Maintaining Professionalism in the Age of Social Distancing

The COVID-19 outbreak has altered our lives dramatically in a short period of time. Although quarantine and initial fears over social distancing will end, the coronavirus has likely changed the way we interact with one another for a long time to come.
As businesses continue to operate remotely, or with limited hours, it’s important to maintain friendly, professional interactions. Businesses, especially restaurants that are focusing on to-go orders and curbside service, are maintaining professional and courteous social distance by:

- Allowing customers to remain in their vehicle for service or take-out products
- Actively enforcing social distancing between employees
- Actively maintaining friendly social distance between staff and customers or clients
- Requiring immunocompromised workers to wear special ID cards

Requiring visitors to wear visitor ID badges and keep a healthy distance from others

When schools and businesses are back to normal operation, new social distancing practices will likely be the new norm. Businesses can help prepare their buildings by:

Placing wash hands signs where customers and staff can see them
Making hand sanitizer readily available to staff and customers
Placing social distance courtesy signs and desk plates at reception counters, check-in desks and registers
Requiring all visitors to wear a temporary badge while on the premises
Requiring all staff to wear an ID badge with an enlarged font that can be read from 6 feet away

Although the coronavirus pandemic has altered our professional and social lives, it has positively impacted our lives at home, with our pets, and with our coworkers. Businesses are bringing their employees together and boosting morale in difficult times by:

Having staff share fun selfies
Hosting remote video chats and happy hours
Introducing family members and pets online

Name tags are a tradition in the workplace, and are effective in creating connections between people. These connections can still be made, despite social distancing. Here are a few tips for creating name tags that are effective in the age of social distancing:

- Keep name tags simple! Include name and job title in a larger font that can be read from a few feet away

Replace traditional name tags with ID cards, which are larger and have space for logos, names, and photos. Design your own IDs now!
Order bold color name tags or IDs. Use your company brand colors to make them stand out
Make sure the badges are worn closer to eye level
Order them with clips that can be attached to shirt pockets or collars
Pocket badges can also come in handy for this purpose

As we all work to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19, we can also do our part in creating healthy, happy relationships with our coworkers, family, neighbors and the public. Keep a 6-foot distance from others, but don’t be afraid to smile, make eye contact and say hello.

February 20, 2020February 23, 2021

Top 10 Employee Appreciation Day Gift Ideas

Updated: 2/23/21

What is Employee Appreciation Day?

Employee Appreciation Day began as a day to show appreciation to employees everywhere and to strengthen relationships between employers and employees. The first Friday in March marks this unofficial annual holiday, celebrated this year on March 5^th.

Not only are recognition and appreciation key for motivating employees, showing your sincere, genuine appreciation for valued personnel goes a long way in maintaining employee job satisfaction. We’ve compiled our favorite 10 ways to show employees how much they’re appreciated. There’s something for everyone!

Put Pen to Paper! Write Employee Thank You Notes

Pen a genuine, sincere, handwritten thank you note for each of your employees expressing your thanks for their dedication and a job well done all year long! A personally penned thank you is more meaningful than a standard email destined for a future in cyberspace!

Personalize Gifts for Your Employees

Give personalized gifts to your employees they’re sure to appreciate. From engraved desk plates to personalized pens, tumblers, and more, they will enjoy putting your thoughtfully chosen gifts to good use!

Enjoy a Team Outing Digital Get Togethers

Prior to the current state of the world, taking your team out for lunch or a team-building event was a great way to show your appreciation. But, now it’s ill-advised.

So, until things return to some semblance of normal, consider digital get togethers.

Maybe set aside a time for your team to a screen-shared movie night. Send digital greeting cards to brighten their day. Or, if you have the means, get everyone together for a digital board game session.

Arrange a Volunteer Day

Giving back to your local community (or creating packages to be shared around the world) is a winner for volunteers and recipients alike. You will not only fulfill an essential need, your team will enjoy strengthening social bonds with one another along the way!

Plan an Extraordinary Treat

Whether it’s a special delivery of warm, freshly baked cookies from a local bake shop or hiring your team’s favorite food truck for a made-to-order lunch, your employees will appreciate you as much as you appreciate them!

