Traditionally (in the old days!?), the reception staff hand out pre-printed badges to attendees right after the check-in step. In this article, I'll share my experience and explain why this method seems inefficient to me. It's worth noting that Digitevent lets you print badges both ahead of time and on-site; here we're simply trying to promote best practices and share tips with our readers that will benefit their events :).
Here are a few undesirable effects of printing badges before the event that we want to call out. Repeat after me:
“I will keep my guests' feelings intact”
It's common for an attendee to be invited or register after the name list has already been sent to the printer. Spelling mistakes can also slip into that list. In both cases, you'll be forced to hand out a backup badge on the day, probably handwritten. The attendee will resent this different treatment, which sets them apart and could be seen as “amateurish” by other guests.
“I will not make my attendees wait at the door of the event”
After check-in, searching for and handing out the badge inevitably delays the attendee's entry. Alphabetical searching is often tedious, especially when it means going through trays of badges with a large number of attendees. These badge trays clutter the reception desks visually and also need to be sorted before the event. Anyone who's done it knows how time-consuming it is, even with an intern helping! As the wait grows, it's not uncommon to see impatient attendees quietly criticize the organization, or even start looking for their own badges in the trays! Finally, sorting badges requires splitting the different check-in points alphabetically: when Mr. Bonnet and Mr. Bonnard show up, they'll both need the same hostess, while the hostess handling names from C to F sits idle! Without meaning to, you've just slowed down check-in.
“I will not waste my budget”
Printing badges ahead of time is often more expensive, since it usually means printing just before the event date because the attendee list keeps changing until the last moment. By printing personalized and generic badges well in advance, you avoid last-minute surprises and get much more competitive prices (printers can then produce them abroad, though lead times are slightly longer). It's also worth noting that most printers charge an extra fee for personalizing printed cards with names.
If your event allows it, have you considered reusing badges across your different events throughout the year? Digitevent's solution is to stick name labels, printed in real time, onto generic badges. That way, the label can be peeled off, letting the badge and its holder be reused. The hundreds of euros saved on badges can then make up for the slightly less personalized touch! On top of that, on-site printing means you avoid pre-printing badges for people who end up not showing up. They'll always be the ones in the wrong, but at least they won't waste any more badges!
I sincerely hope this case for on-site printing has convinced you that badges should be produced as attendees arrive. At Digitevent, we let you combine check-in with badge printing thanks to mini printers wirelessly connected to tablets. Feel free to contact us if you'd like to learn more about our solution or schedule a demo.
We're planning an upcoming article featuring the nicest badge designs to inspire your next events. And of course, feel free to share your thoughts and personal experiences with us!
