As marketing experts, we fully agree that company badges are an amazing way to promote your brand. Not only are they beloved by people in all industries, but badges are also incredibly versatile. And, thanks to their affordability, they offer great value as a key component in existing or upcoming campaigns.
However, designing your own badge can be challenging, especially when there are so many errors you can make. Luckily, we’re here to help by rounding up the most common badge-designing mistakes we’ve encountered when working with companies worldwide. So, if you’re thinking about creating a company badge, pay close attention!
1. Not Considering the Basics of a Badge
Over the past couple of years, badges have improved drastically, in more ways than one. They are no longer some low-quality, tired product that people throw away. As a matter of fact, they are now trendy and attractive, making for great collectable accessories for people of all ages. As a result, if you want to maximise the impact of your campaign, you should first consider the basics of your badges. That includes its size, shape, material, and finish.
Size
Generally speaking, the size of your badge is determined by your content. Do you want to brand it with a large artwork or a long message? Or maybe you want to include your company’s social media handles and website? The more content you want to add, the larger the badge should be.
Additionally, you need to consider how your audience will wear the badge. For instance, if you plan to give it away alongside a custom conference bag, you might want to choose a large badge that will be visible when pinned to the product.
Shape
As noted earlier, badges are more versatile and varied than ever. Therefore, you can find badges designed in any shape you can imagine based on your marketing needs. We advise you to choose simple shapes like rectangles or circles for ID tags and name badges. But, if you want to use your own logo or other unique artwork, there’s a good chance that you could find the appropriate badge shape.
Material
When it comes to badges, you can also choose between a wide range of materials. But, just like we talked about earlier, you need to make sure that it aligns with your audience, design, and budget. As an example, if you want to engage with a younger audience, you should consider a bright rubber PVC badge. However, if you’re designing a resale or a special award badge, you might want to consider premium enamel badges and luxury embellishments.
Finish
Last but not least, a badge’s finish is what distinguishes it from other similar products by adding some extra character, shine and depth. Fortunately, with so many finish options available, you can easily find one that suits your audience and marketing needs.
2. Deviating from Your Brand’s Guidelines
Maintaining consistent branding all across your marketing environment is vital for your company. That’s because it helps establish your authenticity, builds trust, and makes your business look more professional. Branding is also essential for increasing and maintaining your customer base.
Therefore, since badges are an extension of your brand, it’s crucial to maintain consistency with your design. So be sure to provide your manufacturer with your brand’s guidelines, such as colour scheme, logo design, and fonts. And don’t forget to include your Pantone colours to guarantee perfect matching.
3. Putting Price Above All
It goes without saying that price is important, especially when you have a limited budget. But you shouldn’t let this be the deciding factor when it comes to creating company badges.
Experts recommend that you first consider the quality of the badge before you even think about the price. After all, the product will reflect your brand, so you want it to look as appealing as possible. Keep in mind that it takes about 7 seconds for people to form an impression of your company. And while they won’t know how much you paid for the badge, they’ll surely notice the quality or, rather, lack of it.
4. Failing to Time Your Projects Realistically
Another big mistake that many companies make concerns timing. More often than not, there are situations where business owners place an order just days or mere hours before launching their marketing campaign. Naturally, it’s almost impossible to finish and ship the badges on time, which leads to frustration for everyone involved. As a result, we recommend creating a timeline of key dates and working backwards to ensure that you’ll receive your merchandise before you actually need it.
But there are some options even for inevitable last-minute needs, such as printed button badges. These can usually be produced and delivered in less than a week, covering any unplanned marketing campaign.
5. Ignoring Packaging and Presentation
Packaging your badges can go a long way to add some extra prestige and polish to your product. But that doesn’t mean you should throw each badge in a box and call it a day. In fact, there are many types of presentation materials that will enhance your badges, such as custom backing cards and swing tags. And best of all, you can even brand some of them and add a special message about your products or company.
6. Picking With the Wrong Manufacturer
Let’s face it — you can avoid all of the mistakes above by choosing the right manufacturer! That’s why you should look for a company that is known to deliver the best service possible and understands your needs.
For instance, a premium manufacturer might offer a dedicated account manager that provides suggestions during each step of the production process. Or, they may include a free design service or in-house no-delay delivery. Not only that, but a reliable company will adhere to stringent ethical production standards, which will protect your brand’s reputation.
In contrast, amateur suppliers will never go beyond and above to help your company, which can result in delays or even failed projects. Thus, it’s best to do your research before settling for an affordable yet untrustworthy manufacturer.
7. Limiting Your Marketing Potential
Badges are quite effective promotional products that you can use to improve your brand awareness. However, they can be even more powerful when used as part of a large marketing campaign! That means you should combine multiple items to maximise the impact and effectiveness of your marketing efforts. One way to do so is to create a matching bag, keyring and badge set, which you can gift during specific events. Or, you can come up with special badges to hand out to new customers or employees. The possibilities are endless when it comes to custom badges and their versatility!
Related content:
3 Excellent Badges for Your Last-Minute Campaign
The Bottom Line
Leaving a long-lasting impression is the goal of every business owner and marketing expert. However, as you aim to achieve it using custom badges, you also need to pay close attention to all the small details that go into them. From choosing the right badge to designing the perfect artwork, there are many things that can go wrong during the creation process. But, as long as you understand your audience and your brand, you’ll be able to avoid the most common mistakes and actually come up with an attractive and memorable badge!
You may also like:
Make Them Feel Included: Gift Baskets for Employees Working from Home
Check out our full collection of promo novelties which includes stress balls, magnets, and message bugs. You may also choose to see our full range of products. If you require further information or have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to give a member of our experienced team a call on 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today.
