Press Release - 10 March 2003 NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH! What price true love - because at Dateclub.com it can come absolutely free! The UK's fastest growing internet-based dating agency, Dateclub.com is offering readers a free three month membership (worth £24.95) as a good will gesture that Customer Services Director, Tania Baker, is convinced will turn even the most reluctant romantics into dedicated daters. It's as simple as typing in a few personal details and getting immediate access to a host of like-minded and potentially compatible individuals - but without the after effects and expense of 10 vodka Red Bulls! Tania, who is a trained psychologist, says: "What stigma there is about only the sad and desperate using online dating agencies is well and truly disappearing now, because more and more people are giving it a go. Many of our members are surprised at how quickly they feel at ease with the online medium and see it as a common sense alternative rather than any last hope. For starters, online dating is both a convenient and effective way to find love whilst living a hectic, fast paced existence - and let's face it, that's most of us. Tania adds: "You can send messages at any time without having to be out with your mates or dressed to impress. Once you've plucked up the courage to ask someone on a date the worst that can happen is they'll turn you down, but if this happens no one else will see or know as would be the case in a busy bar or club. "The main difference and benefit of online dating is that everyone is waiting to be approached, whereas your advances in public may not always be welcomed with open arms." At Dateclub.com, all registrations are manually checked and only those serious about finding a partner are accepted. This vetting process means they don't have the largest membership, but the success rate is very high and results in most new registrations coming through recommendations from those successfully matched. Tania is also convinced that the UK population is uniquely suited to this type of dating and that our national character makes us compatible with dating sites. She says: "We Brits tend to be more reserved than Latin Europeans or Americans and I'm sure that's why online services here are more popular than offline alternatives. Using the internet helps rid you of your inhibitions. "Lonely hearts ads, meanwhile, are still seen as a bit seedy, while introduction agencies require a lot of personal input and effort and other more traditional services even operate their matching services by post, which is very slow." For Dateclub.com it's, quite simply, about continuing to bring online dating out of the closet and making it fun and entertaining. The company is pretty unique in the online industry because it is introducing events and holidays to the service - plus the latest phenomenon 'speed dating' - to provide members with further opportunities to meet in a social and relaxed (but strictly single) environment. Tania is also the facilitator for the Dateclub.com 'Looking for Love' series of workshops. And with broadband becoming widely available, Dateclub.com will shortly be looking at providing members with the ability to create video profiles and video chat using their own web cams. Ends Press Office For more information please contact the Press Office: Greg Rees Press Officer Dateclub.com 2nd Floor LPL 145-157 St John Street London EC1V 4PY England Tel: 0870 760 6204 or 07866 613907 press@dateclub.com