HB: What’s your name?
Style: I’m Style.
HB: I’m Janet. This is Donna. And that’s Tony.
Style: Okay…Janet.Donna.Tony. You know, I used to be really bad with names.
HBs: Omigod, I’m so bad with names.
Style: But you don’t have to be anymore. Here, I’ll show you in two seconds. All I do when I’m introduced to you is make a picture in my head. So if you’re Janet, I picture you with the head of Janet from Three’s Company. No offense. And for Donna, I just picture like the dawn, and the sun rising over your head. And for Tony, I see you on the front of a box of Frosted Flakes. Here, I’ll show you.
Now, in the old days, I’d have them memorize my whole name: First, Middle, and Last. But it came off as too gimmick-y. Now, I grab my wing, or a stranger in the club (like another girl I want to meet) and teach them how to memorize his/her First, Middle, and Last name. Learn about mnemonics if you don’t know this. But for it to work, you MUST have them really SEE the picture in their minds. It also becomes fun testing them later in the sarge to see if they still remember.
– Name Mnemonics Opener by Neil Strauss (Style)