How Name Tags Step Up Your Branding

You see them everywhere: restaurants, grocery stores, retail establishments. Employees wearing name tags can be found nearly every place you need to go. And it doesn’t stop there! You can find name tags at conventions, conferences, meetings and more.

Someone putting on a name tag makes them immediately more approachable. A name tag connects your name with your face, so customers feel more comfortable where you work. A business’s best asset is its employees. Customers who interact with employees wearing name tags are more likely to have a positive experience. With these experiences comes customer loyalty.

As Scott Ginsberg, the Name Tag Guy says, “Your name tag is your best friend for several reasons. First of all, a person’s name is the single context of human memory most forgotten. And people are less likely to approach you if they don’t know (or forgot) your name. Secondly, it’s free advertising for you and your company. Third, name tags encourage people to be friendly and more approachable.”

Employees wearing name tags while traveling to and from work.

Logo Name Tags and Branding

Your employees can help with branding and customer retention by wearing their name tags outside work. Think about this: as your employees travel to and from work, if they still have their name tags on, you get free advertising! And, if they leave them on during off-campus lunch breaks, free advertising!

When employees continually wear name tags, your brand becomes more visible. The more people see your logo, the more they will know your business and what you do. So, when purchasing name tags, make sure to add your logo to make the most out of them.

Typically the power within name tags is acknowledged as a professional and friendly way to identify a company or personal identity. Many companies use name tags for branding and employee recognition. And this employee communication helps to improve customer care.

Name tags also provide confidence to those at a conference or meeting. Even if everyone doesn’t know each other, their names are visible, making introductions less intimidating. In addition, people can confidently call each other by their names.

Providing balance and uniformity is what name tags do best. When your business succeeds, your employees feel they are a part of that. So, having them help with your branding (by wearing logo name tags) is an essential part of your marketing.

Wearing name tags can help create an inviting atmosphere, making the employee feel more approachable. In addition, when your customers come into your business and see a face and can immediately associate with a name, it makes them more apt to stay and do business with you.

Custom lanyards designed with a business logo that are worn during a conference with identification.

Custom Lanyards and Networking

Everyone can use lanyards; seriously, you can find them everywhere. Schools, office buildings and even sporting venues use them daily. In addition, lanyards are commonly used during conferences, conventions and other events. Remember, every detail counts for any event, including branded lanyards for every attendee and presenter.

Not only do custom lanyards help in branding on the job, but they also help with networking at events. And, when you design your lanyards to have a business logo and name, it makes your marketing efforts more effective.

Keep your employees branded at all times. Add your logo and company color to a lanyard, and you won’t be able to give them out fast enough. Or, use a slogan or motto on branded lanyards to promote your business. These tools add recognition and identify not only the wearer but also the company. Often, lanyards are a requirement for access to a building or meeting and can be used this way as advertising.

While lanyards are commonly used for displaying badge holders or name tags, they can also be useful for other daily activities. And, they make for great marketing tools as well as providing security for events. Use branded lanyards for keeping track of keys and other personal items.

Lanyards are incredibly versatile due to their custom nature. Add text, logos, graphics and more to promote any brand. The text can be a phrase, a date or the name of an event or business. In addition, wearing a lanyard makes ID or credentials more accessible to show to others or for security proof that you can be in a building or any other typically private place.

The Power of Names (and how to help others remember yours)!

Whenever you put on a name tag, you become the face of your purpose, whatever that is. Your name tag represents this purpose to everyone around you, which benefits you and others. It can quickly help the people around you put your face with your name. We have all heard that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So, tell that story simply and quickly with your smile and a name tag.

Improving Your Customer Service

Helping your customers is what your business does, right? When you focus your priorities on your customers’ needs, you are actually doing your business a favor. As you meet your customer’s needs, you can better your business and better your customer service. In the long run, focusing on who is doing business with you will help you in your client retention as well as finding new customers.

Whether small or large, every business will always benefit from improved customer service practices. So how can you, as a business owner, help your employees and customers feel more valued? Here are several steps that you can take to improve your customer service.

Improve Your Customer Service by using name tags (relatability), name plates (approachability) and reusable badges (versatility).

Understand Your Customers’ Needs

According to several studies, service is vital in a customer’s brand loyalty choice. However, each customer will have a different view and opinion of excellent customer service. To provide this excellence, you need to determine your customers’ needs. Once you find out these needs, you can better train your employees to meet them.

Listen to (and Implement) Customer Feedback

You should also listen to customer feedback. Sometimes reading customer feedback is not the most exciting thing to do as a business owner. However, whether you are a small business or a large one, customer feedback should be a critical point in running your business.

Even if it’s negative, customer feedback will keep your business running up to par with what your customers expect. Part of being a business owner is listening to your customers. When you listen to your customer feedback, you can improve the customer’s experience. Once you improve this experience, your business can better help meet your customer’s needs.

Take all customer feedback constructively. Remember that most customers only provide negative feedback when something needs to be fixed. Therefore, even when dealing with positive feedback, find a constructive way to implement any changes that you need to your business.

Pay Attention to Your Competitors

Yes, even your competitors will influence your customer’s needs. For example, if consumers have a bad experience with a competitor, they may turn to you to meet their needs. So, you should always pay attention to your competitors to better help your customers.

While it is not prudent to stalk your competition, you will find it necessary to understand how your competitor runs its business. Then, you can identify possible shortcomings in their business and find ways to improve your business by building on what customers need.

Provide Open Communication

One of the best ways to improve your business’s customer service is by communicating openly with clients and customers. Find ways to communicate directly with customers about what services and products you offer and how they meet their needs.

Use every available means to communicate with your customers. Whether it is online and social media or in-store surveys, make sure you keep in contact with your customers. No matter how you communicate with your customers, make sure you use consistency in that communication.

Communicating with your customers is a crucial component of running a business. When you have an open line of communication, customers’ needs will become readily available to you. From the feedback received via surveys or messages sent through emails, customers will be happy to let you know what they need when your business is transparent.

Helping your customers remember your brand will also help you retain them. You help customers remember your brand and business by constantly providing them with your best business practices. This consistency is one of the best ways to accomplish customer retention.

Following Up with Your Customers

There are so many different ways that you can get in touch with your customers. From in-store surveys to social media postings, customer communication is easier than ever. Following up with your customers after completing a service or transaction is an excellent opportunity to understand their needs.

