Spotting a good investment

When it comes to love and relationships, there are those who are in demand, and those who are seen as the ABC Learning Centres equivalent of a date. In other words, a really bad investment.

So let’s leave the world economic troubles at the door for the moment and concentrate on a case that you can actually do something about – your own market value on the dating scene.

The dating market

Most people would list things like looks, personality, and success as a means by which a person’s relationship investment “portfolio” would be judged.

It can be, but the whole process isn’t as simple as a single checklist detailing the traits of the ideal date. After all, there are people who are theoretically great on paper, but this doesn’t necessarily translate into success on the dating market.

According to Sean Grobbelaar, CEO of Get Hitched (gethitched.net.au), your own view of your market value plays a huge part in how you come across as a potential “investment”.

Grobbelaar says, “It’s totally an internal message. It’s what you think you’re worth dating. If you see yourself as intelligent, then you’ll attract an intelligent person.

You have to believe and value yourself as someone who is good-looking or smart before you can lure that type of partner.”

Understanding first impressions

Columnist and dating expert Samantha Brett says it’s also about how potential investors see you. “Men are visual creatures so, for them, looks are definitely a huge factor,” Brett explains.

“Women search for guys who’d be good providers for their offspring, so we scan for qualities like dependency, trust and stability.

“Personality is a must – many women want someone who has a good and shared sense of humour, the ability to laugh at themselves, and who isn’t self-obsessed or carrying around too much baggage.”

Your market value is essentially half dependant on your own view of yourself and half dependant on market perception, ie what the other person thinks of you.

If you’re genuinely a sound investment, people will see it quite early. And, as all business-savvy people know, you have to be willing to support your own product if you’re going to achieve any success out on the open market.