The events industry is no different. As our world of possibilities becomes less and less limited through the implementation of new technologies and social norms, planners, organizers, and other professionals in the industry are in a constant race for innovation and originality. This seemingly constant (friendly?) competition tends to cause us to lose sight of the resources we already have at our disposal, like Exhibit A: The Lanyard (aka: ol’ reliable, ye faithful, the go-to, an event must have).
You’ve done your due diligence in offering quite an event to remember — you sold all the food, offered all the beverages, filled all the water bottles, and created all the memories for all your attendees. But don’t think about taking ALL the credit. Chances are, you probably found a creative way to implement custom lanyards for your needs. From their important role in showcasing your guests’ event laminates, to becoming a memento once your event is long over, there are tons of ways to creatively utilize printed lanyards for your brand and event.
Custom lanyards aren’t just a mundane way to display ID badges; they are a blank canvas ready to be transformed into a reflection of your brand or event. From corporate events and tradeshows to festivals, lanyards are the perfect promotional tool for your brand. They are highly versatile, offering a plethora of options to fit your needs during and after your event. As if that’s not enough, when worn, they create a subtle yet effective way to make statement while serving a purpose.
Who says lanyards are just for IDs? Once your event’s over, your guests have the option to say goodbye to fumbling through their bags in search of their keys thanks to your custom-made lanyard. Whether you opt for a printed dye-sub lanyard or a soft woven lanyard, your guests will never have to resort to the classic "lost keys" panic dance ever again. And trust us… they’ll remember that when it comes time to grab tickets for your next event.
Adding perforated badges or an ID holder to your lanyards for whatever event you’re holding will help keep lines short and patience steadfast. Not only will your attendees have the benefit of keeping all their important cards within reach at all times during your event, but they’ll also have the opportunity to add a touch of convenience to their daily routine after the fact. Gone will the frantic bag or pocket searches be — Passes and IDs will always be right where they’re needed, hung securely around a neck.
For the guests who value both style and practicality, retractable lanyards are a game-changer. Say goodbye to the hassle of wringing necks for a simple swipe of an ID or access card. With a retractable lanyard, your attendees can effortlessly extend and retract their badge with a simple pull, making gate entry or cashless payments a breeze.
Custom made lanyards are not just for individuals; they can also foster a sense of camaraderie among team members and groups. Events are wonderful in the way that they create such a strong sense of unity among the masses. Lanyards help further illustrate that point to your fans, ensuring long-lasting memories and a strong likelihood of returning fans.
It’s clear that the humble lanyard is so much more just an ID holder. They are versatile accessories that can add a touch of functionality, organization and your brand or event’s personality to your attendees’ experience. Whether you opt for a custom printed lanyard, a keychain lanyard, a lanyard with an ID holder, or a retractable lanyard, there's a style out there to suit every taste and need. So, the next time you consider jumping into a race for the next best activation or original “thing” for your event, remember that lanyards are actually quite the ultimate shoo-in to a world of creative possibilities in the wild events industry.
]]>You plop another shirt on top of pile #3. “Is this truly all we have to offer? Is this measly merch really going to keep the people excited about our events?”
“Tim —” Corey composes himself. He doesn’t have time to deal with this. “We’ll talk about this later. Shirts are easy. They never fail. Why fix what ain’t broke?”
That night, Tim lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. How was he going to incentivize the masses? How was he going to make sure they kept coming back for more? T-shirts weren’t going to cut it. Like a scene straight out of The Queen’s Gambit, custom lanyards, holographic posters, and metal badges with etching and cut-outs floated above him. To his left, a luggage patch tag glimmered with its metallic threaded border. On his right, a commemorative acrylic ticket gleamed with bright colors.
He drifted off to sleep and the next morning, went to work with a new plan.
]]>
The tour dates are booked, one of your songs is starting to go viral on social media, and the fan anticipation is palpable. This tour is crucial for the band's success and growth. Come along and take a high-level overview of what a tour manager does behind the scenes to prepare for a concert tour.
]]>The tour dates are booked, one of your songs is starting to go viral on social media, and the fan anticipation is palpable.
This tour is crucial for the band's success and growth.
But wait-a-minute.
What do you need to do to prepare for the tour?
Do we need to hire a tour manager?