Thank Your Staff by Bringing in Temporary Assistance

Share a few temporary workers between employees and departments for a few days or even a week. Catching up on the piles of busywork that have been pushed aside will have employees humming a happy tune all week long!

Enjoy the Local Lunch Scene

Explore your local cuisine by assigning each person on your team a restaurant to visit and write a review about afterward. And of course, have the company pick up the tab!

Order curbside to enjoy a socially distanced lunch.

Elevate Your Employee Break Room and Coffee Stations

Offer complimentary fruit or snacks and upgrade your coffee post with ceramic mugs and spoons, a selection of hot teas, and a variety of creamers, syrups, and coffee toppings. Don’t forget to include weekly Friday treats to start the weekend on a sweet note!

Create an Employee Recognition Campaign

Design a platform where employees can enjoy cheers from their peers! Whether it’s an intranet platform where employees can give a personal shout out to a colleague for a job well done, or actual certificates that are awarded, meaningful gestures of recognition are sure to be appreciated.

Start a Holiday Weekend Early

Surprise employees the morning before a long weekend and call it a day a little early. Whether it’s just before lunch or a little later, this is one surprise everyone will love!

Make employee appreciation an everyday event!

Simple gestures like being polite, saying hello, or flashing a smile to whomever crosses your path are effortless ways to show employees individual respect and appreciation all year long!

December 12, 2019December 2, 2021

Corporate & Coworker Holiday Gifts – Do’s and Don’ts

Jump to Your Section
Holiday Gift Exchanges
When to Give Corporate Gifts
Corporate Holiday Do’s & Don’ts
Last Minute Gifts

Updated: 11/30/2021

Selecting a gift for everyone on your shopping list is no easy task. As you tackle your weekend errands you will find thousands of last minute shoppers out to find the perfect holiday gift. You may encounter these lines of shoppers with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. You may feel eager to join in the Christmas spirit, December revelry and holiday enthusiasm. But as the 25^th creeps closer, the frantic pressure to have everything ready in time will build.

For many professionals, holiday shopping lists include people from work. In addition to close friends and family, there are a few more recipients on the list. This means finding gifts for clients, coworkers and bosses is now on your fun-filled and nearly endless list of holiday to-do’s.

Choosing corporate gifts can be a less of a hassle when you are sure your gifts are appropriate, your items are customized for recipients, you have a few ideas to start, and when all of your shopping can be completed without ever leaving your home.

Holiday Gift Exchanges

Participating in holiday gift exchanges is an investment in the relationships that you put 40 hours a week into. As long as you follow company guidelines for gift giving, and use discretion with how much you spend and what you purchase, you are contributing to a better workplace environment for yourself and coworkers.

Your list can include team members, office administrators, clients, coworkers, bosses and even the person that sits in the desk next to you. Consider buying gifts for people who work on the same project, such as those assigned to the same team or department. While gifts are not necessary for everyone in the office, put some thought into who you are shopping for and why.

Here are some of the benefits of buying appropriate corporate gifts:

Shows your respect for colleagues
Shows appreciation for work well done
Builds interpersonal office dynamics
Celebrates recent promotions or outstanding performance
Contributes to the company culture
Recognizes an individual’s role in the organization

When to Give Corporate Gifts

Buying an extra nice gift for a brand new boss or coworker can potentially be a bit awkward. Make sure to put more time and focus into longer and more established work relationships.

The type of item you get will convey a specific message. For instance, a beautiful marble desk plate with your boss’s name and job title may demonstrate your appreciation for time that they have mentored you. Gifts can be used to say thank you, celebrate achievements, recognize hard work, and show your appreciation for what your colleagues bring to the table. A simple note, holiday card or tasty dessert can be another way to politely participate in holiday cheer.

Choosing a similar gift for all members on your team can be a safe way to avoid leaving anyone with feelings of exclusion. For example, bling badges for your entire customer service team can be an easy way to show everyone how they are a valued member of the organization.

