Has it ever happened to you? You meet someone for the first time, they introduce themselves, and in less than 30 seconds you have already forgot their name. And to make matters worse, your friend/spouse just came back from the bar and you have to make introductions.
Whenever I meet someone, especially if I know I am going to see them occasionally, I make it top priority to remember their name.
Why it pays to remember Names.
Makes the person feel special - People love the sound of their name. When you speak out their name it shows that you care enough to remember them, that they are worth remembering. In the context of being a giver, if there were no benefits other than this, it would be worth it.
Special attention. – I have often found that when I recognize a person by name , I always get a better response. Sometimes it may be just an extra warm smile, in business I often get better service and quicker attention.
3 Steps To Remembering Names
Intention. Repetition. Connection
Intention – Having the conscious desire to remember a persons name is the first and most important step. It is not that you forgot the persons name in the first 30 seconds, its that you never really cared to remember it in the first place. Create the conscious desire to remember the name of the person the moment you hear it.
Repetition – Using the persons name helps to further locking it into your memory. Right after you hear the persons name use it right away, “Nice to meet you Bill. What brings you to the party Jen? Dave, what department are you in?” Try to repeat the name at least 3 times in the course of the conversation.
Connection – To help you remember the name for a later date try using this mnemonic technique. Pick something about the persons face that really stands out, and then connect an visual representation of their name to that body part. For example if you meet Jane and her earlobes stand out for you. You could visualize Tarzan holding Jane and swinging on a vine connected to her earlobe. Next time you see Jane you will see here earlobes and the image will pop into your mind. If Mr. Smith has a flat forehead, you could visualize a Smith hammering out a piece of hot iron on Mr. Smiths forehead. Make sure the image is absurd, the sillier it is the easier it will be to remember.
At first you will have to be quite conscious of these steps, but with a bit of practice you will soon find that you are doing it easily and almost subconsciously.
–
–
