Author Archive

A simple bit of networking finesse is to have a good memory. Remembering people’s names, faces and details when you see them again (months, weeks or even minutes later) makes a formidable impression on them. You cared enough about them to remember their name. This will make you stand out from the crowd.

What did you say your name was, again?

Forgetting people’s names at a networking event can be embarrassing. The “in one ear and out the other” is a common ailment of most adults after being introduced to someone at a networking event. Without the help of name tags, it can be quite awkward to introduce the person you just met to someone else you know if you have forgotten the person’s name already. Out of discomfort, many people default to a worse social offense: not introducing them at all.

Why does this always happen to me?

John Medina, author of Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School, explains the truth about how our brains handle all the data we receive:

“The typical human brain can hold about seven pieces of information for less than 30 seconds! If something does not happen in that short stretch of time, the information becomes lost. If you want to extend the 30 seconds, to say, a few minutes, or even an hour or two, you will need to consistently re-expose yourself to the information. This type of repetition is sometimes called maintenance rehearsal. We now know that maintenance rehearsal is mostly good for keeping things in working memory – that is, for a short period of time.” – Source: Page 130 of Brain Rules by John Medina

 

Aside from the fascinating happenings inside of our brains, I have found 4 contributing factors that we might have some control over:

1. Lack of effort

2. Distractions

3. Failure to pay attention when they are speaking

4. Boredom. We tend to remember the things that we find interesting and quickly forget things that we find boring.

So how do you improve this situation? How do you crank up your social savvy and learn how to stick people’s names into your working short-term memory?

Try out any of these 6 strategies to help you improve name recall for greater networking success.

1. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Use their name at least 3 times in your initial conversation. This not only makes them feel important, but you are literally training your brain to remember their name. To help them to remember your name, repeat your name mid way through your elevator pitch. When giving a formal 30-second elevator pitch, remember to “book end” your name, that is say it at the beginning and at the end of your 30-second commercial in order to leverage the power of primacy (the first thing heard) and recency (the last thing heard) 

2. Pay closer attention to the fine detail. Really look at the person you are networking with. Notice what they are wearing, study their facial features, watch how often they blink their eyes, identify their eye color. By paying closer attention to the details around you, you will increase your skills of observation, improve your eye contact and make you more “fully present.”

3. Ask them to teach you how to pronounce their name, if they have a difficult-to-pronounce name or may be from a different country than you. Engage your new contact in conversation about the origin of their name, how it is spelled, and how it is pronounced. Most people are happy to have someone take the time to learn their names.

4. Get Creative. Create a picture in your mind’s eye what’s unique to that person; make up a story about them in your mind; create a rhythm that will help you remember that person’s name. These imagination games you play with yourself can increase your name recall.

5. Anchoring. Associate their name with a unique feature of that person, such as a facial feature, hair color or style or physical attribute of some sort. It’s best to use something that is likely to be permanent feature, versus something that might change, like an article of clothing or piece of jewelry. Link these two items: name and feature. Visualize the connection.

6. Exercise your brain. Constantly exposing the brain to new things improves the brain’s ability to search and retrieve information efficiently. Similar to building muscle strength, the best way to strengthen memory is to provide the brain with regular work outs. Things such as a daily search-a-word or a crossword puzzle can help as can starting a new hobby, learning a foreign language or new musical instrument- all things that involve the brain thinking in new ways. These will not only improve memory, but overall brain health. I found this article interesting about name recall in the academic setting.

Sign up to receive FREE weekly networking tips:

1. Opt-in here and your weekly networking tip will come to you in your Email box on Monday mornings

2. Join us on Facebook where you can comment on and easily share the weekly networking tips with people in your network.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey to vote for the final sub title of my new book. Over 150 people participated in the survey, over 30 people suggesting original alternatives to the sub-title of the book.

The most zany entry was “Networking Ahead: Kicking Butt and Taking Names – What Marketing Pros Don’t Tell You, But Should.” Great energy and chutzpah…but not the final one selected.

The winning entry was…

NETWORKING AHEAD for Business: The Best Vehicle to Get More Customers, Make More Friends and Create More Opportunities for Yourself and Others.

Special THANK YOU gift

As a thank you to all of you who participated, I’d like to give you a free sample chapter of the book and a special pre-order deal.

• Download sample chapter “Roadblocks: Things that Get in Your Way“
• Special discount and bonus for pre-ordering the book. Order your advanced copy of the book by 9/30/2010 and save $5, get free shipping and I’ll autograph it for you!
• Become a fan on Facebook

For news and updates on the book launch, join us on Facebook.

The book will be released in October  2010.

Click to order an advanced copy of Networking Ahead for Business.

About the book

Networking Ahead for Business by Kathy McAfee is a book that will help you build your professional and personal success through networking relationships. With a fun-filled road/car theme, I share many of my proven techniques and innovative strategies for greater networking success in this book. Whether your goal is business development, landing a new job, growing your MLM business venture or raising money for your non-profit, you will find very useful ideas and strategies in this book.