Come along and take a high-level overview of what a tour manager does behind the scenes to prepare for a concert tour.
Creating a Tour Budget
Long before the lights go down and the deafening roar of the audience echoes throughout the venue, someone, somewhere, is creating a tour budget.
This is frequently a collaboration between the artist manager, business manager, and tour management.
This financial road map will help guide the rest of your decisions when preparing for a tour.
This includes earmarking funds for transportation that get you from gig to gig, the touring crew you can afford to hire, and the types of accommodation you will stay at.
Hiring Transportation
One of the most essential parts of preparing for a tour is securing transportation well in advance.
Depending on the routing and budget of the tour, you might be traveling by van, bus, or plane if heading to a one-off music festival.
If you require a tour bus, start the search early.
Transportation vendors sell out earlier and earlier every year.
Give yourself at least 6 months lead time to secure a coach from a reputable vendor.
Hiring Tour Crew
For a developing artist, deciding what crew to add to your tour is a crucial step in elevating your live show.
Bringing out a qualified audio engineer is usually the first crew role added to any tour.
If the audience can’t hear your performance, that does not bode well for making fans who will want to see you again.
After that, a lighting designer will typically hop on board to help add an extra visual dimension to your live performance.
Hire Production Vendors
Using house audio and lighting is fine when you’re just starting out, but bringing out your own production makes sense after a certain point.
Navigating different house systems daily can lead to unforeseen technical issues that can impact the flow of the show day.
Adding sound and lights to a tour is a great way to increase day-to-day consistency and the quality of the production you’re putting on.
However, keep in mind that adding production adds to the overall expenses of a tour.
It’s all about finding the balance.
Booking Hotels & Travel
Now that the logistics of your tour are beginning to take shape, you will need a place to rest your weary, road-worn head.
You'll book hotels every night if you’re touring in a van.
If you’re traveling in a bus, you’ll likely be booking rooms for the bus driver and hotel rooms for the traveling party on days off.
For tours that involve air travel, it’s a good idea to employ a qualified entertainment travel agent to assist with the nuances of booking flights.
Start early on your hotel booking to avoid unforeseen conferences in town that might eat up all available hotel inventory.
Creating the Artist Rider
Now that things are coming together, you will want to build out the artist rider.
The artist rider consists of both technical and non-technical elements.
On the technical side, this will include everything that goes into making a show day happen.
This could include audio, lighting, stage requirements, etc.
On the non-technical side, this includes the hospitality rider and all dressing room requirements.
This comprehensive document should cover all needs for a successful show day.
Ordering Tour Credentials
Another crucial part of preparing for a tour is designing and ordering tour credentials.
Credentials, or tour laminates, are the lanyards you often see people wearing around their necks or dangling from their waistbands.
They are more than just collectible ornaments, as they play a vital role in helping to secure the backstage.
Before the venue doors open to the public, a security meeting occurs between the tour and the house.
During the security meeting, a pass sheet is given to the venue to showcase the tour credentials being used that day.
Tour credentials come in all different shapes, sizes, and finishes.
Advance Shows
Once all of your documents are compiled, you can begin to advance the show with the venues.
Advancing is the process of going through a checklist and ensuring the tour and the local venue are on the same page regarding requirements for a successful show day.
This could include parking information, confirming production, hospitality, security, etc.
Advances are typically conducted via phone, e-mail, or other touring management software.
Schedule and Communication
Once you start getting replies from your advances, it will be essential to compile the information and present it in a way that’s easy for your team to access.
There are layers upon layers of logistics to coordinate and communicate, so developing systems that work for you and your team is a priority.
Properly sharing information with your team and helping them learn where to access information is integral to running a successful tour.
The Tour Begins!
Now comes the part we’ve all been waiting for going on tour.
Seeing your hard work and preparation start to pay off is immensely gratifying.
Parking is available, stagehands are there when they are supposed to be, and catering is ready on time.
The hard work is worth it when you see the audience's faces light up and start singing along to their favorite song.
Conclusion
For bands doing everything by themselves, adding a tour manager to their operation is a great way to help streamline road life and ensure nothing slips between the cracks.
Preparing for a concert tour is a ton of work, and if done correctly, it can lead to an excellent experience for the fans, the venue, and the performers on stage.
It’s a challenging job that requires attention to detail, thinking on your feet, and exceptional organizational skills.