Corporate Holiday Do’s and Dont’s

Corporate Holiday Gift Do’s

Include a personal note that expresses appreciation for commitment to their work.
Keep the tone of the gift and card professional.
Consider something trendy that will enhance their desk area, from a small succulent to a new name plate.
Bring humor into your gift if it is appropriate. For example, if you have an established rapport with your cube mate, you might want a funny mug or joke calendar.
Consider higher caliber gifts for C level employees or larger client accounts. For example, you can customize an Executive Kit to include all types of personalized desk accessories.
Celebrate known employee habits or hobbies, such as giving gifts to travelers. An engraved luggage tag or travelling pillow can bring ease to their many commutes.
Double check spelling on any personalized items and cards.

Corporate Holiday Gift Don’ts

Never buy clothing for coworkers. Accounting for both taste and size is too risky.
Avoid gifts such as music and books unless you are certain that your coworker has an interest in a certain topic.
Certain gifts are never appropriate. Avoid choosing items that are overly personal, suggestive, offensive, or will make anyone uncomfortable.
Even if alcohol is not explicitly prohibited in your office, it is still better to avoid drinks in a workplace environment.
Making a huge production of giving presents to certain coworkers and not others is in poor taste. Consider who will be around when you give gifts and how the display will be interpreted by present company.
Buy items that call attention to a coworker’s age.
Pay attention to office gifting policies, which address spending limits, expectations or rules. Some company structures do not allow for lower level employees to give gifts to bosses or anyone in a position that is above theirs in the company hierarchy.

Last Minute Gifts

If you are still stressed about what to purchase, keep in mind that you want to order before Christmas. Ordering online from an established company can help ensure that your gift will show up in time.

Remember, if you still are panicking about which item to get, consider practical, useful and professional gifts. Incorporate the color scheme of your workplace and choose something that will motivate or inspire others.

Let this Christmas be your chance to contribute to your company culture and lift the spirits of those around you.

November 12, 2019October 5, 2020

Five Tips to Prepare for Small Business Saturday

What is Small Business Saturday?

Started as a way to bring attention (and shoppers!) to the thousands of small businesses across America during the holiday shopping season, Small Business Saturday is celebrated each year on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. This year, on November 30, 2019 (Small Business Saturday’s 10^thanniversary!), small businesses everywhere will open their doors to shoppers looking for those extra special gifts this holiday season!

How Can I Prepare for Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday is a wonderful opportunity to welcome new shoppers, inspire customer loyalty, and increase holiday sales! These are some of our favorite ways to create a winning Small Business Saturday strategy.

Host or Participate in a Small Business Saturday Event

Many local neighborhoods and small business organizations come together to plan creative Small Business Saturday events that add an extra bit of fun to this festive holiday shopping weekend. For example, Visit Jacksonville, the official travel website for this beach side city, offers a #SmallBizSat passport where shoppers earn stamps by visiting local small businesses that can be entered into a drawing for exciting holiday giveaways.

Include holiday treats for everyone! Offer hot chocolate and cookies to weary shoppers, and delight the little ones with surprise visits and photo opportunities – straight from the North Pole – from Santa Claus himself! Keep the festivities bustling by piping holiday music throughout the store or by featuring live performances by local Christmas carolers throughout the day or evening.

Advertise! Advertise! Advertise!

Advertising has never been easier – or more economical – with opportunities like the many social media platforms available to reach potential customers. Create festive posts and tweets to keep your followers informed about exclusive Small Business Saturday deals and events and how they can take part.

Like, love, and share other Small Business Saturday social media posts to spread the word to others. Be sure to include the holiday hash tags #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBizSat, and #ShopSmall to connect with others in the small business community and beyond!

Emphasize Personal Interactions and Build Relationships

Small businesses have the valuable opportunity to offer personalized interaction with their customers, unlike large retail stores where finding employees is often challenging or via chatbot conversations when shopping online. Personal conversation is at the heart (and the start!) of creating meaningful, lasting relationships.

Welcome conversation by wearing an eye-catching name badge and greeting each guest that comes into your store. Rather than the usual ‘May I help you?’ offer a heartfelt ‘Season’s greetings!’ or ‘Welcome in!’ to start a festive conversation. Sincere, professional interaction with customers often leads to increased holiday sales and returning customers throughout the year.

Offer Valuable Sales and Deals

Valuable offers don’t have to mean deep discounts like the big box stores use to lure customers on Black Friday. Small businesses typically don’t have the sales volume to support such substantial markdowns, even for a short time. Small business patrons generally shop to support their local communities rather than dashing in just for that sought-after door buster.