Once you understand these needs, you can follow up with your customer to ensure that they are satisfied with your business dealings. One of the easiest ways to reach out to your customers for a follow-up is an email. Make sure that when you send out emails to customers, you fully represent your brand. Your voice still needs to remain consistent so that your customers will keep coming back.

Promptly Handle Complaints

Part of listening to your customers is also taking their complaints. While taking complaints may not always be an easy part of doing business, it is vital that you allow your customers an opportunity to speak their minds. In addition, when you let customers complain about poor service or poor quality of product, you are also gaining their trust.

It is an important part of this step to follow up after receiving a complaint promptly. Remember, most customers do not complain unless there is an issue. And as a business owner, you want to make sure that there are no issues between you and your clientele.

No matter the kind of feedback you receive, you can always learn from what your customers tell you. So, always encourage customers to express and share their feelings about your company. Stay as transparent as you can during this process, and customers will continue doing business with you.

Meeting Your Customer’s Needs

One of the keys to excellent customer service is understanding and meeting customers’ needs. To make this happen, several steps must be followed. Keep the following in mind while dealing with your clients, and excellent customer service is sure to follow.

Offer Reasonable Solutions

Knowing your customers’ needs is only half the battle. The other half is to offer solutions to any problems that may occur. Find ways to explore how to improve your business continually. One of these ways is to listen to your customers’ needs and then respond with a way to fix any issue.

One key thing to remember is that the solutions need to be simple. Keep an open mind when responding to customer issues, stay as transparent as possible and actively keep your customer in the loop as you offer any solution.

Keep Listening to Your Customers

Just because you found one customer’s need does not mean that you found them all. Constantly keep listening to everything your customers say about how you run your business. Remember, your goal is excellent customer service. Without listening, this goal is unattainable.

And, don’t just listen but actually hear what your customers are saying. Take into consideration everything they say, no matter how unimportant it may seem. While sometimes it is hard to admit that a customer may be right, you may have a broken system (especially if more than one customer complains about the same thing). The only way to stay in business is to keep listening.

Be Honest and Transparent

It does not matter what type of business you run, honesty and transparency are two of the most important things you need to remember. Keeping your customers aware of how you are running your business will keep you in business.

Unhappy customers are not repeat customers. After all, a happy customer is your greatest asset as a business. Remember that a happy customer is also a buying customer. Whether it’s goods or services you offer as a company, your customer is there because of how you make them feel.

Honesty and transparency are just good business practices. Stay honest in your dealings, and your business will increase. Keep transparency as part of your brand, and you will continue to have excellent customer service.

Tools for Improving Your Customer Service

Name Tags

Communicate and relate better with your employees and customers easier with the help of name tags. While we are slightly biased, name tags are just a good business decision. They provide identification, security and so many other benefits.

There are significant benefits to wearing name tags in any retail establishment (grocery store, boutique, department store, etc.). Some of these benefits include the use of identification in marketing, providing security, identifying employees and other staff, and many other positive benefits.

With an extensive line of tags available, we have everything to meet your needs. Name tags are guaranteed to improve your customers’ experience and improve your customer service.

Engraved metal and plastic name tags will help make your customer service better.

Name Plates

Be more approachable by using personalized name plates around your business. These name plates can include employee names, directions to find offices and other amenities, identify conference rooms and even provide an uplifting message for your customers.

Engraved plastic and metal name tags for offices and other businesses with company logos.

Reusable Badges

These versatile reusable name badges help your customers even when you have a high employee turnover. Your customer service will improve when everyone has identification. Reusable badges are perfect for volunteers, seasonal employees and even visitors.

And, with printable inserts, you can quickly provide identification for everyone at your company. Our reusable name badges are simple systems that can either be written on or printed and still look professional.

Speedy Badges provide temporary identification that improves your customer service.

Blog Highlight: Connecting with Customers

The H2H experience should be available to all customers. What we mean by this is human-to-human connections. Connecting with customers should be the focus of every business. Over the past while, we have become disconnected.

As humans, we crave experiences that connect us with others. Those connections have turned online throughout the last year and have become a little less human. So, how do we revert to that constant human interaction we naturally crave while still existing in our ever-changing world?

Part of the solution to this issue is becoming more approachable. While you and your company may have already been in a position of trust, people need to feel that they can still trust you and your services. Now the question is, how do you gain that trust and become more approachable.

Learn Even More: How To Connect with Your Customers

Going Back to School & Work Success

It’s that time again! People are heading back to school and to the office after having summer vacations and much needed breaks. And although some of us are a little more hesitant about going back to these tasks, we should all be prepared for what is to come. No matter if it’s school or work, whether or not you will be remote learning or working, here are several things to help every transition in your life go smoothly.

Going Back to the Office

Even thought it isn’t exactly the same as going back to school, getting back in the swing of these at the office can take just as much preparation as school. From working from home to in-office positions, and even hybrid schedules, everyone going back to work should be prepared for their coming workload. Make sure you’re ready to head back with some quick pointers and advise.

Acknowledge Success Using Prize Ribbons

Back to school and work ribbons for awarding teachers and employees.

Using custom rosette ribbons to acknowledge success will help anyone feel special. Employees, and really anyone, will know how much you care when you put thought into a prize ribbon just for them. And, you can customize these ribbons to say just about anything!

Start by picking how detailed you want the ribbon to be by choosing streamer count and length and how big you want the rosette part. Then you can work out which colors you want for your ribbon. Once you have chosen these styles, add any text and graphics or icons you need for these fun and fabulous ribbons.

Remote Work

If you are working remotely, here are few things to make your day go better:

  • Get dressed as if you are going into the office, it will help you retain focus throughout the day.
  • Create a working station or place that isn’t just the kitchen table.
  • Keep track of work that you have accomplished to keep yourself motivated.
  • Take actual lunch breaks: get up and leave your work station just like you would at the office.

Effective Networking While Working from Home

From video apps to professional development, networking while working from home takes focus and planning.

You think that you have it all figured out, right? Then life gets in the way. Whether it’s an illness or a family matter that takes precedence over being in the office, you might be asking how you can keep your networking alive and well when you are out.

It doesn’t have to be hard to network while away from an office or other business setting. Using available tools will help you gain control over your networking. And by using these tools, your remote working experience will be better than you expect.

We live in a time where networking is one of the primary keys to making a business work. And, when you use networking properly, not only will your business flourish, but it will also make an impact in your community.

In-Office Work

If you are physically going back to an office, remind yourself that’s where you work best.

