How to Get Attention When Writing Your Name

You’re psyched. It’s Friday night and you’ve just arrived at one of the trendiest restaurants in the area. You’ve been meaning to try out this place ever since you saw a spread in the local magazine about it’s enticing atmosphere and gastronomical successes. But it seems like you’re not the only one who wants to experience it. People loiter in the main lobby, waiting around. Groups of people approach the hostess area just in front of you. You didn’t think to call ahead and make a reservation for you and your three friends. Slightly intimidated by the crowd but determined to enjoy your night, you march up to the hostess stand to ask about the expected wait time. After milling around behind a hoard of people, you make it to the stand and the hostess smiles wearily. She tells you that there will be a wait of around an hour, but you’re welcome to write your name down and help yourself to the crowded bar off to your right. You smile right back at her and write your name down on the list. She looks at your name, then at you, then back at your name. Her demeanor changes. She takes the list, scribbles on it, taps the screen in front of her, and scribbles again. She looks at you and tells you that your table will be seated momentarily. You grin, thank her, and go back to your friends to lead them to your table. They look at you with a mixture of amusement and awe. But mostly awe.

Believe it or not, this actually happens to me all the time. No, the hostess didn’t take interest in me because of a college memory, or a work connection, or my role as an emcee at my weekly entrepreneurship meetup. She took an interest in me because I wrote my name backwards.

For the most part, people do the same things over and over. When people write their name, they write their name. But there is great opportunity for creativity within these mundane and repetitive instances in life. A long time ago, I asked myself, What if I learned how to write my name backwards? It was a random thought, but it intrigued me enough to attempt it with some paper and a pencil. I began to put considerable effort in writing my name backwards. Initially, it was just for the sake of learning how to do it. But I soon realized the power that came with this new skill I had taught myself.

If you have a chance to write your name in front of somebody watching, you will definitely get their attention if you write your name backwards. It may seem like a simple act, but it has a powerful impact. I have moved ahead in many RSVP lines and made business connections at events. People are simply mesmerized by simple tasks done in a different manner.

The first thing you have to do is memorize the letters in your full name, first and last. For example, my name is Ryan Foland. So I needed to memorize the letters d-n-a-l-o-f-n-a-y-r. Then, when I had those letters memorized, I learned how to write them backwards from right to left. Practice enough times and you will be able to write your name both forwards and backwards. (Challenge yourself even more and write it upside down. And if you want to get crazy, learn how to write it upside down and backwards!!)

The main takeaway here for all of you entrepreneurs is to look for ways to be creative in some of the more mundane elements of life. What can you do slightly different from everyone else? As an entrepreneur, you need to stand out. You need to be creative. Creativity sparks innovation. Innovation creates change. Change can help you, can help others, and can help change the world.