, by going to the right place and the right niche, you’re bound to find it. Online dating can be whatever you want it to be by using these hugely varying niche sites.

Compatibility matcher

Some people might consider online dating as a rather shallow experience. Profile pictures and vague information showing age, location, hobbies etc are after all one of the first things you look at when you click on a match. However, this is no different to a face-to-face dating situation where the initial attraction is of course generated on mainly physical terms. But, some online dating services let you get a bit further under the surface before a picture even appears. The ‘compatibility matcher’ is a feature on many online dating sites which takes your credentials, favorite pastimes and all other information and attempts to match you with someone who compliments your profile. Although the detail involved in this varies, some websites ask an extensive number of questions in a lengthy personality survey, really trying to capture your full personality profile. This way, the only people who come up as your ‘matches’ – and therefore the only people you make potentially shallow judgments on in terms of photos and age etc – will already have a personality and a lifestyle and moral values that sit close to your own. This tool certainly makes online dating the place to meet your soul mate rather than a casual short-term date.

So whether you’re in Bristol or in London online dating, finding love on the web is a definite possibility. Just make sure you’re on the right site and using the time-saving soul-mate-finding compatibility matcher!