What’s in a Name or What’s on your Name badge? by Paul Johnstone

Being a good networker is a full time thing. By that I mean you do some things every time you have the opportunity. One tip is to always carry a Name Badge with you. After all you would not knowingly go out on business without a business card would you? So why may I ask do so many of you go out without a networking name badge? You never know when it will be useful. 
 

There are some do’s and don’ts attached to Networking badges. The biggest Don’t is this. Do not use your business card as your name badge. Just pause for a moment and think this through. A business card is to convey information and in my experience you need to be pretty close to a business card to recognize it let alone read it. I have seen some people peer at a name badge trying to work out what it is.

A professional looking networking name badges are inexpensive, (often free) and is money well spent. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has turned up to a meeting where some (or all!) of the following apply;

• Wrong Company
• Spelling Errors
  
• Wrong Business Category
• Barely legible hand written stickers

I prefer real simplicity and the Networking Badge I carry has three lines. Line 1 My Name Line 2 What I do Line 3 a hook line My Badge looks like this Oh I am a Distributor for a Utilities organisation

• Paul Johnstone
• Utility Broker
• Saving you money

You can have them made quite inexpensively or if you have zero budget use one of the free badge holders you get at exhibitions. But only till you can schedule the expenditure to have one made. There are some organisations who provide badges, please don’t fall into the trap of wearing these at other organisations events, it’s just bad manners, and shows you up as inexperienced or worse someone who does not care about any other organisation. You don’t need any more than those simple easy to read clear pieces of information.

Do this and you will often be the only one with a professional looking badge in the room. It will make a difference, and you will be noticed. And what’s more it is likely to start a conversation, and that could just lead to some business. To keep up to date with Business development news, and for Networking & Sales advice, business tips and information then register for our free information - tips and tricks on Business, sales and Networking.

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Paul Johnstone
Remember Put the work into network.