  • Dress appropriate for your office/work setting so that you maintain work standards.
  • Keep your desk clutter-free so that you can stay on task.
  • Create a work calendar that will help you stay motivated.
  • Remember to take your breaks and lunch away from your desk (this helps maintain focus throughout the day).

Taking Pride in Your Work

Name tags for teachers and employees going back to school and work can help everyone to take pride in their employment.

You own it. Your name is on it: Everything that your company does, awesome or pathetic, it has your name on it. People contribute to the success and failure of projects, companies and their colleagues. It matters. Everything that you do. That trivial piece of work for a client, your contribution to a large-scale project or a part to play in a flawless delivery, you own that success; be proud of that.

From dressing for success to taking pride in everything you do, presentation matters. And don’t stop with your pressed shirt and tie, add something that will make you stand out from everyone else: YOUR NAME. The easiest way to accomplish this is a name tag!

By wearing name tags, or other identification, newer employees and other team members in the company are more apt to recognize each other. Name badges also provide accountability for all of your employees. When wearing name tags, it requires that your employees accept responsibility, one, for their actions and two, for the way they treat your customers.

Your job should always be something you can take pride in. So, from building trust with those around you to looking the part, learn to love what you do. Invest in yourself and keep learning how to accomplish what you need to do your job well.

For Students & Teachers Going Back to School

These ideas will work for both online and in-class options.

  • Stock up on supplies! Whether it’s for an art project or pencils and paper for students, make sure your supply closet has everything you will need.
  • Create an organization calendar. Place this in an easy-to-spot area in your classroom so that every student can see what is expect of them.
  • Prepare for daily meetings and lectures. Make sure to jot down what you need to make your classroom successful. This should include your lecture notes and messages and homework to send home.

Using Custom Signs for Your Classroom

Get students excited about their education with classroom signs. Use them to encourage participation with motivational quotes and classroom rules. By hanging these custom signs behind your desk, you’ll have no trouble keeping students engaged throughout the school year.

Whether teaching in person or online, classroom signs will look great behind your desk, or anywhere they are easily visible. Customize each sign with text and graphics that remind your students why their education is essential. As they see these signs every day, they will stay motivated to pay attention and participate in class.

Going back to school and work is easier with award plaques for students and employees.

And remember that whether it’s for work or school, we have the award plaques, name tags and custom ribbons that you need to keep your students and employees motivated while doing their work.

Team Building and Employee Summer Engagement

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!

Name plates, award plaques and name tags will help employees in their team building efforts and establish your business goals.
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.

Interactive Team Building Games

Gift Exchange

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.

Crack a Joke (Seriously)

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?

Online Learning & Maintaining Student Motivation

Lately, it doesn’t seem to matter which grade a student is in. Everyone is taking virtual classes this year. Some of these classes are going with online learning for the first time. This makes it difficult for everyone involved. So, how do you (as a parent, student or teacher) adapt to these changes? Here are some quick tips and suggestions to keep you focused and stay motivated throughout this school year.

Online Learning & Maintaining Student Motivation

Students & Online Learning

How can you, as a student, find that focus that will help you stay motivated? Here are several steps to take to make sure you get your work completed and turned in on time.

1. Set Goals

Most people hear this advice throughout their entire lives. So, let’s apply it to this school year as well. Take a look at all the classes and subjects you are currently taking. Now, what needs to happen for you to be able to get the grade you want for these classes? Start by writing down what your end goal is. Then, separate these broad goals into smaller ones.

Dedicate a specific notebook to your goal making. After all, the key to achieving your goals is writing them all down. Once you have them in writing, you can refer to your goals frequently so you know you are taking every step to completing them. Accomplishing your goals requires constant follow-up. And when you write everything down, you can always go back to see where you are in achieving your goals.

2. Keep to a Routine

Many students have a small opportunity to attend classes at least once a week. Going to these physical classes offers a structure that normally doesn’t exist for online classes. Many students find that having that structure, even for one day, is soothing and helps them better focus. It’s the routine of a daily schedule that keeps them motivated.

Develop a plan to stay on task so you can complete your coursework while still allowing time to enjoy the things you like to do. Schedule set times to log in to your course and to study, create reminders of due dates on your calendar or phone, and build in ample breaks to give your mind some time to take in what you’re learning. Having a plan will increase your likelihood of success and will help you reach your goals.

So, find that routine for the other days when you are doing online learning. Sometimes it’s as easy as duplicating that in-person routine while you are at home. For example, study math, English or science at the same time every day. Even if you don’t have homework or an online meeting, pull out your textbook and notes and keep caught up on the class studies.

3. Take Breaks

Just like breaks between classes when you’re on campus, it’s smart to take small breaks to help yourself stay motivated. These breaks can be something as simple as standing up and stretching. Or, make them a bit more interactive with quick activities like three-minute exercise routines.

No matter what break activities you choose, make them a part of your daily routine. In elementary, we all had recess breaks, and it’s important to give our brains a little bit of a distraction instead of always staring at a computer or textbook. Your mind will thank you for taking these breaks.

4. Reward Yourself

From celebrating the little achievements to making a big deal for passing a class, every student should reward themselves for a job well done. Figure out a rewards system for meeting goals; match the reward to the success. Doing something nice for yourself will help with your online learning motivation. So treat yourself for a job well done.

Parents & Online Learning

things to do while committing to online learning

While it isn’t your education, you are there to help your children accomplish their educational goals. Make sure you take some time to follow these simple steps to ensure that online learning functions well.

1. Stay Healthy

Part of staying healthy focuses on both the parent and the student finding balance with school work. As a parent, you need to work with your student’s online learning to meet both mental and physical needs.

Taking care of the student’s mental and physical health can help their academic performance. As you build out your schedule, try to work in regular exercise, healthy meals and plenty of rest and relaxation. If you’re not sure where to begin, contact your school’s respective recreation or counseling centers.

2. Create an Inspiring Study Space

Parents, make sure that your student has a dedicated space in which to study. Make this space accessible and free of distractions so that your child has a fighting chance of focusing and staying motivated in their school work.

Something easy to do is to add motivational signs or name plates for the students to see. Also, keep educational tools on hand. Set up a work station that is inviting for your child. Each child may need something different, so make sure you focus on individuality and personalities.

3. Take an Active Roll in Education

Online learning is hard on everyone. Some students can thrive in an online environment, but more often than not, they will need some assistance to stay on track. Listen to your kids for what they need to accomplish their educational goals. And, find ways to actively support those needs.

