Single and Swiping: New apps that will get you an offline date

If you spend enough time swiping, some great matches will pop up on your screen. But meeting IRL for a date isn’t always easy. Maybe your messages lose momentum or the other person flakes. It happens to a lot of my clients.

One recently told me he had 14 conversations going on an app, but only four resulted in real dates. And that’s the norm – lots of messages, but not nearly as many dates offline.

New apps are trying to fix this ratio by flipping how you flirt: make plans first, then message later. You can opt-out of the date if you communicate and don’t click, but having plans to start (hopefully) means fewer missed connections.

You’ll find this style of connecting on the app Dine, where you are shown a date spot and a match who’d like to meet there. If you like the person, send them a request for a date. Once they accept, you can chat and plan the date.

On the new app Fortu, the functionality is similar but the focus is more on activity dates. You can browse your matches by category, like culture or entertainment. A day and time is listed for each date, too. It’s a bonus for busy singles who want to slip dating into their schedules, since you can filter by when you’re free.

Since getting offline is such an issue for singles, I expect we’ll see more apps like this soon. But no matter which app is at your fingertips, keep in mind that when date planning comes first, the ideas you post matter most.

Consider how you’ll connect with someone in that environment before you agree to meet. For example, tickets to a show are a fun idea, but it may not give you the chance to really get to know each other. And all restaurants are not considered equal – the ambiance often sets the tone. If you’re hoping to meet someone with long-term potential, beer and wings might not set the right vibe … at least for the first date.

Laurie Davis Edwards is the founder ofeFlirt, an online dating concierge service, and the best-selling author of “Love @ First Click: The Ultimate Guide to Online Dating.”