When approaching someone on an online dating site, its important to remember that the internet is an anonymous and often highly untrustworthy place. People will be easily offended or scared off by clumsy words, insensitive remarks, coming on too strong, or by a unattractive picture. Remember, you need to oversell yourself when going onto online dating sites. Present yourself like you're going into a job interview - wear your best clothes, say polite things, and be on your best behavior. This is your key to success when using any online dating site.

Some top mistakes to avoid when you're approaching someone on an online dating site:

Don't use any cheesy pickup lines: We've all heard them before. The words "hey baby" should never be in your approach email! Keep it polite and don't come off as uncultured or desperate.

Choose a high quality profile image in which you're wearing nice clothes: The best way to turn someone off is to show yourself in your sweats and messy hair. Look presentable in your profile picture - after all your picture is the #1 thing people look at and use to decide whether or not to contact you.

Don't contact people at 2am: This automatically makes you look like a drunk dialer - who contacts people for a date at 2am? Remember your manners and contact people at normal hours of the day.

Don't write an intro message that's too long: A drawn-out long introductory greeting makes you look desperate. You shouldn't have that much time on your hands to contact someone you've never met or spoken with. Be brief, funny, and polite.

Hopefully these tips will help you improve your success rate when contacting people on online dating sites.