Once you know what each child needs, help them succeed by taking actions that push them in the right direction. Encourage them and show them that they are not alone in accomplishing their goals. If you let your kids know you have their back, they are guaranteed success in their schooling.

Teachers & Online Learning

teaching students with online learning

As an educator, you understand the importance of keeping students engaged and motivated. Online learning complicates these a bit, so here are a few things you can do to help your students stay on task.

1. Create a Schedule

Help your class stay on task by creating a daily schedule for them. Some students may need a little more guidance than others, and without your in-class help, they may not be able to focus like they need to. With a set daily schedule from their teacher, these students should thrive a little better in an online learning environment.

Schedules will also help you when working with assignments and grading. Ensure you are doing things in a timely manner and making yourself available to help your students when they need it. Writing out daily, weekly and monthly schedules will also help you as the teacher stay motivated so that you can do your job well.

2. Eliminate Distractions

As many of your classes will now communicate via video conferences, make sure your environment does not distract from your lesson plans. While you don’t have to remove everything from your background, make sure things behind you are not taking away from what you are teaching. And add items as needed. Use custom ribbon rolls to help keep the background engaging without distracting.

Maybe you find yourself constantly reminding students to mute their microphones or raise their hands before blurting out answers. Custom signs are the perfect tool to have that as a constant reminder behind you. Pick a color that works with your surroundings and add a message that will help with your teaching style.

3. Stay Connected with Students

One challenge of online learning is that students often feel quite isolated. Consider how you can make direct contact, through emails, instant message and video, to as many learners as possible, helping them see how you are invested in their learning. In addition, encourage ways for learners to see each other as resources through methods like peer feedback and peer review, as well as potentially helping students find peers to study with.

Your students need to know that you are there for them. Make yourself as accessible as you can during days that students may be on campus, and especially on days they are not. Everyone’s educational experience will be better knowing that the teachers will always remain accessible.

Making the Transition to Online

While online learning may be difficult at first, use these ideas to make your transition easier. If you still find that you need help, reach out to other teachers and parents. Your local school district is also a great resource. And keep on learning!

Customer Retention for Small Businesses

Customers; without them, your business is nothing. But don’t let that deter you from working on your customer retention. Whether you’re just starting a business or have been running a company for several years, you should understand that it is your customers who keep you in business.

Getting your service or product into the hands of the right customer can (and will) make all the difference. When running your business, you should always keep in mind that your most vital asset is your customer. And getting to know each customer will help your business grow.

Customer Retention for Small Businesses means always making your customers happy

Why is Customer Retention Important?

Retention: When someone becomes a customer, your company turns its focus to satisfy them so they want to return and also refer your company to their family and friends.

We’re not saying that finding new customers isn’t important. What we are saying is this: how do you plan on keeping those new customers around? So, in this regard, customer retention should be your primary focus.

Customer retention is the unsung hero of the successful business. Its flashier sister, customer acquisition, usually steals the spotlight, but retention is what ultimately builds the foundation of a company that is positioned for growth. After all, it’s much easier to fill a bucket than a sieve.

Keeping your customers happy should be your primary goal. And, by doing this, your customers will keep coming back. Not only do they keep coming back, but they will also start recommending your products and services to their family and friends. If you remember to always take care of your customers, they will be your most powerful resource. So, don’t just focus on getting new customers but also focus on retaining the customers you already have. 

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.

Four Ways to Make Customer Retention Work

Because customers are the key to keeping your business running, you need to understand how to find and keep them around. Here are six proven ways to find and retain your customers.

Know Your Business

Sometimes the simplest thing is the answer. And this starts with knowing what your business is and why it is essential to your customers. Examples of this are clothing stores (people need clothes) or restaurants (people need to eat). While these may seem simple and not close to your business, they can start you on the right path.

No matter the product or service you offer, you started your company knowing that it would fill consumer needs. Don’t forget what these needs are. They will also help define who your clientele is. Once you know these things about your company, you can grow your customer base and focus on customer retention.

Now is also the time to reflect on your pricing and quality. Make sure that what you are offering, whether it is product or services, is of good value for the cost. Don’t overcharge or undersell your business. High-quality products mean a higher price, so make sure you value your business as it should be.

Visibility Is Key

From using social media platforms to creating an inviting storefront, you need to make sure that customers can find you. Social media is a great word-of-mouth system to get the ball rolling. Once you have customers purchasing or requesting your services, you can make bigger plans for getting seen.

custom signs for any business from name tag, inc.

PRO TIP: Use custom business signs around your office or store to display hours of operation. You can also customize these signs to help customers understand and know your policies and procedures. Choose colors that are complementary to your business so that everyone will see them.

Stay Happy

You can make your customers happy by focusing on their experience with your company. Don’t put all of your focus on only the product or service they are buying. Connecting with your customers on an emotional and personal level is essential.

Building your customer relationships is what customer retention is all about. Help them to understand you so that you can understand them. If you do, they will be more likely to recommend your products or services to their family and friends.

But don’t forget about your employees. If the workers in your company are happy, your customers will start to reflect that. And happy people spend more money.

It’s All About the Buzz

custom top ribbons for business cards may help with customer retention

Think custom ribbons for fancy business cards that will attract new customers. Use professional desk wedges on office desks that show the retained customer how much you care. Even the little details like matching name tags for staff will show your customers how put-together and organized your business is. These details will help create a little buzz about your dependability that will grow over time.

At the end of the day, what really matters isn’t how much a customer pays you today, but what their entire lifetime value is.

Never use a one-size-fits-all approach in your marketing plans. Remember that customers want to buy from a business that treats them well. To do this, you need to listen to every customer. Treat them as the individual they are; don’t lump your customers into a bundle just because they are all interested in your product or service. By doing this, you guarantee that they will keep doing business with your company.

Adapting to Change in Business

Change is something every business is always dealing with. It is an inevitable process that every company must go through. This means that adapting to change and flexibility in business is an absolute must. These two things are essential for every business owner to grasp and understand how they work and why they are important.

Adaptability can be defined as creating modifications or changes in oneself to adapt or suit the new environment. For a work environment culture, it connotes being opened to new ideas, innovations, or alterations. Someone with this skill can work independently or in groups, or perform tasks not designed only for a single individual.

Workplace flexibility emphasizes the willingness and ability to adapt to change, particularly regarding how and when work gets done. In a flexible workplace, the needs of both employee and employer are met. Workplace flexibility is often used as a tool for retaining and engaging employees. It can also help an organization reach its goals thanks to improved productivity.

