Button badges make excellent promotional items. They have been around for over a century, starting out as one-inch metal disks wrapped in celluloid to replace the more expensive enamel badge. Since then, button badges have evolved both in production and in purpose, and have been used for political campaigns, protests, and fashion statements. Nowadays, button badges are more popularly used for promotional items and corporate giveaways. Here’s why:
THEY’RE INEXPENSIVE
Button badges are relatively inexpensive to make and order, compared to other small promotional items like pens and magnets and notepads. All it takes is a small investment and you can get badges manufactured by the thousands, and the more pieces you have, the bigger the audience you can reach with your custom badges.
THEY’RE CUSTOMIZABLE
All you really need is a design to fit into the badge. You can use your company logo, your slogan, or even photos. Button badges can be printed in full color and come with an assortment of pins and fittings. You can get them in different sizes and in any shape you want for die-cut badges.
THEY’RE EASY TO DISTRIBUTE
Other promotional items require to be shipped, and that can eat into your marketing budget. Button badges can easily fit in your hand, making it easy to distribute to your prospects, or include in their purchase as a thank you.
THEY’RE EASY TO USE
Button badges are simple to use, and your choice of fitting means that you can either pin it, clip it on, or use a magnet to hold it in place. The concept of the button badge is so simple yet so user-friendly that people hardly need any persuasion to actually wear them.
THEY’RE PORTABLE
Your customers can take the button badge with them anywhere! Other promotional items are best used in the home or office, but button badges can be easily pinned to clothing and bags. Furthermore, since they are designed to be removable, button badges can easily change hands. what this means is that the more it gets passed around, the more exposure your business gets.
THEY HAVE WIDE APPEAL
Although the popularity of button badges peaked back in the 1960s and early seventies, today’s audience made up of Generation X to the Millennials still find appeal in button badges. Gen X and Y find them nostalgic, while Millennials see them as a novelty.
THEY’RE COLLECTIBLE
Even if button badges only get worn for a short period of time, they are hardly ever thrown away. Even if the button badge ends up in a drawer, its message resonates whenever that drawer is opened. Also, since button badges usually reflect the changing trends, they are sought after by collectors the world over.
A huge bonus when it comes to using button badges as promotional items is that they are so easy to order! Once you approve the proof, Dandycan manufacture the badges for you in 10-12 days, and if you need them much sooner, the badge experts at Dandycan produce them in as little as 24 hours!
Traditionally, businesses implemented the use of name badges for security and personal identity; the whole look also contributed to brand identity. But the use of name badges has so much more to offer – 12 per cent more, in fact.
A study conducted by Shopper Anonymous was carried over a period of 8 years with 116, 000 respondents from Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. This study revealed a 12 per cent increase in customer satisfaction when businesses introduced the use of name badges for employees and staff who dealt directly with the customers.
Clearly, there is a lot to be gained from wearing name badges. Here’s why:
Name badges make employees look more professional.
Name badges complete the overall look of an employee regardless if they wear uniforms or not. Businesses who implement this practice show that the pay attention to detail, no matter how small, giving the staff a professional look. Customers are more comfortable dealing with someone who looks professional and well trained, and they feel better about the service they receive.
Name badges give employees identity.
There is a big difference between being able to identify an employee and giving that employee identity, but name badges actually deliver both. In a corporate environment, name badges can make employees feel better about their jobs because they are not just nameless people on a payroll. Name badges also foster a friendly and non-toxic environment, which in turn leads to happier employees. Satisfied employees, as we all know, deliver better customer service. Furthermore, the knowledge of being easily identified also makes an employee perform better, lest they be reported for bad service.
Name badges lend an air of familiarity.
Customers are more comfortable when they know who they are speaking to or who is assisting them. Depending on the industry, employees may also be authorized to find out the customer’s name, all in the spirit of providing personalized service. Name badges make employees more approachable which leads to smoother transactions.
Name badges keep security in check.
While name badges can keep businesses secure by identifying that the right people are where they should be, they also make customers feel secure by knowing who they are dealing with. At the very least, customers don’t run the risk of being embarrassed by mistaking another shopper for a member of the staff.
Name badges foster communication.
It’s easier to talk to someone when you can address them by name. This in itself allows for easier communication, and employees are able to assist customers better when they know exactly what the customer wants or needs. Making the experience hassle-free for the customer also makes for faster transactions.
A name can certainly make a big difference, not just for overall customer experience, but for the business as well. At the end of the day, it becomes a win-win scenario for all parties involved.
If you are ready to increase your customer satisfaction levels by 12 per cent or more, contact Dandyand order your own set of custom name badges today!Fridge magnets have been around for ages but it is only in the last decade or so that business have started using this household item’s potential for marketing. Nowadays, fridge magnets are recognized as one of the best ways to increase brand visibility as well promote the audience’s familiarity with a particular product or service, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods.
