BADGES OF HONOR

by Hank Trisler

Most meetings have name badges for the attendees, to allow them to enter dark rooms and hear the "secret stuff." Most of us hate to wear them, as they mark us as tourists to the locals and generally look tatty. Badges can serve several useful purposes, however, and will actually be enjoyed by your attendees, if properly deployed.

Badges must have a LARGE first name. This is what most of us look for. At a recent conference, the badge printing was so small that I couldn't make it out, even with my cheaters on. An old fellow staring at people's chests with reading glasses is an upsetting sight, particularly to members of the opposite sex. The person's company and hometown are also nice to have, but not at the expense of a HUGE first name.

Badges should be worn on the right side, so that they are thrust forward when one shakes hands with another. The natural tendency is to wear them on the left, but people will comply, once they've been told the valid reason.

Conferences often unite people from diverse regions or divisions of a company; people who seldom know one another. To stimulate interaction and camaraderie, try writing another person's name on the back of each badge, preferably from another region or division. Any person finding the person whose name is on the back of their badge gets a small prize. Something you were going to give them anyhow. Find the person whose name is on the back of your badge, get their business card and win a prize. How simple. In order to find that person, you might have to introduce yourself to a couple of dozen other people. Think of all the people you'll meet. Badges can be fun and informative, rather than a necessary evil. Your people will never again say, "I don't got to show you no steenking badges."

How do you feel about badges at your meetings?