One of the very best ways to meet women is in the TRUE chat rooms. And with a Web cam, you not only can talk with them, you can get a sense of their looks, their mannerisms and their attitudes.

Videochat is one of the hottest trends on the Internet today. It’s a great way to find out if your upcoming date will be fireworks or fizzle. And you can save a lot of potential heartache and wasted time by meeting face to face online first.

Get the scoop on how to get noticed!

For more tips on making TRUE work for you, visit the TRUE Coaching Center. Welcome to Ask Fite – a column dedicated to answering your questions about TRUE, profiles, chat rooms, winks and email. I’m Fite. I’m a real person, and it’s my job to help you improve your profile. Write me! I'm here to help. Send an email to Fite right now! Ready to find someone? Search now>>

Recently I surveyed a handful of TRUE videochatters. What I found out might surprise you: Before getting together in person with someone they’ve met online, many people are using videochat as a friendly, safe way to go on a virtual first date.

Maybe someone on your compatibles list has caught your eye. Or maybe you found a profile that looks interesting while searching on True.com. Send an email inviting her to meet in you a chat room. That way you can fill out all the answers to questions you might have had when reading her profile.

“It’s just more exciting to chat using a Web cam, because you can see reactions to your conversation as they happen,” a female videochatter told me.

And another True videochatter said “It helps to see people because some people put up a photo that totally isn’t them.” With videochat you literally get a more complete picture.

The barriers to videochat are practically nonexistent. Web cams range from $5 to about $800. They’re easy to buy online or at your local discount or computer store. Target, K-mart or Best Buy are easy places to pick one up. What you spend depends on the quality of image you want to project – like many things in life, you get what you pay for.

Videochat Lingo

Whisper — If you find someone in the group that catches your interest, send them a Whisper and invite them to have a private video conversation with you. Kiss — Icon that symbolizes flirtatiousness. Smack — Icon that's akin to a friendly slap. All of these chat room settings can be found on the Chat Settings Tab of each of the True.com chat rooms.

A good way to decide on which Web cam to buy is to use a comparison-shopping site like mysimon.com, smarter.com and nextag.com to do research. PC Magazine , along with doing comparison pricing, will also let you read editor and user reviews.

Some Web cams are plug and play, others require you to install proprietary software. It’s a good idea to check the technical specifications to make sure you’re getting something compatible with your computer before you purchase.

The bottom line is, though, you don’t need a lot of cash or technical skills to get set up for videochat.

There are a couple of easy ways to get someone to videochat with you. The first is to just wander in to a chat room and see who’s already videochatting. From the chat lobby you can see the screen names of all the people that are in each of the chat rooms. Just click on the chat room you're interested in, and you pop right into it. You can tell who’s videochatting by the live picture next to someone's screen name. When you see them, they’ll see you. If you don’t like who you see, just switch rooms.

Another great way to videochat is to invite someone you’ve been swapping winks or emails with. Set up a date to meet in a designated chat room at a certain time and take it from there.

Watch our site tour!

We'll show you even more tips on how to get noticed! Take the site tour

• You must wear clothes. Showing up naked will get you kicked out of the chat room, and besides, it’s just not nice. You wouldn’t walk naked down the street.
• Don’t eat while you’re on camera. Remember playing “see food” when you were in the 4th grade? It’s just as gross now, and won’t win you any points.
• Smile. Smile. And smile again. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so show your best side.

When things get going really well, you can take your chat private by Whispering (see box above) and inviting your new friend to a private chat. After all, getting to know each other is what it’s all about.

Click here to go to the True.com Chat Lobby now!

Want me to take a look at your profile and tell you what I think? I’m here for you – email me!

Want me to use your profile in an upcoming column? Email me! (But don’t worry – unless you give me permission to use your profile for a column (with names and identifying details changed), everything we discuss will remain confidential.

More tips on improving your profile:

• Webcams can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Here's help. more >> • Make sure you're getting all your TRUE email! more >> • Expert advice on the ABC's of meeting scores of singles on TRUE. more >> • Use these questions to write your profile. more >> • Get to know someone with Virtual Dating. more >> • Find the right person for you right now. more >> • Ask Fite: So you're a Maverick. Now what? more >> • Go from online to in person. more >> • Ask Fite: Will you click behind closed doors? more >> • Write an irresistible headline. more >> • Find that cutie and generate some heat! more >> • TRUE's profile coach can help you find your soul mate. more >> • Why uploading a photo will get you more winks and emails. more >> • Your pic should match the season. more >> • Videochat: The fastest way to see if they're really hot. more >> • About You: How to write your Who I'd Like to Meet description. more >> • About Me: How to write your About Me description. more >> • How do I love TRUE? Let me count the ways. more >> • Here are the top 3 ways to get active on TRUE. more >> • Truly amazing 3-word headlines. more >> • 12 tips to make your photo picture-perfect! more >> • What to write to get your soul mate's attention. more >> • Want more people to view you profile? Here's how. more >> • Your Valentine's looking for you. more >>