Brand identity is a core part of your organization’s marketing. This includes what you do, how you market yourself and how consumers perceive you and your brand. Brand identity works to build awareness, loyalty and desire. It helps shape your target audience’s perception. Does this sound like marketing buzzwords that are just hype? They’re not. Brand identity has been proven to make a difference in sales and customer retention.
Retail Worker Wearing Name Tag
Your Target Audience
When you think about your favorite brands, you probably don’t think about their customers. But that’s who the target audience is: those who buy from you and use your product.
And if there’s one thing that’s true about branding, it matters more than ever. In this age of social media and mobile devices, your customers are easily distracted—they can switch games or apps in seconds. They’ll go somewhere else if they’re not getting what they want from you. So businesses must develop a strong brand identity so customers know what to expect when they come to your product or service.
One way of doing this is by defining your target audience. Who are your customers? Why do they buy from you? What do they like about the product or service? Then, how can you ensure everything stays well presented so those customers keep returning?
By answering these questions and working with an expert on how best to craft a compelling brand identity strategy, businesses will be able to create a clear picture of who their customers are, what they want out of their experience with your business (and vice versa) and how best to deliver on those expectations to keep them coming back again.
Your Purpose and Values
A brand’s purpose is the reason it exists. It motivates the company and its employees to do what they do. For example, suppose a brand has a clear, compelling purpose that inspires its customers and those who work for it. In that case, the company will be able to build a reliable reputation for quality and integrity.
The best way to ensure that your brand remains consistent in its messaging is to establish what exactly you’re trying to accomplish with your business. What does your company stand for? What kind of value do you want your products and services to offer? And, what do you want people who buy from you or work for you to feel when they use your product or service?
Once you have a clear idea of what your brand stands for, it’s time to define its purpose and the specific ways you will accomplish it. This includes determining what value your company wants to offer and how you plan to deliver it. You should also think about how your brand can become more than just a business but an integral part of the lives of those who use it. If you’re selling something that people will use daily, ask yourself: How can I make my product or service improve the quality of their lives? What do I want them to feel like when they use this item? What kind of emotions do we want people to associate with our brand?
Visual Elements
The visual elements of your brand identity are a vital part of what makes your company unique.
Visual elements include:
• Your logo is an essential part of your company’s identity and should be something that customers and other stakeholders can easily remember.
Badge Ribbons
The colors you use in your marketing materials. These should help reinforce the brand’s tone and message but also help it stand out from other brands in its industry.
The fonts used in marketing materials should be easy to read and reinforce the text’s tone.
Graphics that accompany text or images on your website, social media channels, etc., including icons or illustrations that convey a particular meaning or message related to your business.
A strong brand identity is an essential element of success for any small business. It defines a company’s personality and customer perception, leading to greater odds of customer loyalty, brand recognition and a sense of trust between the company and its customer base. This can lead to better customer retention and increased revenues. Moreover, having a strong brand identity will help any small business achieve more significant growth and long term viability, offering the best chance to succeed in a highly competitive market environment.
Bring your organization’s logo to life with name tags, name plates and lanyards.
From defining community to revisiting our younger days when we were told to share, we learn that community sharing can help determine basic business practices. So, what is a community? It is a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society. Community is also described as a feeling of fellowship with others as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.
As we all have been taught from a young age, sharing is to partake of, use, experience, occupy or enjoy things and experiences with others. When you put the two together, it becomes a strong sense of belonging. And when businesses adopt these practices, their business will grow exponentially!
“The key benefit of the sharing economy that we are the most passionate about is that it empowers people,” says Rachel Botsman, founder and director of Collaborative Consumption and author of the book What’s Mine is Yours: How Collaborative Consumption is Changing the Way We Live. “It empowers people to live more sustainably, to build community in new ways, to make money from their existing assets and most importantly, to rediscover a human connection we have lost somewhere along the way.”
When businesses get together in their communities and take pride in everyone’s work, they will see growth and camaraderie that can only be accomplished together.
As the sharing economy picks up momentum, its reach has become global. In cities and towns around the world, people are creating ways to share everything from baby clothes to boats, hardware to vacation homes. There are also groups emerging that consciously identify with the big picture sharing movement. These groups focus on education, action and community building and advocate for a cultural shift toward widespread sharing.
