I don't believe % is a function of how often you msg people: that only affects the "replies often" or "replies selectively" status.

The match % is a function of the tests that users complete.

More about just how advanced the platform is can be found here:
("calculate a match percentage between the searcher and each candidate, which involves thousands of arithmetic operations on the intersections of their questions")


As for opening a bird by referring to her "tats" --- well if she replies to that, she's probably up for anything so say whatever you want. Try and move beyond boring shit like how r u? / what u doing?, could say something slightly controversial and colourful instead, phrased as a question, and wait for a response... "Why is it that.. ____?" or "Do you agree that ______?"... if this can be linked into a strereotype of people with one of her main interests it might help - whatever!