Well over 95% of professionals who attend my networking seminars and workshops admit that they have a problem remembering names. Most people realize that using someone’s name is beneficial, yet just about everyone admits this is something they don’t do well.

Remembering someone’s name is a fast way to establish rapport by making the other person feel important. Just about everyone knows this. So why is it that we can’t remember names?

The issue has more to do with timing and value than anything else. Remembering names is not easy, particularly during an introduction when focus is on eye contact, smiling, shaking hands, and stating names.

Here are some ideas to help you be more effective at remembering names.

Increase your awareness. Most people are not aware that the main reason they cannot remember names is due to the timing of the information. By increasing your awareness you will tend to listen better and remember more.

Recognize the impact of names. Remembering and using a person’s name is one of the simplest and most powerful ways of building trust. We love the sound of our own name and hearing it out loud makes us feel warm and comfortable.

Increase the value of a name. If the person were a long-lost cousin who was going to leave you a million dollars, would you remember his/her name? By focusing on the value of the other person, you will remember her/his it more easily.

Get into the habit of remembering names. Remembering a name is simply developing the ability to retain information at a more conscious level. Developing the discipline of consciously retaining this information really helps.

Focus only on the first name. Instead of trying to download and remember both a person’s first and last name, try to initially focus on just the other person’s first name. This simplifies the process and allows you to reap the benefits with half the pressure.

Repeat the name. Finding a way to repeat the person’s name within the first few seconds of hearing it is an excellent way of helping lock this information into your longer-term memory. Adding the name to your first question increases your chance of remembering.

Relate the name. Relate the other person’s name to someone in your personal database. As you think through your list of contacts or friends, you will identify better with it. Mentioning “I have a sister named Sue” will help you greatly.

Associate the name. Sometimes it is easier to try and associate the other person’s name to some physical object or issue. Associating the name to their profession (Len the lawyer) or a physical attribute (Harry has a hairy beard) can be helpful.

Use tools. Look at the person’s name tag, ask for a business card then keep it in your hand to refer to while speaking or listening. In fact, asking for a busienss card at the first opportunity can easily eliminate the whole name issue.

Accept reality. Accept the fact that you will never be able to remember every name you hear. When you forget someone’s name, simply apologize, ask for their name again and use one of the techniques above to help retain the name.

Do you have additional tactics to remember names? I’d love to see them so we can add them to the list.

Imagine this.

You’re sitting at your desk the morning after a networking event. You met a number of new contacts, had some great conversations and collected a dozen business cards. You sit there, staring at the cards and have one, or a number, of the thoughts below:

I hope they call. Most sounded like they were really interested.

If they want to work with me, they’ll call.

The last time I followed up no one bought, wanted to meet, or even called back.

I followed up and got no business. It’s waste of time.

My job was to give them my info. I don’t need to call.

I don’t have time for all theses calls. And if they do buy, I can’t handle the business.

These thoughts just keep rolling around in your head until the phone rings, the boss walks in or something urgent grabs your attention. At that point, you put the cards in your drawer, promising yourself you’ll call them once you get things caught up. Two weeks later, you open the drawer and find the cards. You pick them and think,”it’s probaly too late to follow up” and throw them in the wastebasket.

Now, we both know the story doesn’t relate to you, but the truth is that very few professionals follow up. In fact, reasearch has shown that about 90% of people who attend networking events don’t follow up.

If the premise of business networking is to connect with others who may want, need or have the ability to buy from us, why don’t we follow up? Doesn’t this fly in the face of common sense? Why invest the time to attend an event, overcome the stress of an intial contact, exchange contact information if you’re going to have the courtesy, let alone the professionalism to build on that connection?

Could it be most people have it backwards? Let’s look at some business facts:

1. It’s been consistently proven that networking is the most cost-effective strategy for growing a business, driving sales or building revenues.

2. People do business with people they like, know and trust. We buy people first, ideas next and things last, in that order.

3. Most networking conversations occur in under three minutes.

4. Very few people (if any) will buy a product or service in under three minutes. As consumers today, we’re all too informed, aware and cautious.

5. Relationships are the basis for success in business and in life. Most often, doing business with someone is a by-product of a relationship.

6. When used effectively, a three-minute conversation can create an incredible bond and act as the launch pad for a relationship.

7. Relationships take time, require investment and need to be nurtured.

8. Following up after a networking conversation is an opportuntiy to create additional contact, which can have a direct impact on building and strengtheing a relationship.

9. Using this logic, souldn’t a primary objective of a networking conversation be to discover opportunities for the other person to want to stay in touch?

10. Once areas of common interest or complementary value are discovered, follow is not perceived as an intrusion, rather it is welcomed as a sign of professionalism, adding to trust, integrity and respect.

What’s your biggest follow up issue?