Getting Your Brand Noticed

When it comes to a brand, standing out is the primary goal.

A company brand is past, present and future. It is what they are now, what they want to be in the future, and what they are representing to potential and devoted clients currently. Properly branding a company helps them to not only stand out from competitors but also helps them realize their potential. It also lets the consumer know what to expect from that company. Branding can be a promise of quality, trust or service.

Brand Identity: Recognition and knowledge of a logo or business based on the customer’s experience.

Brand Meaning: Defining the company beyond just an image to include product or business features, reliability, value and expertise.

Consumer Relationship: Helping to shape the ultimate attitude of a customer toward a company.

Making Your Brand Promising

By defining what your brand is up front, you help establish your company as an industry leader and key influencer. And making sure that your logo balances your brand at the top can be quite the process. Many businesses use networking as a key factor in their marketing plan. It helps to develop a strong feeling of trust between those involved and plays a big part in raising the profile and brand of a company.

From Nike to you, using your brand is what makes you stand out.

And, in the name tag world, a personal brand comes when you wear a name tag with your name to identify yourself as an individual and to stand out in a crowd. By wearing personal identification products, one makes themselves more visible to others and opens the door to better experiences at large events. Most often you can see this type of brand at large corporate meetings or conventions where the individual needs to stand out from others.

Logos and Branding

Branding only works when you use your name tags and other personal identification correctly with logos, titles and names. Make sure that your logo is the same for everything you use. A common mistake is not sticking to a particular color. If you’re using blue, make sure it stays the same shade on all of your products.

While this may seem like a no-brainer, blues often print out with a purple look to them. Not only do these colors pertain to your company’s printed materials but it is something actively considered in personal identification. Utilize name tags, name plates and other products by using the same colors, logos and styles on everything.

Your name tag reflects who you are and humanizes you to others. Most people tend to judge on first impressions, especially when everyone in the room is a stranger. But, if you have a way to make yourself stand out, your brand will become recognizable. And, it helps to make others more at ease around you.

Giving to Kids to Inspire Our Community

Sometimes it isn’t about the name tags, but rather the giving of ourselves!

Coller Industries has long been giving back to our community. And those who follow us know that frequently giving donations is just something we love doing. Our most recent donation was to a fantastic company who gives everything back to their community.

Jane Elizabeth Macioci, Digital Media Volunteer for Clothes To Kids, explains how CTKF works.

Clothes To Kids is unique in how it provides clothing to those that are eligible for their services.

“Imagine shopping, with the assistance of a personal shopper, in a department store, trying on various articles of clothing, choosing those items that fit well and look good, checking out but not having to spend any money. Remarkable. Children who shop at CTKF leave with clothing of their choosing and their self-esteem intact. Families do not need to forgo the necessities of food, clothing and housing to purchase clothing that their children long to own to fit in with their peers.”

Clothing can change a life. Our mission is to provide new and quality used clothing to low-income or in-crisis school-age children in Fairfield County, Connecticut – free of charge. Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County envisions a community in which every school-age child has quality clothing so that he or she may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success.

giving back to our community through donations to our customers helps us to be better

“We envision a community in which every school-age child has quality clothing so that they may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success,” said Macioci.

Push creative boundaries by adding a multi-color logo to your name tags. Adding a logo to a name tag emphasizes the professional side of your business. Full-color printing brings logos to life in colorful detail. There are no limits to the number of colors, color blends and shading. Premium UV printing is the best way to highlight your logo. The logo is printed on a plastic tag, and the text is engraved into the two-ply plastic.

Clothes to Kids’ Core Values

COMPASSION: To provide a cheerful, friendly atmosphere where those we serve feel comfortable and welcome.
RESPECT: To be respectful and considerate of those we serve. And to not question or judge the circumstances that bring them to us.
SELF-ESTEEM: To build self-esteem by providing children with clothing that makes them feel good about themselves.
SERVICE: To work hard to give our very best to help those we serve.

We are grateful for Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County, Inc. and the work they accomplish. Each donation helps us not only stand out from our competition but helps us to be who we are.

Creative Kids and Custom Signs

Crafting and being creative at home is a treat when it comes to being a parent. But, sometimes it’s hard to let your child be themselves with their creativity. Here’s a project that will encourage each child to reach deep inside to discover their truly unique self.