A tour manager’s role, often behind the scenes, is instrumental in creating a seamless tour experience.
By entrusting a proficient tour manager with these responsibilities, bands can focus solely on delivering their best performance night after night.
]]>It’s 1999 and Brittany Spears is in the back of a pick-up truck, donning sketchers and smiling like she won’t have a mental breakdown in 8 years. You pin the last corner down on your new poster and run to show your parents the newest addition to your bedroom wall. Entering your room, your dad steps on one of the butterfly clips buried in your ~retro~ shag carpet and winces in pain. Life is good.
]]>Nostalgia is a powerful thing. It taps into long buried roots of comfort and interest, engaging one or more of the five senses to trigger emotions and memories. Whether you spent your evenings staring at Brittany, Dylan, Cindy Crawford or David Bowie, it may be safe to say that we all have a poster in mind when we think of the rooms we grew up in.
A quick glance at posters throughout history will portray their role in various art movements, as well as in advertising and design. Established as fine art in the late 1800’s, the initial poster craze contributed to the birth of the intricate and organic art movement known as Art Nouveau, with the contrasting geometric and symmetric style of Art Deco on its heels. A modern, flat-colored “Poster Style,” originated in 1905 by Lucian Bernhard and Ludwig Hohlwein adds to this congo line of art, offering a platform for a variety of styles produced by different nationalities.
As various countries embraced posters in their own unique art forms, they were soon adapted to serve as nation-specific styled propaganda and morale boosters, particularly during World War I and World War II.
Prominent throughout history and our own personal memories, posters have grown to be infinite staples of influence, information, and entertainment — making them a fairly necessary component for small and large businesses.
With fast & effective poster solutions for your business’s urgent needs, we’re excited to help you captivate your audience with high quality printed posters and an array of options to go with them. Boost your marketing strategy and reel in your audience with isolated holographic elements. Sell your employees on the new break room rules with rich and vibrant large format graphics. Create glowing memories with blacklight printed artwork perfect for merch.
Though posters have been around the block and back, we’ve only just dabbled in the true art of printing them. Until now.
The sky’s the limit and we’re just getting started.
]]>So, you’re a small business that’s not so small anymore. Your employees are having to share offices in supply closets or inventory rooms. The wait for the single bathroom becomes long enough that your staff may as well clock out for the day. And to top it all off, there’s now a ruthless parking lot feud between you and your next-door neighbors.
Looks like it’s time to move.
Upending the entire business is a difficult one to wrap one’s head around. Where do you start? And will you ever finally end up in the new digs once and for all? Or has the decision to move trapped you in an endless limbo with no hope in sight?
We’ve been there and done that THREE TIMES in the past four years (we’ve got quite the story… big thanks to 2020), and in the spirit of encouragement for our fellow small-and-growing B2B friends, we’re excited to drop some knowledge nuggets for ya.
#1. Secure the building!
You can’t really go anywhere if you have uhm… nowhere to go. Set yourself up with a space that you can really see yourself growing — and doing cartwheels — in.
#2. Team work makes the dream work
Designate ‘moving teams’ among your employees. Tech guys Tony & Tim can oversee the uninstall and reinstall of the computers and tech equipment. Wannabe Marie Kondo & Team can pack up and unpack whatever storage or supply rooms you have. If it works out better to designate teams based on sections of your current space, then do that instead. The key is to delegate duties properly, and stay as organized as you possibly can at this stage.
#3. Does it bring you joy?
A clean move truly isn’t possible without a down and dirty purge. The nespresso machine that no one wants to buy the pods for? Sell it or give it away. The 3 boxes of random cords that have been collecting dust in the barely occupied cubby above that one surprisingly empty storage rack that no one can get to because of all the old office chairs in the way? Toss them. And those chairs too, while you’re at it. Your new digs are your clean slate… don’t ruin that for yourself on day 1.
#4 Call in the Professionals
Sure, you’re a professional at what YOU do, but are you fully equipped to move your equipment? Leave the (literal) heavy-lifting to the big guys and call an experienced moving team.
#5 Wiggle room
You know how it’s comforting to be snug as a rug with little room to move? Time to step out of your comfort zone! Make sure your room and office setups give you and your company plenty of room to continue growing in. That’s kinda the whole point of moving, isn’t it?
