Mailbag: Fast Track, Echoes from the Blogosphere

It's time for another edition of the mailbag...

Our first writer asks:

"I've thought about starting with a fast track [...] What do you think?"

I've experimented with Fast Track. If it's given before closed-ended questioning, I've never had a positive response.

Obviously, I can't ask women why it didn't work. But I have some good guesses.

In part, this is due to the structure of eHarmony. Since eHarmony quickly figured out that members often used FastTrack requests to slip email addresses to nonmembers, they changed the Fast Track policy. Essentially, a woman, before reading what you have to say, has to decide whether or not to accept your invitation.

I think that many women, upon receiving a Fast Track this soon, begin to think that you're becoming overly friendly before you've had a chance to know them. It makes them uncomfortable.

On the other hand, if you're really in a rush, I've often been successful in initiating Fast Track before open-ended questioning. But I've also found that, when I do this, my odds of actually meeting them dropped. (Why? I'll explain when I begin to talk about open-ended questioning.)

Bottom line: Offering fast-track makes women feel less comfortable. Women already feel "attacked" by the average chumps who declare their infatuation before they've met... you can't afford to make yourself look like that.

... but if you decide to experiment, and find a way to make fast-tracks work, email me. I'll pass it on, and give you credit. (If you want it.)

Next, I'll cheat a little. This is actually from the blogosphere. It seems the eHarmony Blog has written this post about us...

Thanks for the publicity. I'm sure that you'll find us quite interesting.

But it does bring up some points, that I thought my readership might be interested in.

First of all, is this website "bait" for a future commercial product?

I haven't completely ruled out the creation of a product. But I find it very unlikely that I will.

At first, I thought of publishing my "system". Unfortunately, in my field testing, I found it's appeal to be very limited.

Average chumps desperately want to buy into the eHarmony line that you don't need to work on your "image", and that the great eHarmony computer will make it easy for them. And when they find that that theory doesn't work... they leave. So, most average chumps won't be interested in my book.

On the other hand, people who do buy "products" to improve their skills with women hate eHarmony. (The most influential rant can be found here. ) When they find that their bar or other online "techniques" don't work... they tend to run away.

So, my audience is limited. And my goal isn't to raise money. I'm financially very secure. My goal is to help the limited audience who will benefit from my experience.

The most efficient way to do that? Hide it a little bit... (hence the hoopty website), but if someone shows that they want it, give it away. So, here I am.

As far as this board being for men? Hell, yes. And I'll never apologize for it.

... And if you call self-confidence, self-value, respect, and honesty a "game", I'm all for it.