4 Great Uses for Quality Lanyards

High quality and well-made lanyards are a fantastic addition to all types of occasions, events and everyday scenarios. From identification to advertising, a lanyard is more effective than many people realise.

What's great about lanyards is that they can have a social as well as a practical use in both everyday situations and special events. They are usually created using polyester, then made into a loop with a clip or hook at the end, allowing designs to be worked onto them, as well as allowing them to hold onto an item securely, like an identification badge or a pen.

Businesses and organisations around the globe have used lanyards for years and continue to invest in them for their ongoing usefulness.

Below we're going to take a look at four great uses for quality lanyards, encompassing who uses them and for what purpose.

Effective Advertising

Because lanyards are usually worn around the neck, they become the perfect advertising device. Giving people, such as your employees or customers, a unique lanyard with your company brand emblazoned on it is a great way for others to become aware of your business, driving more customers your way.

People will commonly hold onto their lanyard after an event, often leaving them in workplaces, offices, homes and more, meaning your logo and brand makes it way through many locations, being recognised by hundreds of people sometimes.

The next time you're thinking about your advertising strategy, consider the effective nature of investing in specially designed and unique company lanyards.

Simple & Secure Identification

Organising a conference or any other type of exclusive event? A uniquely made lanyard can be exactly what you need to make identification and guest-entry clear and efficient.

Your security team will easily be able to recognise a unique lanyard holding your identification cards, providing a simple way to keep invited guests identified. A lanyard can also work very well to signify anyone who is a VIP or a speaker to everyone around them, a great way to keep guests known and organised throughout the entirety of your event.

Easy Area Clearance

Maybe you run a business where employees require keycards to enter certain areas within your work building. A company lanyard is a terrific way to not only be able to identify employees at all times, it's also a simple way to prevent employees losing their keycards.

Losing something like a keycard can cost a significant amount to replace if it happens often, investing in lanyards can be a cost-effective solution to this common problem. The fact that your new lanyards could be preventing lost property while also advertising your business makes them a worthy investment that could save you money in the long term.

Convenience for Staff

A lanyard can be extremely convenient if your staff always need to have an item on hand, like a pen, whistle, or stamp. This can make workers more productive, as well as reducing the likelihood of misplacing company property.

Nurses and teachers alike will find that a great quality lanyard will do wonders for their peace of mind, pens and all kinds of useful items will no longer go missing!

Let Us Create Your Perfect Lanyard Today

Ribbon Works has been designing, creating and delivering lanyards to a range of different clients over the years, giving a individual and personal service to each and every one. Whether you're an individual, small business, or large scale company, our creative team at Ribbon Works can bring you the perfect lanyard to suit your needs.

Get in touch with Ribbon Works today to find out how we can help you with anything you might need, we look forward to hearing from you.

This article originally published at Ribbon Works Blog here

Promote Your Business Using Wristbands, Slapbands & Sweatbands

Among some of the most unconventional ways to promote your business are wristbands, slapbands, and sweatbands. You can give them out at any trade show event or charity fundraiser. They are an ideal tool to emphasise your brand.

In the below passages, we will take a look at some of the benefits of adding these options to your marketing arsenal.

Use Them Anywhere

Wristbands, slapbands, and sweatbands can be used at any event. It’s easy to throw them into a networking event or slip them into a sports day for charity. They will fit in without seeming forced.

You can wear them to client meetings, or even when going about your daily business of interacting with customers.

They offer one of the most versatile marketing options available.

Not as Expensive as You Think

Radio advertisements, TV pitches, and extended social media campaigns can lead to you spending a lot of money. And there is never a guarantee of success. While no marketing tool will promise you a positive return on your investment, wristbands, slapbands, and sweatbands are so cost-effective that even a complete failure will not leave you out of pocket too much.

You can have a whole box of any of these options delivered for your next event for very little money. Order in bulk and you can make massive savings.

The Ultimate Personal Branding Option

There are a number of reasons overt marketing does not always work. These are the primary ones:

• People become so ad-sensitised that they stop noticing your efforts.
• Overt marketing is not appropriate for every situation.
• Too much overt marketing can come off as looking foolish.

Wearing a wristband at a trade show, for example, is a type of covert marketing. Any person you interact with will automatically direct their gaze to your wristband. It is subtle, but it may encourage them to find out more about your company. Or it might just give them the right professional impression.

