Event Badges – not a badge of honor…

Event badges or name badges are important for any event, actually really important! Just think of it this way, any event that is taking place, big or small, it’s always going to have a time constraint, and there literally would never be enough time for such formal introductions if it wasn’t for the badges. Not only this but also the fact that some events are too noisy and there are often people we meet only in the events so instead of making the pretentious effort of trying to remember the name, the name badge basically is a quick recall which avoids everyone from embarrassment as well. Don’t you remember that time when you forgot the name of a person you just met, and the funny part is that their name wasn’t even that complicated? Name badges are basically very helpful when there are meetings, and large group discussions, as they allow the speaker to go on without breaking their flow and maintain the temp of the discussion as well.

Let’s get into more detail about name badges:

Functions of a Name Badge

When networking at events, a name badge plays a vital role. A name badge with a good quality lanyard makes it easier to remember and all one can then do is basically share their business cards. Introductions are always a good and polite way to get acquainted but let’s be honest, how many of us actually get to do that?

• Group discussions can become chaos if everyone starts formally introducing themselves. Sometimes the event is either too noisy or very informal where people hardly speak and it becomes rude to talk a lot.
  
• With technology being advanced at such a level, the badges also have a function where the information carried could easily be stored/saved/exchanged by simple clicks on mobile apps. For e.g. A QR code or a barcode is also enough to exchange the necessary information. In addition, now with the help of technology, it also allows event exhibitors or organizers to establish a pattern of participant trafficking and their behaviors as well.

Information on a Name Badge

Your name badge is not a literal version of your business card stuck/worn by you but it definitely should have your name and the company name, this helps in identifying when later talking about that person – Jack from XYZ – was a good speaker.

Some other pointers:

• Your company name could be a logo if it is easy to read – if not– keep it plain and simple by just keeping text only. This avoids less confusion and also you go easy on the other person’s eyes as you don’t really have to make them confused, irritated and pass wrong information.

• When considering the font of both – your name and company name – it has to be visible from quite some distance, it should have colors like black, brown, etc., not flashy colors and the font size should be good enough. Don’t go for fancy fonts, rather you should aim for visibility as your main criterion.

• If you are at a conference or are representing your company at a booth or a stall, ideally it is important to also have your job title/designation under your company name as well. This is considered a good option here because here you might just be interacting with more people on a one-on-one basis and also will have direct communication, unlike large events where one tends to be usually a part of the group.

• Tip: Keep it easy and simple and you are good to go

Pointers for Creating a Name Badge

• A name badge works for you as an introduction, you have to make sure that your name and your company name stand out. If you keep the text too small, it will get in the way and only lead to confusion. So if I met Harry, I might be confused when talking to my colleague and say, Larry. At the end of the day, I might not be able to give a name in general as it would avoid confusion – bam – there goes the idea of using the name badge! You wouldn’t want someone to not remember your name and the company name when you have actually invested time and effort to create one.

• Quality is key: this is to ensure that your name badge is not blown by the wind or is constantly facing the other way – 3 ways to avoid this – get a good lanyard – and a heavy one- or get the name printed on both sides – and nowadays we even have stickers so that saves you with all this hassle.

• Choose intelligently: when choosing a badge fastener don’t end up choosing one which will end up making holes in your delegates’ clothes. The magnetic fastener should be your first choice – also color code your lanyards. That way, in an event, people would know exactly who to talk to and there would be less mix-up.

• If the event is eco-friendly, use badges that can be recycled. On the other hand, if you are having an ongoing event, you need to choose something robust that will last and not get wrecked in one or two days.

• Keep printing on the badge: simple, large, and clear

• If you are the host or the event organizer, you need to make sure that the badges are being supplied in the right manner, so that all the delegates have them. The best way to go about is to send registration links 2 weeks prior to the event – this way the attendees can all be lined up in alphabetical order and they can pick up their badges from the entrance as they arrive at the event.

Creating a Badge

There are many event management software that make one’s life easy in this area, for e.g. Meeting Hand which allows you to design badges not only for the participants but for the company staff as well. You can customize and choose the size, color, and options of QR code easily on this. This software also allows your participants to download the badge online instead of waiting for their turn in a long queue at the registration desk.

All in all, ideally, it’s best to go for name badges where there’s networking and a lot of group discussions. It really helps and is always a good investment! If you need help, reach out to one of fluidmeet’s customer champions, and they can help you out!