Brad Megahan & Paul Falzone, President & CEO, eLove.com

OPW INTERVIEW - Nov 1 - eLove was developed by traditional matchmakers, and by the former CEO of LoveAccess.com. I caught up with eLove’s founders, Brad Megahan and Paul Falzone. (Full Disclosure: eLove is a former client of Courtland Brooks) - Mark Brooks

Listen to the interview

You’ve been rather busy over the last year or two. What matchmaking companies have you partnered with in the last year?
We have partnered with Julie Ferman’s Cupid’s Coach, who was voted the #1 matchmaker last year at the iDate Awards. Julie’s presence in the L.A. market, her expertise and coaching, as well as running a lot of symposiums on matchmaking would be advantageous to us to partner with. We have also partnered with Singles Station, Charlee Brotherton’s company, which is now eLove. And there are others that we’re still looking at.

We’ve targeted 10 markets to pursue over the next 6 to 12 months. They are all relatively large markets – Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Atlanta, Seattle, Pittsburg, Portland, Orlando, and Cleveland. And as more of our marketing is starting to take a national nature, we feel the need to have a larger footprint so we’re putting all the people in place to be able to support those additional locations. We have 50 physical offices in 42 cities in the US.

Tell us a bit more about eLove. eLove is really more about matchmaking. How have users benefited from your many years of genuine matchmaking experience on eLove? What is the user experience for them?
We look at eLove as a lifestyle company where our matchmaking is more of our concierge service. We’ve got 5 matchmaking centers across the US and we have a centralized matchmaking center where we are willing to work with people one on one and coach them. So we’re basically a life stage company that is going to encompass everything from coaching to long term relationships.

How is the matchmaking industry doing as distinct from the internet dating industry? How do the two industries compare and contrast in terms of the trajectory of growth?
The matchmaking and the online dating industry need to work in harmony as opposed to bid for the same traffic. We feel that working with matchmaking companies, as well as online companies, which has been a huge growth spurt for us. We do rev shares with these companies and some of these companies are making more money working with us and supplying us leads and getting percentages back from us on a rev share than they’re making doing their own venues.

Conversion rates are similar to the online companies. We’ve got the ability to grab the traffic and generate leads for ourselves. So we’re self sufficient all the way around.

How much do you charge?
We charge $3000 – $7000, depending on the level of service. Our average cash per membership is probably $3,000, but we’re dealing with a little heavier volume because we’re aggressive with our marketing. A lot of these matchmakers that are charging $20,000 to $25,000 plus are dealing with a very limited number of members so they don’t have any real volume to generate revenue. The industry gets black eyes and reputation starts being questioned if sometimes people take other people’s money for the sake of taking their money and not trying to get a good result. You have to have good intentions of what you’re going to do with the member once you bring them in. That is the beginning of your relationship, not the end of it.

Yes, it is so important to set expectations. I have to tell you if I were single I would be using a matchmaker. I would use Julie so I’m so glad she’s on board with you. Julie will go beyond her database. She will actually look beyond her fold of members. That is kind of a limitation with some matchmaking firms.
Julie Ferman is a perfect example of someone who is not in it for the money. Julie will do WIT “Whatever It Takes” to make that person have a relationship. And Julie is smart enough that she will not take business on the terms of: “Hi I got $25,000 and I’ll give it to you, find me a girl that is 17 years younger than me that wants to have babies immediately.” Don’t take that person’s money because the chances of that happening are very slim.

So let’s talk about numbers. Let’s say I’ve got half a million unique a month and I’ve got several thousand paying members and I can quite easily send you 1,000 good leads a month. What is that going to be worth to you? I ideally want to get paid on a per registrant basis within net 30. I send you a lead and I get the money within a month. On that basis what can you pay me?
We can pay you either by the lead, give you a check for $20,000 or give you a rev share at 20% of the value of the memberships that we sold off of that database. We’re converting 7 to 9% of our traffic just like online but at a much higher price point. And we’re getting them that money within 7 to 10 days after that has been executed.

