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Knowing how to remember names keeps me in business. I’m always searching for another new technique for how to remember names, and I find searching online is rich territory for getting useful advice.
You can Google “remember names” and find thousands of helpful websites. Visit a few, and you’ll find many hints, including concentrating (tuning up your attitude, as well as your eyes and ears), associating the name (with sounds, images, or feelings), and reinforcing (repeating the name, using it, writing it, etc.).
With each new technique you use, you’ll remember names better. Now, reverse your perspective. Have you thought about this? Use the techniques you find to help people you meet for the first time. Make it easier for them — the better you help them remember YOUR name, the better they’ll remember you and the more often they’ll think of you.
Looking for a new technique or two? My advice: Search widely. I often find wonderful hints for how to remember names can be buried in unlikely places.
For example, I recently found Jaci Russo’s wonderful blog about her business, The Russo Group, which helps companies with their “branding”. I’m not a client, but her blog’s title caught my eye right away: “Top 10 Brand Tagline Mistakes”.
I expected she’d mention a few ideas about making important words easy to remember, and I was right! Read it — her savvy advice is a goldmine of help for how to remember names, companies, and taglines. Read her blog with an eye for learning how to help people remember YOUR name, company, or tagline.
You can learn many tips here. These are just a few of the examples I gathered from her blog:
- Tell a quick story about your name, associating it with a sound, image, or feeling.
- Make your company name and tagline catchy, not bland.
- Make your company name and tagline distinctive, not generic
- Make your company name and tagline clear and vivid images.
- Make sure your name, company, and tagline are everywhere—in thank you’s, conversations, letters, cards, websites, email signatures, ads, and more.
People knowing how to remember our name keep my band busy at weddings and parties. Here’s a picture of the trio entertaining at a casual luncheon back in 2009. Thanks to one of my favorite colleagues, Liz Guthrie, amazing event planner and founder of Wish Upon A Wedding, for this wonderful photo.
We entertain throughout the San Francisco Bay Area nearly every day, and if we can ever help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for testimonials, music samples, videos, photos, and our public schedule, and catch us at an event soon. In the meantime, please join our Facebook “fans”, and you’ll get a reminder for each of our public events.
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How can I help you? Call 408-245-9120 or use [email protected]. Planning a celebration? Ask about our availability.
Thanks so much for your kind words and link to Razor Branding Blog – http://www.razorbrandingblog.com I’m glad the post on taglines was helpful to you.
Hi Jaci,
My pleasure, and thanks again for your inspiring post! You described ten topics everyone can personalize to see significant benefits, and I’m happy to share your list with my friends. Hope some of this activity benefits you, too.
Robbie
Robbie – nice hints and tips. I always try to rhyme a name with something silly to help me remember. Like Bob=Slob, even if Bob is the neatest man in the room! That helps me tremendously! Thanks, Hobby oops, I mean Robbie.
Thanks for those tips. Repeating a name back at someone helps me tremendously but I’m way better with faces than names.
Louise Edington
Facing Fears For Freedom
http://louiseedington.com
Remembering names is one of my weaknesses, so I really appreciate getting help with that! I remember faces, but names escape me unless it is a name I see and use frequently. If I say someone’s name often enough, then I will remember it, but if I haven’t used the name in a while it is difficult for me to remember! I will try to employ some of the suggestions here and see if I can improve!
Great idea, to use these types of tips to help others remember your own name, I’m going to keep that in mind. And what about maybe turning the tables and asking the person what they think would help you to remember their name, a story, etc.? Hmm…..
Lisa
http://lisawifemom.wordpress.com
Robbie,
Great topic! I always try to repeat a person’s name back to them. However, I am like Louise in that I am much better at faces than names.
Carrie Hansen
As always Robbie – love your blog! I am a big believer in trying to remember names and not using nametags. I find that hearing a personal story is always helpful. I agree that your company name should be catchy and the logo – eye popping! Rachel
Hi Robbie,
Cool post…I’m bad at remembering names until I have a chance to get to know the person. But, I always remember their face 🙂 I like the connection you made to tag lines. I’ll have to ponder that more…
Brandy Mychals
Communications Coach
Creator of Split Second Perceptions
This was great Robbie. Yes, I’m much better at remembering faces than the actual names and often I have forgotten a name or company minutes after leaving. That’s a good idea to find something catchy and memorable. The bland stuff just doesn’t do it, does it?
