Have you ever met someone that you know you have been introduced to before, but cannot remember their name?

In this article I am featuring mostly pastors and clergy-for good reason.  Who else among us meets more people than pastors?  These memory tricks work for them and they can work for you too!

Don't be embarrassed

Don't be embarrassed if you cannot remember someone's name.  That will only make it worse.   Listen for their name to come up, but if it doesn't come up in the first minute, don't be afraid to ask them.  Say something like, "I'm sorry, I have been very busy and I've forgotten your name."  Bold?  Yes.  But also smart-they will respect you for asking. 

Use their name right away

After you get their name, be sure to use it several times right away-it will help you to remember it and it will show them that you respect them by wanting to use their name correctly.  Also, ask if they have a business card and offer them yours.

Return the Favor:  Never Assume!

Teena Stewart  (a consultant for clergy and pastors for Ministry in Motion) states, "Never assume that someone knows you after one introduction.  Be willing to reintroduce yourself and ask his or her name in return."  This trick has worked on multiple occasions for me.

How to Introduce Yourself First

Pastor Willie George at Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma told a story of how he prefers to have someone introduce themselves first.  He stated that it helped him to avoid the embarrassment of having to ask for someone's name, that it helped to clear up who they were, and that he really respected the effort.

I heard him speak about it once.  "When introducing yourself," Pastor George said, "Don't just say, 'Hi, I'm Tom.'  Give me some more details." 

He goes on to suggest that people state not only their name, but how they might know the person they are meeting-for example, you met at church, or in business, or your kids go to school together-something to give them a way to associate who it is that you are.  If haven't met before, say so-it will put their mind at ease so they won't be trying to figure it out in their minds when they should be listening to you.

How it Played Out

A few weeks later, I had an opportunity to meet Pastor George.  I met him, I stuck my hand out, and said "Pastor George, it's great to meet you.  You don't know me.  I wanted to meet you and let you know that I appreciate your ministry and your church."  We then struck up a conversation for a few minutes and then were on our way.

Later, an acquaintance of mine who had witnessed the exchange came up to me and said "What did you do?  He never spends that kind of time with new people!" 

Please don't misunderstand that comment-Pastor George is a good and caring man.  He is also a busy man who runs a large church with many ministries and truly doesn't have the time to meet every person who he sees-that is what my colleague was trying to say.

Still, I found it odd that such a question would come up.  What did I do?  Exactly what he told me to do!

When you meet someone, introduce yourself properly.  Put their mind at ease.  Give them a reference or a way to associate who you are and how you have happened to meet them.  They will thank you for it later!