Recently, we had the opportunity to make a product donation to Bethesda Thrift Shop in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Bethesda Thrift Shop is a non profit organization that is affiliated with Bethesda Lutheran Communities. This dates back to 1904 (wow, that is incredible!) and is based in Watertown, Wisconsin. We got a chance to talk briefly with Pat Bellefeuille, who is a store manager there. Bellefeuille was able to give us some insight into what Bethesda is all about.
Bethesda has 21 thrift shops in eight states that rely on more than 3,000 volunteers who donate over 260,000 hours each year. 100% of their net profit goes to support their mission. Bellefeuille’s store will be celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this February. Volunteers started it in 1993 and ran it entirely for the first 17 years.
Bethesda Thrift Shop’s building.
Customers browsing the selection at Bethesda.
When we asked if Bethesda Thrift Shop has a mission statement Bellefeuille responded: “Our mission is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through services that share the good news of Jesus Christ.”
We donated some of our Mighty Badges to the people at Bethesda Thrift. When we asked how they would use them, they gave us a heartfelt answer.
“The name badges were are given as a way to recognize the many hours our volunteers have volunteered,” said Bellefeuille.
“We have some people who have badges with as many as 18,000 hours on them. And many who have 4,000 or more hours. At the end of each year, we total the hours for each volunteer. When they reach 500 hours of volunteering, they get their first badge. Then, when they have 1,000 hours they get another one, and so on. These badges are worn with much pride by those who have earned them. They are presented at the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet we have each spring. These name badges mean a lot to our volunteers as this is about the only recognition that they get for their many years and hours of selfless service.”
In 2010, they moved from their small store in Hopkins to a much larger 17,000 sq. ft. location in Minnetonka, Minnesota. At that time, they hired a full time manager, two assistants and three part time cashiers to keep the store open seven days a week. To support their mission, they also have three people with disabilities as paid staff. Today, a team of about 200 volunteers helps run the store. This includes around a dozen people with disabilities, some of whom have been volunteering there for over five years.
Planning a conference or other event can be a daunting task. This is especially true if you are looking to host dozens of speakers and sponsors on top of hundreds attendees. Whether your conference is big or small, the overall attendee experience needs to be good enough for them to want to come back next time.
After you have planned the theme of your conference, there are other steps to take. You need to book your speakers and find the perfect venue. Also, remember to market the conference on every medium you can. However, there are still a few more things you can do to make sure your conference will be successful.
Spend the time planning name tags
For conferences and events, name tags are rarely one size fits all. Differentiate between attendees, sponsors, VIPs and speakers. You can do this with different colored adhesive name tags or paper inserts for badge holders on lanyards.
By making groups of people distinguishable from others, people will feel like they are part of a group. On top of that, they will more easily recognize their relationship with your event. Name tags also better their relationship with other people attending the event, making it easier to network.
Provide a variety of refreshments
Keep in mind that not every guest will have the same dietary needs. If you put extra consideration into your refreshments, your attendees will notice. Try to plan vegetarian, gluten free and lactose intolerant snacks and refreshments. Chances are you will have at least a handful of people who fall into those categories. So they will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Make sure your venue is connected
While planning a conference remember that outlets and cell reception are absolute must haves for conferences. We live in a digital age, and your attendees will likely want to be connected to the internet. Some may need their phones for most of the event. So, make sure they have somewhere to recharge. (Make sure they know where they can recharge, too.)
Hand out grab bags
This is a great way to bring in sponsors and to give something back to your attendees. Stuff those bags full of pens, notepads, brochures, venue maps, custom lanyards and coupons for local restaurants. You can bring in sponsors by asking them to supply a grab bag goody. This action also gives sponsors the opportunity to put their name on something every guest will see.
Provide some safe relaxation space
Designate an area in your venue for attendees to just sit and relax without having to network or be bombarded by anyone. Let your attendees balance work, networking and sanity on a comfy couch and with a bottle of water. It does not have to be much space, but let your attendees know it is there.
For conferences, meetings and events, adhesive name badges are a must have. Not only do you eliminate the chance of misspelling attendees’ names (they will just write them), but they are also inexpensive.
But even so, there is proper etiquette for adhesive name badges in these situations. As an event or conference host, it is your responsibility to make sure your attendees are wearing their name tags appropriately.
Dictate where you want your attendees to wear their name tag. When you hand the name tags to your attendees so they can write their names, simply say, “Please wear your name tag on the upper right side of your shirt,” or wherever you think is best. This creates uniformity at the event, and people will not have to scan an entire person’s body to find their name tag.
Writing Names on Adhesive Name Badges
Ask your attendees to write their name big (but not too big). Nothing is worse than awkward squinting or staring in order to read a name.
Use black markers. Skip bright and lighter colors, and make it simple with black ink. Make sure the tip of the marker is not too thick to ensure cleanliness. Black may seem boring, but at the end of the day it makes the name tags easy to read and professional looking.