#6 Cut. It. Out.
We all wish we could be in 2 or 5 places at once, but it’s just not possible. Make sure to schedule ample “down days” and let your customers or clients know plenty of time in advance.
#7 Do the damn thing!
You made it out of the old and into the new. Now it’s time to grow! Post that job listing, get yourself ramped up, try new strategies you haven’t tried before, and flourish. There's no time like the present!
#8 Have a drink
Whether it be a cool La Croix or a craft beer from the local brewery that’s now right down the street, give yourself a moment to sit down and decompress to get your head in the game for what will undoubtedly be your best chapter yet.
]]>Alcohol, instant gratification, and a whole lot of millennials. Oh, and Brad, your bartender of 5 years who just handed you his 2 weeks’ notice and is now sweet talking your neighbor into letting him work for them instead. He saw the convenience and crowds that the new neighbor’s self-pour wall brought in, and he wanted in.
Companies like PourMyBeer, iPourIt, and Pourtek are just a few among the many behind the growing trend of Self-Pour Walls.
In a world where the ‘amazon effect’ has a chokehold on society and guest experience is more important than ever, this new concept is rooting itself into more and more establishments — and for good reason. With the cost of labor and rent rising all around the country, the appeal of “pour-your-own” is rising right along with it. With this “do-it-yourself” model, labor costs can be cut down while simultaneously helping save guests time by eliminating the common crowds around a bar, which in turn enhances the volume of sales. With endless options of beer waiting to be poured by thirsty patrons themselves, bartenders are given the luxury of time to maintain a positive guest experience through their art of crafting cocktails, among other things.
The technology behind it is simple. A single swipe of an RFID wristband or key card provides the patron with their drink, while the owner is provided with valuable demographics and information that then allows them to continue offering the best experience they can for their guests. A Win-Win!
The convenience of self-pour walls doesn’t stop at alcohol. Many store owners are recognizing the unique solutions that are offered by giving the patron the power of pouring and are embracing the concept with Cold Brew Coffee as well as Kombucha.
Self-Pour Walls are yet another portrayal of how RFID technology can revolutionize any industry it’s implicated in through a simple swipe or tap. Quenching thirst has never been easier — it’s now just a tap & sip away.]]>Hopefully these tips weren’t too overwhelming. Have an idea of what you want, but no idea of how to execute it? We have a talented team of designers ready to bring your ideas to life for whatever occasion you’re creating memories for. Give us a call today at 949.716.5852 and let’s get designing!
]]>Utilizing RFID embedded keycards in the hospitality industry has made sense — until now. Though the perfect size to fit in a wallet, keycards can be easily lost, leaving guests empty handed and without access to their rooms or amenities.
Cue: The Wristband.
]]>RFID Technology can be highly versatile with the proper scanning equipment, opening up a world — or resort, rather — of opportunities beyond simply opening a hotel door.
In What Ways Do Hotels Utilize RFID Technology?
Thanks to the hospitality industry’s embracement of RFID chipped key cards, hotels and their guests have so far been a happy united front behind the ease of RFID technology. Everything usually goes smoothly until guests begin lining up at the concierge counter, apologizing for losing their “keys”. Though the perfect size to fit in a wallet, the journey the cards make from their snug leather quarters to the launch scanning pad can sometimes meet an unfortunate fate, thus leaving their guests empty handed and without access to their rooms or amenities.
Cue: The Wristband.
Dating back as far as 5000 BCE in Egypt, wristbands — or bracelets — have evolved in extraordinary measures. From fashion bracelets to Smart Watches and Fitness Trackers, wristbands are arguably one of the many bones of society’s back. And it’s easy to see why: throw one on your wrist and just ask it to leave. Beg it. Just like that, you’ll see you have quite the companion, no matter where you go. Now, imagine applying RFID technology to that wristband and having the ability to enter a hotel room or pay for food and drinks with a simple swipe of a wrist. Gone are the days of the cumbersome task of reaching for a wallet, opening said wallet, reaching for a hotel key card, and — about half of the time — realizing it was left on the counter... in the room it was meant to open.
