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What good  is meeting someone for the first time, creating a favorable impression and  establishing rapport if two weeks  later the  person has  forgotten you? Give other people a reason to remember you, and they  will.

Ask yourself these questions: How can  I stand out from the  rest? Is there a persona or some little  touch of style  I can create for myself?  All kinds  of things can give you an image: a fresh cornflower worn  in the  lapel  or discreet, very  expensive frames for your  eyeglasses; beautiful vests, impeccable shoes, a bow  tie,  Lady Gaga’s outfits, Larry King’s suspenders,  Rod Stewart’s  hair  or  Goldie  Hawn’s laugh.

A friend of mine  works  for a national chain of mega- stores that sells  computers and  stereos. “I used to spend half an  hour explaining the  features of a product,”  she  told  me,  “and  then the  customer would  go away  to  think  about it. He would  come back  another day,  go up to the  first  salesperson he saw and  make  the purchase. It didn’t  matter that he had  my card or that I gave him so much time; the  chances of his coming back to me personally were  slim.  Then  I hit  on a way to be memorable. Because I’m from  Newfoundland, I tell customers to ask for the  ‘Newfie’ when  they  come back  or phone the  store.”

In Canada, a “Newfie” is often  the  target  of dumb, stereotypical jokes,  but  my friend used this  verbal image  to her  advantage. It is a handle or, if you prefer, a container to hold  and access a whole  package of previously stored information.

Find something to set you apart from the  rest. Give them something to remember you by.