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This was a really fun interview for me.
Why? Because Scott Valdez, my guest entrepreneur on today’s podcast, started a business called Virtual Dating Assistants. Scott’s business is all about outsourcing your online dating so you only have to show up to go on the dates.
Online Dating
I have a confession to make: I have done online dating.
Back when I did it the first time in the early 2000s (I call this online dating 1.0) there was a major stigma surrounding the whole concept. You wouldn’t talk about it to other people – it wasn’t something considered “normal”. I gave up after a few months and some not-so-fun experiences.
Today online dating is an accepted way to meet people, with all kinds of regular guys and girls using dating sites every day (online dating 2.0 – it has become mainstream).
I gave online dating a second shot in the last couple of years and had much better experiences, however, like all forms of dating, it still requires work.
Finding people, approaching them, getting to know them and seeing if there is chemistry between both parties is a laborious, but hopefully enjoyable process. When it comes to online dating, much like Internet marketing, you have to figure out what you want, then start searching for people, initiate contact, make sure you have a good profile (sales page) to “market” yourself so they respond (this is like an opt-in to an email list – an indication of interest), and then you hope that it leads to a date, which you can call a conversion in direct marketing speak.
That might not sound romantic, but as processes, online dating and information marketing are very similar.
Scott Valdez certainly agrees. He trained himself to become an online dating expert simply because he found it his preferred method to meet people. He realized, as most people who use online dating eventually discover, it might take a few dates to find someone you click with, which takes time and effort.
Automating The Online Dating Process
Scott came to understand that he could free up his time and go on many more dates if he could find a way to speed up the online communication process. In short, he outsourced his online dating to other people, who he paid to help set up dates.
This might sound simple, but there is an art to it, and it needs to be heavily integrated – you can’t simply tell someone to go find you potential matches, you still need to pick who you like and stay aware of whom you will go on dates with. That doesn’t mean that much of the process, including profile writing and email writing can’t be automated.
Consider too that most people don’t know what goes into a good profile or how best to set up dates quickly. There is a science, something when applied that can drastically improve how many dates you have coming your way each month.
Selling The Service
Needless to say, helping people to get more dates from online sites is an in-demand service, and Scott was smart enough to see the need and launch a business around it. In particular those in busy careers, such as doctors, lawyers, pilots and yes – entrepreneurs – tend to use the service and have the money to pay a premium price.
I won’t spoil the details, you will have to listen to the interview to learn how Scott went from quitting his job while living in Argentina and only a couple of weeks later having to put new clients on to a waiting list because he couldn’t service the demand (and the service costs as much as $1440 a month!).
Today Scott has a six-figure online business, which he manages living in Argentina, coordinating his team who help people to meet other people using the world wide web.
You can find out more about Scott’s business here:
Here is the MP3 download. Enjoy the interview…
Yaro
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When I read the post title (a great attention grabbing title) my first reaction was “What! You got to be kidding!” However, with so many of us being time poor I can understand why this outsource dating service would be popular. Outsourcing the things we don’t like to do or don’t have time to do gives us more opportunity and time to do the things we want. I am guessing this service would also add an extra level of excitement to the dates.
I like how you related getting dates to Internet marketing. I had to market myself really hard to get a date with a wonderful girl who is now my wife. It took a lot of effort to build trust and get the first date.
Your post reminded me of an article I read recently about businessmen who use virtual assistants to outsource their marriage – sending flowers, booking restaurants, replying to emails, arranging birthday and anniversary surprises and organising things the wife has asked them to do. I wonder if there is a market for marriage outsourcing??
Will listen to the interview now. Many thanks
The parallels between online dating and marketing are quite interesting. We have a couple posts about this on our blog and I make a ton of analogies between the two in the Click Magnet Dating System, the product for men we’re about to complete and launch.
I just spent a few minutes trying to find the article you mentioned about businessmen who use virtual assistants to outsource their marriage to no avail. Sounds interesting so if you remember where you read that, please let me know!
If I recall correctly, it may have been in the 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. Sorry, it wasn’t an article I read online. I sometimes get confused with all the reading I do. If it wasn’t in the Four Hour Work Week, than I can’t remember where I read it. You think there could be a market for this? Men often forget things.
Ahh… right. That was AJ Jacobs of Esquire Magazine who wrote about outsourcing his marriage.Tim Ferriss wrote about it: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/outsourcing-life/
I’m not sure that men who forget things because they don’t put things in their Google Calendar are going to pay a lot of money for a service that reminds them, but there could certainly be demand for a niche Virtual Assistants / Concierge service that specializes in helping married men and/or women get things done related to their relationship. For example, an “online concierge service providing fully-planned dating experiences primarily for couples who are married or in long-term relationships” called DateNight just launched in March: http://www.itsadatenight.com/. Who knows if they will make it (such a niche move), but they must believe they’ve got a good chance…
Yeah, moreover David DeAngelo did a bonus interview with Tim Ferris in his “Interview with dating gurus series”, in which Tim mentionned that he used some kind of similar service. He paid people on Elance to send message to girls for him.