From neighborhood level cooperatives to global organizations, these groups work to bring sharing into the mainstream. They see sharing as a new paradigm; a means to a more democratic society, and they understand that sharing is not a new fad but an ancient practice that technology is reinvigorating.
Connecting to Others Through Community Sharing
Identification products are more valuable than you might think when you involve them with your community sharing. From neighborhood get togethers to corporation events, name tags and ribbons are the best tools to get your brand out there. In addition, adding your logo to these products at community events can increase your brand reach.
Building these social connections can also help you reach your professional goals. By building relationships with people at work and in your community, you form a strong network of people who trust your abilities and are willing to support your business. And, in turn, you prove to your community that you are eager to help them succeed.
As the world grows more connected, digitally and physically, people are living closer together and interacting in ways they never have before. As a result, the process of building communities – coming together with people across cultures to share goals and ideas – is more important than ever before.
When it comes to joining together to make our neighborhoods, our cities, and our world better, one of the most important things we can do is to find out what we have in common. When we share something with the people around us – no matter how small or insignificant it seems – it can help us make connections we never realized we could.
Public art projects, community development groups, and museums are some of the people and organizations who are using this principle to bring us all closer. Check out these amazing examples of people getting together in completely new ways.
The idea here is that your community doesn’t just buy your product or service. The community stays with your business because they trust how you make them feel. You are providing solutions to their problems. So, the more you know about your community, the more you can help it grow. And by supporting your community, you help your business grow.
Building Customer Relationships
The key to any good relationship is communication. Keeping open lines between yourself, your employees and your customers is crucial to your success. Without this communication, those customer relationships that keep you in business will fall short of where you need them. And remember that without your customers, you will go nowhere.
You must meet the standards that the customer expects from you. This could mean products or services rendered. Make sure that everything your business does is for the customer. Not only will this help with the retention of current customers, but this can also bring in others that your clientele tells about your wonderful company.
Identification and Community Sharing
Name tags, personalized ribbons and other identification products will help your brand reach. However, and more importantly, these products will let you reach out to your community and let them know who you are and that you are there to help. Here are three products with ways they will help in your community.
Community recognition can happen anywhere: school art shows or neighborhood events, so be prepared with award ribbons. Reward those in attendance as well as winners at any gathering.
Come together in your community by sharing products and services with those around you (name tags included). These reusable badges will identify everyone at your next community event.
Create unique awards and passes with custom imprinted badge ribbons attached to contestants and given to guests. These ribbons are the perfect way to make sure that everyone at your event feels invited and welcome.
Building a brand is something every business regularly focuses on. From excellent customer service to high quality products, brand reputation is everything you do to retain customers. This reputation directly impacts your customer’s behavior toward your company. Making sure that you better your brand will help you stay in business. You are building your brand reputation by producing high quality interactions with clients and customers.
Donations are a great way to show your customers how much you care about their needs. Giving something away is about adding value to your community, no matter if it is time or money. The joy we get from giving our products to those in need helps us to better our brand by investing in our community. By building this reputation, we continue to help those around us and improve our brand.
It’s back to school time. Students know they are going back to school, and they are ready to see their friends. Parents are excited for a return to a stable schedule. School organizations are in the process of planning for back-to-school events, fundraising and autumn activities. Although some of us are a little more hesitant about returning to these tasks, we should all prepare for what is to come.
We understand that teachers are facing the time of back-to-school setup and organizing their classrooms. Parents may be shouting for joy during this time; however, one of the hardest things teachers must do is prepare their rooms for students to return. So, we are here to help teachers and other educators prepare their supplies for back-to-school needs.
Back-to-school needs are everywhere, from books to pencils, pens and note paper. Kids need all sorts of supplies to start the school year off right and prepared. While we don’t offer these items, don’t underestimate the importance of name tags and identification for your classroom.
You may think having students who want to be at school and learn from their teachers sounds too good to be true. But that’s what schools that focus on increasing student engagement are seeing. More than coming to class and turning in homework, engaged students are enthusiastic about their education and desire to excel in their classes. So if you want to see your students succeed, you must figure out how to engage them in the learning process.
