You see an attractive man and you’d like to get him to notice you. But what do you do?

Men need encouragement to know it’s safe to approach you. Here are five tips certain to let him know you’re interested.

1. Smile and catch his eye

Smile at a man you’re attracted to and make eye contact with him for five seconds.

Yes, FIVE FULL SECONDS. It will seem like an eternity, but it’s a signal to him that you’re interested.

2. Ask a question

Get his attention by asking him a question.

Here are examples of questions you can ask to get the dialogue going:

• You’re at a happy hour with a friend and a man sits next to you and orders red wine. Ask him about it and whether he’d recommend it.

• You’re at Starbucks. Ask if the chair next to a nice looking man is taken. Or if you’re in line, ask what his favorite coffee is.

• You’re at a dog park. Ask about his dog’s veterinarian and if he’d recommend him or her for your puppy.

3. Listen

Listen to what a man is really saying to you. Men do speak another language that women don’t necessarily hear or understand.

For example, Heidi was sitting at a bar having dinner with her friend.

They struck up a conversation with a man who sat next to them.

It was her friend who asked the question, “What salad is that?” and the conversation among the three of them took off.

When her friend left, Heidi and this attractive man from out of town continued talking.

Over and over again he shared with her that he wasn’t locked into where he lived and that he’d seriously dated women from cities other than the one he lived in.

She totally missed his male language hint for, “Are you interested in dating me even though I live out of town?” ultimately losing out on an opportunity to date a man she was attracted to.

4. Drop something

To this day, one of my favorite TV shows is “I Love Lucy.” In the 1950s, a woman would drop her handkerchief in front of a man to let him know she was interested in him.

Lucy, dressed in a disguise, was pretending to be another woman. She wanted to see if Ricky would flirt with her.

So she dropped her handkerchief and said, “Pardon me,” fully expecting him to pick it up for her. Both understood this was a sign she was interested in him and he could approach her if the attraction was mutual.

You can do the same thing with men today.

Instead of using a handkerchief, try dropping your phone — if it won’t shatter — or a folder or package you might be carrying.

5. Don’t take it personally

Your job is to let him know you’re interested in having him approach you.

His job is to ask you out if he’s interested in you.

If he’s not, it doesn’t mean he’s personally rejecting you. He might be married, have a girlfriend, or you might not be his type.

Just move on. There are plenty of other men out there.