Easy to Wear and Comfortable

Remember when someone had to stamp your hand when you went to a concert? Messy.

What about that time where you had to wear an overly long identification card around your next? Bulky.

A company wristband, for example, is an ideal way to admit someone to any of your events. If you have invited someone over to your offices, you want them to feel at home. Wristbands are comfortable and discreet. They do not get in the way, and it is easy to forget you are wearing one at all.

Make them How You Want

There are no restrictions on the colour of slapband or sweatband. You can print them in any colour with any graphic. And you can do this without raising the costs significantly, as is the case with promotional items such as t-shirts.

Any good printing company will entertain any option you can come up with.

One way you can use them is by changing the design slightly for every event. This will give your customers a sense of uniqueness. They have a memory of an event that will never happen again, and that is going to leave an impression on them.

Showing How Much You Care

You can also demonstrate how much you care about your customers by giving out wristbands. Again, it doesn’t require much of an investment on your part. Hand them out and leave the right impression. It may well lead to a lucrative lead after your next trade event.

The Best in Branding

If you want to increase your influence at your next networking event, wristbands, sweatbands, and slapbands are the way to go. They are the best in branding because they’re cost-effective, you can use them anywhere, and you have full control over what they look like.

These benefits alone should make any company realise that they are missing out on a golden promotion opportunity!

Get in touch with Ribbonworks.co.uk today to find out how we can provide you with high-quality Printed lanyards and other Personalised, Custom Lanyards products to boost your advertising campaign.

This article originally published at here

How to Network at Trade Shows

Exhibit Surveys Inc. says that 49% of attendants come to trade shows with the intention of making real purchases, whether this be immediately or through networking. Networking at trade shows is your primary goal of attending, and there is a real art to it.

It does take some getting right. Experience is the best teacher, so make sure you review your performance every time. If you want to network better at a trade show, follow these smart tips.

Send Your Soldiers Out Alone

The chances are you will be bringing staff members along to help you manage your booth at the trade show. This is all well and good, but you also need to take the initiative in some things. Some staff members should be asked to network alone.

This can be intimidating, but it actually increases your chances of successful networking. It can be intimidating for people to approach a group. It’s much easier to approach someone who is alone because you are in the same situation.

By being alone, your staff become instantly more approachable.

Give Out Free Trinkets

Some would call it a bribe, and perhaps it can be construed as such. But it is also a fantastic way of sparking a conversation.

The toughest part of networking at a trade show is starting that first conversation. Give out pens, lanyards, and other little trinkets. Brand them so they subtly communicate the company message at the same time.

Brand Your Staff Members

When your staff members walk around a trade show, what makes them stand out?

If the answer is nothing, you need to change that. Make your company stand out from the competition by adding some adornments to the people representing you. This could come in the form of a lanyard with their names on it, or a tablet with a company logo on the back.

Not only does your company become noticeable, but it will also attract the individuals who are trying to seek out your company.

Figure Out Who You Want to Meet in Advance

Figure out who you want to meet and who you want to talk to prior to attending the trade show. Have some clear goals in mind and be persistent in meeting everyone on your list.

By having a plan, you can make sure you are always hard at work. Yes, you will come across individuals who are not on your list, but through scheduling some meetings in advance you can guarantee a visit to a trade show will always be worthwhile.

Pick the Right Conversations

Think about what a trade show really is. It is a lot of human beings in a room trying to talk to each other. These people are all different. Some are nervous, some are enthusiastic, and most fall between these two points.

It’s only natural to start with small talk, but make a conscious effort to limit small talk. Engage in relevant conversations quickly. Here are some smart tips for engaging in meaningful conversation:

1. This is not a sales pitch. It is a simple introduction where you exchange contact information.

2. Make it quick without feeling rushed. Spend too much time with one company and you will not have time to speak to the other targets on your list.

3. Every company has a goal. Talk about these objectives. Always keep your conversations relevant.

4. It’s not quantity; it’s quality. If someone is clearly not interested, end the conversation and move on.

Following Up after the Show

The reality is these leads often come to nothing because they are not followed up. Create a lead capture system that you follow up upon rigorously. Call your leads a few days after the show and try to advance discussions.

Take note that your leads may come to nothing. Some companies are simply dipping a toe in the water. But if you gather a long list of contact details, the chances are one or two will come to something.

