Carnegie's Third Principle to Get People to Like You: Remember that a person's name is the most important sound to that person.

Carnegie recalls of how Jim Farley, a man with no formal education, won the Presidency for Roosevelt. He traveled the country meeting people then wrote personalized letters to each individual. Carnegie reminds us that even though some people have difficult names, one must avoid assigning them a new one.

The last time I was out to eat our waitress, Allison, asked us our names when she took our drink orders. She continued to use them the rest of the night and it is because of this that I used hers, and still remember it. When I was a waiter (I know, I have had a few jobs), I had one bunch of people who I waited on a time or two and picked up their names. After I called them by name they asked for me every time they came in, and for taking the time to know them they were generous.

When I worked at a coffee shop at my college campus we had an orientation one Saturday. No one wanted to work, let alone open, and so I was there by myself when the flood gates opened. I was understaffed and running out of stock quickly. I, having a strange compulsion to do so, used each person's name (from the name tags they were wearing) and greeting them when they stepped to the register, and called it again to call out when their order was ready. Within the first two hours I got over $50 in tips, but on any other day $10 was considered good for a full shift. Because I took the time to greet each person by name, they were generous and tipped me well.

Using people's names, as well as keeping your's fresh in their mind, is huge!

Homework:

Learn three stranger's names. This can be as easy as talking to a cashier while he or she rings up your groceries or as far as developing a new relationship. Either way, learn their name, you never know who they may turn out to be. I have met a variety of prominent folks and the first thing I do is to remember their name, you may need to call on them down the road.