Begin by aligning your holiday promotions with your store’s sales goals. Restaurateurs may consider offering special Small Business Saturday menus, including discounts on holiday-inspired meals. Retail shops could offer small denomination gift cards with purchases of a specific dollar amount that will inspire customers to return throughout the shopping season.

Show Your Appreciation

There are multitudes of ways to show your appreciation while building customer loyalty. Begin by offering a heartfelt thank you to every shopper who visits your store and send handwritten thank you notes to those customers who purchase from you all year.

Make shopping easier by extending your hours during the bustling holiday season, on the weekends or all week long. Set up a festive gift wrapping station and offer free gift wrapping for all in-store purchases. For an added bit of seasonal marketing, use gift wrap or seals printed with your shop’s name and logo, sure to signal to the gift recipient that something special is in store!

Show your support for local charities. In addition to promoting these charities from within your small business, make a donation in your customers’ honor as a special thank you for shopping with you.

September 26, 2019November 2, 2021

Tips for Hiring Seasonal Employees

Name Tag Reminders for Hiring Temporary Help

With the holiday season approaching, your business needs to prepare for the increased influx of customers and clients. Depending on the industry your business belongs to, you can expect the holiday period to bring in up to 30% of your annual sales according to the National Retail Federation. Hiring seasonal employees alleviates the stress on you and your permanent staff. There are certain considerations to bear in mind when preparing for your business’s busiest time of year.

1. Start Early

The hiring process takes time, and just because your seasonal employees aren’t intended to be long-term doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow adequate interview and selection procedures. According to the NRF, about 40% of consumers start shopping for the holidays before Halloween. Therefore, hiring your seasonal employees as soon as possible will ensure these customers are getting the best service.

Even though you’ll be hiring for a short time, you’ll want to ensure your temporary employees still fit what you’re looking for. You should still carefully identify temporary staff that will perform according to your business’s standards and adhere to your established company values.

2. Plan Based on Previous Years

Look back at previous peak seasons and analyze your numbers. How much business did your company do during these times? How does that compare with the rest of the year on average? Answering a few logistical questions will help you establish a plan for the upcoming season and inform you on how much more help you will need in the coming months. Knowing how to prepare financially for your peak season further helps in advertising for temporary positions.

3. Post Open Positions

Advertise that you are looking for seasonal employees. This could be through paper ads, online listings, or placing signs on your property. You should find appropriate places to post your help wanted ads and inform potential employees the dates that you are looking to hire for. Staying honest and open about your temporary hire policies throughout the hiring process establishes confidence in your seasonal employees.

Finding seasonal help can prove more difficult in practice than expected. If your business exists within a competitive market, then chances are other businesses within your market will also be looking for seasonal employees. You’ll want to provide more value to potential hires to stay above your competition. This value includes employee discounts, higher compensation, employee recognition programs, or other benefits. Your business needs to be more appealing in order for you to draw a hiring pool away from your competitors.

4. Train Your Seasonal Staff

Going back to planning according to your company’s history; you’ll want to be able to invest in training for your new hires. Despite filling a temporary position, your seasonal employees need to be adequately trained in your business’s policies and procedures. Improperly trained seasonal staff will only harm your business. While this applies to your permanent staff, it is safe to say that proper training for all your staff, permanent or temporary, positively impacts your business.

Additionally, your business relies on adequate service, especially so during your peak season. If your new hires can’t fulfill customer needs appropriately, then that could cost your company even more than if they had been properly trained to begin with. Improper service can result in lost sales or even deter customers from returning to your business in the future.

5. Integrate into Your Team

Your seasonal staff should feel part of your team despite their temporary status. Much of this can be instilled with proper training and through education of your company’s core values. These steps are important to follow because employees who feel like they belong will perform better overall. Ensuring your seasonal employees feel included will also boost the morale of the entire team. When everyone feels comfortable working hard together, you are guaranteed to get positive results.

6. Don’t Lose Contact

When the season is over and your temporary staff are no longer needed, keep a record of individuals to contact in the future. Whether you would like to see if they’ll fill vacant positions that open up or for the next year’s busy season, maintaining a pool of temporary hires can simplify your next peak season. Building and keeping a hire pool is a general best practice for your business, and a seasonal staff section is a useful addition to that.

