Disclaimer: Rant
We all have Pet Peeves – Here’s one of mine…pre-printed nametags that are too small to read!
It happened again yesterday…This time at a high-end event in a private club. Imagine moving through a crowded room…your eyes are scanning the name tags looking for an interesting company whose representative you might want to know. The names on the tags are large and easy to read at a glance as you move about. You soon find an interesting company and you stop to introduce yourself.
Now picture trying to move through the crowd…but the printing on the tag is so small you can’t read it…not without stopping to really look at the tag…are you squinting? You know your eyesight is fine. It’s maddening and worse yet…it hurts the return on your networking investment.
The task of printing the name tags is most like given to an adimistative assistant who has no idea how crucial they are in networking. If they did, they would use the largest font possible. Then they can be read across the table, across a small circle of networkers chatting.
I always have my own name tag that has my Business Name on top in large letters with my name below. It never fails to attract attention when people are looking for a reason to connect with another. (That’s why we go to these events!)
At least people can read MY tag…but who will I miss when I can’t read their’s?
I once gave a presentation to a large sales force and I talked about the value of having custom name tags. When I asked the sales manager if the company provided name tags, the response I got was that the events they go to usually have the nametags printed for you….he was clueless.
Do not rely on that Your name tag is your MOST important networking tool…more important than your business cards. You are putting your success into someone else’s hands when you rely on them to supply this critical tool. Why would you do that?
Over the years, I earned several thousand dollars from one event in December of 1998 because someone saw my custom name tag. If that person had not seen that name tag…well, have I made my point?
Ordering your own custom name tag is always the first assignment in The Link System® Training, which teaches high-level, targeted, networking & connection skills. Now they can be easily ordered online at NameTag.com. We have arranged special pricing for our readers!
If you work for a company that sponsors events, let them know that their attendees will make more connections if they print the attendee’s name and the company name as large as the space will allow.
Oh…I once attended a chamber mixer (no pre-registration offered) when they forgot to bring paper name tags for the attendees to fill out. Don’t even get me started about how much lost business that mistake cost their members.
End of Rant
Thank you…I feel so much better now..
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What a great idea. I realize I HAVE BEEN DOING IT ALL WRONG! I usually just put my first name on my nametag, and that always causes comments, because it is spelled so differently. But really, I want them to know the name of my company, because that is what I want the questions about, not, “Did they misspell your name? or my personal favorite, “Where did you get the spelling of your name?” Thank you, Mindy for the heads up. From now on, before I get my custom name tag, I will be putting my company name tag in large letters.
Kaaren (yes, I really do spell it that way) Douglas
Douglas Marketing Concepts