Names and Faces
Repeat, turn into an image, anchor to a feature, use 3 times, review.
Why it works
A name is an arbitrary sound; a face is a rich image. The technique builds a visual bridge so the name stops being arbitrary.
How to practise
- 1Repeat the name out loud as soon as you hear it: “Nice to meet you, Marina”.
- 2Turn the name into a concrete image (Marina → a sea, a boat).
- 3Anchor the image to a stable facial feature — not hair, not glasses.
- 4Use the name three times in the conversation and schedule the first review for the next day.
6 min of practice
Most common mistake
Anchoring to something that changes (haircut, clothes) and never reviewing after the meeting.
What the evidence shows
Image-based encoding tied to the face outperforms plain name repetition in name-face learning studies.
Apply it to your day
Use it for clients, new colleagues, your kids' teachers and neighbours.