Nowadays, running a small business requires more than old-school marketing and promotional techniques. Aside from being active on social media and knowing the ins and outs of digital marketing, finding creative ways to gain exposure for your brand is ideal.

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One way to do this is by utilizing custom event badges as a marketing and branding tool. These promotional tools are relatively inexpensive and can ensure that your business stands out amongst new and existing customers as well as competing brands.

A key advantage of custom event badges is that they are the perfect marketing tool due to their quick production time and versatility. Whether you need them for a concert that is taking place two months from now, or a last-minute sales rally, you can have them produced in a short period of time to meet any deadline.

Not only will you be able to use them to motivate your staff and build pride in your company culture, but your clients will receive a good impression and will most likely keep their event badge as a souvenir or keepsake that will last in their memory for years to come.

In this article, we discuss a few benefits of custom event badges for your small business.

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No. 1

Gain Customer Loyalty

According to Bag Tags, Inc., custom event badges are typically utilized at events to identify staff, VIPs, and other relevant personnel. However, by tweaking these badges, you can also use them to gain customer loyalty and encourage clients to support your products or services.

Consider marketing these tools to your clients as loyalty rewards badges, and add a barcode or QR code to track your customers’ spending at your store. Instruct your clients to present their badges at the counter when making a payment. Each purchase will have an equivalent number of points, which they can use to buy more items once they have accumulated a certain number of points.

You can also create different badges to identify your customers. For instance, clients who have regularly purchased your products or availed of services for over three years may be given gold badges and are called VIP clients. Silver badges could be issued to those who have been your loyal customers for one year, and blue badges to relatively new customers. Gold badge holders may be entitled to greater privileges, such as additional discounts, first access to new products, and invites to special events.

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No. 2

Identify and Empower Your Staff

Having your staff wear custom badges at company events makes it easier for clients and prospective partners to identify the people who work with you. It is also a great way to enhance credibility and brand recognition, so take the time to create badges that reflect your company’s image. Ensure that your brand name and logo are prominently featured on the event badges, as well as your brand colors and unique mascots or characters if there are any. 

Meanwhile, your staff’s badges can double as privilege cards through networking and collaboration with other businesses. Partner with local cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, clothing and footwear stores in your area, and instruct your employees to present their badge whenever they buy from these businesses. If your partnerships result in certain privileges for your employees, such as discounts and freebies on their birthdays, you will empower your workers and get to do your part to boost your local economy. 

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No. 3

Attract New Customers

Give away specially designed custom event badges at large-scale events, conferences, or product launches to entice prospective customers to check out your business. For example, if you operate a food truck or stall, consider handing out promotional badges with a one-time discount code at music festivals.

If you have a cosmetics or skin care startup, give out badges at a beauty expo or a public place, like a mall. You can also exchange the badges for a small freebie once they visit your physical store.

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Takeaways

Custom event badges can be the perfect tool to grow your small business. With so many ways to incorporate them into your marketing initiatives, they are a simple yet effective marketing tool that can elevate your efforts and impress your customers. Consider utilizing custom event badges for your next event. They are sure to boost your branding success.

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The first time you bake something, you might be filled to the brim with that warm and fuzzy feeling. Is there anything better than cracking open the crust on a loaf of bread, watching the steam rise, and slathering it in butter? The smell of baking fills the house, and people flock to where the freshly baked delights are. What is better is that the more you bake, the better you get at it—which makes everyone happy. 

Surely, baking bread, cakes, pastries, and scones are not easy—they take skills and practice. This is why, if you are trying to learn to become a baker, it is vital for you to try making the same thing over and over again in order to perfect your skills. The only problem with that is, after a while, your taste testers might want some different flavors. One of the best places to start if you do not usually bake or you want a comfortable starting place is scones. Scones are incredibly forgiving and work beautifully with both savory and sweet flavors.

what are some of the best scone flavor combinations to try? 

01

Colorful + nutritious

It is often said that we eat with our eyes, and that is true. When the food looks good and smells great, you can not help but let your mouth water. Scones often look quite plain, but they do not have to be. Plus, if you have little ones that try to dodge vegetables, these can be the perfect way to add them in.

Use a standard scone recipe, but add 100g of oats, grated carrots, grated beetroot (raw), and some mixed seed to sprinkle on top. These scones go great with mature cheddar and chutney.

If sneaking extra veggies in is a must, you may also like Mini Sweet Potato & Banana Pankcakes.

02

sweet + Chocolaty

Combining baked goods with chocolate is one of the most delicious ways to add sweetness. One of the best things about scones dough is that the dough can be made the day before you need it. So, if you have people coming over, this is a great option.

For chocolate scones that you will absolutely love (and so will everyone else), make sure to drizzle some extra chocolate on the top. They go perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.

03

Zesty + citrusy

As spring rolls around, is there anything as tasty as a pop of lemon or oranges in drinks, salads, and cakes? Lemon drizzle cake has long been a big hit with people. It is sticky and sweet with a zesty zing at the end that lifts it up and keeps it light. 

Even plain scones work well with citrus; slathering on some marmalade and butter instead of jam and cream keeps them tart and tasty. 

The soft crumble of scones works so well with a crunchy and sticky drizzle. To make a quick and easy drizzle that will work on almost any bake, use three tablespoons of icing sugar, and the zest and juice of one lemon.

For an extra crunch, crush up a sugar cube, and sprinkle it over the scones after the drizzle is poured over. Crunchy lemon candies also work well.

03

Chin chin “cheers”

Pimm's O'clock is a big tradition in the UK—and even those who never usually have Pimm's might use the term. You can substitute the Pimms for something like Prosecco or Gin, but Pimm's has a fruity edge that makes it works so well with scones. 

You can add a measure of Pimm's into the batter, but it is better when added to a fruit mix. Strawberries, a peeled and cubed orange, and a sprig of mint make a refreshing topping.

Let the ingredients for the topping soak in a little Pimm's, and once your scones are cooked, cut them in half and dollop on the fruit mix and some cream.

An alternative is to skip the fruit mix and make a boozy drizzle. Use about three tablespoons of icing sugar, and add Gin, Pimm's, or any other alcohol that you like as the measure of liquid. 

03

Mediterranean

Olives, garlic, olive oil, and feta bring beautiful flavors to almost any dish. With this combination of ingredients, you can get the best Mediterranean taste. These are best served warm when all of the flavors of the herbs and olives are at their best. 

Use your easiest scone recipe and then crumble in some feta, sliced black olives, Mediterraneo seasoning, and finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Drizzle over some olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. 

No one says that you need to make sure your scones are all in separate pieces, either. Scones can make a really lovely change for a pizza bottom, too. Instead of separating the dough, form it into a pizza base shape, roll it out slightly, and top it with your favorite pizza toppings.