Whether it’s for the first day of school or needing to know how to make a lesson plan, this information is for everyone in the education field. Even students can learn from these tips. From how to use identification products in the classroom to advice on setting up storage for the school year, find everything you need here.
Motivating Students and Recognizing Individual Excellence
As a leader and a teacher, you have a responsibility to make sure that your students know how much you care about their learning and retention. When you celebrate even small achievements, you are helping your students see their excellence. This recognition will help them understand what their education is all about.
Engaging with your students will help to motivate them to do their best work. Take the time to recognize individual achievements so you can manage engagement, help reduce stress and increase productivity among your students. Motivation naturally comes when everyone is involved in staying productive and on task.
Recognizing individual excellence can build an educational culture that retains the best students. However, the truth is that no one can be successful alone. You always need help somewhere along the way. Most anyone can learn a skill, but not everyone knows success is all about how you prioritize people and talents.
Learning is more effective and stimulating when using teaching tools already in front of you. It is up to teachers and other school staff to ensure every student has the tools they need to learn. When students know what tools they have available and how each works, they are more apt to pay attention and, in the long run, learn what they need to succeed.
We are here to help you know how to personalize your school and use these teaching tools. From the classroom to the counseling center, we have custom products to make your school run smoothly. Use these great teaching tools to help your teaching and instruction.
Here’s a fun idea: when giving out welcome gifts to your students, wrap them with fun ribbon rolls. Your students are guaranteed a great first impression when handed trinkets with personalized ribbons wrapped around them. And, maybe they will even behave a bit better as a way of saying thank you for your thoughtfulness.
NAME TAGS
Most teachers have so many students that it is hard to remember everyone’s names. Name tags are great helpers that make remembering names easier. And the students will love the personalization and knowing there is a specific space just for them. Using these tools can also help students get to know each other.
There are many times when these name tags will come in handy. For example, career days, Grandparents’ Day and other school events. From adhesive badges to a more permanent solution of engraved tags, when you need your students to wear their names, these teaching tools are great to have available. Student name tags are also useful for labels around the classroom. For example, you can use them on a pocket chart to identify each student or use name tags to create a display for student jobs each week on your whiteboard.
Motivate your students to do their best by creating learning objectives for your class. Learning objectives show your students what they can achieve if they pay attention and complete assignments. Once they understand how your class benefits them, they will take it seriously.
Part of keeping your students engaged mentally is giving them a chance to unwind. To make this easy, customize name tags with various mental breaks (e.g., sing a song or play rock, paper, scissors) and put them in a jar. Then, when it is time for a mental break, take a tag out of the jar and have your students do that activity.
PHOTO ID BADGES and LANYARDS
Quickly identify students, staff and visitors in your school using photo ID badges and colorful lanyards. These tools help with identification, security, classroom aids and extracurricular events.
Photos, along with names, titles and logos, are presented on these badges in a way that provides extra security at your school. With these elements, you can quickly identify those who belong wandering the halls. So, provide photo ID badges for teachers and school staff to ensure the proper people enter and exit your building.
Whether hundreds or thousands, it doesn’t matter how many kids come back to your school this year; security is always an issue. Yes, there are name tags and photo ID badges for the teachers. But how do the children keep their things safe and secure?
Lanyards are a convenient way of displaying identification and other things while at school. And these lanyards don’t have to be boring. Choose from a variety of colors to match your school and mascot.
Help your students stand out from the rest with bright colors, logos and messages custom imprinted on these lanyards. These lanyards are also perfect for fundraising events, sporting meets and any other time your school gets together.
Learn even more about incorporating Custom Lanyards into your teaching tools!
BADGE RIBBONS
Badge ribbons are always fun to collect, especially when your favorite teacher gives you one as achievement recognition. Many students enjoy decorating their desks with these fun ribbons. Or they use them as bookmarks! No matter how students collect each ribbon, they will always take them home to display these awards proudly for all to see.
These ribbons are so incredibly versatile that they are also great for labeling things in the classroom. Customize each ribbon with memorable quotes or other text as well as graphics to match the uniqueness of your needs. You can also choose from many different colors (both ribbons and imprinting).
