The 4 Tricks to Remember Names

Dale Carnegie author of the self-help classic, how to win friends and influence people, which was published in 1936, said. A person's name is to that person, the sweetest most important sound in any language. Over eight decades later. And outline still rings. True. Especially in business. Welcome to episode 43. Where I'm going to give you my tricks for remembering the names of all of the people you mean social business and networking situations. This episode is sponsored by Nickerson. A full service, branding, marketing, and PR and communications agency with team members in Boston, LA. Miami in New York city, visit them@nickersoncos.com. In short. Remembering someone's name is important because it makes that other person feels special in business and in life. It's important to make others feel special. And learning how to remember a person's name is a really easy way to do that. Additionally, it shows that you value them. You've taken the time, even if it's just a moment. To listen to and remember their name. When you use a person's name in conversation, they also feel more comfortable with you and are more likely to open up to you. I know, you know, how important remembering names is because I get this question over and over again in my networking presentation and workshops. It's also why I wrote about it in my book. Think about this for a second. When you see someone. For the second time or the third time even. And they remember your name. I bet it makes you feel special. I bet it makes you feel that your previous interaction meant something to them or made an impression. Because it did. So you need to start remembering the names of the people you meet. Here are four tips to help you remember all of the names of all of the people you'll meet and all of those situations. One. Don't get caught up waiting to say your own name. You already know your own name. It's gonna come out fine. Listen to what the other person is saying. Instead of anticipating saying your own name, you know, you do this, you're waiting anxiously to say your own name. And then after you say your name, you're like, shit. What the fuck was this person's name again? And then this is a vicious cycle because instead of listening to what the other person is saying and be involved in that conversation, you're racking your brain, trying to remember their name, which just let me tell you, you never will. You didn't hear it. You won't remember it. So listen to their name. Two. Repeat their name before you say your own, this helps make sure that you heard it correctly and it also gives your brain an opportunity to process it. See, I have a name that could be misunderstood. And what I mean by that is sometimes I will introduce myself as Julie. And the other person will call me Julia. And I hate that. when you repeat the other person's name to make sure that you got it correct. This is another way of showing the person that you value and respect them because you're getting their name right. Three. Make a name association, think of something similar, their name rhymes with, or a person, a famous or otherwise who has the same name as them. For example. The bane of my existence is that when someone finds out my name is Julie Brown, they immediately ask if I'm downtown Julie Brown. I cannot tell you how many times I've been called downtown Julie Brown in the 16 plus years since I've been married to my husband. Who. Is Chris brown and has his own name, association shit to deal with. But it goes to show how well it works. I once met a man at an event whose name was bud. He spelled it. Be you. D D. In my mind, I said to myself, but with the double D that's how I remembered his name and I never forgot it. I met a woman the other day named Megan when she introduced herself to me, I said, Megan, oh, that's my niece's name. I actually said my trick out loud because I knew it would not only help me remember her name, but it would create a connection with her, these little tricks they work and they take no time for your brain to do them. Four. Lastly, use their name. Over the course of your conversation. Like, don't go fucking crazy with it, but say their name at least once during the conversation or when you're ending the conversation, it will help cement their name in your mind. So if you're talking to this guy named Jim. And he says something interesting. You could say, oh my God, Jim, I didn't know that. That's so interesting. Just saying his name out loud in the conversation. We'll help you remember the name? Would these tools, you may not remember a hundred percent of the names of the peoples that you meet, but it will make it a lot easier to remember. Most of them. Just as a side note here. When I am on a call with a customer service representative with any company, I always make a note of the representative's name. So I'll call. The phone will be ringing and they'll answer it. And they'll be like this is Jim with American express. Who am I speaking with today? And I'll say, Hey, Jim. You're speaking with Julie Brown. How are you today? Starting off the conversation by personalizing? It always makes it better, especially if I'm calling with a need, like, can you please take off this late charge or this interest that I forgot to pay? When I personalize the conversation and make that other person feel special by using their name, even over the phone, it changes the dynamic of the conversation. They always seem more willing to help me do this. If I ever have to book and airline flight over the phone, I make sure that I use that person's name multiple times. Usually helps me get a better seat on the flight. I'm not even kidding you. You shouldn't do it just because it's more likely you'll get what you want. You should do it because those people are dealing with cranky ass callers all day long people who probably yell at them and give them a hard time and never call them by their name. Remembering someone's name as a form of recognition and we all on some level want recognition and to be seen. So, what do you do if you're at an event and you know, you've met a person before, but you just can not remember their name. I think in this scenario, honesty is the best policy say, I know we have met before, but for some reason I am drawing a complete blank on your name. I'm so sorry. What was your name again? This is so much better than waiting and hoping that someone else will join your conversation and save the other person's name. And this can really go wrong. If a person comes up to you that, you know, but they don't know the other person, because then you're like, uh, have you met, um, So-and-so. Avoid all of this hullabaloo by just being honest and saying, I misplaced your name in my brain when you first see the other person and they'll tell you their name and then you can start talking and go on from there. As we get back to in-person events, we are going to be overwhelmed by all of the things that go on during in-person interactions, the social cues, the body language, handshakes conversations. It's going to take some time to be able to navigate all of that swiftly. But I guarantee. If you start practicing my four tricks to remembering names, that is the one thing that you will no longer have to stress about. The other day, I went to a brewery true north up in Ipswich. Uh, remember a couple episodes ago when we talked about the importance of the third places and our social lives. Well, I didn't go there because of that episode. I went because I wanted a beer. And it has outdoor seating and it's dog friendly. So Mattie and Royce could come with us. Well, when I was there, I did a tasting and my favorite beer out of the tasting by far. Was there elder wild, which is a honey Saison. It was delicious. It was multi, it was made with wildflower, honey, right from Massachusetts. It was fermented with Saison yeast from Belgium, and it was spiced with elderflower blossoms. It was so, so good. So if you're a local, go get some for yourself. Okay friends. Thank you again for being here for coming back week after week. I appreciate you. If you have a moment to subscribe and give a rating on iTunes, that would be much appreciated. Until next week. Cheers.