The problem we're trying to solve:
Our client has a professional event to attend over the holidays and has been encouraged to bring a date. Currently, the client is single and wants to find a suitable companion for the event. The client hopes to meet someone to bring, and wants to find new ways of meeting people who fit his dating criteria.
Idea 1:
Spend time hanging out at other graduate schools, such as the law, divinity, nursing, or education schools. Our client could study at these locations or try to attend the social events there. One caveat with this idea is that our client will need to approach people and strike up conversation as well. Our client could pretend to be doing some sort of research study and ask female graduate students for their opinions, which would be a way to start conversation.
Idea 2:
Form (or pretend to form) a band and hold auditions for a female vocalist. This idea would include finding ways to advertise and to recruit suitable candidates. Then, our client would need to audition people. During the audition, our client could ask questions to learn more about the prospective singer.
Idea 3:
Attend wine events around Nashville. While this idea may not be as innovative as the others, we thought that fell into the "practical" category. We felt that this idea was different than simply going to a bar because it is a different type of event and might be a different group of people that enjoy it.
While I find solution #2 amusing, it seems to severely limit the pool of applicants. How many people can sing? Unless of course, the client only wants to date singers. Perhaps you might have a larger pool- with the same idea- by advertising for a band manager or help with marketing a solo act. I mean, we are in Music City.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation, I would most likely employ Solution #1. At the risk of sounding like an academic snob, I have found that many of a certain education level seem to enjoy those with similar schooling.
I have to provide a disclaimer on my comments for this post in that I am single and find myself in a similar situation as your client (my phone number is.....). I agree with Macee on the first option being the most viable and that social interaction with other graduate students may provide a better 'match.' I would say also to not forget that there are a number of other Universities in town with graduate programs. Hanging out in the Belmont Library may be better than Vanderbilt's biomedical library.
ReplyDeleteOption 2 could be a lot of fun, but as someone who has dated singers, I have concerns (which will remain unnamed) and caution against this option. Should you pursue this option, I would argue for audition jazz or folk singers, and steering away from genres like screemo.
I think that this could be a great way to introduce a "dating service" at Owen, which a lot of people are desperately looking for.
ReplyDeleteThe "grad school" solution is very feasible, but it assumes that the person is very outgoing and not afraid to approach this different crowds. Or are you going to talk to these people for your client. I wonder whether "hanging out" is enough? But I will look out for people "hanging out at Owen" (;-))
I love idea 2, especially if your client is interested in music, since it provides a great opportunity to meet multiple people that are also interest in music. How honest does the client has to be with this audition? I don't know how the "chosen" girls would feel if they found out about the fake audition. Generally sounds like a great time though.
The wine events are cool and in my opinion, this would be the easiest way to get a girl....
What stands out is that all three ideas are addressing the potential candidates, while none addresses innovating the person that is looking for a date. Maybe you could combine both approaches to come up with an optimal solution.
I like number 1. Look, don't make excuses about trying to make up some gimmicky "The Game" style pick up line. Just grow a pair and go to the nursing school and wreck some shop.
ReplyDeleteThese nursing students have no guys in their classes and every time I've ever run into one they complain about never meeting law/mba students.
Try something more conventional like initiating a cross-school social function at a bar one night. All you have to do is promote it and get people there... then you have an excuse to talk to these people. You just have to have any amount of game at all because, honestly, you're not getting any competition from the law school and the nursing school is all girls so, dude, go kick ass.
eHarmony.com - It's not that hard... actually, it's like shooting fish in a bucket.
ReplyDeletefinally someone thought of the much needed dating service at Vanderbilt....
ReplyDeleteIdea one has been tried and tested since times immemorial and I can vouch for its effectiveness through personal experience...
idea 2 is fairly innovative but has a pitfall of the client landing with a bunch of ugly singers plus it doesn't address client needs unless he is specifically looking to date a singer
Idea3: I find this one less of innovation and more inspiration from standard bar pick up. i will however acknowledge that Wine tasting might get you to a more sophisticated demographic.
Well perhaps the real issue is why they cannot or will not get a date, but that’s a whole new issue. I think the wine idea is the best. If your client enjoys wine and the type of people that associate themselves with wine then this is an ideal peace to meet a suitable lady. This is also a safe place, since wine drinkers dont tend to be weirdos but they may be winos ;)
ReplyDeleteAlso, have you thought of going to dog parks? I have met many hotties at dog parks so I would consider that.
Having been a single gal at many wine tasting events around Nashville (The Standard- Thursday nights)... I recommend this one- girls love this type of outing and there are very few single guys at these events. your client would have a great shot! Ditto on the dog parks from Anna; moreover- I will be glad to hire out my adorable lab puppy named Trooper who is an absolute babe magnet (I've seen it in action when several guy friends have been holding her leash).
