Whether we\u2019re job-hunting, searching for apartments and roommates, or looking for an NSA (no strings attached) sexual relationship, we often first turn to <\/span>Craigslist<\/span>. It\u2019s become the digital cornerstone of our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Responding to personal ads in\u00a0casual encounters, however, can become a little stressful. Though there\u2019s nothing wrong with scouting out like-minded people who are looking for a casual \u201cfriends with benefits\u201d situation, some might feel slightly embarrassed resorting to Craigslist.<\/span><\/p>\n

When responding to a personal ad, it\u2019s likely you\u2019re trying to make a good impression so that the person reading your response will consider meeting up with you \u2014 be it for a friendly date, a romantic evening, or perhaps a mind-blowing sexual encounter. The trick is remembering what (and what not) to include in your response. We asked relationship expert Alex Wise from <\/span>Loveawake.com<\/span><\/a> dating site to share his insight and wisdom about what it takes to establish the credibility and connection necessary to lead to some offline lovin\u2019:<\/span><\/p>\n

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• Attach a photo of your face.<\/b>\u00a0However amazing your body is, people are attracted to faces first and foremost, especially when reviewing a person from the safety of their computer. If you don\u2019t provide a clear (and large enough) pic of your face, then the person might think you\u2019re trying to hide something and might just ignore you altogether.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Clearly, state what you\u2019re looking for.<\/b>\u00a0The last thing anybody wants is to delve into a drawn-out process of connecting with a stranger only to later find out that you\u2019re both looking for different things from the \u201crelationship.\u201d If you\u2019re just looking for an FWB (Friend With Benefits) because you\u2019re too busy or you just value your freedom, then don\u2019t lead the other person into believing you want more than that.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Connect with the person you\u2019re e-mailing.<\/b>\u00a0In other words, don\u2019t use a canned email to respond to everyone you think might have potential. People want to know that you read their post and that you legitimately believe that you\u2019re a match. Linking your interests and desires to theirs will convince them you\u2019re worth pursuing.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Don\u2019t sign up for websites.<\/b>\u00a0Any ad that asks for a sign-up is a scam, no matter how convincing it sounds. And divulging your credit card information for a chance at hooking up (which is just stupid) can result in disaster.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Don\u2019t give out your personal information.\u00a0<\/b>Just like the poster, you probably want to keep your public life separate from a casual encounter \u2013 at least until you\u2019re certain your potential FWB will fit into your group of friends. Nothing\u2019s stranger than having the person you\u2019ve been emailing about a discreet meeting request a friendship on your Facebook account. That said, you may want to consider using a dummy email address until you\u2019re satisfied.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Don\u2019t let the connection fizzle.\u00a0<\/b>Remember, the person you\u2019re emailing is probably getting more than one response, especially if they seem like an interesting, attractive woman (which does happen, trust me). Endless emails can become quite irritating, so once you\u2019re confident you\u2019re interested in meeting, you may want to get a phone number so you can convert your online correspondence to a real, physical possibility.<\/span><\/li>\n
• Suggest a public, neutral meeting place.<\/b>\u00a0Some people just want to hook up and are much more carefree about where they meet (perhaps they\u2019ll even prefer to host at their place for safety reasons), but if you\u2019re trying to arrange a romance or an FWB situation, then you may want to suggest meeting at a bar or coffeehouse for some conversation first.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  All in all, honesty is the best policy.<\/b>\u00a0If you\u2019re turning to Casual Encounters for casual sex or exploring fantasies or just good old-fashioned flings, then you shouldn\u2019t hide anything, and neither should they. Miscommunication is not only embarrassing and awkward, but it can lead to some dangerous situations. The great thing about Craigslist<\/a> is that it gives users the opportunity to pick and choose. Just make sure you\u2019re real when you respond, and make sure they want what you want, and the rest should take care of itself.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Whether we\u2019re job-hunting, searching for apartments and roommates, or looking for an NSA (no strings attached) sexual relationship, we often first turn to Craigslist. It\u2019s become the digital cornerstone of our lives. Responding to personal ads in\u00a0casual encounters, however, can become a little stressful. Though there\u2019s nothing wrong with scouting out like-minded people who are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[6678,6676,6677],"class_list":["post-13919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-casual-encounters-personal","tag-craigslist-phoenix","tag-craigslist-phoenix-az-tools"],"yoast_head":"\n