Your conference needs badges, that much is certain. And you already have a design. But how do attendees get their hands on them? We have listed 4 ways to print badges for you here. These are divided into two methods for personal greetings and two for digital check-in.
Printing & personally handing out badges
Do you value greeting every attendee personally? Then one of these two options is right for you.
1. Printing badges in advance
With this method, you handle the bulk of the work before your event. A template is stored in Converia, allowing you to generate a PDF with all attendees at the click of a button. In the file, the badges are pre-sorted and ready to be handed out immediately. The name tags are designed in a butterfly format. You simply peel them off the paper and fold them together.
However, some attendees may want to register upon arrival. Therefore, you will need additional planning, such as a printer or blank, pre-produced badges that can be filled out by hand.
❗This option requires the most effort in advance. On-site, there is much less to do—especially if you keep a few blank badges on hand.
2. Sending badges by mail or email
If you want to offer your attendees additional functionality beyond just entry, this is the right option. You can send the badges via email or post. A name tag received in advance can, for example, serve as a public transport ticket.
On-site, attendees then receive a clip or lanyard to wear the badge. Of course, organizing this is a massive undertaking, and you cannot afford to be careless. In case attendees forget their badges at home or register on-site, you will need a printer to produce additional name tags.
💡Be sure to have a badge printer on-site. We know there are always people who leave their name tag at home or fail to bring it in printed form.
Digital check-in
Perhaps you value efficiency over a personal welcome. In that case, one of these two options should suit you.
3. Printing only names on badges on-site
An effective way to distribute your badges: pre-produce templates. The template—your layout—already contains the design, logo, and conference name. During check-in, they are simply printed with the person's name. For this, you use simple black-and-white thermal printers. These small devices are worth the investment and get the job done quickly. However, they are not perfect and can occasionally fail. Therefore, backup devices are a must. Additionally, you should always over-produce templates so you can accommodate people who register on-site.
🪶The thermal printers work very quickly, are highly reliable, and are also small and portable. A device weighs only about 2 kg.
4. Printing complete badges on-site
Finally, you can choose to handle the entire process on-site. Using a specialized high-performance printer, you can print eco-friendly name tags in just a few seconds. A special paper is used that allows the badges to be folded together securely without the need for glue or backing film. As soon as a person checks in on-site, the name tag printing starts automatically. This ensures that only exactly as many badges are produced as needed. However, this option is the most expensive, as such a printer is not cheap—neither to rent nor to buy. Also, keep in mind: you will need at least one backup device.
🤑The average price for a printer like this is in the four-figure range. Please note: Many service providers do not rent out these printers because the devices do not handle shipping well and require significant maintenance. If you only host one small conference per year, we advise against this option.
Badge options compared
Finally, here is a clear table comparing the different options. No single solution fits every conference, but there is a solution for every conference.
What's next?
- Need some inspiration for your badge design? Find out what should be included on a badge.
- Have you decided to print on-site? Get more details here.
- Interested in sustainability? Learn more about eco-friendly badges in this article.
- If you have any further questions about conference badges, contact Converia – we will find the right solution for you.