In essence, adaptability is about being willing to modify your behavior and actions to meet your business’s future needs. This includes being flexible in your business dealings with your employees and your customers. Find ways to help your business feel more grounded while understanding the impact of each decision you make will affect your business in the long term.

A business is nothing without its customers.

Making sure that your business knows your customer’s needs is key to your survival. Remember that without your customers, you don’t have a business. So, you need to make sure that everything your business does is to find and retain its customers. That includes making adapting to change where and when necessary.

Every transaction your customer has with you is actually an entire journey, and at every step of this journey there is an opportunity to either delight your customer or have your customer suffer a pain point.

Consumers don’t just buy your product or service. They are only with your business because they trust how you make them feel and how you provide solutions to their problems. Yes, this means that customer needs are typically emotional, not logical. The more you know about each of your customers, the better you will be at communicating with them and meeting their needs. Here are some ways you can do this.

Using Signage

Several custom and stock office signs in different colors and all are engraved in plastic.

Any business will significantly benefit from using signage around their office or store. From simple directional signs to more informative signs containing store hours or company policies, engraved signs and plaques are definitely beneficial to have around. Use these identifiers around your business to make everything easier while you are adapting to change and flexibility.

By hanging these signs around your business, you establish ground rules for both employees and customers. These signs also help with communicating openness with your clientele. All conversations start better when people are comfortable. And using signage provides customers and employees the opportunity to be transparent with each other.

Approachability and Adapting to Change with Name Tags

For the majority of retailers, name tags are a business necessity. And, because name tags are permission slips inviting conversation, they encourage engagement. This is due to their primary function being to personalize and humanize each person. Especially for a business whose focus is customer service and face-to-face interaction.

Plastic, engraved logo name tags will help when adapting to change

While it may seem like a small thing, a simple way to avoid your customers feeling awkward is to provide name tags for your employees. These tags can immediately remove any barriers or concerns a customer may have. They allow customers to ask questions and express these concerns to those who care.

In turn, this establishes trust and keeps people coming back to your store. So, no matter your location or business, name tags are here to help. From security to branding, retail establishments have almost become synonymous with name tag use.

Marketing with Ribbons

Personalized ribbon rolls with corporate logos will help when adapting to change

From window displays to goody bags for new customers, personalized ribbons are sure to make your customers trust you. Brand each ribbon roll with your company logo and wrap it around nearly anything (including display pieces). Badge ribbons are a great asset to your name tags as they help further identify and distinguish your employees in the workplace.

All other custom ribbons are also here to help your business succeed. No matter your choice, make sure your color, imprint and logo are consistent with your established brand. “Most businesses understand that branding and marketing go hand-in-hand. However, there are some things to consider. Even large companies use custom ribbon marketing. Promoting your brand with personalized ribbons is almost a must in the world today. From wrapping a purchase at a large department store to sending out event invitations, every business can, and should, benefit from using ribbon branding.”

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.

Connecting and engaging with customers is important on different levels. First, 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.

Second, engage the customers on their level. If they expect one thing and you always go above and beyond those expectations, they are sure to keep coming back. Third, never stop trying. Whether this means up-selling to specific customers or reaching out after every purchase made, make sure your customers know how much you appreciate their business.

Don’t Forget Your Employees

Simply put, the happier your employees are, the harder they will work. And, the more they work, the better the customer service they will provide. So, as a business owner, you must make sure that your employees remain happy. This, in turn, will make it so that your employees take pride in their jobs and continue working for you. When customers see that you can retain happy employees, they will continue their patronage to your business.

Studies have proven that employees often perform better at the jobs when they feel appreciated. Give each employee a personalized ‘thank you’ every now and then, and introduce an employee of the month program, if you don’t have one already. If you can help your employees take pride in their jobs, their work performance will also improve.

When your employees are happy, they become more flexible in their jobs. They typically don’t say, “That’s not my job,” or, “Do I have to?” when you ask them to go above and beyond their duties. So, a happy employee is a busy one; and they are easier to work with. Help them be happy by recognizing their input and influence in your company. Take pride in their jobs, and in turn, they will also find pride in working for you.

Adapting to Change and Being Flexible

A flexible work environment has many benefits. It helps workers achieve greater work-life balance, leading to increased employee satisfaction and improved morale. That in turn means employee turnover is reduced, as is the cost to recruit and train new hires. Loyalty, engagement, and retention is improved, which helps a company’s productivity and its bottom line.

Remember that the key to any relationship is open communication. That means while you are working with your flexibility and adapting to change, you keep your lines with your employees and customers open. This way, they will always know your goals and that they can continue to trust in your business.

How to Help Employees Feel Safe Wearing Name Tags

Achieve your company’s potential with employee safety and quality name tags.

Name tags are essential to your company’s success. Having your employees wear name tags leads to better communication, quality performance and overall growth. However, some employees think wearing a name tag is a risk to their safety. If you want your company to achieve its potential, you must help employees feel safe wearing your company’s name tags. By resolving their concerns, you will have a team of loyal employees to help you grow your business.

Two restaurant employees wearing name tags with first names only, which is meant to help employees feel safe wearing name tags.

Why You Want to Use Name Tags

Employee identification improves multiple aspects of your business simultaneously. Here are just a few examples.

Customer Service

metal name tags used for customer service in a food service business

Name tags help employees provide excellent customer service. Acting as icebreakers, they encourage communication between your customers and employees. After all, a name tag is essentially an unspoken introduction. When employees introduce themselves by wearing a name tag, customers feel welcome in your office or store. Name tags also permit customers to approach employees with a question or problem. As customers interact with your employees, your team gains valuable insight into what customers need and how to help them.

Branding

Your brand distinguishes you from your competitors. The more customers see it, the stronger your brand becomes. Take advantage of company name tags by customizing them with your business logo. With a logo on each employee’s name tag, your brand becomes visible throughout the entire office or store.

Productivity

Employees work best together when they know each other’s names. Instead of trying to remember who so-and-so is, they can focus on company projects and ask each other for help. Being on first-name terms also creates a friendly, supportive work culture that reduces stress levels and increases job satisfaction. If you want your team to work at maximum capacity, give them name tags to help them remember who their colleagues are.