Touche, friends. While incredibly easy to use, the most exciting part about incorporating RFID cloth wristbands into the hospitality industry is that they can do so much more than simply give a guest access or allow them to buy drinks. In larger resorts, a swipe of the wrist can offer easy photo ops and activate interactive displays. With pre-loaded payment options, lines are eliminated, and drinks are quickly in hand. Vacations are fleeting, and anything to keep things flowing smoothly is a necessity.
Sure, keycard or wristband, it really only comes down to the RFID technology behind all of it, however, it’s pretty evident that RFID tagged wristbands steal the hands-off show when it comes to exploring resorts, enjoying excursions and living La Vida Loca with Great Aunt Agatha.
]]>No Identifiers. No tags. No 21+ Tyveks. Chaos ensues and your event is cancelled. A 12 year walks past, beer in hand. Your boss's boss is calling you. In the distance, sirens. And where did those bees come from?
]]>Wide open road. Clear sunny skies. You’re living your best life and are ready to kick off this tour with a smug, No-One-Manages-Tours-Better-Than-THIS-Guy attitude. You’ve got the equipment. You’ve got the AC set to precisely 72.3 degrees per your lead singer's request. You’ve got the bassist’s bee hive. The guitarist’s dinosaur models. You truly didn’t miss a thing!
…except you truly, surely, most definitely did.
Things begin unravelling all around you.
You realize that your neck — it’s naked! The absence of a silky soft, full-color lanyard weighed down with an All Access laminate featuring your band’s sick album artwork leaves you shivering. You rush to find your luggage, prying through the piles and piles of similar looking bags. Your knuckles bloody as you frantically dig, deeper and deeper amongst the luggage-tag-less abyss. You have no identifiers, no sweet patch tag that sets your bag apart from the crew’s, all of whom are now standing around aimlessly, unable to locate their bag, shirts void of the satin stickie that would delegate their positions for the evening.
Chaos erupts behind you. You whip around to find adults and minors clamoring at the bar for drinks. But the bartender looks faint. You make eye contact. His lips move. Amongst the minors yelling for alcohol, you can’t hear him, but you’re pretty sure he was saying “Ty”. Or was it “Tri”? Of course. Full color trivek wristbands would have organized the growing crowd. But it’s too late. A 12 year walks past, beer in hand.
You can hear your boss’s voice in your head. If there’s anything you absolutely can’t forget, it’s the credentials. Don’t forget the credentials.
The show gets cancelled in order to regain peace in the neighborhood. Your boss’s boss is calling. And somewhere on the horizon, your bassist opens the lid to his beehive.
Don’t forget the credentials.]]>Hungry yet? See what we’re talking about below. Also, please note the absence of pineapple. Don’t @ me.
]]>"Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta 18-1750, vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement. PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same verve for life and rebellious spirit. It is a color that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all."
Dang. I don’t know about you, but no one’s ever spoken about me like that before…
Based off its description alone, I want to dive headfirst into Pantone’s “Magentaverse”. The power, expression, strength and freshness that exudes from Viva Magenta is intoxicating, and should absolutely be harnessed for your next event.
Color has long been used as a way to visually encompass certain moods and emotions. It has a strong influence in human behavior and decision making, which makes Pantone’s annual color selection an edge-of-your-seat ordeal. Their expert panel analyzes cultural influences, social & global circumstances, and current trends to find a color that best encompasses the raw spirit of the times, and thus, lands on one that we can all relate to in one way or another.
Though Pantone has the resources to apply their color to a virtual reality world, they don’t have to — and shouldn’t — be the only ones celebrating the power of color. Being an event professional puts you in the unique position (in the real world) of being able to influence your guests however you see fit. What better way to tug at their heart strings than through some hues? Let’s explore some real, easy to implement options, shall we?
Christopher John Rogers 2023
Runways are embracing the exuberant shade with fabrics and textures galore. What a captivating way to capture such a strong color!
Samantha Heather Photography/Upside Down Events (top left) | photographer: Shumanev Production design & floral: Butterfly Floral & Event Design (top right) | photographer: Steve Cowell Photo planner & design: Crosby + Jon florals: Rogue and Fox Floral Co (bottom left) | Half Baked Harvest (bottom right)
Valentines’ Day is just around the corner… be sure to incorporate Viva Magenta into your event with flowers, centerpieces or even drinks and glassware.
Viva Magenta makes for a GREAT event wristband color. Stay true to the hue while successfully designating your guests!
