Remembering Names at a Meeting

When you enter a meeting room and are greeted by a group of people you do not know, offer your business card and politely ask for their business cards. At the beginning of the meeting when introductions are made, arrange the business cards in a pattern based upon where the people are seated at the table. This will help you identify names with faces. When a person speaks look down at the card and read the name. This practice will reinforce your memory and ability to recall names.

If you are unable to collect business cards before the meeting begins, draw a diagram of the table on a sheet of paper and place a star where you are seated. As the attendees introduce themselves, write their name on the diagram where they are seated. If you miss a name, leave a blank space on the diagram and listen for someone to say the name during the meeting.

This exercise will help you remember names and will allow you to refer to people by name during the meeting. Remember, everyone likes to hear their name!

4 Things You Can Do to Reduce Anxiety Before Any Event

Do you ever feel awkward at business gatherings and feel like you have nothing to say? A few minutes of preparation before an event can help reduce your anxiety. Try these four little tips before attending your next event.

1. Anticipate basic questions - Think about typical questions that people ask you. "What do you do for a living?" "What's new at work?" "What do you enjoy doing in your free time?" Prepare engaging answers for the "typical" questions. Start by thinking about the information that you want to convey about yourself and/or your business. If someone asks, "What do you do for a living?" Don't simply reply, "I'm an accountant." Talk about the type of work that you perform as an accountant and where you work. "I'm a tax accountant with Barnes & Jones and I specialize in assisting mid size businesses with navigating the tax code." This gives the person you are talking to valuable information and makes you much more interesting. Preparing interesting and well thought out answers to frequently asked questions will make you a better conversationalist and will help you overcome the anxiety associated with "small talk."

2. Think about discussion topics and questions - Have you ever started talking to someone and in two minutes time run out of things to say? The silence that follows can be very awkward. You can avoid these pregnant pauses by spending a few minutes before an event thinking about topics of conversation. What is the one topic that everyone likes to talk about? Themselves. Ask general questions that give people the opportunity to talk about themselves. Flatter people by asking for advice - "Where is a good place to shop or eat dinner?" Read a newspaper or magazine to learn more about current events. Having a few "conversation savers" in the back of your mind will enhance your confidence and reduce your anxiety.

3. Plan your wardrobe - Take a minute to think about the location of the event and the people who will be attending. This will help you dress appropriately and relieve the anxiety associated with over dressing or under dressing for an event.

4. Obtain and review the guest list - Do you have difficulty remembering names? If you review a guest list before the event, you will better be able to recall names when you see people that you know. Additionally, you can use the guest list to identify people that you want to meet and arrange for an introduction. Successful rainmakers have a plan before they enter an event.


Developing the habit of preparing before each event will reduce the uneasiness associated with networking and will lead to the creation of stronger business relationships. Additionally, it will allow you to have more fun!