A useful guide to create effective name badges

Heading for a conference or a training session, and there is a miniscule chance you’ll know too many people in that room. Also, it can be quite scary to be put in a room full of strangers, and it can be even more daunting to remember their names. There will be interaction and networking, and you surely want to start the conversation by addressing the person with their name. Name badges may not feature at the top of an event organizer's checklist, but they are important in the gamut of things that they need to tick off. A badge with the attendee’s name and other relevant details serves as an ice breaker and a conversation starter. Therefore, it is an important aspect of any event, small or big.

Let’s look at some benefits of event name badges:

An event badge majorly comprises an attendee’s name, organisation and their job title. And essentially the job of a name badge is to work as a networking tool, but they need not be just that. An event name badge serves as your introduction in a room full of strangers, and boosts effective networking. Once you have introduced yourself verbally, there is still a little chance that someone may remember your name – unless they have an eidetic memory - especially when there are so many names to remember. So, a name badge rescues an individual from an awkward situation of forgetting a name and helps them focus fully on the conversation.

Another important aspect is of colour coding name badges. It helps you categorize your audience as per seating, types of passes, etc., and it also makes participants spot their group members easily. But here’s a tip: when you colour code badges, follow the cardinal rule of simplicity. Too many colours to focus on can actually end up confusing your attendees. If you wish to receive instant feedback on all the sessions that were conducted as part of one conference, name badges can help. Add barcodes to name badges and understand how popular each session has been by tracking participants’ attendance. This way you will quickly understand attendees’ preferences, and this can serve as useful data for future reference.

Ideas for Event Badges:

The number of ideas you have out there to incorporate in your event badge are just too many. In terms of various parameters, such as shape, size, colour and the overall aesthetic appeal, you can let the creative juices flow. However, never forget that the main purpose of a badge is to highlight the attendee’s name. Make sure to use fonts that are easy on the eye and don’t clutter the badge with too many details.

Most times, event badges end up in the trash once the event is done, but you can change that. There are a few ways from which you may choose so that your event badge isn’t simply strewn away. Consider electronic name badges for your next event. These are also known as paperless tech badges and are quite popular these days. They are equipped with a type of electronic paper display technology, which can be interesting for the attendees and serve as a conversation starter.

Hand out notebooks to attendees that serve as an event badge. The first page can carry the participant’s details while the book can be used for taking notes during the event and post it too. An event badge has two sides; use the back for the event’s itinerary. This way attendees don’t need to check the event app to know about the various sessions. Also, you can customize the schedules basis the pass type an attendee holds.

What does a regular name badge look like? It’s a rectangular piece of paper slipped into a plastic cover and dangling on a lanyard. Well, think out of the box…you can make badges out of bio-degradable eco-paper or reclaimed wood. If you improvise the material, it will surely catch your audience’s attention. Moreover, there’s a mighty chance they may keep it as a souvenir from the event.

Consider on-site badge printing:

What is the first thing you would do once you reach the event venue? Probably get done with registration and then go about the set course of the event, right? An attendee direly hopes that they do not get stuck in a big line for registration and get done with the process ASAP. Now, flip the coin and consider the plight of someone who has been trusted to print out a number of badges for an event. Only they know what an ordeal it can be, right from getting the count right to not misspelling attendees’ names (we all know how irritating it can be to have your name misspelled). Opt for on-site badge printing and make all those worries vanish in thin air.

With on-site badge printing, you can have a self-service kiosk where attendees can put in all the information on their own (takes care of spelling errors) and print out their badges. This offers a new experience for the attendees as well as makes it less stressful for those manning the desk. Put barcodes on the badges and use wireless scanners to oversee which participant attends which session. This can prove to be very useful data for your future events.

To conclude, this only goes on to show that event badges are just more than an event identity card. They not only help boost networking but are far more significant than just an event ID card.