So, help each person at your school see just how important they are with these incredible ribbons. Whether for a new teacher in your school or a way to identify different grades, badge ribbons are the best solution ever. With double-sided tape ready to stick to anything (like a name tag), these ribbons are super easy to use.
Use these wonderfully versatile ribbons in just about any school setting you can think up. Custom (and stock) ribbons are essential in your classroom and available for your students. Choose from an abundance of ribbon selections to meet most any need you might face in the classroom.
Extra Teaching Tools
Now and then, teachers need a little help and guidance to help enrich their teaching styles and the education of their students. These articles will feature helpful hints and tidbits on how to run a classroom and so much more. So, if you’re struggling to get things done and help your students or just want to add to your teaching toolbox, these education tools are for you!
It’s simple: having fun while working keeps up employee engagement. The happier the employee, the better work they will accomplish. And, to make employees even happier, remember to make sure they work well as a team. Team building is a necessary component to your business success!
While teamwork is critical, you also need to find the balance between work and fun as a business professional. Allowing your employees to get to know each other through fun-filled team activities combines their strengths and helps them finish work faster.
“Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie
Teamwork is critical to any business’s success, both large and small. So, when employees can connect over common interests, goals and ambitions, they will work better together. And when you have a team that builds up each other, your business will constantly succeed.
Keeping your team motivated takes effort. As a business owner, you need to help your team members develop their bonds to collaborate and communicate effectively. Enter team building!
Providing new name plates and name tags for employees help them to keep engaged with co-workers. Award plaques also help with encouraging strong teamwork.
What is Team Building?
It is a way of describing different activity types used in a learning or working environment that enhances social relations. These actions in turn define roles within teams and often involve collaborative tasks to help people work better together. When teams are put together, they are expected to understand their roles and responsibilities and to get along.
A team that works well together is more effective, more productive, and more successful — not to mention happier and more fun to work with! But team building at work can be tricky, especially when typical team building activities tend to induce more eye rolls among teammates than high-fives.
Studies have shown that businesses with engaged employees pull in more sales and services compared to competitors how have low employee engagement levels. The bottom line is that it is essential for every business to find a way to keep their employees engaged and to work on their team building.
How to Build a Better Team
Don’t underestimate team building games, but don’t overestimate them either. Make sure that if you are going to be adding games to meetings and other team activities they are something that will keep the attention of your employees.
Team building activities and games are supposed to be not only educational but also enjoyable. They help the team learn about each other — how each person thinks, works, solves problems, and has fun. Whether you want to do some new hire orientation icebreakers or just bond your team closer together, there are inventive ways to do this.
From inside around a board room table to outside while relaxing in the shade, keep your games moving. By using interactive games, you will keep your employees’ interest longer and have a more meaningful situation.
Exchanging white elephant gifts at your (next) party? Name tags make it easy to draw a person’s name to see who gets to choose a gift first. And unlike with paper strips, you won’t have to rewrite their names again next year.
If you want to have a different activity this year, there are several games you and your coworkers can play with blank name tags. Have each person draw a picture of something that represents them. Then, have everyone guess which picture belongs to whom. Or, write a question on each blank tag and give it to each person to pin on their shirt. Everyone then has to answer the question pinned on the person they’re talking to while they socialize. Be careful which markers you use as some markers may be permanent.
Grab That Badge!
One person should be chosen as the group leader and has everyone form a circle. They will then pass out adhesive name badges and pens to each participant. The badges should still have the backing on them so the sticky side is not exposed. Each person then writes their name on the badge. After everyone is done, the group leader collects all the name badges and mixes them up.
The group leader will then give each person an adhesive name badge and tells everyone to peel off the backing and place the name badge on the back of the person sitting to their right. The members of the group must then wander through the group and search for the name badge with their own name. Once they find it, they will take it from the person wearing it. The game becomes extra entertaining if someone’s name badge ends up on their own back.
Research shows that humor not only makes work fun, but it also increases productivity. So, give your employees something to laugh about by customizing badge ribbons with work appropriate humor. Use clever puns, dad jokes and funny pop culture references. If you and your team have inside jokes, stick them on a badge ribbon too. Wearing funny badge ribbons around the office will reduce stress levels and keep your employees smiling. The more your employees are in a good mood, the more productive they will be.
