I was watching The Devil Wears Prada recently, and there is a scene where Meryl Streep, playing the magazine editor, is hosting a formal cocktail party for hundreds of guests. She is flanked by assistants on either side who whisper the name of approaching guests in her ear. It's the best scenario for greeting people — if only a little angel could sit on my shoulder and feed me the name of everyone I encounter! Instead, paralysis and panic usually set in and I spend more time coming up with an excuse for why I don't remember a person's name than actually trying to remember.

Introductions can be a harrowing experience for people who are not good with names. Don't feel guilty. Most parents, including mine, can't even keep their children's names straight, and I'm an only child.

As we embark on the summer season, full of social events like weddings and office barbecues, here are some tips to help you not only put a face to a name but to record it in memory.

A warm smile is a great start to an introduction. They say you can perceive a smile over the telephone; imagine how it can set the tone in person. It shows both respect and interest in the party you are about to meet.

The handshake is the official greeting in the United States. When meeting someone, you extend your right hand at the same time that your name comes out of your mouth. The grip should be firm but not crippling. It should never be a "limp fish" nor withheld. Stitches in your thumb? Offer your left hand instead. Like a lack of manners, a poor handshake makes a big impression in an age where first impressions are formed in 7 seconds.

Accompanying your handshake is your gaze. Make eye-contact with your soon-to-be-friends when exchanging names. Take in their features and body language. Maybe one has glasses or a mustache. Perhaps another subtly turned his good ear toward you.

A smile, handshake and eye contact are the three essential building blocks to an introduction, and being attentive to a person's uniqueness will help you remember them later.

When the person you are meeting offers his or her name, say it back right away. "I'm Anderson Howard." "I'm Bizia Greene, it's nice to meet you Anderson." Names are like the tide. They come in and go back out. If you did not hear the name or it is difficult to pronounce, ask for it to be repeated until you get it right, and not after a 20-minute conversation has intervened. Use the name in a sentence throughout your conversation at least three times in order to burn it into your brain.

If you are introducing people to one another, don't just leave it at the name. Offer more information to each party so they can remember one another. If the parties have something in common, make the effort to connect those dots. In your own memory bank, make the association between the person you just met and one of their identifying factors. Naomi travels to Nepal. Jorge has a tile and stone business.

Ask for a business card and write some information on it later to help you remember that person. And while it is uncouth to offer your own card, asking for one will usually elicit a request for yours.

If you are with a guest, prepare your friend ahead of time about who he or she be meeting, or discreetly as someone approaches. I have a prearranged backup plan that my "wingmen" will introduce themselves to anyone who approaches on the off-chance I can't recall a name.

So, now you've mastered the art of remembering names. You are at a Chamber of Commerce mixer and there walks in the guy who likes fishing on Heron Lake, but for the life of you, his named has lifted like the fog from your memory. It is a terrifying moment when you know you should remember, but draw a blank. If you've got a moment to stall, ask anyone around to remind you of his name without pointing or panicking. If face-to-face in the elevator, remind him when/where/how you met and just re-introduce yourself. I never assume anyone remembers my name, so I always offer it — which often prompts a response. It is a great ice-breaker in what could be a missed opportunity. Don't make excuses or draw attention to the fact that you can't remember. Just reintroduce yourself and get on with it.

In the world of introductions, there are numerous rules of protocol, particularly when multiple cultures are involved. They are too numerous to mention here. The important thing to remember in this age of information overload is that when it comes to introductions you need to work at it. Find the method that works for you, never assume anyone remembers anyone else's name and make the effort to learn about the people you've met. Pretty soon you'll find that the angel whispering names into your ear is, in fact, you.

Bizia Greene, founder of the Etiquette School of Santa Fe, can be reached at www.etiquettesantafe.com