Remembering Names: The Hidden Key to Your Connections and Business

Do you find it hard to remember names? Do you think this could negatively affect your business? Over time, I always say my "hard drive" fills up with information, and what I used to recall easily, I now struggle to find. I always liked that joke as an excuse when I forgot something. Someone recently asked me: "How can you clear that hard drive to remember again?"

The important thing is to pay attention to be able to remember names.

Effective Techniques for Remembering Names and Building Connections

When you're introduced to someone, try this: if you don't look them in the eye and repeat their name at the same time, it's more difficult to remember what they're called. Give it a try and repeat their name while maintaining eye contact. Afterward, repeat the name two more times during the conversation. Once you've mentioned the name three times, you'll see how it's easier to remember names.

If it's a difficult name to pronounce, you can ask how it's spelled so you can visualize it and, thus, memorize it. You can also try to relate it to something familiar, associating it with that object or person so you don't forget the name.

The Impact of Remembering Names on Your Professional Image

It is essential to know people's names, because that makes them feel that you care about them and are interested in them. This is fundamental for strengthening professional connections and making an excellent first impression.

I remember a seminar I offered where I mentioned how relevant it was to remember names and the technique to achieve it. However, I kept mistakenly changing the name of the person I was in contact with to give the seminar: instead of Ana Laura, I called her Ana Paula the whole time.

I couldn't build a good connection after this mistake. We can always make mistakes, but there are moments when it can work against us and we don't have time to fix it, affecting our professional success.