Global Love Report

Author: Pamela Lugten

  • Global Love Spotlight: Eiléen Lee-Connor

    GLR Spotlight is an interview series featuring Matchmakers, Dating Coaches & Relationship Experts

    Global Love Report – December 7, 2022
    Interviewed by Global Love Report

    GLR Spotlight was created to feature some of our industry peers as a way for our community to get to know one another – Learn from what has worked successfully, as well as gain different perspectives and insights into various business strategies. We hope to continuously grow as an industry together by sharing these best practices with everyone!

    About Eiléen Lee-Connor

    Eileen Lee Connor

     

     

    Eiléen Lee-Connor is the Founder of Dubai Matchmaker, an exclusive matchmaking service based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She has spent more than 15 years living and working in Dubai; helping clients with their business expansion plans and their marketing.

    She first worked as a global scout for a matchmaking agency before she established her very own matchmaking company that focuses on finding long-term partners for expats.

     

     

     

     

    Global Love Report (GLR): What was your career before entering the matchmaking industry?

    Eiléen Lee-Connor (ELC): I’ve been based in Dubai since 2007 (from NY/ London/ Paris/ Seoul) as a serial entrepreneur, marketing consultant, beauty expert and now one of the first certified matchmakers and date coaches here curating connections for age 35+ single men and women in the UAE (and around the world).

    While I was mainly dedicated to personal branding, thought leadership, and strategic business partnerships as a marketer, the pandemic has really highlighted how important human relationships are to mental/ physical health and overall happiness. Dubai is brilliant at embracing business and innovation as the ‘City of the Future’, however DubaiMatchmaker.com is focused on helping to build meaningful lasting personal relationships as an alternative to apps and a safer, more personalized or intuitive approach to introductions.

    GLR: Why did you decide to become a matchmaker?

    ELC: Actually, I have been matchmaking all my life for friends and family due to my passion for research, sharing advice and tips, as well as obsessing about love stories at all ages and stages in life.

    With the recent changes in Dubai’s local regulations, I felt it was finally time to bring this much needed traditional service to all the lonely expats living here. I had already been a regional scout for an elite matchmaking agency based in London and NY for about 6 years and my long journey with relationships, marriage, single parenting, and divorce have given me tremendous empathy and understanding of how or why people find themselves here alone and ready for lasting love.

    It just made perfect sense to turn my long history of life lessons and transitions into a game plan that others can benefit from as well.

    GLR: Did your perception of what a matchmaker is/does change after being certified?

    ELC: My basic idea of matchmaking has only been strengthened since learning the endless intricacies of relationships and behavioral trends from the Global Love Institute’s mentors as well as from all the students who call in weekly from all over the world.

    Throughout the course, our passionate group has been incredibly supportive sharing regional or cultural sensitivities and problem solving a variety of concerns including how to be a solo entrepreneur, disseminating best practices for business set-up, database automation or marketing, brainstorming scenarios to better match difficult clients, and a host of other invaluable behind-the-scenes information that will lead to our eventual success as a matchmaker or date coach.

    GLR: What are you looking forward to as a matchmaker?

    ELC: It sounds trite, but it’s not only intoxicating but addictive helping our community identify a lifetime of subconscious patterns that may have been holding them back from genuinely connecting with a soul mate.

    I never feel more alive than witnessing a client light up when they meet that person who might indelibly change both their lives. This is my happy place and what I have been training for my entire life, whether I realized it or not!

    GLR: Which cities or region do you cover?

    ELC: While I am focused on building my confidential singles database in Dubai and the region, I have also partnered with a number of seasoned matchmakers around the world. This allows me to not only continue to help my transient expat clientele even when they move on, but to take on and match new clients anywhere in the world!

    GLR: Have you met any other matchmakers? If so, how has that experience been? Are you open for collaboration in the future?

    ELC: I love meeting other matchmakers! The collaborative nature of this industry is one of my favorite aspects of being a matchmaker. It takes two to make a perfect match so if I am holding the key to someone’s happiness in my database, it makes sense for me to help another matchmaker create that all important spark for both our clients!

    I hope to attend some of the Global Love conferences in person very soon once my business gets off the ground. We are always learning from one another so absolutely reach out if you would like to partner or collaborate with me.

    GLR: Do you have any words of advice for people who are still considering if they want to be a matchmaker or not?