What other activities and ideas can you come up with for your team building activities?
Good manners and classroom etiquette should be common sense for most students. However, there are simple things that you can do as a teacher to help your students be more courteous to others.
Things to do for preparing for the first day of school: organizing paperwork, finding and prepping classroom materials, writing lesson plans…the list goes on and on.
From writing a welcome letter for the students and parents to drawing up lesson plans, most teachers are exhausted before they even start with their back-to-school preparations. And, thinking about this first day back can leave many teachers feeling out of sorts. With so many things to consider and tasks to accomplish, many wonder where to even get started.
And, while a Google search will yield hundreds of planning options and ideas, it can be daunting. So, here are some guidelines that will fit every classroom need. From large classes at a university to smaller K-5 classes, no teacher should start their back-to-school planning without first reading this.
Creating and Keeping Classroom Etiquette
Every teacher is currently feeling the stress of the upcoming first day of school. And, preparing a school classroom can sometimes be overwhelming. With a list of things to do that is a mile long, it can be a hassle deciding where to start.
FOR THE TEACHER:
Get to know your students beforehand. If you need to, find their class picture from last year so you can know what they look like. Then, memorize their name and face. Every student is sure to feel shocked and pleased that you know who they are. They are also more likely to behave well when they know you are that observant.
Make your classroom environment engaging. From bulletin board decorations to names on desks, make sure to capture each student’s attention as they enter your room. Take time with your decorations so that they are neat and uniform. Doing this will help students stay focused and add to your teaching methods.
Greet every student, every day. While this may at first seem daunting, your students are sure to see your effort to make them feel welcome. And with this comes the respect for your ability to see them as individuals. Some teachers go as far as creating secret handshakes with every student. While you don’t need to take that much time, make sure every student knows you respect them as a person.
Set expectations and classroom rules. Then, write them down and put them somewhere that the students can see them daily. By having your rules visible, it is easy to refer to them when a student steps out of line. And, with visibility comes conformity. Students are more likely to follow rules to which they have quick access.
Teacher Tips:
So, keep your students in line and respectful in your classroom by using these guidelines every day. And, remember when you show them respect, they are more likely to show you respect. Common sense isn’t so common anymore, but with these simple rules, your students will help you and themselves to maintain your classroom etiquette.
FOR THE STUDENT:
It is, after all, your education. Take responsibility for it. And, make sure that you are learning everything you can. Yes, sometimes it is hard to pay attention to classroom instruction, especially when you think you know what is going on. But, it is important to remember you are not the only student there. Here are some quick guidelines to follow as a student to help be more respectful in your classroom.
(Your teacher will thank you for reading this!)
Attend class, every time and on time. Start your school day off on the right foot by getting to class on time. Not only will this help you, but it will help your teacher and other students as well.
Speak in turn and only when acknowledged. Your teacher asks you to raise your hand for a reason. If everyone in the class decided to all talk at the same time, the room would fill with voices. And, once that happens, everyone soon thinks that they must speak louder to be heard. So, make sure you only talk when you get permission. It will help with the volume in the classroom, and it will also make sure you stay on task.
Respect your teacher and your classmates. Yes, everyone in your classroom deserves your respect. From the janitor to your teacher and the principal, respect is the key to have a great school experience. Remember to show others the same respect that you want to receive. It goes both ways, so show respect to earn respect.
Come to class prepared and have your homework ready to turn in. It’s that simple. Don’t show up to class without your books, pencil, note-taking paper and especially your homework. Your teacher assigns homework so that you can learn. Respect them and do your homework and get it in on time.
Student Tips:
From raising your hand to keeping a working pen in your bag, as a student, you have tremendous responsibility for the quality of your education. So, remember that what you do in class affects you and everyone around you. Respect, preparation and basic good etiquette are a must to make the most out of your school year.
Pro Tip #1: Write Down Everything
Any time you think of anything you need, something you need to add to lesson plans or anything else, WRITE IT DOWN. While this may seem a simple task, it is your greatest tool. With so many things to remember and do, writing down your tasks is important. Keep a notebook or planner handy, and make sure to keep it neat. Don’t trust yourself to remember everything. Your brain is currently on overload, and you may overlook necessary things you need for your classroom.
