Some people who struggle with this maintain a "personal CRM" system.
Write down some names and notes about people. Re-read them when you're traveling to a place where you're likely to encounter them. Just writing the notes might be enough to solidify the memories for you, but re-reading surely will.
Salespeople do this to feign familiarity, and it's artificial. Don't do that. People you see every few years will not expect you to remember their kids' names or birthdays.
Specifics are often too intimate. But starting with their names, and building on with the simulation of a general memory or two (e.g. "are you still doing a lot of traveling for work?") are fine.
Write down some names and notes about people. Re-read them when you're traveling to a place where you're likely to encounter them. Just writing the notes might be enough to solidify the memories for you, but re-reading surely will.
Salespeople do this to feign familiarity, and it's artificial. Don't do that. People you see every few years will not expect you to remember their kids' names or birthdays.
Specifics are often too intimate. But starting with their names, and building on with the simulation of a general memory or two (e.g. "are you still doing a lot of traveling for work?") are fine.