Listen. Ask a lot of questions. Show an interest and try to relate somehow. Try not to talk about yourself or your opinions too much, but at the same time try not to be too boring. There's nothing wrong with revealing a little bit about yourself, but don't delve into the deeper stuff during the first meeting. Save something for future dates.

Try to keep it relatively light during the first few meetings if it's someone you haven't met before. Make some light humour, but not at anyone's expense. Laugh at yourself a little. Try to come across as a positive person.

If you're not happy with yourself or you don't have a lot of confidence, then perhaps try to work on yourself a bit first. Do all those things that you feel you need to, or would like to do to improve yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. If you can't love yourself (without being arrogant about it), then you may find it difficult to be comfortable in a relationship, or trusting the other person if things get a bit more serious.

Believe that you deserve happiness, in whatever form that takes. Go out and socialise, meet as many people as you feel comfortable with, guys and girls. Make some new friends. Sometimes just expanding your social circles will lead you closer to the person who is right for you. That person will accept you the way you are and will love you without asking you to change.

I met my wife unintentionally through a friend, she was her flatmate at the time and they also studied together at uni. We struck up a strong friendship very quickly, something just clicked with us both and eventually we decided to take it to the next level. Best risk I ever took, 14 years later here we are, both still very happy.

Of course if you're just out for a bit of fun, I probably can't help you much there. I was always a bit too shy and I'm led to believe that cheesy pick up lines don't work. However I do have some friends who play the field, and they are exceedingly confident within themselves. But they are just themselves and some women do go out with the intention of picking up for the night. I should know, I used to go out with a group of them in younger days quite regularly. They were just fun girls, out for fun times. Great people, and we had a lot of laughs. I never broke the friend zone with any of them, but I'm kind of glad I didn't, because it really would've ruined the dynamics of the group.

Sorry I digressed a bit there, but anyway that's my advice. For whatever it's worth. However that's just my experience. Hope it helps.