Name Tags For Seasonal Employees

Customized name tags can be a great way to develop a cohesive work environment during the holidays. Not only do these personalized name tags instill a sense of belonging for employees, but they also encourage more customers to interact with your staff. If you are struggling to find quick and easy name tags for your temporary workers, we are here to help. Our collection of seasonal hire name tags are affordable and reusable so you can keep them for the next busy season.

Another great option is our dry erase name tags or our chalkboard name tags. These are perfect for helping seasonal hires feel appreciated even if they are only working for a short period of time. Instead of having to wait weeks for name engraving, these can be personalized for your amazing employees in seconds.

Investing in customized name tags can be beneficial for your entire company, especially your new seasonal hires. Getting them their own name tags can let them fit in much faster while increasing interpersonal communication. With the help of our economical name tags, your team can be on their way to success.

Name Tag Wizard is your one-stop-shop for all of your permanent and seasonal employee identification needs. Whether you need custom name badges or reusable name tags, we make it easy to customize the workplace identification you need for your business or organization.

References:

National Retail Federation^®

June 24, 2019June 22, 2020

Do’s and Don’ts of Conducting Job Interviews

When it comes to finding – and hiring – that perfect job candidate, the competition can be fierce. Since a significant part of the hiring decision comes from the face-to-face interview, doing a bit of homework and preparation beforehand is sure to help you, and your company, make your best first impression.

What is the Interviewer’s Role?

As one of the first people an interviewee will come into contact with when applying for a job with your company, you will most likely be representing and making the first impression for your company to your job candidate. This is a wonderful opportunity to create goodwill with your applicant, whether he or she is hired or not.

Make your interviewee as comfortable as possible, depending on your company’s culture. If your organization is formal and wears business attire, then pass that information along. If, on the other hand, your atmosphere is very relaxed and even you, as the interviewer, will be wearing jeans or other casual clothing, let your interviewee know so that he or she will fit in with your company culture and feel comfortable from the start. No matter the attire, always present yourself in a polished manner, including wearing a professional name tag. Your candidate will likely be nervous enough. Being able to glance at your name tag, or even a desk plate, and address you by name will take the pressure off trying to remember it throughout the interview and create a more relaxed, friendly environment.

Create a Relaxed and Welcoming Interview Setting

Conducting the interview at your place of business is a wise choice. When an interviewee comes to (and takes part in a tour of) your office, this provides the best opportunity to see how he or she reacts to your daily work environment. While it may seem like a more relaxing idea to have the interview at the local coffee shop or somewhere over lunch, these places tend to be full of noise and distractions that will hinder both you and your applicant from having the most productive conversation and from learning about one another.

Begin your interview with somewhat casual, yet specific questions. Opening the conversation with an open-ended statement like “Tell me about yourself” probably will not put your interviewee at ease. Rather, ask “Given what you know about our company, what personal qualities of yours would make you a good fit?”

What are Illegal Interview Questions?

As an interviewer, it is unlawful to ask any of the following questions –

Have you ever been arrested?
What is your religion? Where and/or when do you worship? Do you celebrate religious holidays?
Are you a citizen of the US? It seems that you have an accent, where are you from?
When were you born? What year did you graduate from high school or college? How old are you?
Do you have a disability that has the ability to affect your job performance? (This includes specific questions pertaining to former number of sick days, workers’ compensation claims, mental health diagnoses, or other pre-existing health conditions, including that of family history)
Do you use drugs, alcohol, or smoke?
Do you belong to a union or do you have an interest in joining one?
Are you willing to take a polygraph test? (You cannot be denied employment, disciplined, or fired for refusing to take a polygraph test)
Are you pregnant or do you plan to become pregnant, foster, or adopt a child?
What does your husband or wife do? Or do you have a spouse or significant other?

Note – When considering an applicant for a position, if your organization’s primary purpose is religious-based, you are legally permitted to favor hiring individuals who practice that same religion.

What are Legal Interview Questions?

