THERE are some men who are good at chatting up women. They have the charm, the good looks and, most importantly, the confidence to go up to the object of their desire and strike up a conversation with them.

Then there are most men - at least, according to comedian Marc Blake, who recently started a workshop on how to chat up women.

''Men are crap,'' he says. ''We're outranked and outplaced by the opposite sex. The social network has broken down and the problem lies in men not being able to talk to women.''

Marc is on a mission to help men get over this hurdle and, being a comedian, his answer lies in laughter. His course was set up by UKTV's G2 channel after a survey found eight out of ten women consider a good sense of humour to be more important than looks. It promises to help men laugh women in to bed.

''But not every man can laugh a woman into bed,'' he warns. ''It's more about confidence, charm and self-esteem. The laughs, I think, are an ice-breaker. I would never claim a 100 per cent success rate. But making someone laugh does improve your chances.''

So why is humour so important when it comes to approaching women? Well, with 82 per cent of female to male personal ads asking for a good sense of humour (better known as a GSOH), a man who has one seems to have better odds of finding a woman he likes.

''You have to make a good first impression,'' says Marc. ''It only takes about two seconds for someone to judge you. It's all about confidence and delivery. In fact, maybe any chat up line will work as long as those two things are in place.''

Where to find a woman

SPEED DATING

Risk of rejection: low.

Speed dating should be treated like a three-minute job interview. You want to dress right - no personality ties or comedy socks. Be on your best behaviour, be polite, show willing, show interest, and have a witty anecdote about your hobbies ready.

EVENING CLASSES

Risk of rejection: low.

''Evening classes are good," says Marc. "It's somewhere where you're introduced to new people and feel very relaxed.''

THE OFFICE

Risk of rejection: medium to low.

A survey found that 78 per cent of graduates meet their long-term sexual partners at the office. They were probably helped along by the fact that there is a degree of communality at the office. You know you'll have certain things in common with a fanciable colleague.

THE PUB

Risk of rejection: medium.

Always have props with you. A book or a broadsheet paper makes you look thoughtful and intelligent, and gives you something to do. And a mobile makes you look busy.

Pubs are full of alpha males, but it's best to come down a few testosterone levels because a woman will be thinking: ''Why would I want this person in my life?''

THE GYM

Risk of rejection: high.

''The gym is a place where the focus is on the body, not the mind,'' says Marc. ''And you can't really go up to a woman and start talking about her body.''

THE SUPERMARKET

Risk of rejection: high.

The supermarket is full of complete strangers going about their business, so it's very hard to pull there. ''The one thing you really need in a supermarket is the ability to think of a good joke,'' says Marc. ''One that will hold someone's attention.''

Tips for pulling

l The best way to approach a stranger is with a question. ''A question followed by a compliment,'' adds Marc.

l Work out your 'status' to see if you need to improve it. If you have lots of confidence, you have a high status; if you are shy or nervous then it's low.

l Touching is a very good way of holding interest. ''Just a gentle touch really, really works,'' says Marc. ''But don't run at them. And don't tweak or fondle.''

l Turn rejection on its head. ''Giving a positive reaction to something negative does make you feel better," says Marc.

l Find a balance - confidence can be confused with arrogance and while modesty is good, self-pity is ugly.

l Men and women talk in different ways. ''A lot of women's conversation is self-deprecating,'' says Marc. ''But men talk big. The dynamic is different, so men should take that on board when they're talking to women.''

l Know when to 'cool' the situation. ''It's something stand-up comedians do when they're dying on their arse,'' says Marc. ''You just need a line that relaxes the situation.''

Marc's chat up lines

THE GOOD...

Try me once and what have you wasted - six hours of your life? It'd be more if you wanted foreplay.

I've been trying to talk to you for ages. No, still can't do it.

THE BAD...

Hi, you'll do.

(In the gym) You don't sweat much for a big girl.

AND THE CLASSIC...

Do you come here often?

Get your coat love, you've pulled.

l Marc Blake's UKTV G2SOH Essential Workshop takes place at Newcastle University on Wednesday, July 7.