As president of Love Systems, a Los Angeles-based dating company, Nick Savoy has spent the better part of a decade helping men find their A game.

And then bring it with them to dinner.

Along the way, he has learned about these would-be Romeos and their predilections. His new book, "It's Your Move: How to Play the Game and Win the Man You Want" (Grand Central Publishing), is a collection of these gleanings.

We chatted with Savoy about some of his tips. Following is an edited transcript.

Q: When in doubt about what to wear, women should use the 15 percent rule. What is that?

A: Our brains notice patterns and exceptions more than almost anything else. In most cases, when a woman stands out because of her outfit, it's not just due to the outfit itself, but it's also due to the contrast with what other women are wearing.

For example, if you're worried that your outfit is too revealing or too conservative, imagine yourself once you get to the event. In a random group of six other women, would you and your outfit stand out? If so, then you've hit the 15 percent rule - the "normal" group will be the 85 percent, and you'll be in the 15 percent and be noticed for it.

Whether that is good or bad depends on you, what you're being noticed for, and your goals for the night. Women can use the 15 percent rule either to stand out or to blend in.

Q: You urge women to cultivate "going out" friends. Who would that be?

A: Go out with friends who are happy, outgoing, nonjudgmental, and who are themselves open to meeting men or at least open to you meeting men. They should be confident and happy enough that they won't sabotage you if they aren't getting as much attention as they want.

If you're open to meeting men when you're out, then who you go out with can be very important. Go out in groups of three if you can. Large groups are intimidating for many men to approach, but if you're in a group of two, your friend might be bored if you're talking to someone else.

Q: You say a man greatly raises his odds with women by being seen with other attractive women. The same is not true for a woman surrounding herself with attractive men. Why?

A: Most women are screening for similar qualities in a man: social skills, decent values, single, emotionally available, sense of humor, ambition, confidence, etc. These aren't enough in themselves to attract most women, but if a man doesn't have these qualities, few women will be interested.

The problem is that it takes time to learn about someone's personality. Most women don't have time to get to know everyone who crosses their path. So many women (subconsciously) use other women's behavior as a shortcut. If women seem to be attracted to a man, other women are more likely to be curious about him and what he has to offer. If women are avoiding a man, other women are more likely to think that there might be something wrong with him.

The same concept doesn't work in reverse, because most men are more likely to screen for a woman's looks than personality when deciding who to approach or talk to. A man is perfectly capable of deciding if he's physically attracted to a woman just by looking at her.

Q: The most important rule in attracting a man, you say, is to appear as if you're not trying to do so. So look bored?

A: Just because you don't look like you're going out of your way to attract a man doesn't mean you should look bored. Rather the opposite. You should be seen to be having a great time and engaging with other people around you. That will draw him in and make him more curious about you.

The key word here is "look." There's lots you can do to attract a man. It's just a lot more effective if it doesn't seem like that's your agenda.

• Read more articles by HEIDI STEVENS

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