I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say, I don’t know how to remember names. I’m just no good. Well, there is your first mistake. You are creating your own reality but repeating the mantra. I can’t remember names.

The undeniable first step is to tell yourself, “Names, that’s easy. I remember everyone’s name”.

Remembering names is an artfom and shows that you do care about a person. Or that you have a photographic memory. I’d like to think that it shows that you care.

I think we all have an occasion when you have met someone, you have been taken by instantly and you will remember their name. If however, someone just doesn’t connect with you, or you deem them not important enough, to remember their name. Guess what? You won’t. There is nothing worse than meeting someone numerous times and having to reintroduce yourself, as many times. Guess what, maybe they don’t care about you, or maybe their memory is for faces and not names. You will either persevere or just move on. You chose.

Now, you might find yourself in a position where it is important to you or your career to remember names. So I hope these few steps that follow, will get you onto the track of remembering everyone you meet.

To use the excuse, “I’m just no good with names” is just not acceptable if you want to win at the art of communication and if you want to make the best impression you can, memorise these steps and then you will be remembering names with ease.

Remembering Names

• Rule number one is that you must want to remember names. Think of it as a skill you are developing through practice. Some additional tips:
• Repeat the name after you’ve been introduced to the person. Then use it again as soon as possible to underline the name in your memory. Repetition helps.
• Look at the person as you say their name. Note anything visual about that person that will help you anchor that name in your memory.
• If you are given a business card at some point in the conversation, take time to look at the card and the person’s name. For visual learners, actually seeing the name helps keep it in your memory.
• If you have a journal, get in the habit of writing down the names of the people you meet at a function or during the day. You can include something you learned about them to help with making the connection, like the type of car their drive, that you met them on their birthday, or they received an award that day. This activates your kinaesthetic learning and is just one more opportunity to fix the name in your memory.

Good luck with this, and, in case you had forgotten already. Hi, I’m Clare. Great to meet you :)

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