INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY -- Apr 24 -- Christie Nightingale is owner of Premier Match, a traditional matchmaking firm in NYC launched in 2000 ($6500 membership for 12+ matches, 400 clients). Despite stiff competition from the Net, she says her revenue is surging 30% annually. Premier Match found that competition from the Internet hasn't undercut its business. Ironically, it may be helping to grow it by making dating services with a human touch more alluring in a very digital world. Most clients are in their 30s and 40s. 60% women, 40% men.
Mark Brooks: I just flew up to Boston to check out the The Right One / Together Dating's services. They invited me to mystery shop them. More soon ;-)
As a personal matchmaker, I'm thrilled that online dating exists. I don't think of Match.com or JDate or Plenty of Fish as competition at all, rather just another viable option for smart single love seekers trying our various tactics and solutions.
These days in my personal matchmaking division, I'm enjoying taking clients on for no longer than 3-6 months. In that time I'll flood them with lots and lots of connection opportunities and as much coaching and feedback and learning as they want (and can stomach...) If at the end of their active search program with Cupid's Coach, we've not found The One, I am happy to refer them to my online dating service division or to another matchmaker or dating solution.
Really, if we have our clients' best interests in mind, we should consider our industry colleagues as just that -- colleagues, not competitors.
We will never, ever saturate the single marketplace. Relationships are far too challenging these days for that to ever be a reality...
The options we have for single people today beat the heck out of what was available to me as a single girl in the 80's -- remember those yukky newspaper personal ads? I sure do!
Julie Ferman
Founder, CEO
CupidsCoach.com
Posted by: Julie Ferman | May 02, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Julie, I couldn’t say it any better…you’re 100% correct.
As the largest, off-line dating operator in the U.S. (coming off its best year) we also consider the online industry as our colleague. There’s not a week that goes by that I’m not speaking with an online dating site about monetizing leads and brainstorming on new services.
It’s great to be working as ONE industry.
Terry Fitzpatrick
COO
The Right One, Together Dating, eLove.com
Posted by: Terry Fitzpatrick | May 02, 2007 at 02:07 PM