A couple of weeks ago we had the pleasure of working with the group Harvard Women in Computer Science. We donated some product to them, and in return, one of their members was able to answer some of our questions about who they are and what they stand for. We spoke to JN, and she was great!
Name Tag: What is the name of your company or organization? Do you have a mission statement?
JN: Harvard Women in Computer Science organized our first annual Women Engineers Code (WECode) conference this past weekend. We are dedicated to building a network of technical women across universities and industries. We believe every girl should have equal opportunity and encouragement to pursue a technical field and we strive to promote awareness and build a community at Harvard and beyond.
Name Tag: What was donated to you? How will it help your organization? JN: Coller Industries was kind enough to donate 11, 2×3 engraved name badges for the committee members running the event. The committee had worked so hard to make this 300 person conference possible and it was wonderful to have such a professional and unique recognition of their efforts. The badges also streamlined the functionality of the conference itself since attendees knew they could go to members wearing the badges to ask questions.
Name Tag: If you could describe your organization in three words, what would they be?
JN: Technical, Female, Community
Name Tag: Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
JN: Thank you so much for working with us to make this possible. It was our first year holding the conference, and the first time many of the committee members had ever worked on a conference. It was great to have the name tags as a surprise gift for them to wear on the day of the conference because it recognized their efforts and legitimized our event. We look forward to building this relationship with Coller Industries.
Recently, we donated some product to the Shocco Springs Conference Center. We had a chance to chat with Lauren about their organization, and here is what she had to say.
Name Tag: What is the name of your company or organization? Do you have a mission statement?
Lauren: Shocco Springs Conference Center. Our mission is to provide a distinctly Christian environment for spiritual transformation and renewal.
Name Tag: What was donated to you? How will it help your organization?
Lauren: 600 lanyards were donated to us. These lanyards will be used for a marriage conference that we will be hosting February 28, 2014 through March 2, 2014. This conference is the first of what we hope will be an annual event that will focus on building marriages and inspiring couples. This donation was helpful to our organization because it allowed us to have quality name badges that we could not have otherwise afforded.
Name Tag: If you could describe your organization in three words what would they be?
Lauren: Passionate, caring and fun!
Name Tag: Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
Lauren: Shocco Springs is a Christian conference center in Talladega, AL, that has been serving Christian and nonprofit organizations for over 65 years. We host events for groups ranging from two to 1400 participants. We offer quality lodging, meeting rooms, recreation and meals. For more information about who we are and what we offer, you can visit our website www.shocco.org.
We are so thankful for this donation, and want you to know that it will continue to be a blessing to our organization as well as the many other nonprofit and Christian organizations that hold events at our facilities who will be able to make use of these lanyards as well.
You can check out the conference center on their website at www.shocco.org.
Well, we were at it again! We took part in another bridal expo. There were SO many people at this one. We got to talk with so many brides and planners. We count the days as a huge success.
Our graphic designer took great care in putting our displays together. We had so many examples of how to use roll ribbon that many people stopped to take pictures.
Above you can see some of the floral arrangements pictured. We have used our rolled ribbons on flowers, ribbon wants, favors, bubbles, gifts, invitations and more!
Are you in need of some personalized ribbons? Click below to get your order started today!
Event badges are the best way to identify yourself, especially when networking is a primary focus. Follow these guidelines and you will always be safe from sabotaging your success. So, what is the best way to print an event name badge?
Printing Event Badges
Providing pre-printed event badges is one of the most effective investments you can make to the success of an event, especially a networking event. Yet many people waste this opportunity to help guests meet and greet at an optimum level. Here are a few tips to ensure your event name badges look great and are the most productive.
Keep the Printing Simple
All your event badges need is a first and last name with your affiliation or company underneath. Think twice about the need to provide any more information beyond these basics.
Printing the first name larger than the last name
While there are no hard and fast rules governing whether to enlarge the person’s first name, I submit that it’s best to print both the first and last name in the same size font. You will obviously see the person’s first name. However, if the last name is too small to be easily read, an opportunity to connect is lost since a person’s identity comes from knowing both a person’s first and last name.
No Honorifics and Titles for Event Badges
Do not place honorifics such as Ph.D. or Dr. or titles such as President or Sales Manager on event badges. You can learn this information as you converse. Only at special events will honorifics or titles be helpful, such as a doctor’s convention where the doctor’s specialties are important or a company conference where titles let others know what that person’s responsibilities are.
