ID Badge Printing Techniques

Great companies should always have great ID badges. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Too many employees, visitors and event visitors are burdened with uncomfortable, bland black-and-white ID badges that do little to inspire, much less motivate sales action. Lackluster printing, especially on home- or office-based machines, lends a cheap impression. Professional full-color ID badge printing, on the other hand, can be extraordinarily affordable and generate a working return on investment, because it lends an impression of skill, expertise and company stability. Here's how to print high-quality ID badges that look great, attract attention and get results without breaking the bank:

Order the right size

The size of your ID badge has more to do with your goals than anything else. Do you intend for your employees to wear your ID badge every day, or will it be used for a one-day event? Either way, your ID badge must be comfortable to the wearer yet conspicuous enough to be easily noticed and read by others at a distance. Both a 3.5-inch by 5.5-inch ID badge or 4-inch by 6-inch ID badge fit the bill nicely.

Choose the right paper

Durability is important for most ID badges, which is why you should choose a thick, 100-pound cover stock paper instead of lesser-quality, flimsy papers. This type of ID badge paper stock has an attractive professional sheen that makes colors pop. Add 7.0-mil laminate and your ID badges with be both tear- and water-resistant so your investment holds value over time.

Finish it right

Many finishing options are available to spruce up your ID badges to help them stand out in a crowd and get noticed and make an immediate and lasting impression that compels action. We've already mentioned lamination, which is included in your paper stock. Here are a few more print finishing techniques you can apply to your ID badges for enhanced user-friendliness and increased return on investment: Lanyard - A black lanyard makes it quick and easy for employees, visitors, event attendees and others to don your ID badge with pride and convenience. Grommets - Grommets help prevent tearing and are included with your ID badge order. Die cut - Have your ID badges die cut for a unique appearance that turns heads and sticks in people's minds. Be creative and choose a shape that encapsulates your image and/or promotional message and is not bulky or uncomfortable to wear. Foil stamp - Foil stamped ID badges glimmer with brilliance and are easily noticed from a distance. Also, foil stamping adds a touch of prestige and helps you tell the world that you are indeed the expert in your industry.

Get a hardcopy proof

You should always get a hardcopy proof for your ID badges to ensure that your colors match, your layout positioning is correct and that you haven't missed any typos. Hardcopy proofs are a small investment to make when you can head off potential problems before you run the entire print job. Consider hardcopy proofs as an insurance policy against costly mistakes and an extremely affordable one at that.

Order in volume

The more ID badges you print at one time, the less your price per ID badge becomes. This is because a significant portion of your cost is in press set-up, a one-time and static fee. If you're going to use 400 ID badges during the next six months, order all at once instead of in two or four batches to take advantage of big savings. Professional ID badge printing is a necessity for professional companies. With these printing techniques, your ID badge will look great and you'll save money, improving your return-on-investment potential exponentially.