    ELC: If you are inclined and curious about matchmaking and are an outgoing people person, I would definitely recommend going through the certification course.

    Everyone should take a class on learning how to date so the insights and procedures this course exposes to you are not only invaluable to your own relationships at any stage, but it will allow you to recognize familiar patterns and solutions for countless friends and family. Not only will it make you the most popular person in any room due to the nature of discussing love and loss, it’s also the type of education that you can continue to build upon as you navigate society wherever you end up in the world!

    GLR: Thank you so much for your time, Eiléen!

    Wish to be Featured?
    Contact us: Media@GlobalLoveInstitute.com
    (Image source: Pexels)

  • Matchmakers’ Top 3 Paid Ads Platforms

    paid ads platforms

    Global Love Report – November 30, 2022
    Written by Pamela Stephanie

    Marketing is an important aspect of any business but arguably, it’s even more so for professionals in the offline dating industry. It’s a way for new and established businesses to gain new clients.

    According to our 2021 Industry Survey, around 49% of offline dating industry professionals utilize paid advertising to promote their business.

    And of all the types of paid ads platforms that matchmakers and dating coaches can use, which ones are the most popular ones? Here’s our Top 3 countdown:

    3. Instagram Ads

    Almost 16% of the survey’s respondents use Instagram ads—along with other paid platforms—to advertise their business. And it’s no wonder: advertising on Instagram can be a great way to promote your matchmaking or coaching business.

    Engagement rate on Instagram is generally better than on other platforms, for example. And, as Instagram is under Meta, you will also have the option to target your audience. Additionally, Instagram ads in general tend to be non-intrusive and less likely to appear jarring for users.

    2. Facebook Ads

    Facebook Ads is the second choice for matchmakers and coaches when it comes to paid ads platforms. 23% of survey respondents utilize this platform as part of their marketing strategy.

    Facebook has a sizeable userbase and recent numbers released by its parent company have shown that the number of users this year is higher than last year. This alone gives Facebook a great advantage when it comes to advertising.

    Another advantage that Facebook’s ad platform has is the fact that they provide you with multiple ad types that you can choose from.

    You can choose photo, video, or even stories. Facebook even lets you put advertising on Messenger. And even with photo ads you have the choice of a single image or to have a carousel or collection.

    1. Google Ads

    At 24%, Google Ads has a slim lead on Facebook ads as the most popular paid ads platform for matchmakers and coaches.

    Google Ads has the biggest reach out of the three paid ad platforms we’ve mentioned so far. In fact, it processes over 40,000 search queries per second or approximately over 3.5 billion searches per day.

    Of course, that doesn’t mean that your ad will have that much reach or impressions. But compared to Facebook, for example, Google has a much bigger potential. And Google ads don’t just appear on one platform, either.

    Your ads can appear in different places, which depends on whether you want your ads to appear in its Search network or Display network.

    (Image source: Pexels, Negative Space)

  • How Can Date Coaching Help Your Clients?

    date coaching help

    Global Love Report – November 23, 2022
    Written by Pamela Stephanie

    Some clients—and potential clients—are very much ready to date and to start a serious relationship. However, not all clients are like this.
    Others may need a helping hand before they’re truly ready to look for a serious partner. Some may need guidance in finding what they truly want out of a relationship or if they’ve focused on the wrong things.

    Date coaching can provide your clients with solutions to those issues and more. In fact, in our 2021 Industry Survey, 62% of matchmakers provide both matchmaking and date coaching services.

    If you’re wondering just how coaching can help your clients, here are some examples:

    Prepare Them for Dating

    Sometimes clients come to you, thinking that they’re ready to date again. However, that may not be the case.

    With date coaching, you can help them identify what their roadblocks are and how to overcome them. This way, clients who may have certain hang-ups after a divorce or after a break up can move past those issues and be their best self before they find their potential partner.

    Boost Your Client’s Confidence

    Some clients may be uncomfortable with dating. Maybe they’ve recently left a long-term relationship and are out of their depths in this new dating world. Or perhaps they’re not comfortable with social situations and need training and support.

    When you coach them through these issues, you will help boost their confidence. This way, the likelihood that a date will turn out successful would increase and will help them be more comfortable on subsequent dates.

    Assist Them in Identifying Dating Issues

    Some clients get dejected after a series of unsuccessful date. This may lead them to be unwilling to meet more matches.