If you see someone whose name tag has been crinkled or ripped throughout the day, replace it. Keep them fresh and clean, even if it means having to order extras.
For the sake of uniformity, it is not proper etiquette for event attendees to wear name tags they brought from home. At conferences and events, name tags often serve as an equalizer for all of the attendees, so letting someone be flashy might throw off the vibe of the entire day.
Regardless of your work environment, name tags can be a valuable tool for branding, building bonds and creating relationships. Whether you are blending smoothies, working in retail or working behind the scenes, wearing a name tag can have endless benefits. Here are just a few.
Brand Recognition
If all employees wear name tags, your clients or customers are more likely to see your company’s logo. And, hopefully, it will be imprinted in their minds. Even the simplest name tags are effective at creating brand recognition among your clientele base. The more places you can put your brand, the better.
Add Personality to Your Brand Image
Spice it up a little by adding some color or a unique shape to your name tags. Custom design a name tag to fit your company or organization’s personality. You can use shapes too, such as making them a fish for a seafood restaurant. Or add a touch of color to make your tags vibrant and unforgettable. Especially if they match the upbeat tempo of the work environment.
Enhance Professionalism in Your Brand
Wearing sleek, clean, and professional name tags helps your employees elevate your brand to the next level. They clearly show what your company or organization represents. If you want others to see your brand as respectable and professional, choose tags that look clean and sophisticated.
Employee Accountability
If a customer or client can see the name of the person helping them next to your company’s logo, your employees will likely feel more accountable for their words and actions. They wouldn’t want to get reported, would they?
Differentiate Departments
If your business or organization has multiple departments, name tags can be a helpful way to differentiate between them. Try color coding or ordering your tags in different shapes (rectangle, oval, etc.). But, make sure to maintain a uniform logo and font style.
Learning Names and Other Ways to Use Name Tags
Is a new employee feeling like the odd one out? Name tags can easily fix that dilemma. If everyone is wearing a name tag, learning names can be a painless and effortless process. Avoid the awkward, “What’s your name again?” conversation simply by equipping every employee with their name tag.
Visitors
Name tags make it easy to distinguish between visitors and employees, especially when you have a large staff. Employees will be more helpful if they can identify the visitors. And, visitors will be more comfortable if they can see the names of the employees assisting them.
Enhance Security
For work environments that require higher security measures, ID badges provide a straightforward way to ensure that identification is consistently visible. If someone isn’t wearing an ID badge, then they are not supposed to be there. With ID badges, you can also use them to grant employees access to secure areas.
There is an art to attending professional conferences. Invariably as the season begins people ask about the etiquette of conference attending. If you thought it was quite enough to simply pay the fees and show up, think again.
Whether you are just getting started or you are a seasoned conference participant, let’s face it, conference attending requires expending your personal resources, money, time, physical and mental commitment. So, why not make the most of the experience!
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE
1. Mark your calendar to plan ahead. Do yourself a favor, take time to plan ahead and make the most of your investment. Read all information about the conference beforehand. About 30 days out, review any additional conference information sent via email or posted online at the sponsoring organization’s website. Make note of the specific workshops you want to attend. Begin planning your wardrobe to match the weather conditions of the host locale. Pay close attention to any special requests for attire to attend certain events (e.g., the Saturday evening formal awards banquet).
2. Be prepared with all items needed for the conference. Let’s face it, people attend conferences to network, learn new ideas, get their name and company known and promote their product or service. One of etiquette’s biggest taboos is to show up at conferences without bringing enough hand outs. Do whatever is necessary to assure an ample supply of business cards and information you want to distribute during the conference. In fact, bring double or triple the amount you would normally think to bring. Or, arrange to use a local copy center. Better to bring home extras than to disappoint your colleagues by not having enough.
Starting about a month in advance, compile a list of all items you will need to begin packing for an out of town conference. Pay attention to the details, including outlining the proper attire for various events. Perhaps there is a formal night or a themed event, such as a Western Night. A good way to make a poor impression is to arrive at a formal event night wearing daily street clothes.
This kind of behavior tells your colleagues you did not read the literature or care enough to honor the event. Don’t be surprised if by not dressing appropriately, you will not be allowed inside. More about wardrobe planning: most conference sites keep you apprised of weather conditions for the location to which you will be traveling, and whether there will be any outdoor events for which you should be packing a warm sweater or jacket. Pay attention to the type of facility you will be visiting, such as the appropriate attire for a big city hotel, versus a golf resort, versus a private club in a vacation locale. Each has its own culture when it comes to attire.
3. Be responsive to all requests for information. From the time you register to attend the conference, till the end evaluation form, be sensitive to the needs of the organizers. Show your sense of responsibility by sending complete and accurate paperwork at all times, and by the due date. There is nothing worse for an organizer than to have to chase down and babysit someone to get necessary items.
AT THE CONFERENCE
1. Arrive at the conference ahead of time. This is the perfect time to check in early, get your full package of conference materials and relax in your room to read through everything.
