DateableBoard invitation examples for generous members
Four complete Board listings: an opera opening night, a long lunch, a gallery opening and a weekend away, each showing why it works.
A clear Board invitation draws the right applicants and saves you time. The strongest listings show what you offer, when it happens, and who should apply. Four complete examples below, each with a note on why it passes review and gets replies.
What makes a listing work
Members browse the Board by city, kind (dinner, event, travel, experience, ongoing, mentoring), when it happens and what the host offers. A listing that answers those questions in plain words gets more and better applications than one that skips details or stays vague.
Every listing goes through automatic checks, which refuse anything priced by intimacy, requests for money from the guest, contact details, and private homes or hotel rooms as a first meeting place. Anything flagged goes to a person. List what you offer without overpromising, describe the event clearly enough that someone knows what to expect, and say who you would prefer to meet.
Example: Opera opening night
Title: Opera opening night plus one
Kind: Event
When: Saturday 15 November, 7.30 pm, Melbourne, Australia
Duration: 4 hours
Details: I'm taking a guest to the opening night of the spring opera season. Black tie dress code. The evening runs from 7.30 pm with a pre-show champagne reception, then the performance, then a casual supper after. I'll book our transport and cover all costs. You should be comfortable in formal dress and enjoy conversation in a room full of music lovers.
Offer: Hosted
Looking for: Someone who enjoys formal occasions and can chat easily with strangers. You do not need to know opera. You do need to be free that evening and have formal wear.
Why this works: The listing answers five questions at once: what you are doing, where, when, what it costs and who belongs there. Applicants know the dress code and the time commitment before they reply, so you get applications from people who can actually make it. Saying you will book transport and cover all costs leaves nothing to guess.
Example: Long lunch
Title: Sunday long lunch, somewhere quiet
Kind: Dinner
When: Flexible (weekends in October and November)
Duration: 3 hours
Details: I love a long lunch on a quiet Sunday: good food, good wine, unhurried conversation. I suggest a restaurant I know well in a neighbourhood I think you will like. We book a table and sit for the afternoon. Dress for lunch in a nice restaurant (smart casual is fine). No pressure to drink alcohol if you prefer not to. I cover the bill including tip.
Offer: Hosted, around AUD 200 per person
Looking for: Someone with their own interests and opinions, who listens as well as talks. You should enjoy good food, be comfortable with a bit of wine talk if that interests you, and be free some Sundays.
Why this works: Saying "Flexible" for when opens this to more applicants and shows you are serious about making it work. The description paints a picture: the reader knows what the day feels like, not just that there will be food. Naming a budget ("around AUD 200") sets realistic expectations without sounding transactional. Saying "I suggest a restaurant" keeps you in control of the planning and the venue, but the language is collaborative, not bossy. Adding the note about alcohol respects different choices.
Example: Gallery opening
Title: Private gallery opening, Friday night
Kind: Event
When: Friday 7 November, 6 pm to 8.30 pm, Sydney, Australia
Duration: 2.5 hours
Details: A gallery I support is hosting a private opening night of a new exhibition. About 60 people will be there. There will be catering and wine. I will introduce you to the gallery owner and several artists. You do not need to know anything about contemporary art (I don't pretend to). Just be genuinely interested in meeting interesting people and looking at new work. Smart casual or dress up if you prefer. I will meet you at the gallery entrance so we arrive together.
Offer: Hosted (drinks and light food provided)
Looking for: Someone who is curious, can hold their own in conversation with strangers, and sees this as a night out, not a chore. Ideally someone I might introduce to friends or see again.
Why this works: This listing shows personality: you are saying something true about what you value and how you operate. Saying "I will introduce you" and "I might see you again" signals you see this as the start of something, not a one-off transaction. Clarifying the size (60 people) helps the applicant picture it. Being explicit that you do not know much about art either gives permission for the guest to be a beginner too. Meeting at the entrance and arriving together is a concrete detail that shows you have thought about the evening.
Example: Weekend away
Title: Coast weekend, after we have met
Kind: Travel
When: Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November, Brisbane, Australia
Duration: 3 days
Details: A relaxed weekend on the coast: beach walks, a good dinner out, time to read. Before anything is booked, we meet for a drink in Brisbane so we both know we want the trip. You have your own room. Flights leave Friday mid-morning and return Sunday evening. No planning needed from you.
Offer: Travel covered: flights, your own room and meals
Looking for: Someone easy to travel with, who enjoys quiet days as much as a night out, and can take the Friday off.
Why this works: A drink in the city first means the first meeting is public and nobody commits to a trip with a stranger. "Your own room" answers the question every applicant has. The dates and flight times let people check their diary before they apply.
Before you post
- Write your title to match what you are actually offering, not what sounds most appealing. "Opera opening night plus one" gets the right people. "A night to remember" gets everyone.
- Set clear dates or be honest about flexible timing. Vague dates frustrate applicants and lead to back-and-forth messages.
- Say what you cover, in plain words. "Hosted" or "hosted, around AUD 200" is stronger than hedging or leaving it mysterious.
- Describe who belongs in the room. Specificity helps applicants know whether to apply. "Someone who enjoys conversation" is better than "someone fun".
- Mention any non-negotiables: formal dress, location, time commitment, being away from the city. Screen for these upfront.
What happens after you post
Your listing goes to review: automatic checks, then a person for anything flagged, with a target of under 12 hours. Once open, verified members apply with a note. You shortlist or decline, then accept one person per place, and a private conversation opens between you. The guide to posting an invitation covers each step, and the guide for generous members covers what to offer. When you are ready, write your listing.