Sure, a big and bright pink installation would be great, but not all of us have the resources for that. Keep it simple yet bold with event badges, hanging parking passes, and lanyards!
Color has much more influence in our lives than we give it credit for, and Pantone knows that. Let’s all live a little through rose – er, magenta – colored glasses this year and spread the joy, strength and vigor that is 2023 by adding at least a pop here and there of Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta.
]]>What if I told you that all of the above are ok? You do you! We don’t have to set resolutions to improve ourselves. What truly matters is time. Being intentional with what we do with it is the easiest way to improve our overall selves. Keep reading for some life-hacky apps… and then schedule yourself some time to finish that 3rd sub.
Slack — Communication
In today’s business world, having a digital Headquarters is essential to the livelihood of any company. Slack is great for streamlining tasks and communication, while making it easy to see who’s doing what and why. No more accidental double orders of those Tyvek wristbands!
Pricing
Trello — Project Management
Visual organization is the name of the game these days. Made up of “boards”, Trello makes it easy to collaborate in teams, allowing spaces for to do lists, “in-progress” projects, and finished tasks. With a wide array of metrics, calendars and other features, this app is perfect for mapping out social and marketing strategies amongst a team. Now you can get to work on mapping out the perfect marketing campaign for your new shiny metal badges.
Pricing
Mind Meister — Map it Out!
If you’re like me, you have ~ALL~ the ideas ~ALL~ the time. This is where Mind Meister jumps in to save the day! It offers the ability to format your brain dumps clearly and concisely while adding in attachments, icons, different fonts, colors, allowing you to click & drag to your heart’s content. Ideal for mapping out ideas, goals and notes, this app is perfect for any event organizer to get a handle on all the legs of their upcoming event in an easy to digest visual format. Mind maps are especially helpful when it comes time to get your security credentials sorted. Map them all out and the concise visual format will make ordering a breeze.
Pricing
Habitica — Build Healthy Habits
Stuck with generic credentials again because you’re stuck in the habit of forgetting to check your to do list before leaving work for the day? Wouldn’t it be kinda cool if you could train yourself to actually be on top of stuff? Trying to form new habits can be hard, but Habitica puts a fun spin on rewiring your brain by turning it into a game. You get a little avatar, and receive incentives as well as the ability to connect with others on the app for a little extra accountability. Work is life and life is work, so the more integrated your home and work habits are, the better you’ll feel as you develop healthy habits for all facets of your life.
Pricing
Todoist — Set Those Reminders!
We all have a billion and one things on our plate, and if you’re like me, have just as many sticky notes scattered about. Todoist makes it a breeze to enter in and categorize reminders in its app. Even better, it integrates with over 60 other apps (including a host of google apps, Monday.com, Slack, and Trello), and allows you to share and assign tasks with other people. Now you’ll have a nifty reminder to “Order Creds & Wristbands” under your “#safetyfirst” category.
Pricing
These are just five apps out of thousands out there that were made to improve productivity. The event professional world is an invigorating, FAST paced one, and the more prepared you can keep yourself, the less “I-wish-I-still-worked-in-the-food-industry-so-I-could-have-myself-a-good-walk-in-freezer-cry” moments you’ll have, and the more time you’ll have to kick back on the couch and enjoy endless subs.
]]>Grab a notebook, it’s time to start planning!
Goals — How will you know what to pull off if you have nothing to orient it around? What are your goals for your event? What do you wish to achieve? Are you looking to frame all the happenings around education, or are you setting the stage for glow sticks and memories? Being clear on your intentions for your event will ensure a smooth, event-planning experience, and an event to remember
Budget — Didn’t think you achieve #1 event status with an empty wallet, did ya? Keep in mind you’ll need to allot certain percentages of your grand total to security & staff, marketing, transportation, printed materials, and event credentials.
Ticket Pricing — You’re in it to win it, but also to keep a roof over your head. Give yourself a rough estimate of how many attendees you’re anticipating, and decide what they’ll need to pay to get through your gates (and contribute to your paycheck).
Event Registration Software — We doubt you’ll want to be thumbing through tons of mail to organize your attendees… so make sure you invest in some solid event registration software to ensure crowd management and organization is a breeze when your gates open. This will also help you get a firm idea of how many event badges, fabric wristbands, lanyards and other event credentials you’ll need.