Fiona Stolze
Inspired Art and Living
http://fionastolze.wordpress.com
Robbie – such a good point…we are obsessed with remembering names ourselves but making our name memorable is just as important. For me to remember a name I almost always need to see it written, then I remember forever. Getting people to remember my name…I have a little theme song: “Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na… Pat Zahn!” (like theme to old Batman TV series)
Pat Zahn, Photo Solutions Superhero
http://www.PatZahn.com
With a slightly unusual name (actually, two… both my first and last names are not common), I find that often people remember my name. Perhaps it’s because there’s some focused attention on their part to say it or understand how I spell it when we first meet. In the past 30 years I couldn’t begin to imagine how many thousands of people I’ve met. There are times I don’t remember names; but I usually remember the circumstances under which we met.
Like with you. I’m pretty sure we’ve met. I look to the column on the right of this post and see several familiar faces including Andy Ebon who I’ve known since 1991ish. I’m guessing I’ve swayed to your music, or we’ve noshed at an event industry gathering; or maybe you played for a wedding I attended. I am sure when we speak (soon) we’ll figure that out!
For now, my added tip for remembering someone’s name when I meet them is this: Shake their hand, repeat their name while looking in their eyes. Then If you don’t remember the name… you will remember what’s more important, the experience of connecting with another person in a moment.
Blessings~
Tambra Harck
http://EmergentWomen.com (Conscious Women Entrepreneurs live event)
Scottie, nice post. But really Bobbie, how hard is it to remember a name? You just repeat the name, like yours Tommie, over and over, and you will be sure to remember it. I never could understand Colbie why people had such difficulty remembering names. But I guess that is just their problem…
But talking about taglines, I don’t understand why people don’t add one when they are commenting on blog posts. It identifies you and should be part of your signature. Great post Robbie.
Candace Davenport
http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
Nice hints Robbie. With the name Irene I always tell people my age or older “as in “Good night Irene” Unfortunately the younger folk don’t know that one, but sometimes it still helps them associate or stop long enough to remember. Now, of to read the post on brand tag lines. Thanks!
Irene
http://irene-turner.com
In speaking engagements I use these techniques for being remembered and remembering others
1. I make sure everyone wears a name tag that I can see (I have somewhat of a photographic memory)- by first break I know every ones name even when there are 100s of people.
2. I wear a name tag – when I don’t by the end of the day people are calling me Linda and not Lisa Ann Landry.
3. I tell a story about the chick who stole my name Lisa Landry the comedian & tell everyone I go by Lisa Ann Landry now.
4. I say my name all day long.
Lisa Ann Landry
Vibrating positive energy…what are you vibrating?
http://www.imagedevelopmentgroup.com/index.html
I’ve found that if I presence myself when I am networking and ask good questions I learn something about the person that helps me remember them. Also…if I can’t remember their names when our conversation ends…I cop to it and ask them their name again.
Darcie Newton
Discipline for profit, none for jammy zins, triple creme brie and stunning necklaces
http://www.mywealthspa.com
Robbie, great share. Keeping names and useful information close at hand is definitely a great way to impress people and look good. It is really helpful when being an entrepreneur to look professional and focused. I am going to have to try some of these tricks.
Jennifer Duchene
Home Makeover Mixtress blending lifestyle and laughter
http://LYShome.com
Great tips Robbie. And what a wealth of links you have in this post. I am going to start thinking about associating my name with someone or something so people can remember it – great idea. I know it works because at a recent gathering, a gentleman introduced himself to my as “My name is Elton as in Elton John”. I never forgot his name after that.
Thanks Connie,
Glad you’re getting a few good ideas from my post. Careful, though — this strategy can be carried too far. A few years ago, a fellow introduced himself to me, saying “Hi, my name is Bob. You know, like an armless, legless man in a swimming pool.” Awful image, and I still remember the fellow’s name, but wouldn’t it be nicer to visualize a more pleasant image?
Robbie
Hi Robbie – This is very valuable to me. I will put some of these tips into action this weekend!
Debbie
http://www.FreshBrothers.Wordpress.com
Thanks Debbie,
Got your comment just now. I don’t understand why your earlier note didn’t display on my blog, but I’ll try to solve it. There’s always SOMETHING to fix…
In the meantime, tell me about Sirius. I’m not familiar with it, except I know it’s satellite radio broadcast. Reception? Programmable? Free? So, what turns out to be good pizza music? The only one I can think of is Dean Martin’s old song, “That’s Amore”.
Robbie
OMG!
I never thought about this this way.
It has always been trying to remember someone’s name–NOT having them remember my name.
I LOVE these suggestions!!!
WOW> Thank You soooooooo much.
~Bruce
Hey!!
Business naming is really a great deal.It should be relevant to the business product and services.The tricks you mentioned here are really amazing.one could easily use these tricks for the naming and how to remember any name.Thank you for the great sharing.