With the popularity of the Internet, almost everything that man used to do outside his home, became accessible from his home: shopping, grocery and even dating. Email dating is one of the ways of virtually getting to know potential mates. The entire industry is called online dating, and email dating is carving it's own niche in the industry.

There are three types of email dating. The main difference lie on the origin of the email, and each type has its own pros and cons.

ISP email

You can email-date using the email address supplied by your Internet service provider. However, there are some risks associated with using it. First, some addresses provided by an ISP show hints of information about you or where you stay. Secondly, date messages can get mixed up with other personal or business emails. Lastly, since date emails are exploratory, it runs the risk of bringing in viruses to your PC.

If you still prefer the convenience of downloading your messages and having the opportunity to view them offline, check with your ISP if they can give you multiple addresses. If so, take advantage of this opportunity and use a separate email address for the purpose of email dating, so you can avoid the risks as mentioned.

Online Dating Service

You can email date through an online dating service. Most online dating service includes email dating as part of the package when you sign up. Depending on how the online dating system works, email addresses can be provided to you as part of the matching service, or you may search email addresses from the dating service database that matches your profile.

Most dating websites will provide you with your own email address that is hosted at their server. Having such eliminates the risks associated with downloading email. You also have the capability of accessing it anywhere that there is an Internet connection. This is very convenient for the jetsetter seeker. However, you can create and send emails to prospective dates only when you are online.

Email Dating Service

A new online service is becoming available to cyber love seekers called email-dating service. This dating site caters exclusively to email dating, and does not offer the “traditional” online dating services. They offer a fewer but select database of seekers and boast of matching services that are within commutable distance. Such arrangements give a higher probability that email dates going well, can be taken further.

There are certainly many reasons why one will prefer email dating and are as follows:

-You can meet other people in the safety and convenience of home. You don't need hours of preparation or create arrangements for a house-sitter. If you are a single Dad, you need not get a babysitter to go on a date.

-You don't need to spend on your looks, dinner or a present.

-You can spend more time with getting to know the other party and letting her know you than going through traffic or falling in-line at the theatre.

-And if things don't work out quite the way you hoped for, then it's easy to end it with just a polite email telling her that you don't see yourself going further; no waiting for the perfect moment, no careful words, no tears.

Now that you see the advantages of email dating, why don't you try it! Here are a few tips on how to go about it, and successfully find a meaningful date.

-Use the subject line like a headline; be creative, positive and genuine.

-Begin your e-mail with something interesting, like a something funny you saw or a discovery you made recently. Share it with the girl and use that as an introduction of yourself. First emails should always be customized in a conversational style.

-Avoid pick-up lines. In reality, they usually don't work and this rarely makes a good first impression. It's OK to flirt or tease a little, but keep things smooth and polite.

-Share genuine details about yourself; keep it short, simple and interesting. Mention something about the recipient's profile where you perceive a connection.

-Ask open-ended questions that will require more than yes or no. This way, when she replies, she is obliged to share more than the tip of the iceberg.

-Proofread before hitting the send button.

That's just about everything you need to know about email dating. Now you're ready, because, “You Got Mail!”