Here’s a sampling of the content that you will enjoy in this book:

Clear the Roadblocks: overcoming the things that get in your way of
effective networking including social reluctance, shortage of time,
disorganization, technophobia and techno-addiction. Download this chapter for free.

Never drive a cold car. Warming up the cold call by asking
for networking introductions. The principle of Aim higher. Get warmer.

My way or the highway. How to become more natural and fluid
in your networking by discovering and expressing your personal brand.

Going the extra mile. Why showing up and following up are
the keys to your networking success.

Roadside Assistance. ten reasons to belong to a strong
Chamber of Commerce and how to get more bang for your membership buck.

Who is the better driver? Networking styles between men and
women and how we can learn from each other.

Road grim and door dings. The importance of your
professional image and why visual impact will matter in your networking
success.

Speed bumps: how to network around the barriers. Knowing
when to strategically slow it down.

Why you should park next to the Lamborghini. Networking with
people of greater power and status than you.

Click to order an advanced copy of Networking Ahead for Business.

How else can I help you?

Professional Development Training for your team. Networking Ahead for Business is available in a professional skills training workshop series for organizations who want to accelerate their business growth and success.Ideal for CPA firms, law firms, financial services organizations or any company who needs its people to be more skilled, confident and success in building mutually-beneficial relationships for business growth. Email Kathy McAfee at kathy@marketingmotivator.net to discuss your specific needs and interests.

Keynote Speaking and Breakout Sessions. Professional Speaker and author Kathy McAfee is available to do keynotes, seminars and workshops for your next conference, meeting or convention. Check out Kathy’s official speaker web site for video samples and more information.

No time to read, but lots of travel time? The condensed audiobook  version of Networking Ahead for Business is coming soon!!!

I’ve been in writer’s jail for nine weeks. This past Sunday at precisely 8:25am, I completed the 41st and final chapter of my new book on networking. The title is Networking Ahead: your GPS for driving business and professional success.

The book is due out in September. If you want to reserve a copy of the book now, email me at Kathy@MarketingMotivator.net

The truth be told, I’ve been thinking about and talking about writing a book for several years now (you too?). I finally pulled it out of my head and on to paper.

Are you curious as to how I got it done?

How I actually got my manuscript completed: A story of collaboration, encouragement, accountability and daily discipline.

1. Collaboration. I created a collaborative partnership with Eitan and Stacey Battat of Kiwi Publishing. We have been meeting face to face for two hours every two weeks for the past six months, helping each other on our projects. I’ve been providing marketing consultation on their cool new project Thin Threads. Check it out. They have been consulting with me on my book.
2. Encouragement. I shared my goal and enlisted the support of others who care about me and my success. This milestone would not have been achievable without the help and push from close family and business associates. I am grateful for my husband Byron, my mastermind friends, Rahna, D’vorah, Marge and Tonya, and my publishers Eitan and Stacey Battat of Kiwi Publishing.
3. Accountability. About 3 months into the project, I found myself in an acute state of writer’s procrastination. With the deadline looming, I reached out to my publisher and friend, Eitan Battat and humbly asked for his help. I begged him to hold me accountable for writing this darn thing. He asked me if I preferred the carrot or the stick. (here’s a good related article I wrote last year: http://marketingmotivator.net/motivating-yourself-in-challenging-times/) While I loved the idea of rewards, I knew that a penalty would be far more motivating for me. He then asked me to take out my credit card and hand it over to him. We agreed that if I did not submit 5 chapters every Monday at noon, he would charge my credit card $55. Then he and Stacey would go out to their favorite restaurant and enjoy lunch together…at my expense. If I made ALL of my weekly deadlines (9 in total), he and Stacey would take me and my husband Byron out to dinner at our favorite restaurant. We shook hands and now my money was where my mouth was. This was a powerful incentive. As a result, I made ALL nine deadlines. Which leads me to the daily discipline…
4. Daily Discipline. In order to write 5 chapters a week, I made a plan to complete one chapter per day Monday through Friday, with some extra time on the weekends to finish up. I set my alarm clock for 5:30am and got up and commenced writing at 6am everyday – including Saturdays and Sundays. Some weeks, I was done by Friday. Other weeks were harder and I was burdened with writing all five chapters in one day – Sunday (hardly the day of rest!). That was not my best writing. It was torture. A little bit each day was far more enjoyable and resulted in fresher thinking and better writing. The benefits of daily discipline.

“A year from now you may wish that you started today.”

This motivating quote from Karen Lamb is so true. Time passes quickly and we have dreams, hopes and goals that we all want to accomplish. But there is just too much talking and not enough action. Get motivated and start taking action on your dreams. Find the people in your network who will collaborate with you, encourage you, hold you accountable. The daily discipline part is up to you.

I look forward to reading YOUR book!