Adding a Company or Organization Name
Besides a person’s first and last name, the only other information to print for an event badge is a person’s company or organization name; this is a great way to begin conversations. While we should all be proud of our affiliated organizations, seeing the person’s name is more important than knowing their affiliated company. Therefore, place the company name or logo at the bottom of the tag in a font size that’s easy to read yet smaller than the person’s name.
Host and Sponsor Organizations
Give acknowledgment to the sponsors of your event through the design of the badges, but never allow that information to override the all-important role of a name badge which is to introduce the person who is wearing it.
Choose a Font
Use big, bold fonts for printing and avoid script or fancy fonts. The goal is to make the badges easy to read, so choose your font wisely. With several thousand choices on most computers, your name badges do not need to be boring when selecting a font for readability. Some popular fonts for name badges include Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, Calibri and Times.
Font Size Matters
Print the names on the badges in a font size that practically fills the tag. It is a waste of an excellent networking tool to print the information on any badges in small type. Instead, begin with a large 40-point font and adjust the size to fit the names on each line. Some names are larger or shorter, so adjust the font size accordingly.
Print a Test of the Event Badges
Before printing your badges, print a single badge and look at it from the same distance it will be viewed at the event. Then, if there is any difficulty in reading any of the information, go back and make adjustments and try it again.
An event name tag is the best way to identify yourself, especially when networking is a primary focus. Follow these guidelines and you will always be safe from sabotaging your success. So, what is an event name badge and how do you wear them properly?
Should I bring my own name tag to events?
While arriving with your custom designed name tag ensures your name and affiliation are printed the way you like, it may not be in your best interest to do so. Consider this: event planners usually create tags specific to a particular occasion to identify those who legitimately belong at the event and those who do not. Wearing a name tag from outside the event may inadvertently convey the impression that you are crashing the party.
Squint Factor
There is nothing more disappointing than arriving at check in to see ineffective name tags. The logo of the hosting or sponsoring organization dominates the event tag. At the same time, names, company affiliations and every other detail, except your birth date, are printed so small they are not easy to read.
Remember the Purpose of the Name Tag
When preparing event name tags, think through the purpose of them. The tag should make communicating and networking easy for your event attendees. Always show names in spoken order, given name followed by surname, followed by your affiliation or company underneath. Think twice about the need to provide any more information beyond these basics.
Hosts and Sponsors
Sponsors and hosts are important to every event, and they deserve recognition. However, it is essential to remember that the person’s name is the most important information on the tag. Therefore, the majority of space should be devoted to presenting the person’s name. Thus, the logo or sponsoring affiliation should be smaller than the attendee’s name. It should never be the reverse.
Handwriting vs. Printing on Event Name Tags
Having tags printed and waiting is the perfect way to start an event. When this is impossible, provide dark pens and encourage everyone to write large enough that you can easily read their information from a distance, at least one half inch in height. Allow as much white space as possible; it helps others to easily read the badge.
Printed Tags
When generating pre-printed tags on a computer, choose a font that is easy to read. Arial, Myriad Web and Garamond are always good starting points. Sometimes it takes extra time to employ a little trial and error to find the correct font size and balance. However, it will be well worth the effort for optimum results. See part 2 of this article for information on printing event tags.
Wearing an Event Name Tag
Where should you place a name tag for networking? Wearing the tag high on your right shoulder gives other people the best view of the tag and your face. As you extend your right hand for a handshake, your eye and arm immediately draw to the right side of the person you are greeting. Because the uppermost part of your chest is the flattest area below your shoulder, this helps your tag to lie flat and be more secure. For women, this also prevents the awkwardness of drawing attention to a location we want to avoid having someone staring at. Placing the name tag high up in an easy to read and visible place keeps the focus on the tag where it should be.
Company Name Tags
Many businesses require their staff to wear name tags for identification. In this case, wearing such tags on the left shoulder is appropriate.
BONUS: Place name tags straight and in plain view.
Never wear your name tag crooked, sideways or upside down. It sends a negative message to others, usually implying a lack of respect for the occasion or a lack of care or interest in your appearance.
What other tips do you have to add to this list? Let us hear from you.
By Syndi Seid, the world’s leading etiquette trainer, celebrity speaker and founder of San Francisco based Advanced Etiquette.
