So, what does a professional matchmaker actually do? Here’s a look at a day in the life of Annabel Hannam, who together with the INTRO NW matchmaking team offers a personal introductions service to professional singles in Cheshire, the North West and London.
6.30am-8.30am
I start the day with a cup of coffee before heading off for an hour’s walk with Mabel our puppy, either in the woods or round the lake. I just love being in the fresh air and get as much out of this as she does.
8.30am-10am
Breakfast and another coffee while I check through today’s diary and emails. Due to the personal nature of our work, clients often send messages in the evening and I’m keen to answer their queries. I’ll also call our INTRO consultants for a catch up and to discuss any clients and introductions. It’s very much a personal journey for our clients and they know that we’re here for them to chat through any concerns. Our clients are typically successful people who work hard and lead fulfilled lives but if you’re single it just isn’t so easy to meet new people. If you value your privacy you might not want your profile shared online on a dating site or perhaps you just aren’t meeting like-minded people. Although INTRO is an exclusive dating agency, it’s not all millionaires – it’s actually a very inclusive, professional service.
10am-12pm
I’ll either base myself in Manchester or Wilmslow, Cheshire, depending on where other meetings are taking place that day and catch up with clients who have been on a date yesterday. I love their feedback and hearing how they got on. We meet everyone in person and find most clients are happy to hold a Zoom video meeting as this supports best use of time all round and the client can be in the privacy of their own home, or sometimes we’ll meet in a discreet hotel lounge – somewhere like the Alderley Edge Hotel or the King Street Townhouse in Manchester is perfect.
We are sensitive to the fact that coming to meet a professional matchmaker can be daunting and it’s not always easy talking about your personal life, especially after a relationship breakdown and we absolutely value our clients’ confidentiality. It’s important that they have complete trust in us and it really helps that as we’ve met all our clients, they have the confidence that anyone we introduce them to is genuine. I might be meeting with a new client for their Discovery Consultation so that we can fully understand what they’re looking for in a relationship - the things that keep a couple together when the going gets tough are shared goals and values – it’s not so much hobbies and interests, and even less about how tall or short someone is, or the colour of their hair.
12pm-3pm
Networking is a fabulous way for us to meet new people and to catch up with contacts, so I’ll often head to a lunch-time event, perhaps at The Lowry Hotel or St James’s Club in Manchester, or an event organised by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. I tend to find I’m the only matchmaker in the room and people are intrigued to hear about my job! It’s certainly different, although there are parallels to professional head-hunters.
3pm-5pm
I’ll follow up on any enquiries or check-in with the team. The business is having an exciting time and with the launch of INTRO franchises, I’m ensuring our new consultants feel supported. Matchmaking might sound easy, but there really is quite a lot to it! We work with a professional copywriting service to create interesting but accurate personal profiles for our clients, so this might be a good time to catch up on reviewing these. We also offer a professional photography service to our clients and work with a selection of experienced photographers in Cheshire, Manchester and the North West. It’s important that the client feels relaxed with the photographer to get the best results for their profile. We have relationship counsellors and image consultants on our team and this can be a real support to clients who have had their confidence knocked by a previous relationship, or simply that they haven’t dated in a long time.
5pm-8pm
I’ll often attend an early evening networking event, these tend to be pretty sociable – great conversation over a glass or two of wine, or a cocktail masterclass or a singles mixer. I’m always on the lookout for a potential match for our INTRO Elite clients and you just never know where you’re going to meet someone amazing! Sometimes I’ll have dinner with a client – I feel very lucky that I have become personal friends with a number of our clients.
8pm
I’m always pleased to get home to my family, to hear about their day and to relax on the sofa with Mabel and a glass of red watching TV, and I can’t resist catching up on First Dates. Thinking about the relationships we’ve created really puts a smile on my face, I feel lucky to have such a great job and it’s a privilege to go on such a personal journey with our clients.
INTRO NW was set up to offer a personal dating service to professional singles in Cheshire and the North West. The majority of exclusive dating agencies are in London and INTRO wants to offer an elite dating service to people in Manchester, Cheshire and the North West. INTRO also networks with select professional matchmakers in London offering a comprehensive introduction service across the UK.
For further information about INTRO NW Cheshire's exclusive personal introduction agency...
Visit the INTRO website at www.intro-nw.com
Get in touch by email or telephone: 01625 909222
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Confidential dating & matchmaking service for professional singles in Cheshire, Manchester, NW and London ...
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