    By coaching them, you will help them find out what the issues were with the previous dates. Maybe the client had preferences that they didn’t mention earlier or perhaps they need to work on body language or being more open during the date.

    Whatever the problem may be, through coaching, they will be able to find out the root causes and search for solutions.

    Help Clients Stay on Track

    Coaching can help your clients stay focused on the goals that they’ve established. Sometimes people can go off-track while dating and that can lead to wrong decisions. It can even halt progress altogether.

    But by coaching your client, you can help them to stay the course and achieve their goals so they can find a successful match.

    Interested about coaching? Then join other matchmakers who provide both matchmaking and coaching services! Register for our Science-based Coaching Certification Course today! Or, register for our FREE Coaching Course Preview to learn more about what Coaching is all about! Our next preview will take place on February 28th, 2023.

    (Image source: Pexels, Cottonbro)

  • Reasons Why Some Matchmakers Don’t Collaborate

    don't collaborate

    Global Love Report – November 16, 2022
    Written by Pamela Stephanie

    Collaboration is arguably a great thing to have for matchmakers and dating and relationship coaches.

    If you are unable to find a match for your client—especially if your company is a high-end or headhunting agency—then reaching out to other matchmakers can help you find great candidates!

    And you can also get referrals from other matchmakers, if they believe that the client is better suited with you.

    So, what’s stopping matchmakers from collaborating with others?

    In our 2021 Industry Survey, we asked matchmakers who don’t collaborate this question. Here are some of their answers:

    Collaboration isn’t a common practice where they are

    It may come as a surprise to some that collaboration is not a common practice in some parts of the world. Matchmakers in Europe and the United States, for example, are familiar with each other and often meet during conferences or other events.

    Unfortunately, in some regions matchmakers prefer to work alone or within their own company and teams and don’t really interact with other agencies. And chances to meet with other matchmakers may be very limited so it makes sense that collaboration may not be common practice.

    They have enough resources for their client base

    One of the most common reasons for not collaborating is that the matchmakers themselves have enough resources on their own.

    Which means they don’t need to collaborate with others in order to find a match for their clients. And they also don’t need to get referrals from others or to look for a dating coach for clients who may need it.

    Don’t know where to start

    This is a common reason for newer matchmakers. Because they’re new to the business, they may not know a lot of matchmakers.
    Some have even stated that they don’t know anyone in the business.

    And when you’re starting out or when you’re based in a place where there are no other matchmakers around, it can be difficult to collaborate with someone.

     

    What happens if you want to collaborate with others but don’t know where to start?

    Find networking opportunities with other matchmakers. Here’s how to do so:

    • Matchmakers Alliance has a conference retreat for dating industry professionals that offers you the opportunity to meet others in the industry.
    • And at the Global Love Institute, we also have our conferences in New York and Singapore, as well as our European conference for you to go to. During the conferences, we tend to have pre-conference and post-conference events where you get the chance to meet other matchmakers!
    • If you are unable to attend an event in person, then you can join online communities. Our Professional Love Connectors Facebook Group has over 900 members currently. If you are an active matchmaker, you can request to join!
    • Also, if you’re a Global Love Institute certified matchmaker, you can join our monthly Mastermind Workshop. It’s the perfect place to meet other matchmakers while learning useful information that’s relevant to your business!
    (Image source: Pexels, Pixabay)

  • Photo Studio Collaborates with Matchmaking Agencies

    photo studio collaborating

    Global Love Report – November 16, 2022
    English summary by Pamela Stephanie

    Photojoy, a Japanese photo studio, is collaborating with matchmaking agencies Two-Peace, Torakikon, and White Clover.

    Matchmaking services companies have voiced their concerns regarding the lack of suitable photography services for their matchmaking clients. Specifically, photography for their profile photos.

    Photojoy is a photo studio that has branches throughout Japan. And through this partnership, are offering profile photo shooting services for members of their partner matchmaking agencies at a special rate.

    Yohei Inoue, the representative of Two-Peace has stated that matchmaking photos is a big concern for matchmaking activities. He stated that there’s a limited number of photo studios where they’re located. And their members tend to go to a specific studio. This results in many members having photos with the same background and profile photos aren’t eye-catching.

