The most common shortcoming I hear when I network is around people's ability to remember names. Through my 12 Week Year Accountability Champions group, I had the fortune to meet Val Romero, of Women Make a Difference and Val-You Networking.

Val and I were placed in a break out room during one of the group's accountability meetings, and our short discussion prompted me to invite her to contribute her networking expertise to the blog.

Read Val's what master connector Val has to say about memory when it comes to networking, and her three memory hacks to put into practice as you network.

Do you struggle remembering people's names and faces?  You show up to a networking event and can't remember their name---that can be horrifying as you feel like you should remember meeting that person.  This could be one of the reasons holding you back from attending networking events---it's just too uncomfortable when you don't know anyone or you can't remember others you've met before.  Consistency and patience are key to developing any memory-enhancing skill.

Helpful Hacks:

• First, stop saying 'I'm bad about remembering people's names' or 'I never remember anybody's name' - the fact is when your subconscious continues to hear that message over and over, guess what?  You really won't remember any names or faces!

• When you meet someone new and get their business card, ask permission to take a photo of them.  Once home, you can add this contact to your phone and move their photo from your gallery to their contact card.  If you are doing proper follow-up, having this prospect now in your phone alongside their photo begins to cement his name and face in your mind for better remembering the next time you see him.

• Are you listening to what someone is saying or thinking of what you're going to say next?  Active listening is real.  Pay close attention when someone introduces themselves to get get clues about their name or details about them you can use to create associations and reinforce memory; ask questions about their name (especially if it's unique). Repeating a person's name back to him will help solidify his name in your memory.

What great tips to implement! Val's first tip really got me. I tell myself I'm bad at remembering people's names and faces often. I've now stopped telling myself this since I learned what this does to my subconscious.

Now my self talk sounds more like, "I have strategies to help me remember the names and faces of those awesome people I meet."

Val has even more hacks that she is willing to share with you. Click here to download her free Visibility Hacks to put into practice as you network. Read more about the support Val provides around networking below.

Go network my friend, and remember:

Implement memory strategies to further connect with others, rather than label yourself as someone "who is terrible with names."

Val Romero is known as the "Queen of Networking" because she has hosted and produced networking events for the last two decades. She's been recognized as a Woman of Influence in New Mexico for leadership and building community and an Exelly Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship for "Outstanding Mentorship." Learn more at https://www.abqwomenmakeadifference.com/.

The Networker's Tour Guide, Faithann Basore, and her husband Dave have owned Window Cleaning Plus (WCP) for 10 years. Growing WCP through networking has given Faithann the desire to guide other small business owners through the networking terrain so they can feel comfortable and build long lasting relationships in their business.

Got networking questions? Email me at [email protected].