Never Forget a Name Again: Three Tips That Work

Are you ready to remember names and faces? You'll succeed by using these three tips and techniques to boost your memory.

Again and Again... and Again. Or, you could say, practice, practice, practice. Either way, when you meet someone whose name you want to remember, tries using their name three or four times in a conversation. It's not hard; just slip the name into normal statements and questions you'd be saying anyway. Say your boss wants you to meet the new VP, Heidi. "Hello, Heidi, nice to meet you," you begin. A little later you might ask, "Heidi, do you live near the office, or do you commute?" Or, "Has anyone shown you where the staff room is, Heidi? You're bound to need some coffee." Or, to remember her last name, ask, "I noticed your last name is Grosse. Is that a German name?"

This is a great memory technique for names, partly because it's so simple. But more important, it works.

Use Vivid, Descriptors. Just to make sure you remember Heidi's name, try using the classic technique of giving her a vivid descriptive word. The more unusual, oddball, funny, or outrageous the descriptor, the better. Heidi is pale and blonde, rather ethereal in appearance. She reminds you of a face on an icon.

So, in your head, you call her Holy Heidi. Or imagine meeting a fellow named Fred. You glance down and notice his enormous feet. In your private imagination, call him Big Foot Fred. Or when you meet Millie, you notice she's very muscular, probably works out. She becomes Mighty Millie.

You'll be surprised how effective this technique can be in helping you remember names. Just don't blurt out your imaginary monikers!

Remember the Positive Payoffs. Remembering names and faces is not an end in itself. It's the impact that you make-on your new acquaintance and yourself. The impact on your new acquaintance will be immediately obvious. You make them feel good about themselves, just by using their name. If they feel good about themselves, they'll feel good about you. Not only that, you'll impress yourself too. Remembering names is a skill that will improve your own self-esteem, especially after years of bungling introductions by forgetting.

Remembering names and faces is a win-win situation. You make somebody else feel good, and you gain self-respect. Remembering gives you a new reason to believe in yourself.

So when you meet a new acquaintance, try the new techniques. Repeat the name in conversation, focus on the person you're meeting, imagine a funny description, and glow in the double positive payoff. It's simple, and it works.


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