So, with the crazy month of travel coming up (Las Vegas for a gambling fix and leaving from there straight for Webmasters in the Sun – then a week later I will be heading off to Boston PubCon and then hitting SES Toronto almost immediately after), I got to thinking about all the people I meet at all the conferences I attend.
It never fails that at every single one, someone (or two) comes up to me and talks to me and I know – *know* – I know their face and that I’ve had a conversation with them at a previous conference, but I can’t for the life of me remember their name.
Am I elitist? Am I so important that I don’t bother to remember names? Hell no. I just meet a ton of people. So, there I stand, with someone in front of me who I hope to god is not realizing I can’t remember exactly how I know them.
Sometimes, a friend who hasn’t met them will introduce themselves and I get a quick refresher. Sometimes the person looks at me and goes “You don’t remember me do you”.
And it isn’t that they didn’t make an impression or *them*. Or that I’m a raving, self absorbed bitch (well – nah that would be too easy). I attend on average a conference every six weeks, so I meet a *lot* of people over the year.
It usually boils down to…
1. I am caught off guard and 15 minutes after the person walks away I can suddenly recall exactly when and where I met them, including their name.
2. I remember everything about how I met them and what we previously talked about, except their name – because I am bad with names.
3. I met them at a party or other night time event and was, um, possibly a wee bit intoxicated during the meet. (Note: if you meet me while I’m on the dance floor rocking out to Nirvana with a shot in my hand, it’s a coin toss on whether I will remember specifics tomorrow – though I will remember the meet in general.)
Yeah, I know number three isn’t the most “professional” excuse in the world, but at least I’m brave enough to admit it. ;-) I also know I’m not the only one who’s been caught in this situation. So, I have a two fold question since everyone has been on both ends at one time or another…
1. How do you handle it when you meet people you don’t fully remember or whose names you can’t remember?
2. How do you *wish* someone would handle not remembering *you* when you meet for a second (or third) time?
About Rae Hoffman