Conclusion

A successful trade show is ultimately about gathering lots of contact details. After the trade show is where the magic tends to happen. Do not focus too much on pushing sales immediately. Use every minute to engage in quick and meaningful conversation.

If you follow these tips, you will get so much more from your future trade shows.

Get in touch with Ribbonworks.co.uk today to find out how we can provide you with high-quality Printed lanyards and other Personalised, Custom Lanyards products to boost your advertising campaign.

Printed or Embroidered Lanyards - What's the Difference?

A lanyard is a fantastic type of personal branding. Whether you use your lanyard as a form of identification or exclusively as a marketing choice, you are going to extract a major return on your investment.

But lanyards come in all shapes and sizes. One of the significant decisions you will have to make is whether you want to invest in a printed lanyard or an embroidered lanyard. The differences are substantial, so read on to find out more about both types.

Printed Lanyards

A printed lanyard involves taking some kind of graphic submitted by you and printing it onto the lanyard itself. It works through using a sublimation process. Essentially, the design is fused into the material. There are no colour limitations involved, so you can choose from over a million shades.

Printed lanyards will not run, and they are easy to clean if this is required. Since modern printers are so advanced, it is easy to print small text.

This is the best option for those who want lanyards in the fastest possible time or for those that want photographic realism.

Embroidered Lanyards

Embroidered lanyards work slightly differently. Using a base of twill, the design is sewn into the fabric with thread. You will find this gives the embroidered lanyard a slight ‘raised’ effect. The texture will feel different when you run your finger across it.

Extremely small text and minute details are harder to insert with embroidered lanyards, so elaborate designs may not be ideal for this option.

The Difference in Cost

Embroidered lanyards will always cost more than printed lanyards because of the workmanship involved. The machinery used to produce them is more advanced and the materials more costly. A printed lanyard can be done through using a modern colour printer and little else.

Generally, the difference in cost is not significant. If you order in bulk, you can drive the cost of embroidered lanyards down.

Ordering small numbers will make embroidered lanyards significantly more expensive than their printed counterparts.

The Quality Issue

It is no secret that embroidered lanyards do come with a more ‘prestige’ look. This is simply because of the texture and the ‘raising’ effect. In a business environment, customers and other companies may well prefer an embroidered lanyard because it shows you invested more in your marketing tools.

Will it be a deal breaker? Probably not, but it does not hurt to have this little advantage on your side.

Design and Details

If you want a simple design, you can use either option without any problems. On the other hand, if you want fading effects and other uncommon shades you may well be out of luck. Embroidered lanyards do not support this.

Printed lanyards, on the other hand, can print out anything you can see. As long as you can look at the design on a computer screen, you can place it on a lanyard.

This gives you far more versatility and the chance to really experiment with your designs.

Time Taken

Turnaround time is important. If you are moments away from a networking event and you have left lanyards to the last minute, a printed option is by far the superior choice. It can take less than 24 hours for you to receive an order of printed lanyards. On the other hand, embroidered ones could well take an extra day or two to produce.

It may not sound like much, but if you are rushing to get everything ready, then this can prove crucial.

So What’s the Best Option?

The best option depends on your situation. If you want to create something that resembles a graphical firework, the printed option is best for you. Alternatively, if adding an extra dimension through texture sounds attractive, embroidered is the superior option.

The cost difference is negligible, so you should not let that be the decision maker. The printed option does have a time advantage, so if you need a fast turnaround, the choice is clear.

Test out both options to see what goes down best with staff members and customers. Every company will have different preferences.

Lanyards - Why they Work as a Promotional Tool

A lanyard is a simple tool that goes around the neck, clips onto a pocket, or wraps around the wrist. You can use them in a range of ways. What you might not have thought about is how these can be used as a promotional tool.

With business so competitive today, you have to take any promotional chance you can get. Let’s take a look at why lanyards are another great option to add to your arsenal.

Cost-Effective

The issue is not HOW you market your business; it is about whether the options available to you are cost-effective. When it comes to lanyards, there is no debate over whether you are going to see a return on your investment.

Lanyards are made of plastic and come with a simple band customised according to your specifications. Order them in bulk and you are not going to pay much per lanyard.

Security and Marketing

Let’s not forget that lanyards were concocted for security reasons. The original lanyards were simple pieces of ribbon with a person’s photo and identification number on them. These days you can still have that, but you can market your company at the same time.