Why Employees May Worry About Name Tags

Some employees do not like to wear name tags because they think it puts them at risk of identity theft. Unfortunately, in this digital age, it is easy to find someone’s social media accounts and other information just by knowing their name and where they work. Scammers can also contact human resources and ask for an employee’s information. No matter how people may try to steal your employee’s identity, the consequences can be devastating. If someone steals your employee’s identity, they can end up in a severe financial crisis. Such damage can take months, if not years, to recover from.

Employees may not want to wear name tags because they are afraid of being harassed. Name tags allow customers, co-workers and vendors to ask for them by name. And some of your employees may have experienced workplace harassment when customers come to the store and ask for them specifically. If this is the case, your employees are more likely to object to wearing a name tag.

Resolve Your Employees’ Safety Concerns

As an employer, it is best to resolve your employees’ safety concerns about wearing name tags. When employees feel safe at work, they are happier, more loyal and more productive. In addition, they experience lower stress levels and take risks to come up with creative solutions. If you want your employees to do their best, you must make them feel safe wearing name tags.

An employee goes over paperwork with a client. He is wearing a name tag because his employer knows how to help employees feel safe wearing a name tag.

There is a direct correlation between happy employees and happy customers. When employees interact with customers, their attitude sets the tone for the customer’s experience. If employees are happy, customers will enjoy doing business with your company.

You don’t just want to make your employees feel safe; you want to keep them safe too. Unfortunately, if your employees’ fears are realized and they have their identity stolen, you could be held liable. To prevent your company from getting into legal trouble, ensure you communicate with every employee about how to protect themselves from identity theft and other fraudulent activity.

With so much to gain from using name tags, making your employees feel safe wearing them is worth every effort. You will not only have better customer service and higher productivity but happy employees as well.

Increase Security Using Name Tags

Change how your employees view name tags by pointing out how identification keeps them safe. Once they see how name tags increase workplace security, they should feel better about wearing them. Here are a few ways name tags create a safe work environment.

Prevent Trespassing

Name tags help staff members and security personnel identify if someone is allowed in the facility. All they have to do is look and see if the person is wearing a company name tag. Because your employees are used to seeing their co-workers wear name tags, it will only take them a second to notice if one is missing. Their quick response to any unusual activity will keep everyone in your workplace safe.

Know Who Visitors Are

Pro Tip: To make visitor IDs most effective, use the visitor’s first and last name on their badge.

Visitor ID badges protect employees in multiple ways. They let your team know if visitors are in a restricted area and allow your team to identify visitors by name. If an employee is harassed or suspects a visitor of inappropriate activity, they can report it.

Badges help your employees identify vendors and people who visit your facility regularly. They are the visitors who will become the most familiar with your workplace and your employees’ routines. By creating photo IDs for these regular visitors, your team knows who they are and can quickly report safety issues.

Give Your Support

Whether or not your employees feel safe wearing company name tags depends on how you react to their concerns. First, show them you have their backs by providing the emotional support and assurance they need. You can also put training sessions and practices in place to reassure your employees that they are in good hands.

Listen with Empathy

When employees tell you they are worried about wearing name tags, put yourself in their shoes. Let them know you understand their anxiousness and want to make them feel safe. By validating their concerns, you gain your employees’ trust and put their minds at ease. Knowing you have their best interests at heart, they will continue to devote their time and talents to your company.

Set a Good Example

A great way to assure your employees that it is safe to wear a name tag is to wear one yourself. Confidently share your name and title with everyone coming into your facility. Make sure managers and supervisors also wear identification throughout their workday. By having company leaders show they are comfortable telling strangers their names, your employees will become comfortable with it as well.

Empower Your Team

Support your employees by giving them the knowledge they need to combat any identity theft they may experience. Educate them on recognizing identity theft, what to do if it happens and ways to minimize the financial damage. Employees will worry less about identity theft if they know more about handling it. Once they are confident they can handle problems and understand the advantages, they will gladly wear their name tags.

Take Precautions To Help Employees Feel Safe

Wearing name tags is unlikely to put your employees in harm’s way. However, it is wise to take precautions to help your employees feel safe. Do your part to keep employees safe, and they will put their name tags on without complaint.

First Names Only

A 0.75 x 2.75 inch metal name tag with a first name and initial for a last name to help employees feel safe wearing name tags.

One easy way to help employees feel comfortable wearing name tags is to use first names only. While you are at it, go one step further and give employees the option to use a nickname for extra protection. Using first names or nicknames helps prevent identity theft and creates a casual, relaxed environment that your employees will appreciate. If you end up with two employees with the same first name, the solution is simple: add an initial for their last name. You will still protect your employees’ identities while eliminating confusion.

Name Tag Accountability

Require each team member to turn in their name tag before their last day of employment, preventing them from posing as a current employee and getting access to unauthorized areas. And by taking such safety measures, you make the rest of your staff feel safe at work.

Increase Security

Another way to help employees feel safe is to ensure your building is secure. Hire security personnel, set up cameras and use alarms to prevent trespassing. Keeping the building under surveillance helps to keep employees from worrying about who is seeing their name tags. If they suspect someone is a threat, they know security guards and other resources are available to protect them.

Prevent and Eliminate Harassment

Talking openly about your company’s anti-harassment policies is a great way to make your employees feel safe. Such transparency shows that you stand by your policies and are not afraid to have your employees hold you accountable.

Review Company Policies: Help your employees feel safe by ensuring they are familiar with your anti-harassment policies. Ask managers to review these policies with their team, so everyone knows what they are. Communicating your company’s stance on harassment will make your employees feel safe and help them recognize harassment when they see it.

Reporting Process: To protect your employees from workplace harassment, you must have a transparent, effective reporting process. Once you have one, train each employee on how to use it. Cover various scenarios in your training, including what to do if a customer or vendor continually asks for a team member by name. Knowing how to respond to such situations will reduce your employees’ concerns about wearing name tags.

Enforce Consequences: When a customer or employee is guilty of harassment, follow through with the consequences you outlined in your company policies. Doing so will make it clear to your team that such behavior will not be tolerated. In addition, as you show that your company has zero tolerance for such behavior, your employees will have no problem sharing their names with strangers.

Supportive Work Culture: Sometimes workplace harassment is not reported because some people don’t like getting others into trouble. You can eliminate this issue by asking your employees to stand up for each other. For example, teach them what to do when they see someone harassing a team member. And teach them how to respond when the same customer frequently comes and asks for a specific employee. By encouraging your team to watch out for each other, you create a positive work culture where employees feel safe.