Haha, marriage outsourcing. You know you’re a true business man when you’re outsourcing finding a wife.
The world has changed in such a short time. These changes have brought new business opportunities that never existed before! Although, in respect to this article, matchmakers have been there for all time!
That is pretty wild. I did the online dating thing when it was still taboo and not talked about. I met a great person and had a long meaningful relationship. We never told people how we met and almost mad a game out of what we said when random people asked. I am still friends with them today. It is hard and time consuming to find a date online. I am not surprised he has been able to do so well. When people work most of their life it is hard to stop and try and find someone before your old and alone. I have seen it happen and too much, it is kinda sad. Those people are exceptional but didn’t take the time for themselves.
You actually did a great job describing a big chunk of our target market. We get a lot of male clients in the 35-42 range that have been so consumed by being successful professionally that they never found the time to find that ‘special someone’. They realize that the clock is ticking if they want to start a family… and finding the women with whom they may well spend the rest of their lives is worth well beyond what we charge.
There are so many ways to earn money online. I also remember that only the “daring” or “crazy” ones did online dating. I guess that they really were online pioneers.
Who says sex doesn’t sell….
Actually there are 2 things that you can sell to any man the First is Sex and the second is The promise to make money
Great interview guys!, if you are at any UK events this year let me know…
Have a top weekend,
David Edwards
Cool interview, mr.valdez definitely saw an opportunity and went for it.
Great post! There are many ways to earn money online. I myself earns money online offering my services as a Virtual Assistant… Thanks for the post!
Who knew that a dating website can earn that much. I believe this only shows that “entrepreneurs spirit” plus determination can really be a great help in making money.
Thanks for the interview Yaro.
Oh..virtual dating assistant is new to my ear 🙂 I never thought there were site like this that caters date arrangement etc..:). One questions comes up to my mind: Is it possible to people from, let say, Philippines to USA?? or It is exclusively for same places??
Yaro
I’ve downloaded the mp3 for later and wanted to say thanks. Do you store your videos on S3 or do you host them yourself?
Cheers
Mark
Check the link on the download and you can figure that one out Mark 🙂
Online dating is very in demand today. You can see it from how it evolves. I think every business would earn so much as long as you work hard for it and give it enough time. Being an online entrepreneur is hard, so you deserve what you get from it.
Not gonna work here [India], but still, great resource. I love the way Yaro present things; the funny side of everything exposed while explaining very serious business matters!
Believe it or not, we actually had a client in New Dehli once and we did get him a couple phone numbers using OkCupid… but it was very tough and we probably wouldn’t accept another client there. There are very few Online Dating sites like OkCupid in India with members on them. Everyone is on Matrimonial sites like Shaadi.com. We actually set him up on that site to see what it was like and we had parents emailing us about their daughters. It’s pretty unreal to see firsthand how technology is being used now for arranged marriages in India.
First thing is that most of us DO NOT believe in online dating sites [for most people are using only fake IDs]
Second, online matrimonial sites are having offline presence, and might already have built reputation that way…
Still, your idea has a great potential, may be in future though!
I’ve never thought about this before but who does? Using online dating to market your online business? Sounds good!
Hey Yaro,
Great interview – Scott sounds like he was totally on fire when he launched his business. It’s great to hear such an outrageous success story 😀
Thanks for sharing it,
Steve
talk about innovation and fun – wow man!
excellent interview Yaro
Love and money all together…I would love to download this interview. Thanks
I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, I’ll ALWAYS head back to Entrepreneurs Journey for one thing – the Podcasts!!!! 🙂
Awesome content as usual Yaro. Now I have something to entertain me for this afternoon’s walk in the park (with the ipod).
Thanks again for sharing.
Martin
I was looking at the executive package, was hoping they’d actually go on the date for me as I am soooo busy right now 🙂
Seriously, great interview and lots of nuggets in it!
While this sounds strange for me that people pay for such things, I would never do it, my interest is to communicate and not letting someone else do it for me.
No offense to Scott Valdez.
The online dating scene is still huge and nowadays with everyone working long hours they are looking for simple and quick way to find love
Online Dating is one of the most profitable niches on IM. I know several people who are making serious cash on this kind of niche. People really like to be in relationships and finding their partners that’s why online dating is a huge success.
My girlfriend worked there! If he’s making six figures – why can’t he pay the employees on the same day every month? Not only would she only get paid once a month, it was never a set date!- anywhere from the 5th to the 15th. Lame.