Local Matchmaking Project: 1 Million in Annual Profit
No membership fees; free entry to LGBTQ+ singles groups
Main Revenue Models:
User A promotes their own profile via WeChat Moments for 100 RMB (quality members join free), while User B, who wants to add A on WeChat, pays A 100 RMB—sometimes as high as a few thousand RMB.
Online flash dating events: 20–40 participants per session, half men and half women, twice a month. No limit on the number of sessions; depends on energy and sign-ups. Entry fee is 100 RMB. Women create group chats (web-based, not WeChat groups); men are added one by one, submit their info and photos, get selected, interact, and women can choose up to 5 men to exchange WeChats with.
Pledge check-in: 100 RMB deposit. Run or English-learning check-ins. Failed check-ins are non-refundable; successful check-ins refund the deposit. Held once a month. 50% of failed deposits are rewarded to successful participants; the other 50% is profit.
Precise matching: Two opposite-sex matches provided each week. Quarterly fee is 3,000 RMB, semi-annual is 5,000 RMB, and annual is 10,000 RMB. Usually launched only after reaching over 3,000 active users, with an average conversion rate of 5%.
Weekend activities: 100–300 RMB registration fee. Typically BBQ, board games, hiking, or karaoke. Bring three people and one goes free; pairs get a discount, incentivizing user referrals.
Most importantly, acquiring the first 2,000 users drives natural growth thereafter.
Traffic Acquisition:
Collaborate with community managers and local interest-group admins, sharing over 50% of profits to build long-term referral partnerships.
Set up street booths, hand out free small gifts in exchange for adding WeChat, targeting young, attractive singles.
Publish local-interest activity posts on social media to drive traffic.
Partner with local restaurants to post flyers and distribute promotional materials.
Leverage member networks: hold in-depth conversations with members; many who hold resources will help for free.
Reducing Costs:
Venue: Partner with hotels and bars, utilize idle time slots, and co-promote. Venues often sponsor small gifts or desserts in exchange for mutual traffic.
Joint events: Government organizers have funds but lack experience. Offer to brand these events for free in exchange for subsidies and name recognition.
Sponsorships: Once traffic grows, businesses will proactively provide money or products as sponsorships for events.
Avoid members directly adding each other. Local matchmaking essentially profits from information asymmetry. Offer rewards for reports, penalize violations, disband old groups periodically, form new ones, and prevent power users from dominating new groups.