Have you ever been convicted of a felony or crime other than a traffic violation?
Do your religious practices prohibit you from working on weekends (ask only if weekend work is required of the position)
Are you legally authorized to work in the US?
Do you speak any other languages (ask only if relevant to the position)
Are you able to put in the long hours and significant amount of travel this job requires?
Are you willing and able to relocate, if the opportunity arises?

What is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification as Related to a Job or a Career?

A Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) is a specific qualification that will allow a potential employer to make an employment decision based on protected classes of citizens ONLY if it is determined to be necessary to operate a specific business successfully. For example, commercial airline pilots MUST retire at age 65 since studies have shown that older pilots’ production declines and, therefore, becomes a greater public risk.

Key Points to Keep in Mind During the Interview and Beyond

Keep in mind the position you are interviewing to fill. While skills and education certainly are important, many job specifics can be learned through on the job training, apprenticeships, and job shadowing. Things that are more difficult to teach are fitting in with the culture, departmental employees, and generally with the company as a whole.

Refrain from asking hypothetical questions. Most often for an interviewee who may not have an immediate answer, this is cause for a moment of panic and he or she may make up an answer. Rather, ask specific questions that relate to real situations that he or she has most likely encountered in the workplace, for example, “Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict between two employees and how that worked out.”

For more information about federal laws regarding prohibited or illegal employment policies and practices, please visit the US Equal Employment Opportunities Commission.

June 11, 2019June 24, 2020

Effective Onboarding Techniques and Strategies for Your Workplace

Why Onboarding Matters

Attracting the best and brightest job applicants and turning them into longstanding employees is a lofty goal that virtually every successful organization aims to achieve. From that first initial contact with applicants through the onboarding process and beyond, you are beginning to build professional relationships designed to last for years to come. As the first official steps toward becoming valued members of your company, the onboarding experiences that you provide are likely to be some of new employees’ most memorable company impressions.

Ensuring Onboarding Success

Effective employee onboarding can mean the difference between a successful start and a challenging transition to a new job. From orientation and training to becoming socially acclimated to your company’s culture, your new hire onboarding process matters.

Begin Onboarding Before You Hire

Bringing your new employees successfully on board begins with the first time you contact your applicants. Whether via phone call, email, or social media, exposure to your organization starts with the recruitment process. Be sure that all avenues of communication accurately represent your company and its culture and values. When recruiting methods don’t line up with your organization’s culture, new hires can experience culture shock, leading to a disappointing first impression and perhaps even an unexpected resignation.

Create a Welcoming Work Area

Once the paperwork is complete and your new hires are ready to get to work, show them you’re happy they’re here by creating a welcoming work space that includes all of the necessities they’ll need to get off to a terrific start. From pens, paperclips and notepads to custom welcome boxes, new hire name tags and desk plates that are personalized and practical, your newest team members will be ready to go!

Build an Onboarding Network

During the onboarding process, human resources is there to guide employees through the new hire process. Once they’re ready to begin work, assigning each new employee a peer mentor who has the experience and enthusiasm to provide support during the first few weeks or months of employment will go a long way in creating strong professional and working relationships. Scheduling some time for meet-and-greets and lunches with other employees and company leaders can also be a terrific way for new hires to get to know a variety of people throughout the company in a more relaxed social setting.

Make Short Term Goals

Setting short term goals for your new employees that are well defined, measurable, achievable, and relevant to their specific responsibilities will help them to develop confidence in their new positions, become familiar with your organization’s workflow processes, and learn the appropriate people to go to when questions or challenges arise. Consider setting short term goals for 30, 60, and 90 day time frames.

Develop Long Term Goals

As short term goals are met, begin to create longer term goals that will encourage learning and professional growth over time. These goals will give new employees something specific to strive for, keeping them interested, engaged, and productive.

Investing in your newest employees from the start of the onboarding process is one of the best ways to ensure that they are off to a wonderful start and a successful transition to becoming contributing members of your team. Whether your onboarding program is three weeks, three months, or longer, when employees are offered the tools, training, and information tailored to their specific jobs, they’re sure to be off to their best start!

June 5, 2019October 21, 2020

Building Professional Relationships with Name Tags and Badges

Your name is more than the grouping of letters that have adorned your birth certificate since the day you were born. Your name is a part of your identity that becomes an element of who you are like nothing else will. Names are shared everywhere, especially via name tags in the workplace. As commonplace as they seem, are name badges really worth all the fuss? Absolutely!

