Tutorials and Product Advice - Influencing Identity

Halloween Decorations

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With Halloween just around the corner, many people are scrambling for ideas for their costumes and decorations. Some costumes, such as those that mimic uniforms work well with a name tag as an accessory. The inclusion of a name tag can be a cost effective method of turning some plain clothing into a costume.

We’ve seen quite a few Halloween name tags come through over the years. Here are a few examples we put together. Something like a “Beware of Monsters” sign could be used year after year for your decorations.

The sky is the limit for the tags and signs you could create. Let us help you make a more memorable Halloween this year.

Get yours today!

Vector Art: Meet Your New Best Friend!

Most of the products we offer require vector art to include your logo or custom graphic. But many people have never heard the term and don’t know what it means. A common misconception is that JPEG or PDF files can be vector files, but we’ll break it down so you can tell the difference.

JPEG vs. Vector

JPEG:

Most cameras save photos as JPEGs, but if you open a JPEG image and zoom in, you will see tiny squares of color called pixels. If you make the image bigger, the pixels get bigger until they are clearly visible to the naked eye. Images where the pixels are individually visible are referred to as pixelated.

Basic shapes and colors use these pixels, placed in a grid in thousands of different colors. The result when you zoom out is the complete image that you see. To make curves in your image, pixels on a grid create a jagged look.

Vector:

There is no grid of colored squares like in JPEGs. Instead, the online shapes making up the image are mathematically plotted by the computer program. Then, the program has been told what color (or colors) to fill that outline with. The image is very smooth and high quality. Vector artwork isn’t restricted to a grid to make curves in your image, so the curves are genuine and smooth.

Why do we require vector art?

The key here is the type of process being used to create the image. Laser engraving, hot stamping, and ribbon imprinting share a single fact: the process is 100% there or not there at all.

With laser engraving, for example, the laser burns the plastic or metal, removing the top layer in that spot to reveal a different-colored layer beneath. The laser has either burned, or it hasn’t; there are no half-burned areas.

Now, remember how those JPEGs are made up of squares of color? A curve on a black shape might appear smoother to our eyes by having some of the pixels towards the edges be shades of gray rather than full black. But the laser can’t do that. So those gray squares will be burnt just the same as the black, red, blue and all the other squares. And you end up with something that probably doesn’t look much like your logo.

But vector art can tell the laser exactly where the edges of your shape are so that the laser knows just how to get your image onto your product, filling in the outlines as it goes. The same is true for hot stamping and ribbon imprinting, which both use metal dies; either the color foil is stamped on in a spot or it is not.

How do you create vector art?

Two of the most popular programs are Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. Vector art files most commonly end in .eps or .ai, although there are some exceptions. We do have a few options for those customers who do not have vector artwork files of their graphics. And we also can take most images and create vector artwork for them for a small fee. (And you get to keep the file for future use!)

Information courtesy of Melanie Bunch, Graphic Artist. To learn more about name tags and our processes, review our Art Requirements.

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4 Products You Need to Increase Brand Awareness

Carrying out marketing and advertising campaigns can be an expensive, albeit effect way to increase brand recognition for your company, business or organization.

However, for smaller businesses, creating brand recognition is essential to increase sales and influence. And with small businesses comes a smaller marketing budget, so how can you inexpensively promote your brand?

Name tags: If you work in an environment where employees interact directly with clients or customers, then name tags are an essential tool for creating brand awareness. Name tags will give you a chance to put your logo as many places as possible, so your customers won’t be able to escape it. They will also set a standard for professionalism, and they can say a lot about the personality of your company. When you design your name tags, take into consideration what you want them to say about your company. Do you want to be recognized as clean and professional? Or fun and hip?

Lanyards: They’re inexpensive and highly customizable. If your work environment necessitates security or ID badges, give branded lanyards to your employees and they can wear them and keep their badges handy. If your employees leave work, they will likely be wearing their lanyards still, so people will be continually exposed to the brand. Lanyards are also a great promotional tool. You can resell them, give them to customers or clients, or hand them out to family and friends. As far as usability goes, lanyards can be convenient for holding keys, USBs, whistles, cameras or small MP3 players. So the more people who use your lanyards, the better chance you have of your brand reaching the masses.

Custom Signs: Presentation can make or break a brand, so having a carefully designed, high quality sign to represent your brand is can be pretty important. Like name tags, your company’s sign tells customers and clients about your values and personality. If you run a quirky cupcake shop, try adding some flare to your signs with a playful font and a colorful image. If you’re a prestigious marketing firm, try a bold font with clean and sharp features.

Personalized Name Plates: If your company, business or organization deals directly with clients or customers, then having name plates for all of your employees is essential. Have the name plates include a logo, the employee’s name, and their position within the company. For one, it will show that your company is invested in its employees, which will then incite respect from your clients. If you’re invested in your employees, you will likely be invested in your customers and clients, too. It also adds to the professionalism of your company. The little details count, and your customers and clients will notice, and spread the word about you.

Click any of the links above to get yours today!

8 Ways to Use Name Tags

Regardless of your work environment, name tags can be a valuable tool for branding, bonding and building relationships. Whether you’re blending smoothies, working in retail or working behind the scenes, wearing a name tag can have endless benefits.