Sometimes all you need is a creative mind, and you’ll have an instant piece of art.

Adding a door sign to a child’s room is the perfect touch to help them be themselves. Custom signs are perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, bathrooms and even a nursery.

Design custom signs with your text, logo and graphics. Use for your business, name a cabin or room, present an inspirational quote. Choose the size, color, font, text and an optional logo or graphic to create the perfect sign for your office, home, or to give as a gift for a friend, loved one or yourself.

This project takes these custom signs to a new level of creativity.

Two creative bedroom door custom engraved signs that were drawn by kids.

The boys drew both of these signs entirely by hand! Once the drawings were complete, a little bit of clean up was necessary. By tracing the lines with a permanent marker, the lines became clearer and sharper so that it was easier to engrave into an actual door sign.

As no other adjustments were made other than the tracing, these signs can be customized to meet any bit of creativity. Just sit down with a pencil and eraser and have at it! While these drawings are the musings of preteen boys, it isn’t a project limited to just a child. Make a sign for an adult’s room, the laundry room or even your garage door.

Each custom sign created this way must go through a particular process. We started with a plain, white piece of paper and trimmed it to the size of the sign we wanted. The children then drew away with a pencil and had an eraser handy for correcting. Once the child finished their artwork, a parent used a black permanent marker to trace the drawing onto a new, cut to size, blank, white paper (to turn the design into a digital format). If you would like to attempt such a project, please call for more information before submitting an order.

They hung these signs with a strong, double-sided tape. Other fastener options include magnetic tape and Velcro. But, no matter what adhesive is your choice, these fun and unique signs are sure to be a hit with your child. And remember that when making a custom sign, being creative is the name of this game!

Personal Identification Reinvented

Name tags and other identification products are in our lives to stay, no matter what we think of them.

Most professions these days make you wear or use a personal identification product. From name tags to name plates and even lanyards and ribbons, these items are becoming more and more popular in the workplace. And with that popularity comes the opposition of using these standard tools.

So, how can you, as an employer, make them a bit more bearable for those that you require to use them? Let’s take a moment and reinvent this usage.

First and foremost, a definition needs to be provided for why you are using personal identification products.

What is your primary purpose for using these tools? Are you looking to provide company branding or making your employees more visible to your customers? There are several different ways to use identification. Office security, quick acknowledgment of employees, and office/desk labels are among the top reasons.

A couple lesser known, albeit not lower in value, reasons are for identifying an individual for a job well done or to make it easier to remember someone’s name and their face simultaneously. But, no matter what the goal of this personal identification, there is always a way to make it better.

The second step in reinventing this tool is to make it appeal to those who have to wear it.

Make it flashy, but not so flashy that it’s an embarrassment to put on a name tag. Add a logo and some fun colors to make a name tag pop. Or add a title to a name plate to make someone feel a bit more important in your office.

Remembering the primary reason for personal identification will aid in making this second step easier. Once you put the required information onto a name tag, don’t forget the flair. Make it unique to your company or exclusive to the person wearing it. But keep them in mind when considering your design techniques.

The final step is involvement.

Keep your employees in the loop as to why they are being required to wear or use personal identification. While “it is part of your uniform” is a good reason, it isn’t the only reason. Make sure to communicate the importance of what that name tag means. Keep them informed, and they will be happier to continue to wear their name tags!

So, name tags, they are here to stay, and it’s your job to help others to see why they are so important!

Start School Right with Custom Lanyards

Quickly identify students and staff during school with custom lanyards and name badges.

Teachers, students and other employees are entering school buildings once again for another year of fun and learning. Classrooms everywhere are bustling with noisy children and activities throughout the rest of the building. And teachers need a way of keeping these kids secure.

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 great during 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.

Students and staff will have fun showing off their school spirit with custom lanyards. Each lanyard will be custom made to your creation. Add features such as your school’s name, slogan, colors, mascot and logo. Another fun feature could be the academic year.

Not only will these fun lanyards entice the kids to wear them and keep their cards handy, but they will also be a great way for them to remember the fun times they have this year! Teachers and staff will also love the opportunity to show off their school spirit.

Be unique with the customization of your lanyards!

Try out different colors. Add sayings or slogans. Or, just simply add a logo and let the kids and teachers pick which color to wear. But, no matter what you choose for your custom lanyards this year, make sure to have some fun with them!