Synopses & Reviews
"I'm sorry, but...I can't remember your name."
Even the boldest corporate leaders are terrified of forgetting an important name at a crucial moment. They know that forgetting a name can cost them an important deal -- and that remembering it can cement a lifelong business relationship. That's why they have studied with Benjamin Levy, whose astounding memory feats have made him one of America's most highly sought-after corporate entertainers. Now, for the first time, Levy steps off the stage and out of the boardroom to share his surefire techniques with you.
In Remember Every Name Every Time, Levy takes you step by step through his time-tested, executive-approved memory program. With his techniques, you'll effortlessly
remember the names of people you've just met for the very first time, no matter how rushed the introduction, no matter how stressful the circumstances remember one name, five names, thirty or more names at events ranging from high-powered board or client meetings to business dinners and employee gatherings
remember even the most difficult names and the most nondescript faces -- for the long term.
Realistic business scenarios, bite-size summaries, and dozens of full-color photographs help you hone your skills. In case you ever do forget a name, Levy even offers savvy tips on how to handle the situation with grace and aplomb.
Rounded out with firsthand advice and anecdotes from some of Levy's world-renowned CEO clients, who reveal why remembering names is a vital skill in today's economy, Remember Every Name Every Time gives you the tools you need to create a great impression at any business occasion and send your career soaring higher than you've ever imagined possible.
About the Author
Dubbed "The King's Magician" by Fortune, Benjamin Levy has appeared before heads of state, European royalty, and the corporate royalty of Fortune 500 companies. His clients include the chairmen of Advanta, Allstate, Bristol Myers Squibb, Compaq, Johnson & Johnson, J.P. Morgan Chase, Loews, PaineWebber, Prudential Financial, Seagram, Sprint, and Xerox. He lives in New York City.
Table of Contents
Contents PROLOGUE
Everyone Wants a Great Memory. Guess What? You Already Have One...
Read this brief chapter now, before you leave the bookstore. You'll discover that you already possess tremendous untapped memory-power.
INTRODUCTION
Part One: The Basic Technique
CHAPTER 1
It's Not Your Fault
The campaign to prevent you from remembering names and faces begins in childhood and only gets worse with time.
CHAPTER 2
It's Not Your Fault Then Again, Maybe It Is...
Despite the best intentions to remember names, we often unconsciously sabotage introductions. Here I am, being subjected to the meeting-and-greeting habits of four highly ineffective executives.
CHAPTER 3
Why It Matters
You bought the book. You know this stuff matters. But do you know why it matters, or how much? From CEOs to business-etiquette experts, everyone agrees: Remembering names and faces is an essential career tool that can lead to better jobs and higher salaries.
CHAPTER 4
The FACE Technique: Focus, Ask, Comment, Employ
Follow these four simple steps and you'll never again say, five minutes after meeting someone, "What was that guy's name?"
CHAPTER 5
Memory, FACE and Science
The components of FACE -- Focus, Ask, Comment, Employ -- were designed not to force you to learn a new way of remembering, but to get the fullest benefit from the way your mind naturally works.
CHAPTER 6
Facing the World
Before moving on to the advanced level of Remember Every Name Every Time, take the FACE technique out for a spin. Good luck!
Part Two: The Advanced Technique
CHAPTER 7
The NAME Technique: Nominate, Articulate, Morph, Entwine
First you mastered FACE. Now step up to my advanced method of remembering names and faces -- ten, twenty or a hundred at a time!
CHAPTER 8
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
It's the classic Can You Remember Their Names scenario: you, your spouse or date, and six total strangers getting to know each other over dinner. Time to put NAME into action!
CHAPTER 9
Unforgettable Faces
The first step to remembering faces -- and attaching names to them -- is increasing your awareness of faces in general. Here's how to sharpen your natural ability to remember every face every time.
CHAPTER 10
Naming Names
What's in a name? A handful of letters, a sound or two -- and not much more. At least on the surface. Focus closer on names -- discover their origins, juggle them with wordplay, learn to make MORPHS -- and you'll find a fascinating new world. It's a vital step in conditioning your memory for optimum use of the NAME technique.
CHAPTER 11
The Conference Room Challenge
You're about to walk into a conference room, intent on impressing six strangers. Fancy charts and a laptop-driven slide show would be nice, but you'll maximize your chances of a rave review by remembering those half-dozen new names.
Part Three: The New Memory Expert -- You
CHAPTER 12
Challenging Names, Challenging Faces
If you find yourself plunged into a meeting emergency -- when you're confronted by seemingly impossible-to-remember names or faces -- don't panic. The NAME technique will ride to the rescue.
CHAPTER 13
I Need It All!
Sometimes the first name is just the first thing you want to be able to remember -- followed by last name, spouse's name, kids' names and maybe even the last topic you two discussed. Here's how to remember it all.
CHAPTER 14
If You Do Forget...
Ideally, you'll always be on your game, with the FACE and NAME techniques operating like well-oiled machinery. But someone, somewhere, is going to catch you off guard. Here's how to cope when your mind goes blank.
CHAPTER 15
Memory That Lasts and Lasts
You only need to remember some names for an hour or two. Others for a week. Then there are the ones you know you'll need for years. I've saved the best for last. Maybe you've met one of my CEO clients who's impressed you. His secret? Read on....
CHAPTER 16
Closing the Deal
Now you've got all thy trade secrets for remembering names and faces. Certainly, these skills can have the same beneficial effects on your career that they've had on mine!
APPENDIX
America's Top 40
I've done the research for you: I studied the most popular names in past decades and compiled a list of the 40 men's and 40 women's names you're most likely to encounter in the business world today. Plus: how to adapt the names for use with the FACE and NAME techniques.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS