Okay so there you are, talking to someone awesome and you ask them for their name, they give it to you, and then you pretend to hear it or understand it and keep talking.
STOP RIGHT THERE. Don’t continue the conversation pretending you understood their name when you actually didn’t. How are you ever going to remember this persons name if you didn’t even get it the first time?
So, if you are not sure what their name is, don’t quite understand it or are afraid to repeat it, ask them to repeat it, or better yet, spell it out for you. When someone spells their name out, it becomes SO much clearer in my head and I can repeat it back to them with confidence.
Okay, so you guys had a great chat and the time has come to part ways. How will you remember this persons name next time you see them?
HERE’S THE TRICK: When it’s time to say goodbye, don’t just say “Goodbye!” and leave. Instead, include their name! So if you just met me and we are leaving, say “Goodbye Antranik!” or “Well it was nice meeting you Antranik, I’ll see you around!”
Don’t worry about getting the pronunciation perfectly. I much rather hear you incorrectly pronounce my name, than having forgotten my name completely.
This final repetition helps nudge it closer to the long-term-memory-bank rather than the short-term where it will be forgotten almost instantly. And last but not least, this type of goodbye feels infinitely more personal and nice! You will most likely leave a good first impression because almost nobody says a goodbye like that!
I picked up this memorization trick from my other post that reveals 10 Study Tips and Skills That’ll Bring Out the Genius In You. Hope that helps!
