How to answer an online personal ad

… and avoid rejection.

The one thing you absolutely must understand about online personal ads is this:
No one posts an online personal ad to reject others.

Unlike meeting in bar, or another social place, the only fish in the place is you. He/she is reading YOUR email message, usually without another’s company and opinions to steer them one way or another about you.
There are no friends of his/her’s to get in the way of your simple, and hopefully eloquent, introduction!

Keep your email introduction short, with no silly comments that could be misunderstood, and you might just make it beyond email to a first date!