Why are fridge magnets so effective? Here are a few of its stand out advantages:
REFRIGERATORS RULE
Consider this: every household has at least one fridge. Though there is a growing demand for stainless steel appliances for certain demographics, most refrigerators in use still have that metal surface that attracts magnets. What’s more, 80 per cent of households actually use fridge magnets. What this means is that you are practically guaranteed that your fridge magnet will be kept and used. Unlike other promotional items that outlive their usefulness, fridge magnets will always display your company’s information.
VISIBILITY
Refrigerators are one of the most frequently used household appliances throughout the day. Having your magnet on that fridge translates to multiple exposures to each member of the household on a daily basis, further promoting your brand, all the while unobtrusive like other marketing tools. In addition, having your information on the magnet makes it easily accessible and convenient – customers who are in need of service would rather call the number on the fridge rather than search online or the phonebook.
COST
Though fridge magnets would cost more than your traditional business card, the level and frequency of exposure you get already pays for itself. While traditional marketing though TV, radio or print would only run for a predetermined period, you only pay once for your fridge magnet and your information stays right there. This translates to incredible staying power.
CUSTOMIZATION
Nowadays, you can get fridge magnets in practically any shape, size and color, and there is no limit to the design possibilities. Photos, logo, and slogan are just a few of the things you can include in your design. The important thing to note is to keep your information clear and readable so the magnet delivers its maximum potential. Also, since more and more businesses use fridge magnets to promote their brand, your magnet will likely share fridge door space with other businesses. As long as you keep your magnet interesting and unique, it will have its share of the action.
MORE THAN A BUSINESS CARD
Depending on your design, the details on your fridge magnet will likely resemble that of a traditional business card. But that’s only the beginning. Your fridge magnet can come with notepads and clips, or can even be a calendar. This versatility adds more value to what is already an effective marketing tool. And since it’s on the fridge, there’s no chance of the magnet getting lost or misplaced.
There may not be too many marketing tools available that can match the price and benefits of using fridge magnets. When you want your information to stick without breaking the bank, use high quality custom fridge magnets from Dandy!
St. Patrick’s Day, a celebration of Irish culture and of one of Ireland’s patron saints, would have been celebrated with a parade followed by a family day on March 17, 2016. Sadly, due to debt incurred in 2014 after heavy rains affected fundraising efforts, organizers are not able to fund the celebration for this year. Although the 2015 parade pushed through with the help of the Irish government and the Irish community in Sydney, the 2014 debt would still need to be paid off. The annual parade, which is the 4th largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the world, would have to wait until 2017.
Nonetheless, there are other ways that St. Patrick’s Day can be celebrated and observed. Here are a few:
Many businesses and organizations organize their own breakfast and lunch celebrations to enjoy Irish food and drinks. Irish pubs are known to hold special St. Patrick’s Day evening parties, complete with local bands playing Irish music and people drinking green beverages.
People wear a lot of green on St. Patrick’s Day. Wearing the color green dates back to 1798, when it was the color of the Republican Revolutionary movement and was a sign of rebellion. Back in the day, wearing green was punishable by hanging. These days, people bring out their fun side by wearing not just green outfits but green wigs as well on St. Patrick’s Day.
Popular accessories during St. Patrick’s Day are brooches, pendants, or button badges with a shamrock design, Ireland’s national emblem. Shamrock, not to be confused with four-leaf clovers, is a sprig of clover. Legend has it that St. Patrick used it to show the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, which is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The shamrock is considered by Irish as good luck, long before other nationalities followed suit.
Another popular way Australians celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is by dressing up like leprechauns. Leprechauns are short Irish fairies usually dressed like shoemakers. According to legend, leprechauns have a hidden pot of gold, and to get the gold, the leprechaun’s captor must never take his eyes off him. Leprechauns with their pot of gold, usually depicted with a shamrock, are also common designs for clothing accessories on St. Patrick’s Day.
The harp, which was adopted as the symbol or the New Kingdom of Ireland in 1541, is also Ireland’s national emblem, albeit less popular than the shamrock. These days, the harp is found not just on Ireland’s coat of arms, but also in St. Patrick’s Day gatherings where it is sometimes played.
The celebration would not be the same in Sydney this year, but it may bring some comfort knowing that other parts of Australia will still commemorate St. Patrick’s Day as scheduled. For those affected by the parade and family day’s cancelation, you can still take to the streets in your green outfits and wigs and still celebrate the event.
To remain true to the character of St. Patrick’s Day, you can have shamrock button badges created for the event. Some people who look forward to this event may feel a little gloomy on March 17, and giving them a little luck could help brighten their day. Contact Dandyfor your custom St. Patrick’s Day button badges today!