NOTE: This is not a time to penny pinch on spending for an extra room night.
With airline schedules being unreliable for one reason or another, it is always best to arrive hours and even a day ahead. Use this extra time to rejuvenate your strength for the rigorous days ahead. Take a walk around the hotel facility and grounds to become familiar with where various rooms are located and the travel patterns you will need to take to get from one place to another during the conference. Learn how long it will take to walk from one location to another to avoid ever being late to an activity. Once the event gets underway and you are running to keep up with tight meeting schedules, get togethers with colleagues and more, you will be glad you took this extra time upon arrival.
2. Wear your name badge at all times. Because I attend lots of professional meetings, I always carry my own magnetic name badge holder and wear it on my upper right shoulder. This allows me to achieve the best networking support at all times. I want people to see my name badge and remember who I am. As a result, I will not wear a badge using a lanyard around my neck. Here’s why: it rarely faces forward for someone to easily see. It is positioned halfway down my chest which draws the eye to an area of my body I do not prefer people staring at. And, when I am sitting at a table, it is totally out of sight. To me, lanyard style badges are ideal for trade shows and exhibitions, where badges are more for identification purposes than for real networking.
3. Be on time throughout the conference. From the moment the conference begins, right through to the end, be respectful of the overall timeline for the conference; always stay with the schedule. Do not allow yourself to be delayed in between sessions. If you want to speak with someone, get their room number, cell phone number or set an appointment to meet later at a certain time and place. Neither the organizers nor the presenters appreciate being ignored or unnecessarily interrupted.
4. Meet and greet everyone with a proper handshake, a smile and good eye contact. With every day that passes, it continues to amaze me how so called professional men and women still do not know how to give a firm and proper handshake, do not give proper eye contact and barely smile when meeting someone.
5. Create a plan for organizing the contacts you make while conference attending. Take time at the end of each day to make notes about each person you meet. Organize cards and notes in a way it will be easy for you to follow up after the conference. If you are unsure about someone, take a moment the next day to say hello to the person again; clarify whatever you need.
6. Do not sign up for more than one session at the same time. Choose the one best session you want to attend, and then find a conference attending buddy to get you extra hand outs from the other sessions.
7. Remain silent during all announcements and speeches. Perhaps this is the hottest issue I hear about over and over again: participants being discourteous to the speaker. No matter how difficult it may be to hear the speaker, how boring the person may be or if the announcement or speech is being spoken in a foreign language you do not understand, you must remain silent as a courtesy to the speaker. If you must talk to someone, leave the room. If you must take a cell phone call, leave the room. Please do everyone a favor, the next time this situation happens at your table, quietly and politely ask the person to remain silent, so you can hear what is being said. And if you are the offender, stop it!
8. Stay alert throughout the conference. Conferences lasting more than a day can be exhausting. To prevent falling asleep, eat lightly throughout the conference. Drink more water than usual and keep all alcohol consumption to a minimum. Take short walks whenever possible. Wear loose and comfortable clothes and shoes. Most importantly, maintain good posture at all times. Do not slouch in the chair. Take quiet, periodic deep breaths to help the flow of oxygen and blood throughout the body. Pace yourself to get proper rest and sleep. Sneaking a quick 15 minute nap here and there does wonders.
9. Do not make a fuss or be a complainer. No one enjoys hearing complaints or criticisms about how things are being handled during a conference. When a negative situation arises that you feel needs to be reported, remain calm. Explain the situation in a normal tone of voice and ask for reasonable, mutually agreeable solutions. Thereafter, keep to yourself whatever other complaints you may have. Most professional meetings request that you complete an evaluation sheet. This is the best time to write down complaints and helpful suggestions for improvement. Or, at the close of the meeting, email or call the organizers to submit your thoughts.
AFTER THE CONFERENCE
Follow up with everyone you meet. You just never know who will turn out to be a valuable resource, treasured colleague or lasting friend. So, why not do the right thing and follow the advice of the best etiquette books, which tell us it is good manners to follow up with everyone we meet, and to certainly follow up with whatever you may have promised. We all know how difficult this task is. Some people use their return flight time to write thank you notes. It is well known the #1 sign of a true professional is when you tackle this chore; so just do it!
TIP: When first announcing your plans to attend a conference, tell everyone you are leaving a day earlier than the actual departure date and tell everyone you will be returning one day later. Then, use these two bookend times to focus on making the most of the experience. Use the day before to finalize last minute details and prepare. Use the day immediately after conference attending to focus on starting your follow up work, while contacts are still fresh in your mind.
Another idea is to actually stay an extra night at the hotel so you can relax and begin your follow up work uninterrupted; not to mention resting up. This could also be a good time to arrange meetings with colleagues you met at the conference who, like you, have delayed departure time. Or, just use this extra time to be a tourist and enjoy the sights.
HAPPY PRACTICING!
By Syndi Seid, the world’s leading etiquette trainer, celebrity speaker and founder of San Francisco based Advanced Etiquette.