    That’s why Photojoy is a good solution for them because the photo studio offers a variety of backgrounds for clients, offering them the chance to be more diverse. Additionally, Photojoy can take advanced matchmaking photos in their city.

    Representative for Torakikon believes that Photojoy creates high quality photographs and will help their clients succeed in their matchmaking goals.

    Originally published by PR Times.

    (Image source: Pexels, Jeshoots)

  • DUO USA Holiday Event Back After Hiatus

    duo usa holiday event

    Global Love Report – November 9, 2022
    English summary by Pamela Stephanie

    After a 3-year hiatus due to Covid, Duo USA has announced that it will be holding its Duo USA Holiday Event at the end of the year.

    It will take place on December 22nd and the company is inviting 40 single men and women. The venue will be the LINE LA Hotel.

    Matchmaking agency Duo holds various dating events for its members to help them find the ideal match. They help facilitate meetings, dating, and marriage of single men and women in the Korean community.

    This is particularly important now when the demand for marriage among first and second generation Koreans are increasing and the opportunity for people to meet has decreased because of the pandemic.

    According to Duo USA, parents of second-generation Korean singles have expressed dissatisfaction in meeting Korean men and women for their children. And for the singles themselves, they’ve been concerned in finding opportunities to meet other singles, especially during the pandemic, where they had to remain at home.

    Originally published by The Korea Daily.

    (Image source: Pexels, Cottonbro Studio)

  • Matchmaking Promotion at the Fair

    Matchmaker at the fair

    Global Love Report – November 9, 2022
    English summary by Pamela Stephanie

    Isabelle Forti is in charge of Unicis’ matchmaking agency in Granville. And she has been going around to different fairs in France in order to attract singles to her agency. This time, she was at the Saint-Martin Fair, which was held on November 5th, 6th, and 8th.

    For three days, she had a booth on rue d’Egypte. According to her, these fairs serve as a way to reach out to singles who wouldn’t come to her agency on their own initiative.

    Her clientele ranges from 35 to 75 years old and from all social backgrounds. And she has been quite successful in this endeavor, with her 80% success rate.

    Of course, the advntage about being a Unicis agency is that she’s not limited to her own database. Because Unicis has a national network of matchmaking agencies, she is able to find matches for her clients from other regions as well.

    Originally published by Actu.fr

    (Image source: Pexels, Elina Fairytale)

  • IBJ: More than 500000 matches in 2022

    500,000 marriages

    Global Love Report – November 2, 2022
    English summary by Pamela Stephanie

    IBJ, one of the biggest matchmaking companies in Japan, has announced that they have successfully arranged more than 500,000 marriages from January 2022 to October 2022. They even reached the 500000 marriages milestone earlier this year compared to last year.

    The company is also reporting a Year-on-Year increase of 118%.

    This is in part due to the fact that Japan has loosened Covid regulations. Now, people can move freely again. Additionally, singles who are looking for a partner are willing to participate in activities again.

    Due to their success, the company is also launching a campaign to commemorate reaching 500000 this year. They will give an Amazon gift card to each person who booked or received a free consultation from November 1st to the 29th.

    Originally published by PR Times

    (Image source: Pexels, Pixabay)

  • Quality over Quantity Clients

    quality over quantity

    Global Love Report – October 19, 2022
    by Michelle Begy, Founder and MD of Ignite Dating

    Quality over Quantity clients: How Working With Quality Clients Brings the Quantity

    When you start out in business it can be tempting to put all your energy into securing as many customers as possible. This makes sense as every entrepreneur in the services sector knows the aim is to build a successful business which has a healthy client base. However, in my experience quantity isn’t everything when it comes to growing a business which’ll go the distance. While a determined focus on attracting a high volume of clients can be tempting, it can be better to sometimes just say no.

    Let me explain. My agency Ignite Dating is an elite matchmaking service which puts personalised and hands-on service at its heart. We enjoy working with our exclusive network of high-calibre, professional individuals who all share the goal of finding a life partner with similar values and outlooks on life. This shared goal is key to how we work, because it is our clients play a key role in ensuring their dating journey is a successful one. Matchmaking by design works best if the client you are working with is properly invested in the process and going into it with an appreciation of what they bring to the table. Our job as matchmakers is to help them to understand what they are looking for and to ensure they get there.

