Worst Online Pickup Lines

When my friend joined an online dating service, she quickly became inundated by emails from potential suitors--which was great! Not so great? The number of letters with big, waving red flags. With everything from misspellings and grammar mistakes to out and out queries for sex on the first date--there were only a few she deemed worthy of a reply.
I don't blame the guys who sent them. Many of them were probably pretty good catches in real life. The problem is, not everyone's good at expressing themselves through an email or IM chat. After all, it can be hard enough to approach someone in real life, when you can rely on attraction, body language and the spoken word to get your message across.
So how do you attract the person you're interested in online, without scaring them away?
We asked SpeedDate co-founder and president Dan Abelon for some tips.


Never start off a conversation with “hey” because really it can’t get any more boring than that.  Instead, start out with something that depicts a common link between the two of you – like, "I noticed you are an avid runner –jogging is my favorite way to relax after work."
Compliment photos.  It may sound cheesy but everyone likes a little flattery every now and then, and kind words can go a long way toward opening a conversation.  Stay away from comments on attributes that could be considered crude, or a little too forward. Play it safe and stick to smiles, hair and eyes.
Humor goes a long way. Choose pop culture topics that demonstrate your wittiness and sense of humor.  Say something like, “I can best be described as a cross between Gwen Stefani for my sense of style and Snooki for my Type-A personality.” (Of course, we're talkin' about the ladies in those examples!)
Close it out with a call to action. Now that you have them intrigued and the conversation is going along smoothly – don’t let them get away. If you like where things are going, make sure to ask if he/she would like to continue the conversation online or even meet in person over lunch.   Lunch is much less formal than dinner and shows genuine interest in moving forward, without too much interest.
Good tips,  Dan - though I have to say, I'm not sure most guys are going to jump at the idea of dating a Snook-alike-- even in jest-- but your mileage may vary. And I will close with a suggestion of my own. Don't make it all about you. Ask questions about the person you're interested in, based on what you've read on their profiles. Most people love the opportunity to talk (or in this case, type) about themselves and this way you'll definitely open up the door for a reply.

What's the worst pickup line you've ever heard! We want to hear from you!