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ReplyDeletePlace an add at ODN
ReplyDeleteI would lean heavily on the nursing school. Law school girls would talk too much and divinity school girls would be very boring. Don't forget about Peabody--goldmine.
ReplyDeleteIf you are really focusing on one client in particular you should specify whether it's a guy or girl. That really changes the approach.
ReplyDeleteFor daters in general I think Idea 1 is the best. Owen did a happy hour last year at Greenhouse with the law school and nursing school and I saw a lot of people getting digits. What about doing this more often or maybe doing a combined holiday party with the other schools?
I vote for #1. My wife is a grad Nursing student (in addition to being a nurse at the hospital) and I know that many of her classmates/coworkers are just as eager to meet mingle as MBA students!
ReplyDeleteAll right folks this isn't rocket science. This problem has been around since the dawn of history. There are men and women who will attend any event with you for a price. They are called escorts and they are even in the phone book. If you can't find a date give them a call.
ReplyDeleteI like idea #1 the best. I tend to agree with Macee that professionals tend to gravitate to other professionals. Not to sound mean-spirited, but one needs more to talk about than the weather. I also agree with Jeremy that we tend to be somewhat siloed in our respective programs. I am sure that other professional students are eager to meet one another, date, etc.
ReplyDeleteIdea 3 is also appealing as there is more to Nashville than Vandy. I would almost encourage the client to do a mix of the 2, or alternate between school events and Nashville at large events.
I'm not sure if your innovation problem is the professional event over the holidays specifically, or if it is finding a romantic companion generally. Depending on which it is, you may need to take a different tack.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so big on your first two ideas since they both involve (or suggest) significant deception. While I may be a bit old-fashioned, I personally would not see this as a great way to start a potentially long-term relationship. The lie has to be undone at some point and it may poison the relationship.
Not sure why singing in a band (versus being a backup dancer or a tour manager or a roadie) would matter. Does the "date" need to be able to sing?
Another approach might be to ask why bring a date at all? What's the real goal here? If it is to impress the other professionals at the event, there may be many other easier ways to do that (e.g., rent a Ferrari and pull up to valet parking with radio blaring!).
If the goal is to find someone to enjoy the evening with at this professional event, then you need to consider that the "date" should probably have some professional interest in this, too. So finding someone whose professional interests align might be a better strategy than just finding a warm body that sings. Maybe finding someone who already works at the company or a fellow student also seeking a job there...
There is an implied suggestion in your problem statement and solution proposals that the client may have some difficulty meeting suitable people generally. Maybe some simple coaching on how to have meaningful interpersonal interactions with the opposite sex (a workshop and roleplay by the team?) would be enough to get him over the constraints that seem to be binding him at this point.
Just my 2 cents!! Good work and good luck!!
I am a big fan of idea #3. I think it teaches a skill (wine tasting) and he/she would get to know the sceen really well thus finding a date.
ReplyDelete#2 seems to be pretty disingenuous, if not downright creepy. I'd also imagine that most of the respondents would actually have a sincere interest in singing in a band, and would be totally put off once the line of questioning veered in to "what are you doing in December?" territory.
ReplyDeleteAs for ideas #1 and #3 - i think you should clarify whether your goal is to get your client a date for the evening, or whether he'd like to find a girlfriend by then who can be his date to the party. His approach may vary greatly depending on what he's really after. In fact, he may find it much easier to be straightforward and ask someone out directly if it's under the guise of accompanying him for the evening.
Ok, my friends, let's talk about idea number 1. I've been around for a couple of years, and I have some experience with the numerous graduate schools. Let's discuss three, in particular, and why Owen men should visit them more frequently:
ReplyDelete3) The Law School. It's no secret, the law school is 50/50 men/women. That said, the average age in the law school is 24 and many Owen men are intimidated or confused by these young ladies. Well, my friends, let me tell you: stop being intimidated. Little known, law students are mesmerized/utterly confused by the business school. They want to talk to business students just to find out what's going down. That's not a recipe for immediate success, but it is an easy in.
2) The Med School. Little thought of, but med students love to party. Need a date, look to a group dying for fun, innovative parties. And, they're brilliant. That can't hurt.
1) Peabody School. These are fun people and the school is mostly women. No one ever talks about them, but I would send your young, heartthrob across the street.
While I think option #2 is funny, I'm not sure that the female selected as the lead singer for the fake band would find it nearly as funny. In fact, she probably would be rather pissed off knowing that your client lied to her and I'm betting that she wouldn't attend a social event with him afterwards.
ReplyDeleteI like Option #1, but it seems rather passive and could be perceived as annoying. When I'm studying I don't really want someone walking up to me trying to start a conversation.
How about speed dating? That would give him a way to meet a dozen or more females who are also looking for a companion but he would be able to sample the field in short (2 min) "dates".