21: Erika Ettin Helps Clients Create the Perfect Online Dating Profile

The Life Story Coach

Erika Ettin gives people A Little Nudge up in the dating world

What does online dating have to do with life stories?

A lot.

If you've ever looked at a dating site, you've seen a user profile, that miniature snapshot, in words and pictures, of a person in search of a partner. And just like with life stories, some people need help writing them.

Erika recognized this need years ago when friends started asking for her help with their own profiles. She got so good at it that she left her job in the finance industry and created A Little Nudge, a service that caters to singles ready to jump into the online dating pool but not sure they know how to swim.

Erika assists her clients through profile writing, picture selection, coaching, and date planning. In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to write a client's dating profile and even the messages they send to potential dates.

Listen as we discuss:

• Erika's biggest demographic— Women over 50 (a typically common demographic, incidentally, for life story clients)
• turning what you love to do into a viable business
• the process of creating a client's online dating profile
• the narrow line between coaching and therapy
• serving a population of people who are single, but don't want to be
• managing clients' expectations
• the gratification of working with someone fresh out of a long-term relationship who is just getting to know herself again

A few questions life story writers can borrow from Erika

I'm always looking for interesting, conversation-stimulating questions to ask my storytellers. Here are a few that will elicit more playful responses:

1. What's something about you that your friends would make fun of?
2. Do you have any stupid human tricks (i.e. something you wouldn't put on a resume!)?
3. Tell on yourself! What's a funny or awkward story about you that makes you shake your head and say, "Yep, that's me!"

What it takes to be a good dating profile writer-for-hire

• You have to be an excellent writer.
• You have to be intuitive about people.
• You have to be a good businessperson and salesperson.

Links, contacts, and stuff:

A Little Nudge

Erika's book, Love at First Site

The New York Times article featuring Erika and her business

Listen to Erika's podcast, So, We Met Online...

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Thanks for listening! Now go out and save someone's story (or help them find a partner!)