California residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.
Basic compatibility might be boring, but don't overestimate its importance.
It feels like such a strange concept... how can a complete stranger match you up with the supposed love of your life? We decided to have a chat with Linda Prescott, who is a Chief Matchmaker at Ideal Introductions in Brisbane, to find out all her secrets.
"We generally look at the age range, lifestyle, appearance, family, and location," says Linda. "Compatibility may sound boring, but it is the base of a healthy relationship. "
"You can have some people who are compatible and tick all the boxes but don't work well in a relationship. So we don't just base it on a checklist – we have to use our intuition, and years of experience seeing what works."
"Interests can come and go, but sharing the same core values is key. You don't have to share the same hobby or like all the activities your partner does. Do you want to date yourself? The truth is, you need time apart to grow. And having your own individuality is attractive."
"Actually, we get a pretty even mix of men and women."
"Women generally crave nurturing relationships more than males do when you get to that stage of life."
There are even some clients who are in their 80s.
"When I was in high school, I introduced my best friend to her husband... they’re still married. What started as creating love matches for my classmates in high school led me to take a job at Ideal Introductions when I was just 23."
"Lust is always instant, but real chemistry takes time and is long-lasting," says Linda. "You have to listen to your intuition."
And the success rate is 75% – there have been over 1000 weddings as a result of their matches.
"If you're a woman looking for a relationship, you need to be in a positive mental place. If you're in a negative bubble, have dramas with your ex-partner or job, it's not the right time to date. You've got to be happy first. Being positive is attractive."
"No guy will say, 'Oh I'll date her first, and maybe later she will be a happier and less moody person'. Guys are not looking for skinny people, but people who are positive and comfortable with themselves."
"It really depends on the individual, what type of person they are looking for, and their dating attitude. We had one couple who recently married – he met his match on his first date while his date had been here 11 months. Some clients stay longer if they feel they want to keep searching and meeting new people, but some find a match on a first date."
"If you have your bar too high you'll set yourself up for failure. If the way you picked your partner or the personalities that you explored did not work in the past, we need to take you in the right direction. Some people are less open to our suggestions but we have to tell them that they need to trust us. The bigger the wish list, the smaller the dating pool."
"Our client is someone who is strategic and busy. Somebody who is a realist. Life these days has become so busy. It is the efficient and smart people who come to us to help take care of their love life. We also get a lot of professionals and business owners in our pool."
"They must have a stable job, an independent way to travel, be within a healthy weight range, presentable, and happy. They also can't have had a relationship within the past 12 months, so they can be fully present and settled. They also have to have a genuine desire to be in a long-term relationship."
And she gets invited to a lot of weddings.
Keep up with the latest daily buzz with the BuzzFeed Daily newsletter!