See all posts on eLove
See all posts on Cupid'sCoach

See all executive interviews

Comments

[Conradmorris]

Very interesting on the advantages of online and offline working together. Will be fascinating to see how this plays out in the UK as well.

[LM]

Don't sign any contract with these people. It's simply a rip-off. If you are fat or chubby, then you get maybe the right woman, but if you are intelligent and attractive, forget it.

They promise you everything it takes, thus you sign and PAY. Then you get nothing for that.

The company changed name, it was called "The Right One" before. Now it's called "The Ideal Match" ... but it's the same people, same tricks.

They had many law suits against them regarding "The Right One", and therefore they decided to change name. Maybe they changed their contracts as well, thus it will be even harder for you to fight at the court to get your money back.

Check following websites for more information:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-right-one-san-diego

http://www.10news.com/news/23664300/detail.html

You can also search the web for "The Right One", "KAM Management", "eLove", etc. .... same scam. It's all run by the same owners.

[BizMan]

Have to agree with the above post. These dating companies are a big scam. I went to one of the 'interviews' and even signed a contract. After I signed the contract there were more things to sign and the salesman (not really a counselor or match maker) would not accept my criteria of age range, ethnicity, and distance...this is all after my credit card went through. I've accepted that I was scammed and am working on getting some of my money back.

I should have searched the internet for complaints before hand. Complaints are pretty consistent and it looks like many people are trying to get a class action lawsuit together.

My 'counselor' was full of lies and probably should rethink his facebook page...too funny. He also came across as a racist because when I said I would date and African-American he wouldn't check the box and then after I got him to check it he said "we don't have black people anyway."

Nice outfit!

[Michael Comberiate]

I totally agree that the company now called "elove" is a rip-off scam. The interviewer has all the right promises but she is not the matchmaker. The matchmaker is not even using all the criteria that you laid out in detail with the interviewer. Hence, you continually get "matches" who do not even match your basic criteria like Height.
I'm a 64 year old guy who is physically more like 44. However, most woman I would like to date, who I think could keep up with me, would reject the idea based solely on the age difference. Hence, I felt that an intermediate matchmaker would make the case from me and overcome what would be a faulty pre-conceived notion. That is why it was to be worth paying tens times more than any other on-line dating service would charge. However, this is just a scam and all you are going to get is random matches not even as good as those you would pick yourself on "Match.com". Then they totally refuse to refund your money in spite of their breach of contract. To them,all they have to do after you sign the contract, is to give you 9 names and they're done. Your criteria have nothing to do with it. They told me what I already knew, ie that women around 50 will naturally think a guy 64 is too old. So even if my case were as different as I feel it is, they are not able to do what they promised. Still they want to keep my money. If there is any class action suit against this Scam then count me in.

[[email protected]]

I am interested in this class action. How may I contact you?

[Debra Hobbs]

Rip-Off is a complete understatement. I support every post that highlights the FRAUDULENT practices of this company !!!! Count me in for a class action lawsuit, please.

[Beverly Bruno]

eLove is totally phoney. The interviewer scams and spins this fantasy and tells you how she met her love on eLove. I now highly doubt that. The "matchmaker" has never met me, has no clue what would actually be a match for me. My personality or what i am like to really talk with one on one. She is working off of a candid picture, no makeup, messy hair, etc. i hve trid to mke n ppointmnt to meet her. in almost a year there have been two "matches" that have absolutely nothing in common with me physically, emotionally, intellectually or with interests. In fairness, i was on hold for four monts due to illness. i have been back since January. so far one man -- no teeth, crumpled clothes and a WILD white untrimmed flying beard. This "match" nd 10 minute meet cost me $500. Calls to the counselor are met with arrogance, lies and stalls. Requests for my money back are met with threats of freezing my account if I attempt to go public or talk to an attorney and still not returning my money. She is the (mis)manager. eLove is the biggest farce and ripoff. BEWARE!!!

[[email protected]]

Yes

[Alicia Hardisky]

I paid good money for this "service". Now the terms of my contract have not been met but they are refusing to respond to my calls and emails. How can I sue? Will it do any good to report them - again - to the Better Business Bureau?