According to a recent report quoting a communications expert, most people don’t bother, so if we follow this advice, we’ll stand out.
The premise is that there are times we may have the aim to make ourselves instantly more likable to our clients, colleagues or new acquaintances. Or maybe even just the people we interact with every day. We’re offered what is said to be a simple and powerful tip from author and communications expert Lorraine K. Lee: Make them feel seen by remembering something about them.
As an example, the report sites someone who recently climbed the Space Needle for a charity event and posted about it on social media. When that person met with a financial adviser a few days after, he remembered about the climb and asked how it was. That tiny interaction, the report notes, made that individual feel known and remembered. It made this person like the financial adviser a bit more. And that’s the whole point, we’re told.
“Remembering small details is one of the easiest ways to show someone you care. It says: ‘You matter enough for me to remember,'” Lee wrote in a piece for CNBC.com. That’s just one of five smart tips she gives for being more likable.
Others will notice if you focus on them
One suggestion is to remember details about the other person. For one thing, it’s extremely effective. It will make us stand out because most people don’t do it. It forces us to take an interest in the other person’s life even while we’re mentally wrapped up in our own projects and priorities. And it requires us to really listen to what they say, rather than letting our mind wander off to whatever we’re planning to say next, or any other distraction. We need to focus on them. The report stresses that consciously or not, the other person will notice that focus.
Lee has an excellent suggestion for those of us who may not be good at remembering things. “After a meeting or casual chat, jot down one detail you learned about the other person.” We can use a note pad, the back of the other person’s business card, or a note-taking app on our phone.
And if we’ve had an online meeting, it’s even easier. Chances are we’ll have a recording and transcript, and maybe AI-generated notes as well. So if we miss our chance to write something down during or right after the meeting, we can use those resources to find out something interesting about each person who participated.
Don’t fake it
If possible, we’re tasked to find items that genuinely interest us. People can often tell when we’re faking enthusiasm for something, so we’re told not to do it. If someone mentions that they just wrote an article about, say, botany, and we think that’s the most boring subject in the world, don’t ask them about the article. Instead, we should find something else that we can mention or ask about. Or perhaps ask how they got interested in botany, which will help us learn about them.
Will dropping facts about other people into our conversations feel awkward? It might, at first we’re told. It may take a few tries to figure out how to do it gracefully. But it’s worth the effort, the article stresses. Because when we show people that we care about the details of their lives, it can have a big effect.
Seems like these suggestions, like many others, fall into the common sense category. But it’s a new year and never hurts to renew our aims and goals. Here’s wishing everyone a happy, healthy and productive 2026!
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