Secure Your Company’s Future

Give your company the best chance at success by making your employees feel that it is safe to wear name tags. Your employees will work productively, knowing their identity and well-being is in good hands. As they interact with customers, your employees’ positive moods will make customers feel welcomed and appreciated. Improved customer service and better work performance are only a part of what you gain from having employees wear name tags; you will also enjoy greater brand recognition and ensure your company’s longevity. If you face other concerns besides identity theft and workplace harassment, know you have name tag experts who are always here to help.

See our complete line of identification products, including name tags on our website: www.nametag.com. Our customer service representatives process each order quickly and stay in touch during the entire process in case you have questions.

The Importance of Name Tags

What is the importance of name tags to businesses? That’s a great question! As your name tag experts, we want to provide our customers with answers for their organization.

From retail stores to secure data centers, name tags are a part of everyday life. Studies have shown that communication is enhanced when people know each other’s names. Whether you are a professional, a business, an educator, a meeting planner, or anyone else, name tags are essential in reaching out to customers and clients. By giving your employees name tags to wear, you are increasing their visibility and accessibility.

four professionals showing the importance of name tags and branding

Name tags are an essential tool for the growth and success of your business. They make customers feel welcome in your office or store because they immediately know who they are talking to. And they make your employees more accountable for their actions because their name is visible to everyone. As a result, nearly every business uses them! You can find name tags in many industries, including food service, hospitality, retail, event planning, etc. Each name tag tells your brand’s story to help customers and employees remember their experience.

Scott Ginsberg (The Name Tag Guy)
has developed a philosophy about wearing name tags.

“Everyone should wear name tags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”
——————

We agree that name tags are essential!

We know that wearing name tags helps build a corporate identity. These professional tools also help customers interact better with their employees. Imagine what would happen if not only your employees wore name tags but so did your customers! There would be fewer questions about who people were or what they needed.

Name Tags are essential in marketing and communication. They provide personal identity and with a logo, they expand corporate branding as well. Employees who wear name tags offer additional customer service and personal responsibility for that business. Name tags are the hardest working element to a person’s uniform in meetings, conventions or any event.

4 Important Reasons to Wear Name Tags

Name tags and other personal identification products can significantly benefit your company. And while these products might seem trivial to have around the workplace, using them has many advantages. They become part of your marketing and a means to offer your customers exceptional service. The conversations that come from wearing a name tag lead to better interactions and opportunities for sales. And they make your employees directly approachable at any time.

IDENTIFICATION

Classic name tag

Sometimes, it can be challenging to remember everyone’s name. However, by wearing name tags, newer employees and other team members in the company are more apt to recognize each other.
These identifiers have become essential for many companies while allowing employees to follow required dress codes and maintain their individuality. After all, the primary reason for wearing a name tag is to provide an identifying feature for each person.

From churches to state office buildings, having identification also helps when dealing with people. Whether it’s a group of 12 or a crowd of 1,000, when everyone is wearing a name tag, it’s easier to ensure people are where they need to be. It is also easier to remember who each person is. Whether for employees, volunteers or visitors, using an identifier like a name tag provides a professional atmosphere for everyone. It keeps employees accountable for their actions and gives customers the necessary information to complete their business with you.

BRAND RECOGNITION

Add a logo to name tags

Branding is an essential part of any business, whether large or small. Support a strong branding and marketing strategy using name tags with your logo.

Add your business logo to name tags and quickly identify every employee, volunteer and other staff as a part of your organization. Every time employees wear their name tags at work or within the community, they provide free advertising. Use these professional tools to your organization’s advantage, and remember that the more visible your brand is, the stronger it becomes.

With so many options for logo name tags, you’re sure to find something that fits your needs.

COMMUNICATION

reusable name badges

Name tags are an excellent way for customers to start conversations with employees and retail staff. They inform the customer who they are working with from the first interaction. This communication goes both ways. And, if a customer needs to report an employee’s behavior, whether exemplary or otherwise, name tags provide an instant identifier for those circumstances. In turn, this dialogue aids managers and other supervisors in handing out praise and dealing with disciplinary actions.

“A name tag isn’t just a sticker; it’s a statement. It’s about friendliness, identity, culture and human nature,”

Scott Ginsberg

A sense of unity is one of the most positive things to come from wearing a name tag. Belonging to a team provides a sense of togetherness and helps businesses to function to their highest capacity. Name tags help build this bond, and with that bond comes unity and happiness. Now is the time to recognize that having a happy team means having a successful business. When everyone wears a name tag, the positive experiences they share with your customers are boundless.

Many studies show that communication improves when people know each other’s names. They may need to interact with others regularly who they have yet to meet; wearing a name tag breaks down social barriers so that everyone is approachable. Remember that better communication always turns into better performance.

SECURITY

photo ID badge

When you require employees and staff to wear name tags, you can quickly identify if they belong where they are.
There are many times when visitors may be present. Visitor ID badges keep everyone safe. Security teams understand the importance of name tags in keeping track of where people are and where they need to be. Identify everyone, from visitors to the president of your company. With this identification, everyone is sure to know where they belong and who might not belong.

Sometimes, wearing a name tag will help identify people prepared to provide aid or emergency services in hazardous situations. Name tags can also help emergency and security professionals identify people who can give them access to certain areas of a facility that will allow them to respond adequately to the situation.

For companies that deal with sensitive information or products, someone who is out of place would be easier to spot when employees are accustomed to seeing their fellow employees with name tags.

The True Importance of Name Tags:

Discover name tags

Name tags will always have a fundamental place in interpersonal communication. They increase the ease of identification, the quality of communication, security and recognition for your organization. In addition, name tags eliminate barriers between your customers and employees, so add them to your business today!

Brand Identity and Building Your Business

From Nike to Coke and every company in between, what makes them tick is their brand identity. Marty Neumeier, Director of CEO Branding for Liquid Agency, defines brand identity as “the outward expression of a brand, including its trademark, name, communications and visual appearance.” So, what is your company’s brand identity? Simply put, it’s your reputation!

A brand is essential to anyone who wants to stand out from those around them. Remember that your brand identity is defined by your customer’s overall perception of your business (reputation). Make your branding unique enough that your competition doesn’t stand a chance. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, said, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

Brand Identity and Building Your Business

Branding is the most important part of your business, whether it be large or small. Building a strong brand helps your company not only be financially stable but memorable. And, by being memorable, your brand will draw in more customers just by word of mouth. Your brand becomes your promise of service or high-quality goods to your customers. It is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.

