You might assume that designing desk name plates isn’t such an important task when it comes to marketing your company or improving your brand reputation. But don’t forget that customers notice everything about you and your business, from the little things to the big ones.
And you want to stay on top of this impression by learning how to make custom name plates that match up with the rest of your marketing stance.
There’s a lot to know about how to do this well, so keep reading our guide below on how to design a name plate that’s branded effectively.
Pay Attention to the Font You Use
If there is a font that you use in your other marketing messages, then of course, you will want to use that for your custom name plates as well. But not every organization has such a detailed brand brief.
As with everything else, you will want to keep your font simple and easy to read. No need to choose a cursive font or something too out there, because it’s going to send a completely different message to the customer than what you wish to impart.
You will want to think about your brand image and choose the font that best fits that. There’s not a lot of space on a name plate, so you will want to pick a font that is compact as well.
Colors Should Match Up With Your Overall Brand
Most organizations will go with black font on a white name plate, because that’s usually the cheapest and easiest option to work with. But if you have a bigger budget or want to be more creative than that, then you could try bringing in some color to your engraved name plates.
It doesn’t have to be a rainbow of colors, but even a splash of color can distinguish your name plate from all the other businesses out there.
Add a Logo to Your Name Plate
Another easy item to add to your personalized name plates is your company logo. You probably spent hundreds of dollars figuring out what your company logo should be.
It’s the essence of your company’s brand. So putting it on your desk name plates can be an easy way to bring your company’s brand to everyone who encounters these name plates.
But Don’t Overdo It – Keep It as Simple as Possible
A name plate doesn’t have a big surface area, that is, you don’t have that much space to play with. It’s not a billboard where you can go crazy and throw everything on it.
You will want to contemplate exactly what you wish to add to your personalized name plates. Follow the KISS principle (keep it simple, silly) as much as possible. Otherwise, your name plate branding ideas could become tacky rather than brand appropriate.
A name, business title, a logo, and perhaps some background color should be all you need to make a dashing name plate that your employees would be proud to display on their desks.
You can even get your employees’ feedback on name plate branding ideas and what they would like to see on their customized name plates. They are the ones who are going to be using it every day, so they should have a bit of a say in what goes on the desk name plate designs.
Think About the Material You Want to Use
There are three different materials you can use for your engraved name plates.
The basic one is plastic because that’s the cheapest to manufacture and replace. Also, it lasts long enough.
Another material to consider is metal. The advantage of using metal name plates is that they look sleeker and more professional than plastic does. But they are also more expensive, so your budget will have to be considered.
Finally, here’s how to make custom name plates green. Use wood for your name plates. The good thing about wooden desk name plates is that they aren’t as common as plastic or metal, so they stand out more.
They will definitely draw the attention of customers and employees alike. But they are also a bigger expense that you will have to contend with.
Allow the Executive Team to Add Personal Touches
If you have a few people on your executive team who wish to add personal touches to their name plates, you could allow them to do so. This is beneficial because it allows your employees to have a little bit of say in what goes on their desks.
They are going to be looking at and using these custom name plates every single day, so it’s a good idea to give them something they would enjoy using and that speaks to them.
The benefits of name plates is that it unites your employees, just like a uniform would. No one wants to wear a uniform in the workplace, but a desk name plate would work in a similar fashion and it’s easier and cheaper to create and use.
Custom Name Plates – Now You Know How to Design Them
There are many desk name plate designs to choose from out there. You don’t need to feel restricted in any fashion.
Custom name plates aren’t very big, but they do allow you a lot of branding freedom. When you are ready to start designing your engraved name plates, we are here to help. We also do custom-printed signs, ID badges, name plates, and more.
So contact us to learn how to design a name plate and take advantage of the benefits of name plates in your organization.