"I'll never forget old what's-his-name…"

"If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you," Mr. Carnegie once said. "Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance."

Are you one of those people who think they are "terrible with names"? Don't worry, here are four simple things you can do that will help you store them in a place that is readily available.

• Focus — On the name, that is. When you meet someone, you are probably worrying about what they do, their relative importance to you and a thousands other things. Worry less about those things and more about getting the name right. People will forgive you for not remembering a fact or point they made. They may be less forgiving if you forget their name.
• Use it or lose it — Try to use the name three times over the course of a five-minute conversation. "Hello, Sarah. It's very nice to meet you." Later, perhaps: "Tell me, Sarah, what do you do when you are not attending these events?" Then, perhaps as a closing line: "It was very nice to meet you, Sarah."
• Make a connection — If possible, try to associate the name with something that you can visualize (e.g., Steve/eaves or Monica/harmonica) or to someone that you know with a similar name (your cousin Steve), or to a celebrity or character (Monica from Friends, for example).
• Get it in writing — Get a business card, if possible. Or, write it down yourself—after the person leaves.

What if, after all that, you still don't remember the name. Your best approach is to admit it and apologize. "Hi, I'm terribly sorry I've forgotten your name." People are quicker to forgive when you admit your mistake.

Finally, here are two things NOT to do: First, DO NOT forget the name and act as if nothing is wrong. You will be caught—even if nothing is said—and that's much worse than admitting your mistake. Second, DO NOT say, "Tell me your name again…" Making a mistake and then telling the offended person to fix it is a double social faux pas.

[This article was originally written by Adams Jette for the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy newsletter Bulletin. Reprinted with permission.]