Remembering people and names

In the last few months I have met a ridiculous number of people at networking events and festival events. I was kind of embarrassed at one event when I stared at someone and said, “I know you from somewhere.” She replied, “Yes you do.” As she said that I remembered that I had met her only 5 minutes early and we had engaged in conversation.

A few tips to remembering faces and names of people you meet

1. Repeat their name back to them. Yes they know their own name but this way, you are creating an association with the face and name.
2. As soon as they mention their name, associate it with a familiar object. For example, if their name is Andy, label them Awesome Andy. It will ensure you don’t forget their name but you will be left wondering to yourself at a later date why they are so awesome.
3. Pick one or two key things that they said and write it on the back of their business card. Do this discreetly before you leave the event. This helpvar link = document.getElementById(‘link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute(‘href');} s to jog your memory when youvar link = document.getElementById(‘link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute(‘href');} revisit their business card.
4. Follow up within 48 hours either through email or LinkedIn. This will keep the convervar link = document.getElementById(‘link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute(‘href');} sation fresh and allow for follow up conversation.

I realized that the reason why I had blanked on the meeting was for two reasons 1. I can’t tell if I have met people in person or over social media and 2. We had a one minute conversation about what we do and then were swept away in another conversation.

As I was revisiting these tips, I realize how I need to re-incorporate them back into my day to day to ward off any other potential embarrassing moments.

What are tips you use to remember someone’s name?