There are only three pick-up lines that work, according to this dating guru.

Pick-up lines are rarely a good idea.

Approaching somebody to awkwardly bark out two or three sentences is endearingly stupid, at best.

But dating “expert” Matthew Hussey is convinced a pick up line that’s done correctly can make any man swoon.

Podcast hosts Mia Freedman, Jessie Stephens and Monique Bowley, discussed these strategies on this week’s episode of Mamamia Out Loud.

The strategies were suggested by a caller who had recently stumbled across Hussey’s work while browsing audiobook hub, Audible.

“I happened to discover a book, on Audible, called ‘Get The Guy’ by Matthew Hussey. He’s English and he’s pure genius. Basically, just get on it,” the caller said.

Listen to the MMOL hosts discuss his dating advice in this sneaky excerpt.

Monique told the other hosts the advice had been ripped from a video Hussey had uploaded onto YouTube.

“He has a video called, ‘Three Man Melting Phrases That Make A Guy Fall For You,” Monique said.

Strategy One: Style.

The dating “expert” explained that indirectly complimenting somebody is more powerful as direct compliments can often come across as awkward.

“The first way to compliment a guy is on his style, so when you go up to a guy and say, ‘I love these jeans or those shoes are so cool’, not only is it safer and less direct, it’s actually more meaningful.”

Strategy Two: The Hidden Trait.

Hussey explained that instead of complimenting the person on a skill such as playing the guitar, it is much more effective to compliment them on the dedication it took to build that skill.

“If you can compliment the trait that made him good at the guitar in the first place, he will be much more sentimental about that.”

Strategy Three: Come on Strong

The author advises women play to the idea that men are physically stronger and therefore able to protect them from harm.

“Say to a man, ‘I feel so safe whenever I’m around you,’ just saying that to a guy, makes him feel like superman but more specifically, it makes him feel like superman with you,” he said.

The strategies may sound a bit painful but co-host and single lady, Jessie, promised she would employ them during her next date. A date she alluded may come as soon as next week.

"I was complaining to my friends ab0ut how we've lost the art of setting our friends up, we just don't do it anymore," she said.

"So last night, my friend calls me, puts me on a three way call with some guy named Will and says, 'I've set you up for a date next Monday night.'"

Listen to the full MMOL podcast for the whole story as well as a round-up of all the big ideas women are talking about this week. 

You can buy Matthew Hussey's book or any other book mentioned on our podcasts, from iBooks at apple.co/mamamia, where you can also subscribe to all our other shows in one place.