Nametags Matter

"It’s not about the nametag; it’s about approachability," says Scott Ginsberg, aka The Nametag Guy and also author, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur. "Human beings like to avoid conflict, so when you don’t know someone’s name or you’re not comfortable approaching them or starting a conversation with them, a nametag can reduce that level of conflict."

Ginsberg is a big fan of the handwritten sticky nametag because it’s personal, but for an event or professional conference, you may want to use software to design a nametag. Believe it or not, there has been scientific research done on nametags and there are several elements that can actually make some nametags work better than others. According to a nametag survey done by Biz Bash, 50 percent of a group of meeting planners claimed, "illegible font size of nametags was a major problem." The study revealed that the top three important characteristics of a nametag are the font size, visibility, and placement.

With that in mind, Ginsberg provides some "do’s and "don’t’s of designing nametags:
Do make fonts easy to read and at least 24-point or larger to make the nametag visible from 10 feet away. Also avoid script or fancy fonts that are hard to read. Tip: Put the first name larger than the last name.

Don’t use black or gold for the background color of the nametags – they are hard to read. The most effective color is white, says Ginsberg, who also suggests using dark blue or black for the font color.

Do have attendees wear their nametags above the breastbone. Organizers should lead by wearing their tags that way. "Your nametag is pointless if it’s worn below your breastbone," says Ginsberg. "The most effective location is two to three inches below your collarbone on whichever side most appropriate for your function. This allows maximum eye contact."

Don’t clutter the nametag. Keep it simple and just put the person’s name, company name, and logo at the most. "Think of it as a billboard – you have two seconds to get someone’s attention," says Ginsberg. "Make sure that any supplementary, less important text is significantly smaller than the name itself. Remember, they call them nametags because the name must be the focal point. Whether it’s the name of the person or the name of the company, those are the two most important pieces of information."

Do be careful when using lanyards to hold nametags – sure, lanyards won’t interfere with clothing, but Ginsberg warns that lanyards may turn around and people will only see the barcode on the back…not great for networking. To avoid this, he recommends a simple fix – making lanyard nametags double-sided. Or, you can buy certain types of lanyards that don’t turn around.

For all you’ve ever wanted to know about nametags, visit Ginsberg’s Website at www.hellomynameisscott.com.