Think of everyone that represents your company, small business, or any other defined group as ambassadors of your brand. Hired for their knowledge and abilities to help your organization succeed, well-designed name tags will help these employees, volunteers, and others make their best first impression and inspire meaningful conversation between staff and guests.

Name Tags Build Brand Identity

Creating a memorable company identity is at the core of every successful business. Branding and company recognition often begins with that first face-to-face introduction where names become a key component of this introductory conversation. Name tags and badges that include your company’s logo that include your company’s logo will immediately link your employee’s name and face with your business, reinforcing your brand and identity. Be sure your team’s name tags are free of scratches, faded text, or other imperfections so their professional best is proudly on display!

Name Tags Encourage Personal Interaction

Once you’re introduced to someone by name, you’re both more likely to feel an immediate level of comfort and approachability. And whether your business has a few employees, hundreds, or even thousands, personal interaction goes a long way toward making everyone feel that ‘We’re all on the same team!’ and are working together toward a common goal. For volunteers and other guests, visitor name badges are a wonderful way to make them feel welcome and a part of the interaction.

Name Tags Inspire Personal Expression and Confidence

If your business is one that allows a bit of freedom with personal name tags, they can be a terrific way to learn a fun fact or two about the person wearing the badge while increasing a bit of self-confidence along the way. Perhaps a name tag could display a museum guide’s favorite exhibit. An airline employee’s badge may include the location of that once-in-a-lifetime trip. Or a name tag could include a restaurant employee’s favorite food. The creative possibilities are endless!

Name Tags Display Status, Promotions, and Growth

Name tags offer a terrific way for new employees to quickly recognize others and their respective roles within the workplace. In addition to learning who fulfills which job, specialized name badges are wonderful ways to highlight those well-deserved promotions and other avenues of growth within an organization.

Name Tags Provide an Added Level of Security

When everyone is required to wear name badges, including employees, volunteers, and guests, it is easy to identify others at a glance to be sure they have permission to be where they are – and especially easy to spot someone not wearing a badge who should not be in a specified area.

Whether yours is a corner bakery, the neighborhood’s favorite pizza parlor, or a multinational company, name tags are ideal for associating your respected employees with your valued guests and potential customers.

May 16, 2019June 24, 2020

Remember Name Tags for Your Next Open House

Open House Basic Tips

Summer is upon us, and with the warmer months approaching, many people will be looking to purchase a new home or move apartments. An estimated 80% of moves happen between April and September¹ and home buying season usually starts in March and goes through summer.² As such, hosting an open house during the following months could benefit your real estate agency in securing your next sale.

What is an Open House?

An open house is an event orchestrated by real estate agencies, rental properties, and home owners to open a property to the public to view and show potential interest in purchasing or renting. It allows real estate agents or property staff to meet and interact with prospective clients and potentially secure a sale or rental agreement.

Do Open Houses Work?

There is some contention on whether open houses help sell houses or seal a new rental. Many agents find that open houses rarely end with buyers purchasing the property while others meet with frequent success. However, the main benefit of an open house is building a repertoire with prospective clients. Nurturing a trusting relationship between agent and buyer is important, and ensuring that your clients remember your name or the name of your agency with a custom real estate name tag will mean a greater chance of buyers coming to you when they become interested in purchasing a new home.

Open House Checklist

To run a successful open house, you will need to prepare ahead of time. A lot can go into these preparations, so here are six basic items to remember.

1. Advertise

No one will attend your open house if they don’t know you’re hosting one to begin with. Spreading the word is a vital early step in preparing your event. Share the event on your company’s website and social media pages or distribute outdoor signs to catch the attention of motorists and other by passers to inform them of your property’s location and the date of your open house.

2. Cleanliness

Ensure the property is clean. Showing a filthy house or apartment unit will turn people away and leave a poor impression on the capabilities and trustworthiness of you and your company. Sweep and mop any non-carpeted areas, vacuum carpets and rugs, dust and wipe off counter tops, and clean windows and mirrors to show your clients the best version of the property.

