From suppliers and sponsors to attendees and venue staff, being an event creator means meeting lots of new people (it’s a perk of the job). Often, you’ll meet them more than once, and it can be embarrassing if they remember you but your mind goes blank.

Preliminary research by the University of California Irvine suggests that the isolation of the past year could be playing havoc with our memories. After all, we’re not meeting as many people, so those old memory muscles haven’t had to work as hard.

If you’re feeling anxious about heading back out into the world, don’t worry. These scientifically proven pointers on how to remember names and faces should help to get your social brain back in gear.

1. How to remember people’s names: listen properly

Sometimes when we meet a new person, we’re so focused on introducing ourselves that we don’t actually register their name in the first place. Make sure you listen when they introduce themselves and repeat their name back to them. For example, say, “Lovely to meet you, Katie,” to show them you’ve heard their name and to help lodge it in your brain.

If you don’t hear their name properly when they introduce themselves, ask them to repeat it straight away. This will avoid awkward situations in the future. Also, don’t be shy about admitting difficulty with an unfamiliar name. It’s better to get it right, so apologise and check that you’re pronouncing it properly. Names are an integral part of a person’s identity, so it’s important to be polite and make sure it’s correct.

2. Turn it into a talking point

If you keep forgetting people’s names, it might just be that your mind is on other topics. Start a conversation using their name as a jumping-off point to help keep it in your mind. For example, if their name is the same as a famous pop star or celebrity, mention how much you enjoy that person’s work. Maybe they have the same first name as someone you know well, and you could bring that into the conversation.

The more times you can repeat the name out loud, without making it laboured, the easier it will stick in your memory. Research has found that memory for names can be improved significantly just by concentrating on the name and paying proper attention to it. Committing to remembering the name is half the job done.

3. Create a memory hook

First things first, what is a memory hook? Basically, it’s a way to link the memory with one of your five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch – so it’s easy to recall in future. If you can’t remember names, try to visualise them as a picture in your mind. Some names are easier than others.

For example, “Rose” and “Heather” are both flowers, so they’re easy to visualise. A name like “Keith”, however, doesn’t have any real-world meaning, but it does sound similar to the word “quiche.” Try picturing Keith eating a quiche and whenever you see his face, you’ll remember the image and therefore his name.

If a person shares their name with someone famous, picture them in a way that draws on that association. So imagine Elizabeth wearing a crown or Adele singing a ballad. The more amusing or unusual the image, the more likely you are to remember it.

4. How to remember people’s faces: look properly

If you can’t remember people’s faces, try really focusing on their features. This doesn’t mean staring inappropriately, but paying attention while you’re chatting, rather than letting your mind wander. As you make polite eye contact, take in their facial features. What colour are their eyes? What shape is their nose? Do they have freckles? What about a dimple in their chin?

Every face is different, and you don’t have to look too closely to find a characteristic that will help you identify them the next time you meet.

5. Associate the name with the face

You’ve got the name, you’ve got the face – now it’s time to join the two together. Take the distinctive feature you picked out and add it into your visualisation. So if Adele’s eyes crinkle when she smiles, imagine her making the expression while on stage. If Elizabeth has a facial piercing, imagine it is as opulent as the crown jewels. Creating this link in your mind makes forgetting faces and names less likely.

6. Recall and review

In psychology, the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve is used to describe how quickly we forget information. For most people, forgetting starts within just 20 minutes. However, the way the information is learned, and how often it’s repeated after, can help it make its way to your long-term memory. 

If you’re wondering how to remember names quickly, the key is taking time to reflect on the people you’ve just met. Repeat their names in your head, and focus on the visualisations throughout the evening. After the event, make a written note about them, as well as your memory hooks. You can jot these down on the back of their business card if they’ve given you one. That should help bring their face to mind when it’s time to call or email them.

Get ready to remember both faces and names

Thankfully, these memory boosting techniques aren’t too tricky – the main thing they have in common is being present and paying attention. It can be hard to focus at events, especially when so much is going on around you, but actually taking the time to chat to people and get to know them is one of the best parts of the job.

Give yourself an extra helping hand with one of our events packages.