Here are just a few:

Brand Recognition: If all employees wear name tags, your clients or customers are bound to see your company’s logo, and hopefully it will be imprinted in their mind. Even the simplest name tags are effective at creating a brand recognition among your clientele base, and the more places you can put your brand, the better.

Add Personality to Your Brand: Spice it up a little and add some color or shape to your name tags. Custom design a name tag to fit your company or organization’s personality, like making them in the shape of fish for a seafood restaurant. Or add a touch of color to make the name tags vibrant and unforgettable, especially if it matches the upbeat tempo of the work environment.

Increase Professionalism to Your Brand: By wearing sleek, clean and professional name tags, your employees will be able to bring your brand up another level. Name tags say a lot about what your company or organization is like, and if you’re want to be known for respectability and professionalism, the cleaner and more sophisticated the name tag, the better.

Employee Accountability: If a customer or client can see the name of the person helping them next to your company’s logo, your employee will likely feel more accountable for what they say and how they act. They wouldn’t want to get reported, would they?

Differentiate Departments: If there are multiple departments to your business or organization, then name tags can be a way to differentiate between those departments. Try color coding the name tags or ordering name tags in different shapes (rectangle, oval, etc.), but keep a uniform logo and font style.

Learning Names: Is a new employee feeling like the odd one out? Name tags can easily fix that dilemma. If everyone is wearing a name tag, learning names can be painless and effortless. Avoid the awkward, “What’s your name again?” conversation simply by equipping every employee with their own name tag.

For Visitors: Name tags make it easy to know visitors from employees, especially if you have a large staff. Employees will be more helpful if they can point out the visitors, and visitors will be more comfortable if they can see name tags of the employees helping them.

Increase Security: For work environments that demand higher security measures, ID badges are an easy way to make sure that identification is constantly visible. If someone isn’t wearing an ID badge, then they aren’t supposed to be there. And with ID badges, you can manipulate them to let employees through secure areas, or allow them to clock in and out.

Giving and Receiving Gifts Year-Round

by Syndi Seid

Anthropologist Terry Y. LeVine said it best: “The practice of giving and receiving gifts is so universal it is part of what it means to be human. In virtually every culture, gifts and the events at which they are exchanged are a crucial part of the essential process of creating and maintaining social relationships.”

December is the biggest gift giving month of the year. Yet there are endless reasons to give gifts throughout the year: personal gifts for birthdays, weddings, graduations and holidays, as well as business gifts to say thank you for a job well done, congratulations on a promotion, or I’m sorry for not performing as expected.

The purpose of giving gifts is to bring joy to both the giver and receiver, promote goodwill, and make for a closer relationship. However, if gift giving goes amiss, there is a risk of making the receiver uncomfortable and creating an unpleasant situation for both sides. To avoid any ill-effects from your gift giving practices, keep in mind these simple tips.

WHEN YOU GIVE:

Be sure of the true purpose of the gift. Beyond saying the gift is for a particular occasion, think through how well this gift will express your feelings for this person. To figure this out, ask yourself: how much do I really care about this person? How much time, energy and money am I willing to spend to select just the right gift for them? Let the answers guide you throughout this process.
Do your homework about the receiver. Be observant about his or her favorite items, things he or she might need, or things that would be a meaningful expression of your relationship. Try to remember comments about favorite colors, foods or beverages. As needed, ask someone else who knows the person, explaining that the purpose of your inquiry is to help learn something that will help you select a special gift. I think most people are willing to help with ideas.
Be sensitive to personal and cultural differences. With such a diverse population in our society, it is important to learn something about a person’s ethnic, religious and cultural practices along with their personal likes and dislikes before you present a gift. Take time to learn what’s appropriate and what’s not in different communities to gain insights on what a person would or would not appreciate as a gift. For example, giving a bottle of wine to someone who does not drink alcohol could make the receiver less than overjoyed with your gift.
Know when corporate logos are appropriate. Sometimes a gift with a company logo cheapens its appearance. The best gifts are those without any logos or promotion on it, especially when given as special thank-you gift. Logo gifts are fine as small remembrances for meetings held; not generally as the sincerest form of a thank you gift.
Use simple and elegant wrapping. Japanese-influenced, understated wrapping is best in my mind. Avoid using brightly colored, bold, heavily patterned paper and a lot of brightly colored, fancy bows and ribbons on the package. Instead, use solid stately colors and quality paper with simple ribbon.
Present your gift with style. The best way is having it gift beautifully wrapped and given in person. In business situations, when sending the gift by messenger or mail, include your business card with the gift, along with a handwritten note on personal note card or stationary.

WHEN YOU RECEIVE:

Show your appreciation when receiving a gift in person. Always put a smile on your face as a gift is being presented and say thank you along with a brief expression of appreciation.
Let the giver know as soon as possible when a gift has arrived. Make every effort to let the sender know you received a gift sent by mail or messenger (email, fax or telephone call is fine). Then follow it up by sending the proper thank-you note as soon as possible.
Be sensitive to opening a gift in front of others. Americans typically open gifts as soon as it is received, even in front of an audience and other groups of people. Know that in many cultures it is not customary or appropriate to open gifts in front of guests. They are kept to be opened alone.
Know the bottom line. Always hand write a thank you note for every gift you receive, no matter what…period. Sending a thank you note is the right thing to do.

Happy Practicing!

Syndi Seid is a regular contributing writer, professional speaker/trainer and founder of a San Francisco-based business that offers free monthly etiquette articles.