How to Easily Remember and Recall Advisors Names with Memory Expert Bob Gray

It happens all the time.

You see an advisor, COI or staff member out of their office element and you seize up, unable to recall their name.

One of life’s more awkward moments.

For more than 30 years, Bob Gray has amazed, entertained and educated audiences across six continents, with his incredible memory demonstrations, entertaining keynote presentations, and sales oriented, self-improvement workshops. His unique abilities have netted him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and TV appearances on Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, The ABC Today Show and The Steve Harvey Show. Bob’s techniques provide his audiences with the keys to unlock their memory potential, and the ability to work more efficiently, effectively, professionally, and ultimately more profitably.

One Additional Technique for Remembering Names (Listen to the Podcast for the Best Idea)

Recent research commissioned by the Financial Planning Standards Council showed that:

The number one obstacle to seeking financial advice is ‘Trust’.

To me, that is understandable.

Whenever I see my financial planner, sure, I want to know how my portfolio is doing, is it up or down, does she recommend any changes?  But to be honest, I don’t really want to hear about asset class diversification, bonds, dividends and the Dow, that’s her language, not mine.

Of course she needs to be competent, but outside of that, I also want to feel that she ‘knows’ me, and I’m not just the 2:30 pm appointment? That’s what earns my trust, that’s what keeps my business.

Similarly, this ‘trust’ extends between the advisor and the wholesaler.

I feel all business is based on credibility and relationships. If your product(s) or service is good, comparable, competitively priced, and your ethics, morals and integrity are in check, your business then rests upon how you make the advisor feel each and every time you interact with them. Like all of us, they like to be recognized, and made to feel special. When this happens, they feel valued, ultimately resulting in better and lasting business relationships.

So it’s a given that you have your advisors personal information at hand before an appointment. But what happens when you bump into them unexpectedly, perhaps at the theatre, mall, or a conference? This is your opportunity to make them feel special, valued and help instill that trust, and this is where a wholesaler with a ‘trained memory,’ has a huge advantage over a wholesaler with an untrained’ memory.

So how much work is it to ‘train’ my memory? Surprisingly little. But like anything worthwhile, of course there is effort involved, but the results far out way the effort to attain this powerful skill set.

So we need to start by remembering their name. You may have heard:

The sweetest sound to someone is the sound of their own name.

We all know how we feel when someone calls us by name, especially if we have been introduced just the once, and we’re even more impressed if that initial introduction or meeting was several months back.

I teach very specific techniques on building relationships that involve association, name imagery and specific review times. In the podcast I share a quick powerful technique for remembering someone’s name when you are first introduced to them. Try this technique the next time you are at a party or perhaps a networking event.

Here are five quick tips on remembering someone you meet for the first time:

1. Make sure you hear the name. This sounds obvious, but we are often more concerned with ourselves when introduced to someone, that their name isn’t even heard. If you don’t hear it, ask them to repeat it.
2. Spell the name out in your head. The spelling is irrelevant; the conscious act of spelling the name forces you to do number 1.
3. If it’s an unusual name, make a comment about it. Ask the background or the spelling.
4. Use the name once or twice during your initial conversation; don’t go overboard.
5. Use the name when leaving.

With a little dedication and practice, you will amaze yourself with this untapped ability to overcome the #1 recall problem both socially and professionally.

So the next time you see one of your advisors at a conference, you won’t need to quickly run through the alphabet, you’ll be able to walk up to them confident that you can recall their name.

Written by Bob Gray