5 ways to make yourself more memorable

Recently we polled our friends and followers to help us determine what makes a person stand out in the crowd. Is it a firm handshake, a winning smile, interesting background, or an impressive story that makes someone stand out? Based on the responses that we received, we narrowed the list down to 5 practices that will improve your chances of being remembered:

#5: Make eye contact. In our fast-paced world, there are often many things that vie for our attention at any given moment. Our survey shows that when you meet someone, if you will focus on them and make eye contact, your chances of being remembered go up significantly.

#4: Be interested in what is being said. Again, when you meet someone, pay attention to them. We are more likely to remember those who show that they care about what we have to say.

#3: Have something interesting to say. Those that can share an interesting detail or story about their life, have a much greater chance of being remembered. Listening is important, but it’s just as important to contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.

#2: Treat others well. We notice how those we meet treat others. And, we are more likely to remember them if they treat others well. 

And, #1 (by a large margin): Be sincere and kind. Overwhelmingly, the best practice one can adopt in order to make himself/herself more memorable is to be sincere and kind when meeting others.

It’s not improving your looks or developing the perfect elevator pitch that will ensure that people remember you. Our poll results could be summarized simply with the golden rule: if you want to be remembered, and remembered well, then treat others as you would like to be treated. Look at them. Pay attention to what they are saying and have something to say in return. And, should your paths cross again, not only will they remember you, they will be happy to see you.