3. Staging

Staging refers to the process of strategically placing furniture and decor to demonstrate the potential of a living space. It gives clients an idea of how they could arrange their own furniture, what they like or dislike about the current set-up, and how they can emulate or improve upon it. Showing those attending your open house the property’s potential with proper staging helps them imagine themselves living in the space which could mean the difference in a new or lost sale.

4. Refreshments

As previously stated, open houses are primarily for building a relationship with prospective clients, and providing refreshments is a perfect way to do that. Coffee, juice, meat and cheese trays, fresh fruit, and cookies are all wonderful ideas. Bonus points if the cookies are homemade. This provides you an opportunity to connect with and get to know individuals or groups over a snack while they mull over the property and allows them to ask any questions they may have. Getting clients to trust you will mean there is a greater chance of them turning to you should they decide to submit an offer for the property or utilizing you for further house hunting opportunities.

5. Sign-In

Keeping track of guests allows you to follow up with them later if they show interest in the property. Setting up a check-in area near the entrance of the house or rental unit is a quick and easy method of logging visitors. Provide a sign-in book, laptop, or tablet and perhaps a stack of reusable chalkboard name tags near the front door for guests to write their names on so you can easily learn their names.

6. Staying Memorable

Since the general purpose of an open house is to stay memorable to potential and future home buyers, wearing an eye-catching name tag from Name Tag Wizard works well in tandem while you host your event. Customized with your name and agency’s logo, a house-shaped name tag is perfect for getting guests to remember you. Be sure to include your name and title as well as your agency’s name and logo so anyone you meet at your open house can easily remember you and your company.

Prepare for your next open house with these tips and a custom real estate name tag from Name Tag Wizard!

References:

March 26, 2019April 20, 2021

International Receptionist Day is May 12th

Say Thank You with Custom Gifts

Get ready to show your appreciation. May 12th, 2021, is International Receptionist Day! Each year on the second Wednesday in May, we celebrate those who make our work possible. There are over 1,105,300 receptionists in the U.S. alone and growing!¹ Their roles vary from greeting clients to distributing correspondence and keeping updated records. Whether they prefer to be called receptionist, front end manager, or customer service assistant, don’t forget to tell him or her “thank you” this year in May.

Reasons We Appreciate Our Receptionists

1. They ensure a wonderful experience for clients and customers.

Receptionists are often the first interaction the customer has with your company. Their warm smile and positive attitude paired with a professional name tag make them stand out with each customer they meet.

custom name tags — image credit: @lynnstheory

2. Receptionists enhance professionalism in the workplace.

Whether it’s making sure the company looks polished, displaying exquisite etiquette or maintaining their poise, receptionists lead by example.

3. They keep the business running efficiently.

Organization can make or break your ability to succeed in the workplace. Receptionists are experts on your company and will ensure clients and customers find what they need. Give your front-end staff supplies they need. Professional desk plates make it easy to identify employees and enhance the communication in your company!

4. They enthusiastically support clients and employees.

They know how to answer every question your clients have. They provide information to keep customers happy and returning. When an employee needs assistance, your receptionists offers it with a smile. Supplying your hardworking receptionists with custom name tags helps build strong customer relations that keep them coming back!

5. We would be lost without our receptionists!

Receptionists have an impressive ability to adapt! When the internet or phone lines are down, orders aren’t being shipped on time or any other common workplace issue arises, your receptionist helps maintain a positive interaction with your customers until things are resolved. Receptionists represent the companies they work for, not just with a smile and warm welcome, but by keeping the workplace in order.

Show your receptionist you care

A verbal “thank you” goes a long way, but on a special occasion like National Receptionist Day, you’ll want to offer more. Without the support of your front office staff, you might not be where you are today. Even though we are appreciative of our receptionists every day, we might not show it. So, on National Receptionist Day, surprise him or her with a custom wall plate or full color desk block. Custom name plates offer a commemorative way to set your receptionist’s name apart, and they help customers feel at ease as soon as they enter your place of business.

To learn more about International Receptionist Day, you can visit internationalreceptionistday.com. Don’t forget to celebrate this day by posting photos using #InternationalReceptionistDay. Share photos of your receptionist with their new gifts and tag us at @NameTagWizard. Be sure to follow us for more info and inspiration!

Reference:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm

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