We’ve all been there. You match with someone incredible. You panic. Your mind goes blank.
You type: "Hey"
And you never hear from them again.

"It’s not because you're boring. It’s because 'Hey' is heavy."

When you send a generic greeting, you are unintentionally putting 100% of the cognitive load on the other person. You are effectively saying: "I am here. Now YOU entertain ME."

It feels safe to send, but it's risky because it demands work from them. And in the high-speed world of dating apps, nobody wants more work.

The 3 Rules of the Perfect Opener

SLICK Team analyzed thousands of successful interactions. Here is the psychology of what actually gets a reply (and why).

1. Low Friction, High Relevance

Don't ask "How was your weekend?" (Too generic). Don't ask "What is the meaning of life?" (Too heavy).

Ask something Low Friction (easy to answer) but High Relevance (specific to them).

The Shift
What's up?
vs
That trail in your 3rd pic looks insane. Was that Zion or Bryce Canyon?

Why it works: It requires zero creativity to answer ("It was Zion!"), but shows you paid attention.

2. The "Observation + Curiosity" Formula

This is the secret sauce used by the most successful communicators. Make an observation about something specific in their bio/photos, then attach a curiosity loop (a question).

Result: You've given them a prompt, not just a ping.

3. Use Tools to Learn the Game

You don't have to be a poet. You just need to understand the mechanics.

If you’re staring at a blank screen, the SLICK Text Makeover isn't just a generator—it's a teacher. When you see how it transforms "You like sushi?" into "I refuse to believe you finished that entire boat of sushi solo," you start to see the pattern.

It's not about being fake. It's about finding the fun angle you missed because you were nervous.

Stop guessing. Start connecting.