So, take a moment every time you think of something that needs to be done and write it down. Free up your brain for more important tasks and things you are working on immediately. And, by writing everything down the moment you think about it, will give you a hand up for next year. Keep this notebook as a reference for every first day back you have. So, whether your thought is that you need more crayons or that your lesson plans for your chemistry class need to be updated, write it down!
From name tags to ribbons, we have all your classroom needs!
With as many choices as we have for these name badges, we’re sure to have what you’re looking for! Use adhesive name badges for the new students as name tags on their desks to make them feel welcome. Customize a Mighty Badge for each of the hall monitors. Or use a name badge as your hall pass. With magnetic fasteners, it will be easy just to have the student attach the badge to their shirt, and you’ll never lose another hall pass.
And, don’t underestimate badge holders. While they aren’t quite in this product category, they are instrumental in schools. This simple way of displaying credentials is as convenient as they come. The lightweight vinyl allows for everything to be seen through them. You can add pictures, schedules, names and so much more. Use them for students, teacher and visitors.
Whether it’s for a new teacher in your school or a way to identify different grades, badge ribbons are here to be the best solution ever. With double-sided tape ready to stick to anything (like a name tag), these ribbons are super easy to use. Great for labeling things in the classroom, these ribbons are incredibly versatile.
Use them as labels when storing classroom supplies like markers or crayons. Or, give them to students as you are trying to learn all the new names for this school year. So, no matter what you need these wonderful ribbons for, they are perfect for nearly everything!
Whether it’s hundreds or thousands, it doesn’t matter how many kids are coming back to your school this year. Security is always an issue. Yes, there are name tags and photo ID badges for the teachers. But how do the children keep their things safe and secure?
Lanyards are a convenient way of displaying identification and other things while at school. And these lanyards don’t have to be boring. Choose from a variety of colors to match your school and mascot!
These lanyards are also perfect for fundraising events, sporting meets, and any other time your school gets together. Help your students stand out from the rest with bright colors, logos and messages custom imprinted on these lanyards.
Pro Tip #2: Emergency Folder
Every teacher, at some point in their career, will need to use a substitute. Whether it’s for a personal day or to take a continuing education class, you will need a sub. So, make it easy for them to function in your classroom.
Make sure that you have an emergency substitute folder already in place by the first day of school. There will come a time when an unforeseen circumstance arises, and you may not be able to have time to leave the substitute lesson plans. In this packet include: quick lessons, worksheets, class list, schedule and routine, behavior management plan, school policies and procedures, important student information such as food allergies and teaching colleagues’ contact information. Always keep this packet on your desk in case of an emergency. This is something quick and easy that you can do before school even starts.
In your packet, welcome the substitute to your classroom and provide them with a map of the room. Tell the sub in this letter what your room rules are and the punishments that go with breaking a rule. This way, the sub doesn’t need to rely on the students for this information.
Also, make sure that the sub has access to pictures and names of students. Help your substitute feel like they belong in your classroom. Give them all the daily tools that you usually have so they can feel adequate in their teaching abilities.
Pro Tip #3: Preparing the Classroom
From desk placement to student homework, there is a place for everything. So, make sure you know where that place will be by creating an organized space. Once you have an organization plan, write it down. By doing this, you will help the students in your classroom know where things go and you will stay organized.
And, don’t forget to decorate. Use posters, banners, ribbons and other tools to make your classroom a pleasant place for learning. Don’t go overboard, but make sure that your classroom is inviting and stimulating.
Be purposeful with posters and bulletin boards. As teachers, we often make the mistake of feeling proud of ourselves for making awesome-looking, themed posters or bulletin boards, but then never referring to them with our students. Posters and bulletin boards are only as effective as the teacher who uses them. That said, posters and bulletin boards can be an awesome way to invest your students so long as you make sure to refer to and update them regularly. For student work boards, this is really easy if you use sheet protectors, which can also be used as whiteboards by sticking a piece of paper in them.
Now, it’s your turn in your classroom.
Take these tips and tools and make them your own. Make your classroom a place where every student can learn. By doing so, you will touch the lives of those around you. Go forth and be the best teacher you can be!