So, now that we established your brand, how do you get the brand identity that you want? And, how do you maintain that identity? Follow these simple rules to get the most out of your branding and keep customers interested in what you are offering.

Consistency is Key

When designing your logo and text, keep it consistent so that your brand stands out from your competition. And, when reusing this logo, the colors should always remain uniform. Choose colors and fonts that represent your company’s goals and make sure to keep them emotionally available to your customers. Don’t choose red (signifying power or confidence) when you need a calming, inviting color (blue) to represent your company. Your logo and standards are what give your brand its uniqueness.

The same goes for any font used in your branding. Some fonts may be too busy for your branding message, while other fonts are too bland for making you stand out. Take Coca-Cola, for example. Their ribbon-like font lets their customer know that their product is intended for fun and whimsy. Maybe your service or product is a bit more serious, so make sure to use a font that accurately represents your brand identity.

Once you establish your brand identity, don’t change it. Let your customers soak in this identity so that they become used to it and learn to embrace it. This identity will keep your business going, so you don’t want to risk inconsistencies. Remain consistent so that your brand will stand the test of time.

Think about this: everyone knows the Nike tagline, “Just Do It.” And their mission statement is just as important, “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” With these two objectives always at hand, and their logo ready to go in their pocket, Nike literally rules the world in their business endeavors. And, by using the ideas Nike has used, you can figure out how to accomplish success for your brand.

Branding is more than a well-designed logo or a perfectly placed ad; you need to do more.

Your brand identity is more than your logo. While your logo helps your clientele know who you are, your identity goes so much farther than color or font. A brand identity is a visual, emotional and intellectual representation of your business goals and standards. Coca-Cola knew what they were doing when they started marketing its product. From their highly recognizable red to the swoop of their font, they are a company that understands brand identity. Likewise, your logo and identity should convey everything your business stands for. 

Ultimately, your brand identity should be an accurate representation of what your company is about, and what you hope to achieve with it. Business branding is something that takes time but should be considered a crucial first step in launching your company. After your branding materials are in place, you can look back on these resources for years to come to ensure you’re always staying true to your mission.

Every detail matters, no matter how small it is. The branding process takes time and can be delicate. But, it is crucial to take it in stride. After all, you want a business that will thrive in your chosen market. You need to communicate to consumers what your brand wants and needs and, most importantly, how it can benefit them. Don’t get discouraged because developing your brand identity is taking a long time. It can take years of tweaking and adapting. And remember that not even multi-billion dollar companies get it right every time.

Brand Identity and Building Your Business

Know Your Competition’s Brand Identity

Research competitor brands within your industry. You should never imitate exactly what the big brands are doing in your industry. But, you should be aware of what they do well (or where they fail). The goal is to differentiate from the competition. Convince a customer to purchase from you over them!

We’re always thinking about how to make a brand stand out from what’s out there already. Don’t skip this step in the brand building process. Research your main competitors or benchmark brands. For instance, study how well they have gone about building a brand name. For a brand name to be effective, it needs to be easy for consumers to recognize and remember.

Your company’s identity is what makes you instantly known to consumers. This branding is what will help them to associate your business with your product or service. And when it comes to the time that they need what you offer or sell, they will remember your company because of your brand identity. It will help build your customer loyalty as well as your brand awareness. 

So, make your brand identity your most effective marketing tool. But keep in mind that this branding process will never stop. It continues only as long as you make it keep working for your company. Check in on your branding practices continually to ensure that they are working appropriately. And don’t forget to integrate branding into everything you do for your company. 

Start with the Correct Tools

Laser engraved name tags and name plates

Name tags and name badges provide necessary company branding. This branding is vital for all of your marketing needs. It distinguishes you from your competition and helps others to recognize your quality more readily. By using logos on name tags, you create a focus to help drive your business. But, don’t limit yourself to just your name tags. Don’t forget that signage and other identification products are there to help advertise your brand. From custom lanyards to award plaques and everything in between, get it personalized with your logo! And then start spreading the word.

The key is to remember that your logo represents your brand’s commitment to providing the best service or product to your consumers. Communicating your brand can be as easy as wearing a name tag. And using your logo on every name tag you use for your company will help to convey your brand identity. But it also takes effort to remember putting on that name tag. So, the next time you consider not wearing your name tag to work or any other work related event, reevaluate that decision.

After all, your name tag is basically a walking billboard for your company logo. No matter where your customer is, they should be able to see your branding. Your branding needs to be visible and reflected in everything that your consumers can see and hear. If a customer walks into your store or office, your logo and brand identity should be on display for them to see. Integrate your brand into every aspect of your business. Branding should not only be in your physical environment, but it should also reflect in your business and personal interactions.

Tangible Items

  • Business Cards
  • Advertisements
  • Packaging and Product Needs (custom ribbons are a great resource)
  • All Printed Materials

Digital Platforms

  • Social Media
  • Online Videos and Images
  • Websites
  • Google Ads

Business Associations

  • Greetings and Dealings with Clients
  • Customer Thank Yous
  • Welcome Signs
  • Corporate Gifting

Creating a Brand Image that Sets You Apart

Your brand image reflects your business vision, which, in many ways, embodies your mindset as a business owner. Jay Abraham’s Strategy of Preeminence lays the foundation for mastering your mindset to distinguish your company from the rest. This strategy entails creating a culture of respect for your team, customers and partners. To create a culture of preeminence, make allies everywhere you go so that the message is clear: “I’m here to serve you and meet your needs.”

You’re here to add real value to your customers’ lives. To create this type of relationship dynamic, show empathy to everyone you interact with, and strive to understand what they really need. With this understanding, you’re able to create meaningful relationships based on trust and respect, which weaves you into the fabric of your target market.

From networking to marketing strategies, your brand identity should come first. You should always add a personal touch to everything your business does. Make sure that every consumer feels as if they are your only VIP customer. And don’t forget to say thank you for their business. A little gratitude goes a long way, especially in business dealings.

Why is brand identity so important?

Having a brand identity doesn’t just make your product more memorable; it makes your brand more authoritative in the marketplace. A brand that establishes a face, and maintains that face consistently over time, develops credibility among its competitors and trust among its customers. When you create an identity for your brand, you’re giving it something to stand for. That, in turn, gives your company a purpose.

Your brand represents everything your business does. No matter the situation, your logo is out there for the world to see. So, make sure that your presentation of your values, standards and goals is in line with your branding strategies. Because, if it isn’t, your brand identity may become something you don’t want. After all, this identity is how the world will see your business.