Here are some of the things you can add to this simple lanyard:

• Custom colours. Make your lanyards instantly recognisable by decorating them in the company’s colour scheme.
• Add the company logo. Do not let anyone confuse your company with another.
• Slogans. Many businesses are adding their slogans directly to the identification card.

Give them to Customers

Do not just give them to your staff. If you are too utilitarian, then you’re diminishing the power of the lanyard. One strategy is to give them out to customers at trade shows, conventions, or even just when they visit your premises.

Immediately, you are instilling the company in the mind of the receiver. The slogan, the name, and the colours are already branded on their minds.

If you’re willing to spend some extra funds, you could even let them take the lanyards home. Add the company contact details and you have an instant business card. This could be the difference between claiming another loyal customer.

Versatility Reigns Supreme

A lanyard does not have to go around the neck. This is but one way you can use them. Instead, consider the other ways you can brand your company with them. Use them as various attachments and hooks.

1. Attach them to a memory stick. It’s both a practical and useful way of marketing.
2. Add them to badges. Give them to your staff.
3. Use them with pouches to allow people to carry their belongings around.

The reason versatility is so powerful in marketing is because you are not saying to a customer, “I am marketing this brand to you.” You’re more subtle than that. These are things staff and customers will find useful in their daily lives. The marketing is a bonus.

The Art of Numbers

Rarely do you come across a form of advertising that resonates with customers the first time every time. Companies realise this is a game of numbers.

Throughout a marketing campaign, customers may be exposed to TV advertisements, internet ads, and Twitter campaigns. The chances are the message is not going to get through to them until they have come across the campaign multiple times.

A lanyard is an aspect of any campaign. It could be the point where the message finally clicks and a customer taps into what you are trying to say to them.

Remember to Conduct Tests…
Lanyards are great, but you cannot slap absolutely anything on them and expect it to work. As with any aspect of marketing, you have to conduct testing and get feedback from a focus group.

We recommend gathering together a selection of staff members and customers. Show them a number of design variations and see what they have to say. Here are some of the questions you should ask:

• Which design grabs your attention the most?
• Which design is more likely to make you find out more about the company?
• How would you improve the design of the lanyard?

You also have to think about diminishing returns. If people keep seeing the same campaign and the same design, they are going to become saturated by the constant barrage.

This is why companies often decide to alter the design of their promotional material every 12 to 18 months. Only you know when a campaign is no longer as effective as it once was.

Conclusion

Lanyards are an enormously powerful way of sending a strong company message to customers whenever they come across a member of staff or a branded event. They are versatile, practical, and can easily slip into an existing marketing campaign.

Do remember to track your results and make any adjustments you feel are necessary. No marketing tool will do all the work by itself!

Get in touch with Ribbonworks today to find out how we can provide you with high-quality Custom lanyards and other Personalised Lanyards products to boost your advertising campaign.

9 Unusual Ways to Promote Your Business

Promoting your business is about staying ahead of the curve, and your competitors. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box to get that crucial advantage.

Successful promotion is about creating a personal brand that resonates with people. Rarely does a company instantly resonate with people simply because of what it does and what it stands for.

In light of this, we are going to take a look at nine ingenious ways of promoting your business.

1. Get a Celebrity Endorsement

Okay, this is not exactly the easiest of prospects. Forget trying to get Kayne West or Barak Obama to promote your company. Think about someone who is a minor celebrity. Unless you are marketing something utterly reprehensible, celebrities will generally endorse anything when the price is right.

You may consider a local celebrity or a minor celebrity. It is an excellent way to get people talking, especially when combined with a social media campaign.

2. Print Some Lanyards

Lanyards can be issued to both staff members and customers. Whether these are presented at a convention or simply at the company’s headquarters, they offer the chance to add a company logo, slogan, or colour scheme. It is all part of personal branding.

Give them to someone as a security measure, wrap them around a USB stick, or throw them on a pouch. It is entirely up to you how you incorporate them into your business.

The main advantages of lanyards are they are cost-effective, versatile, and practical.

3. Promotional Sweatbands (and a sporting event)

Companies have been running sports days for decades. They don’t do it because they enjoy sports. They do it because it is such an effective marketing tool. In a world where so many people automatically switch off whenever they hear about promotional material, the sports day remains one of the most effective ways of promoting a brand covertly.

