By  Royane Real

Most of us know that it's important to remember the names of people we meet, but sometimes, we sometimes our memory just fails us.  We don't know how to remember people's names.  It can be very embarrassing to admit you've forgotten the name of someone you've talked with several times.  

On the other hand, being able to remember names, and using those names often during the course of a conversation is an important social skill to have.

Remembering other people’s names is an important skill for anyone who wants to make friends, or who wants to succeed in business or politics.

One of my neighbors who has lived a few houses over from me for five years, has never gotten my name right.  We've had many conversations, but every time she sees me, she greets me by the wrong name.

I haven’t wanted to correct her, because I don’t want her to feel embarrassed that she has been calling me by the wrong name all these years.  But still, every time she gets my name wrong, I feel annoyed and disappointed. 

By now, it would be embarrassing to both of us if I issued a correction at this late date.  I can’t imagine saying, “Wendy, I should have mentioned something earlier, but you’ve actually been calling me by the wrong name all these years.”  So, I just let it go.  Still, I always feel bothered that she doesn’t use my correct name.  But how could she, when I have never bothered to tell her that she’s made a mistake!  

I just realized that there might be some people that I’ve been calling by the wrong name, and perhaps they also don’t want to embarrass me by pointing out my mistake.

The easiest way to avoid this problem is to get people’s names right the first time you meet them.  But how many of us actually bother to pay attention to the name of every person we meet?  No wonder that making mistakes with other people’s names is so common. 

It can be hard to really pay attention to people’s names when we first meet them, especially if we are being introduced to several different people at once.

Still, there are a few mental tricks you can employ that will help you pay attention to people’s names when you meet them the first time, and help you to remember those people’s names when you encounter them again.

One way that works for many people is to repeat the other person's name several times during the first few minutes of conversation.  For example, you can say as you're being introduced, "I'm very pleased to meet you Fransisco Gomez.  Did I pronounce your name correctly - Francisco Gomez?  Is that right?  Do you prefer to be called Francisco or Mr. Gomez?"

When you repeat the name several times, you increase the chances that the repetition will seal the name in your memory. Be sure to use the other person's name several times.  Most people are very flattered to hear their names when you are talking to them.

( The written comments above are by Royane Real, author of “Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends” 

Learn to Be Popular - even if You're Shy and Lonely!

By Royane Real

Do you ever with you had a better social life?  Are you tired of being lonely?  Perhaps you suffer from shyness and you wish you could learn how to be outgoing and popular.

My popular book “Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends”  will teach you everything you need to know about how to make friends.  Where to find them.  How to start up conversations with people you don't know very well.  How to get over your shyness.

You'll learn how to keep a conversation going.  You'll find out what to do to keep a friendship strong and make it last.  

Isn't it time to stop being on the outside looking in?  Now is the time and here is your opportunity to change your life from one of being lonely to one of being popular. 

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Learn more about this exciting book that can change your life forever  “Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends” at  http://www.lulu.com/real     

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