I was talking to a prospective client yesterday and he asked me, “How do I make myself memorable in an interview or when networking?” We discussed a variety of tactics which will surely help him out, but there was one that stood out. We were talking about a specific chapter in How To Win Friends and Influence People; “Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Let’s discuss.
How many times do you go throughout your day and you meet new people? All the time probably; whether you are networking, meeting new people at work, neighbors, friends of friends, etc… And what happens about 10 seconds after meeting that person? You forget their name! It happens to the best of us, however, it’s time to change that. You need to change that.
Back to my original story. As I began to describe this chapter in the book, he interrupted and said, “you know what, you’ve said my name about 5 times in the 30 minutes we’ve been talking and it actually has made me feel special.” He went on to say that he didn’t even really think of it until I brought it up, but that he felt good talking to me.
Such a simple tactic to be memorable….say their name! People like to hear their name so why are you forgetting it? I know you like it when people say your name so remember theirs!
How Can You Remember People’s name?
- Exaggerate: This is an easy one. Let’s say you meet someone with the name of Kati. When she says her name to you, in your head you exaggerate it. Kayyyyyyyyyyyyyy-teeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Say that three times and bam, you got it!
- Repeat: When anyone tells you their name, in your head, repeat over as much as possible. Just keep saying it as much as you can.
- Say It Weird: When someone tells you their name, repeat it to yourself in a really weird voice. It sounds odd, but by repeating it in a weird voice, it will help you remember.
- Ask: A simple tactic when someone tells you their name is to ask them to repeat it. Sometimes, by hearing a name twice and by you repeating it, it helps it sink in a bit.
So next time you meet someone new, your goal should be to not only remember their name, but to repeat it. Make them feel special…show them that you listen!
Like Destiny’s Child once sang, “Say my name, say my name!”
