Alicia's ID Tips for Success

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1.  You want attendees/ customers to remember your name
2.  You want your lanyard or badge to be cool enough for people to want to use it or wear it for everyday use in an effort to get your name displayed elsewhere
3.  You want your ID choice to represent your company/event.  For example, if you are a bank, you may want to choose a simple badge layout on a silver or gold badge to create an elegant look.  If you are a party store, you may want to use a lot of color on your lanyards.
4.  You want to make sure your choice is functional for your employee every day use or your event.  For example, if you are handing out a lot of literature/ samples, you may want to use a badge holder with pockets.

We  had a new customer this week that was in need of a high quality, professional looking badge.  Our recommendation was a silver metal badge with black printing.  The black printing made up the background with the silver showing through to make up the letters and logo.  We also added a silver metal frame to the badge as a finishing touch.  The order is in production now in the sublimation process.  I'm sure this customer will be very excited about the badge when it is received for his event. 

The most common fasteners are:

Pin
 

Clip

and Magnet






The pin is a very economical choice and can be used for most any event or daily use.  The drawback to using a pin is that when used often, it can sometimes damage clothing.

The clip is a great choice if your employees have pockets or lapels.  This type of fastener clips on  easily to clothing and does not cause any damage. 

The magnet is a good choice for most all applications, but it is a bit more costly.  It is a wonderful choice for everyday application particularly.  You will want to be careful if any of your employees wear a pacemaker as magnets can be harmful.

There are a variety of options available when selecting a layout.  You will just need to decide what your target or focus is.

If the name is the main focus, you will want to make sure it is prominently displayed on the badge.  This could mean it is in large text, in bold font, or simply featured at the top of the badge. 

If your logo is very colorful and eye catching, you will want to  to use a full color badge for the best effect.

If you are wanting to maintain a classic look, metal or engraved badges are great.  The most classic layouts would include your logo either to the left or on the top with the name and title listed either to the side or below your logo.

Of course, you are always the best person to choose what product will best serve your needs.  However, here are some helpful hints:

If you are hosting an event involving multiple sponsors and customers, you will most likely want to use lanyards.  A 3/4" or 1" inch style would display your logo and company name(s) most prominently. 

If it is a one day or weekend event that is an internal function for your company, you will want to focus more on the names of your guests.  In this case, a badge holder with a printed insert emphasizing the employee name in bold or all caps works well.  To further personalize the event, you can also use personalized name badges.  These are a bit more costly, but will add a personal touch and create a professional look.  You can save a bit on the cost by choosing a badge with one color printing or a less expensive fastener such as a pin.

If you are in need of everyday use identification products, there are a few from which to choose:

Badge holders are great for holding printed inserts and credit card type ID's.  The best options are heavy duty holders made of a thicker vinyl gauge.  The basic 10 gauge vinyl will not normally hold up well for everyday use so you will want to look for a thickness greater than 10 gauge.  Many ID companies advertise these holders as "heavy duty".  The thicker vinyl lengthens the lifetime of the hole where your lanyard attaches and is able to handle the weight of a card ID.

Personalized name badges are another option.  Most badges offer a durable print such as engraving, sublimation, or digital printing.  Silk screened badges have a less durable print, but are often less expensive.  The durable print lengthens the life span of your badge.  Again, you can choose the layout of your logo and name on the badge as well as the colors you would like.  These badges help present a professional image and it is very easy to see the employee/ guest name.

Lanyards are a great option for employees that need to carry an ID badge or keys on a daily basis.  Typical fasteners include keyrings, swivel hooks, and bulldog clips.  Employee names may be a bit more difficult to read since they are below eye level, however, your company name is displayed very nicely.  Lanyards are also help protect your clothing from any pulls or snags, but you will want to ensure you have a breakaway on your lanyard if you are working around machinery to prevent any accidents.

It is really quite amazing how many details and options there are to choose from  when considering  identification products for your employees or events.  There is a lot of thought to put into your decisions when choosing a layout for your name badge or lanyard product.  A few things to consider from the get go are:
1.  What type of product is going to work best for your employees or events?
2.  Which type of layout is going to make the product most effective for relaying your name and your company name to your targeted audience?
3.  What colors are going to best relay your message and make a great impression?
4.  What type of fasteners are going to be most functional?

No matter which product you feel will best suit your needs, I really liked these name tag tips from a post by Seth Godin:
a. BIG first name
b. positioned in a place where you can see it
c. ideally two-sided, on a short lanyard (why on earth would you make a one-sided lanyard tag?)
d. a piece of information that is an ice breaker. Here's my latest example. Every single sticker had a different picture. No real logic behind it. But what if there was? What if attendees picked their favorite movie star, metaphor, state capital, political gaffe, Saturday Night Live skit... anything worth talking about?