We are now in February, usually known as the month of love. For those who are married and in a relationship, it is another opportunity to celebrate love. Many who are not dating may feel left out, so they may be considering starting a relationship in the month.

Gone are the days when you have to start a relationship strictly from face-to-face conversations. With the advent of social media, relationships now start from the DM (direct message).

Sending messages to one’s inbox can happen on any social platform, like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Twitter. Most recently, we even saw a relationship that started through Gmail. Popular musician Banky Wellington once revealed that he wooed his wife, Nigerian actress Adesua Etomi, by sliding into her DM on Instagram.

So if you have plans to slide into anyone’s DM before Valentine’s Day, there are a few factors you should bear in mind.

1. Be courteous

There is a way to relate with someone you haven’t chatted with before. You may have been following each other on Instagram or Facebook or had their number on WhatsApp, but as long as it is your first time of chatting, ensure you are nice and courteous. Don’t slide into their DM just saying “Hi, pretty damsel”. You can say “Hi” and then reveal your name to them.

2. Don’t bombard them with messages

Many people are guilty of bombarding their crushes with messages. Don’t be that person. Yous ee men saying “hi” and then telling a lady they like how beautiful she is and how he can’t wait to be the man of her dreams. This is after he has liked all the pictures she has posted since she opened her Instagram account. Doing this instantly makes you look like a desperate stalker, and no one wants to associate with such a person. Instead, just take it slow, allow the person on the other side to reply, before divulging your romantic intentions to them. Communication is sending messages and receiving feedback; always remember that.

Also read:
– A Long Distance Relationship Is Tough, Here’s How To Make Yours Work
– Here’s How To Express Words Of Affirmation For A Lasting Relationship
– Double Dating: A Sweet Experience Or Playing With Fire?

3. Stay online

You may get lucky and that beautiful lady or handsome gentleman responds to your DM on time. Now is not the time to disappear online to appear the next day. Stay online so that both of you will communicate fully, and gradually start bonding.

4. Build friendship

Often times when people start chatting over the DM, they feel the next thing to do is to have a face to face meeting immediately. Just because you have chatted for a day does not mean you should ask for their phone number immediately. Take it slow; nobody wants to be rushed.

5. Stop ghosting

Ghosting means you start chatting with someone and building friendship then you disappear and do not reach out for weeks or even months. If you are good at ghosting, then you should not be sliding into anyone’s DM in the first place. This is because when you decide to come back, they may have blocked you or moved on. Everyone is busy, so do not build friendship online and allow it to get into the romantic phase and then disappear into thin air.

Friendship and romantic relationships can still be built online, so slide into that DM and be wise about it. Who knows, love may just smile on you in the new month.

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