You started online dating to meet a woman.  Now it is time to meet your online match for the first time.  Meeting a woman in a comfortable environment is your best strategy for transitioning to a relationship in the real world.

Meet As Friends
When it comes time to meet your online match in person, meet as friends.  Don’t go to your first meeting with the idea in your mind that she is The One or might be The One.  That puts way too much pressure on your first meeting.

Meet At An Agreed Place
When your online match has decided that she is ready to meet you, let her pick the place for your first meeting.  This allows her to choose a place where she will feel comfortable. She may ask for some guidance and making a few suggestions is fine. You might also want to give her a few no-go places if you don’t enjoy a particular type of food, but you should try to be flexible.  Unless one of you is driving a long distance, I would try to make the first meeting fairly short.  Meeting for lunch, coffee or dessert all work well since none implies huge expectations.

Dress Casual
I would suggest you discuss with your online match dressing casual for your first meeting. I think that helps everyone to keep their expectations in check and promotes a friendly, comfortable environment to explore the possibilities for romance.  Your focus should be on one another, not the clothes that you each are wearing.

Have Fun
When you finally meet your online match, relax, be yourself and have a good time.  You will look your best with a smile on your face.

Send An E-Mail After Your First Meeting
If you had a successful first meeting, before you go to bed, send her a short e-mail saying that you enjoyed meeting her in person.  It is a nice way to let her know that you are interested and it is the best way to help move the relationship forward.

Transitioning To A Real World Relationship
Meeting your online match for the first time is a big step in transitioning you from an online/phone relationship to one in the real world.  It still may be awhile before your online match feels comfortable enough to give you her phone number so that you can call or her address so you can pick her up for a date.  That will come with time, try to be patient and understanding. Patience might get you somewhere, impatience won’t get you anywhere.