Issue promotional sweatbands with your company colours and name on it. This is a practical tool for the participants, and it is subtly marketing your brand at the same time.

4. Slap Bracelets

Slap bracelets are different from regular bracelets in that they offer more promotional space. In other words, they offer more of a chance to promote yourself. They are the hottest promotional product on the market right now.

A slap bracelet does not work in any other way from any other wearable piece of company merchandise. Choose the colour for the bracelet and what you want on it. It’s that simple.

5. Use a Field

Around the world, there are hundreds of thousands of miles of motorway. Along these roadways, you will find empty fields with owners wishing they could make some extra money from them. One option is to pay the owner a small fee to place something in their field.

Some of the options could include:

• a billboard
• a neon sign
• strange objects that grab people’s attention. Brand them with your company logo.

Remember to check the local laws before you do this. Every country, and in some cases every region, will have a different stance on this.

It’s cheaper than you think to do this!

6. Partner with a Business

You do not have to go it alone. There is a reason companies endorse other companies in other industries. The customers in one niche may also be interested in another niche.

How you work with a partner company is entirely up to you and will depend on the contract you draw up with them.

Look online for a company of similar stature that might be interested in working with you.

7. Brand Your Electronics

Brand every piece of company technology with a holder or cover of some kind. Whether it is a laptop cover or a mobile phone holder, every piece of technology is a chance to brand your company.

Every time one of your staff members enters a meeting, it’s immediately clear who they work for. Subtle pieces of branding like this are ideal for promoting your company.

8. A Competition

A competition is an easy way of grabbing new customers without spending a lot of money. Make sure you offer something related to the company, though. Offering an iPad or a laptop will just attract people who are not really interested in what you have to offer.

9. Invest in Cardholders

Security is essential every time someone enters your building. You may issue identity cards to visitors or swipe cards to staff members to open the offices. Do not throw the card in any old cardholder. Brand your cardholder with the company colours and a logo.

Conclusion

These unusual ways to promote your company are all about personal branding. Brand everything you can and you are repeating the same information to all prospective customers you come across. It’s all about message accumulation. The more times you say something, the more likely the message is to get through.

Get in touch with Ribbonworks today to find out how we can provide you with high-quality printed lanyards and other promotional lanyards products to boost your advertising campaign.

What Attracts People to Promotional Products?

Promotional products stand out from most other common forms of advertising in one fantastic way, people actually want to engage with them. How many people do you know of who like to listen to or watch advertisements on television or the internet? Probably not too many. However, this is where the strengths of promotional products lie.

The average person tends to actually like and want promotional products because they serve a purpose beyond trying to advertise a business, product, brand or service. The lanyard for example is great for a range of functions, from keeping keys and wallets safe on your person, to having your work id card showing at all times.

Click Here to Read more about Promotional Products

The Enormous Variety that Promotional Products Offer

One of the very best advantages of using promotional products, such as lanyards and wristbands, is the fantastic amount of variety there is to choose from. Whatever your company specialises in or sells, there's always a range of promotional products that are sure to help you accomplish your advertising goals.

By looking at just a small sample of the promotional products your company could be using to advertise its brand, we can see that there are hundreds of options out there to suit any advertising campaign.

This article originally published at here

3 Tips for Effective Brand Marketing

Marketing to your chosen demographic effectively takes time, effort, and know-how to do successfully, especially when using promotional products. However, with the helpful tips Ribbonworks has put together, we can explore what makes for effective brand marketing.

Naturally, promotional products are the focus here as they are one of the best ways to get your company and brand known all over the country with ease. Whether your company chooses to advertise using quality lanyards, well-designed phone covers, or both, these tips are relevant to everyone.

This article originally published at here

3 Advantages Small Businesses Gain with Promotional Products

Promotional products like lanyards, card holders and wristbands are always a terrific way to achieve your company or organisation's marketing goals. However, it's not just big businesses and corporations that stand to gain from promotional products, small businesses arguably gain the most advantages.

When considering your business's marketing strategy, promotional printed products excel at long-term exposure of your brand and business, as well as being extremely cost-effective no matter the size of your budget. By knowing what advantages promotional products bring to the table for small businesses, you can make the right decision when it comes to your advertising.

This article originally published at here