Personal ads.  They’re in every media outlet you can think of.  Along with the used cars and refurbished TVs you’ll find columns of “lonely hearts”, people who are announcing to the world that they need someone to love, to befriend, or even just to mess around with.  At one time putting a personal ad in the local newspaper used to be thought of as a last resort, something desperate people did.  But with the increasing popularity of online dating, personal ads are also getting revisited by those who aren’t perhaps as computer savvy and prefer their personal ad replies on paper rather than a screen.
One of the main differences between personal ads and online dating is that the ads are often very short.  If you are serious about finding someone special in your life, perhaps you should consider taking out a longer ad that will cost you more, but will allow you to use more words to show your personality as well as describe what you’re looking for. 
An advantage that personal ads have over online dating is that there’s a change your ad will be seen by people who have similar interests to you.  For example, if you are looking for someone who loves crossword puzzles, then placing a personal ad in a puzzle magazine will be read by other people who share your passion.  If you follow a particular sport or hobby, again place your personal ad in an appropriate magazine to locate like-minded people.  Although you can do this to a certain extent with online dating websites, any member can read your profile and contact you saying they share your interest.  With a personal ad in a specific magazine, only people who are really passionate about this activity will buy the magazine.
When placing an ad pay close attention to the words you use.  Play with them until you feel they represent your personality rather than a “how to” guide for building a piece of furniture.  If possible inject some humour into your personal ad, but be very clear about who you are as a person and what it is you’re looking for from a relationship.  If you’re just looking for a casual date, say so.  If you’re looking for something that could lead to a permanent relationship, say so.  That way you’ll get more replies from the right kind of people. 
Another thing you need to be clear about in your personal ad is anything that your potential partner must, or must not have.  It could be that you’re only looking for someone of a certain religion, someone who is physically active or perhaps someone in a specific geographic location.  Whatever it is, if you do have any specific “must have” requirements from anyone who is interested in responding to your personal ad, make these very clear.
Personal ads are a great way of finding like-minded people, especially for those who don’t have access to the Internet but are intrigued by all of the excitement of online dating.  Dating through personal ads isn’t quite as immediate as regards response time, but that doesn’t spoil the fun – it just adds to the anticipation!