    So, to be successful in such a competitive industry I’ve found it really pays to concentrate on who you are working with, as quality clients are the key to business success. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some truly amazing individuals over the years and I’ve found there are certain traits a quality client will possess which’ll really help to ensure our relationship is a collaborative and successful one:

    Emotional commitment: The person who is looking to be matched will be prepared to put in the work to ensure their search for love is a success. This may be by taking the time to think about the elements of character they want from a new partner, or by being prepared to recognise and challenge hang-ups they’ve had in the past. It may be something physical they’ve decided they want to change about themselves, such as losing weight, and they are fully committed to achieving that goal.

    Financial investment: A quality client recognises the importance of the matchmaking process, and they are prepared to make a financial investment because a successful dating journey is so important to them. They recognise the professional service they are receiving and value it, seeing it as an investment in a life priority.

    An open-minded approach: Being open-minded when it comes to matchmaking means being prepared to challenge yourself in order to achieve your goal. An open-minded client may recognise that preconceived views about dating haven’t worked for them and will ensure they are not fixated on specifics like age or height. It’s also about being realistic and understanding that making a financial investment in matchmaking doesn’t instantly guarantee them the partner of their dreams.

    Trust the process: It’s important that clients trust the process, and this is where matchmakers come in to help manage expectations and make sure that the client is on the same page about how it all works. A quality client will understand that it’s not realistic to expect multiple matches the minute they sign up. They will be honest with themselves that, deep down, they realise it can be hard, but that we are there to help. Matchmakers are like trusted friends, and we can then be there for them if they start giving in to nerves or fears about dating.

    They are ready to date with intent:  This means approaching matchmaking being prepared to take it wherever it goes, perhaps all the way to finding a life partner! The client is fully invested and excited about the process, rather than just using it to just see what else is out there.

    So why does all this matter? As you can see, matchmaking works best when the client is really prepared to be part of the journey, seeing it as an enriching process which makes the goal of finding a long-term partner fully achievable. Working with great clients brings incredible rewards for my business as well, as many go on to be incredible advocates for our service. We’ve discovered that 90% of clients who are successfully matched go on refer on average 3.2 friends. When it comes to referrals from these existing clients, we convert on average 94% to paid clients.

    So, as a matchmaker, it really pays to concentrate on who you are working with – so don’t be afraid to say no to working with people who won’t be fully invested in the process. We have a key role to play in managing expectations and we must value our expertise and the valuable service we are able to offer. Be assured that by concentrating on quality clients the quantity volume will follow and your business will flourish as a result!

    (Images source: Pexels, Andrea Piacquadio)

  • Agency’s “Meet Yourself First” Approach

    meet yourself

    Global Love Report – October 5, 2022
    English summary by Pamela Stephanie

    “Entre Elle et Lui” is a matchmaking agency located in Rouen in France, managed by Julie Ribeiro.

    The agency provides a discreet service, especially for those in managerial occupations or if they work in the medical field. Ribeiro explained that some of her clients who are doctors or dentists want to be recognized by their own clients.

    Ribeiro is a trained relationship counselor. She helps her client with date preparations and a “debrief” session after the date. And at her agency, after an initial meeting between her and the potential client—which can last up to 2 hours—clients will take a test using a digital tool that the agency uses. That’s Profil’INC, a tool developed by experts in the neurocognitive and behavioral approach.

    The tool is utilized in a wide range of areas. For athletes, people in business management, and even recruitment agencies. The test itself is carried out by an expert. By taking this test, both client and matchmaker gain a better understanding about the client’s own behavior.

    The result will show them their needs, their potentials and drives, as well as things that hinder them. With this, clients may be able to learn more about themselves, a “meet yourself” session, and the matchmaker will be able to have a better understanding of them. And in turn, will be able to find the client a compatible match in their database.

    A majority of the agency’s clients are 45 to 60 but she mentioned that more and more young people are signing up for their services. Ribeiro mentioned that 2 out of 3 clients end up as a success story.

    A number of her clients registered with the agency because of disappointment with online dating. Most of them are women. some feel objectified on dating apps and others are tired of wasting 4 hours a day on these apps. And these virtual failures can really affect people, especially those with low self-esteem. Fortunately, her agency helps guide them and coaches them on how to charm someone when they’ve lost confidence in themselves.

    Originally published by franceinfo

    (Image source: Unsplash, Kelly Sikkema)