Let’s not kid ourselves, any new business venture needs help in the early stages of its life and we are no exception. When we took the decision to use our platform to develop Smeetme we did so knowing that we were trying to enter the crowded, noisy space of online dating; where opinions are divided, but opportunities are plentiful. As any industry analyst will confirm a new start up in this market will struggle to be heard, unless they have deep pockets or a clever idea that goes viral. What we see is a growth market with a constant demand; a market that, although dominated by major players, is in need of some fresh ideas and alternative approaches. The research we carried out showed an overwhelming number of users who criticised the online dating experience, citing the boring profiles on dating sites that tell you nothing and therefore make it impossible to get a sense of who anybody really is. This is not a criticism of the site providers as one fact remained constant; alot of the the people we came across kept going back for more. Maybe the problem partly lies in the imbalance between the expectation people set when they engage in ‘online dating’ and the reality of the experience itself.
The concept of Smeetme may not be the answer, but we believe it is a step in the right direction. We’ve all been to those parties or social gatherings where there are people attending that we don’t know. This can sometimes lead to an awkward atmosphere, often requiring the host to try and break the ice. They may try simple introductions or even a game of some sort, but once the ice breaks the conversation often flows, leaving everyone feeling more at ease and enabling people to learn a lot more about each other. My wife and I have often left parties making comments like ‘he was a really nice guy, very funny’ or something similar. The point is, once the ice is broken it is easier to learn about people through their personalities, the way they answer a question or react to a situation; all of which helps form a mental picture of them in our minds.
The online dating experience is like one of these parties, but without the host. Each guest is left to their own devices, unsure of the rules of engagement and hoping someone else will break the ice. Yes the site providers can add cool functions like video chat to encourage dialogue, but these are often provided without any context. I wonder how many members look at these functions and think ‘I don’t know what to say’. All of this is a shame as we believe that something like Smeetme provides the ideal ice breaker. Whilst being fun, it also gives the context in which two people can engage in dialogue. It also adds that vital extra level of interaction to the experience that will encourage people to express their personalities enabling them to discover if any chemistry exists or not.
You maybe thinking at this stage that if sending and receiving a Smeetme is as good as we say, why seek out partners? The answer is we want as many people as possible in the world to let their hair down, have a bit of a laugh, brighten up somebody else’s day, learn something about themselves and maybe, just maybe, get excited enough to actually want to meet up in person. Smeetme is the tool but accessing partner channels is the answer. We want people to be able to go to their favourite online dating site, see someone they fancy and click the button that says ‘request a Smeetme’. This does not mean we won’t try and grow www.smeetme.com, but we have to be realistic and our business has a clear plan and vision.
If you are reading this and would like to talk to us about possible partnerships, then please call Andrew Thomas on +44(0) 7870556896 or email andy@connectedthought.co.uk.
We have added the new Smeetme video to the web site and placed it on youtube. The intention is to create further videos in the coming months that set out why the Smeetme experience is so good. Watch this space.
We need a cool and funky logo designing for our new game Spontaniac. If you are interesting in entering a design pop over to 99 designs.com and have a go. I have posted a brief on the site so you should have all the information you need. If you do want to ask any questions just send me a email andy@connectedthought.co.uk. Thanks.
I feel a bit naive saying this now but I was really shocked to discover a thriving business selling fake profiles to dating sites. Clearly not every site is doing this and many must have worked hard over the years to build up clean membership database, but there can’t be supply without some demand. We can buy 1000 profiles for about $95 on the web. Having just launched Smeetme we know how hard it is going to be to get the numbers up in the online search section but it goes against everything we believe in to simply shove a load of fake profiles in there to make it look busy. Smeetme Online is about meeting new people online (obviously), having a laugh, using the games to explore each others personalities and maybe, just maybe deciding its worth while meeting up. Fake profiles anyone? No thanks.
