A good business event starts with... a good badge! An event badge allows you to move freely around the event venue, is suitable for taking a nice photo on social media, and, most importantly, makes it easier to remember (or recall) the names of the speakers. For an ID badge to perform its functions effectively, you need to design it well. In today's newsletter, I'll draw your attention to how the badge design process works and what such a badge says about the event. At the end, you will also find materials to help you design a good badge.

The right material: paper, cardboard, or PVC?

The first thing we need to think about is the material from which we will make our badge. Paper will be the cheapest, easiest, and fastest option. Paper badges, however, are easily damaged, so for a training session of a few hours they will be OK, but during events of several days, they will not work. An alternative to paper will be cardboard, which has greater durability. Both paper and cardboard are eco-friendly materials, so they will be easy to recycle.

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And if not paper and cardboard, then what? Organizers reach for PVC badges, which are the most durable of the three materials. They are ideal for multi-day events and those held outdoors. Badges made of cardboard and PVC look the most professional and often, in addition to their aesthetic value (photos of participants online), give the impression that the organizer did not try to cut costs on the badge.

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An unusual shape is a guaranteed wow effect!

We've chosen the material, so it's time to give it a shape. Most organizers go “classic” and opt for square or rectangular badges. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not, badges are also about legibility! But if the organizer wants to do something cooler, as is the custom of sprawny.marketing or Adrian Gorzycki (Adventures of Entrepreneurs), he'll make sure the shape is original! The result? The enthusiasm of the participants, a feeling of being taken care of, and a greater desire to take a photo and upload it to social media, thus increasing the event's reach.

Of course, there is also the other side of the coin:

a) not every conference can afford nonchalance, 

b) a badge in a non-standard shape is more difficult to make, 

c) custom shapes often don't allow you to put as much information on them as on a standard rectangle.

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Different roles at the event...

It can be a good idea to vary badge designs according to the attendee’s role at the event. Regular participants have a badge in green, speakers in blue, sponsors in purple, and organizers in black. This makes it easier to identify who we are contacting. It also has a practical aspect - for example, only attendees with purple and black badges can access the VIP area. 

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A networker's nightmare - a rotating badge

Many organizers opt for a simple lanyard with a perforation (a hole) in one place. A badge prepared in this way is likely to rotate, inadvertently presenting the reverse instead of the obverse and making it difficult for a newly met person to address us by name. To avoid such a scenario, it is worth investing in a lanyard with a double snap hook. The badge does not turn around, and we can network and expand our network of contacts in peace.

Sometimes lanyards can also be too long... It is good practice for the badge to start at the sternum and end before the navel. If the organizer did not take care of this, you can always tie a small knot and adjust the length yourself.

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Personalization? A must!

We like it when someone does something for us, such as personalizing a badge with our name! We have several options to choose from:

1. writing the name with a marker on the badge - the simplest option, which will work well at workshops or networking breakfasts. Unfortunately, it is also the least elegant.
2. pre-printing stickers with the names of participants at the print shop (it looks VERY elegant, but unfortunately we need to close registration a few days before the event. It also delays the check-in)
3. printing stickers during check-in and ticket scanning with a label printer (for example, combined with QR ticketing from Gridaly). The most optimal option - it's fast, simple, and reliable - no preparation required, while looking very professional. 

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What should a well-crafted badge design include? (Send this excerpt to your graphic designer)

When designing a badge for an event, we need to consider why we need it at the event and what should be on it. By keeping a few things in mind, you can create a quality and aesthetically pleasing event badge that supports participants in achieving their goals at the event, but will also be a great souvenir and showcase for your event. 

Material 1:

What questions can you ask yourself?

1. What material:some text
   1. PVC
   2. paper
   3. cardboard
   4. paper in foil
   5. other
2. What kind of lanyards:some text
   1. with a single snap hook 
   2. with a double snap hook
   3. other
3. Shape:some text
   1. standard rectangle
   2. size
   3. rounding (e.g. corners)
   4. non-standard shape (e.g. a dollar, a heart) 
4. Personal information:some text
   1. we write by hand
   2. print in advance (we need to send a list with data to the printer)
   3. print using a label printer
5. Obverse/Reverse: some text
   1. branding
   2. event logo
   3. organizer's logo
   4. partners’ logos
   5. personal information on one or two sides 
   6. role / name of the ticket 
   7. place / date
   8. claim (slogan)
   9. agenda 
   10. QR-code directing to agenda, application, map
   11. QR-code of the participant
   12. wifi (and password)
   13. gamification (e.g. stamps)
   14. photo of the participant

Material 2:

Here’s an example of a badge design brief for a business-networking event:

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Hi Gosia! 

(Gosia is our favorite graphic designer), 

Please create a badge that will include:

1) event branding (because it must be consistent with the event ID) 

2) key information (name and logo of the event, date, location)

3) logos of partners (I would like them to be key partners)

4) space for sticker/participant data (name, position, and company),

5) differentiator for the roles (let each role have a distinctive color)

6) QR code (e.g. for downloading the app or for the agenda)

7) The material is thicker cardboard, a lanyard - with our logo and two snap hooks 

Remember that you have two spaces to use - obverse and reverse, so we can decide to vary them.  

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Keeping these few things in mind, you can create a high-quality and aesthetically pleasing event badge that supports participants in achieving their goals.