Speaker and author Scott Ginsberg has worn a nametag 24/7 for more than 14 years. Why? Ginsberg (hellomynameiscott.com) believes nametags are essential in business because they promote approachability.
There’s probably no place where approachability comes into play more than at a conference or convention. At those events, nametags become our personal billboards, telling our peers who we are and who we work for. Our nametags make it easier for us to meet people and make connections.
Why, then, are nametags almost always lacking? We can’t read them without squinting or without standing in someone’s personal space. They tear at our sweaters, or we have nothing to clip them to. If they hang from a lanyard, they hang at our bellies or the badge flips so our vital information is hidden.
Even as nametags have become more sophisticated, with computer chips and bar codes built in to allow organizers to better track attendees, the basics of good nametags continue to be overlooked.
Instead of making them an afterthought, make nametags for your event an asset. Here are some ideas:
Bigger Is Better
The bigger the nametag, the better. You’ll ease eyestrain and allow networking to be more natural. No more squinting to see a tiny name scribbled on a tiny nametag. A 3-by-4-inch nametag is standard, but there are other options, including 4-by-8-inch vertical tags.