Event Tech — Invest in some useful event planning and analytics software so you can better streamline your success. Better yet, incorporate RFID technology so you can gather real-time data on your guests to help you pull off an even more successful event in the future. If you decide that RFID will be beneficial for you and for keeping your audience engaged, keep in mind that you’ll need to acquire RFID scanners to work with whatever credentials you apply RFID tags or stickers to.
Branding — Strong branding is key in building the hype for your event and creating a loyal following. Decide what you want to convey to your attendees, and then be aware that your website, deliverables, and your event itself should all tie together in a cohesive manner. Good branding will directly affect your marketing — which will be key to drawing in an audience for your big bash.
Website — Until your attendees are experiencing your event in person, your website will be the mecca for everything related to your event. Your slice of the web will be your hub for communicating with your attendees and hyping them up. Throw up some FAQs, the event schedule, and some sizzle reels from your last event and let your website be your spotlight leading up to your event.
Marketing & Social Media — You’ve got everything planned out… now it’s time to market yourself and draw in your attendees. Make sure all your marketing materials are consistent and in-line with your branding and website. Be present on social media, and create a clever hashtag for yourself. Stay on top of some “last chance” promos and watch your registrations go through the roof. Also, don’t forget to send timely emails to your registrants to keep your event on their minds. #winning
Think the hard part’s over? Guess again. It’s time to provide your guests with an experience they’ll never forget.
Manage Crowd Control — Through the use of RFID wristbands and credentials, you can make gate entry and scanning a seamless and safe experience for your attendees and staff.
Event Content — No doubt you’ve picked the perfect speakers, artists, and vendors for your guests, but have you taken it a step further by ensuring everyone has their designation in full view? Event badges and credentials are the perfect way to make sure people are where they should be… and not where they don’t belong.
Swag — Along with those must-have event credentials and cloth wristbands, you’ll probably also want to throw in some sort of merch or swag item to really get — and keep — your attendees excited for the big event. Throw all the merch and credentials in a festival wristband box and have your future attendees feeling like it’s Christmas morning when they go through their mail.
Events come down to one thing: connection. Carefully planning and creating a unique experience for your brand’s event is the best way to bring people together and foster memories that are sure to last forever — with you in the very center of them.]]>Are your halls decked and the bells jingled? Dot your i’s and cross your t’s with useful RFID applications for the multiple legs that are your snowflake of an event. ‘Tis the season to engage your attendees like you never have before. Does the term “RFID Technology” have you sitting there like a Rudolph in headlights? Grab some ‘nog; we’ll take the reigns from here.
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What is RFID Technology?
In a chestnut shell, radio frequency identification (RFID) provides wireless tracking using radio waves to identify and track tags. It is essentially compromised of two parts: Tags and Readers. RFID technology has blown up in the festival and event world, and for good reason. The ability to track attendees and collect data is to festival owners what hot chocolate and cookies are to Santa — priceless. Eliminating paper waste and streamlining event attendance to create a seamless event experience is akin to a gingerbread man obtaining his first gumdrop button. Add on interactive social media experiences and a pour of mulled wine or spiced cider with the swipe of an RFID wristband, and it’s Christmas morning long after your event’s ended.
Most of us are familiar with the ever-trusty gmail and google calendar, as well as maps (Thank you, google, for making sure I always make it home safely to my eager dinner-awaiting pup). We know and love google docs for their reliability and ease of use. We all have 30+ tabs open on google Chrome. We’ve all zoomed into our own backyards on google earth (why not?). And we’re all 80% full of our free storage on our 3rd google drive account.
BUT WAIT, there’s more (too much more). In my hunt to remind myself of the few google apps I’ve found handy, I stumbled upon So. Many. Apps. I’ve decided to make this easy on myself and stick to the ones I’m familiar with… and maybe a couple that I’m most definitely going to play with once I finish instilling my knowledge unto you.
Google Ads is fairly familiar to most business owners. While it can take a bit of self-training to get the ball rolling with the correct keywords, google ads is pretty essential in getting your page in the eyes of your wanted views. It will cost a bit of dough, but organic ranking with SEO is a beast, making google ads a simpler way to ensure decent traffic.
Real-life example: a paid ad for custom elastic wristbands is more likely to show up high in the google rankings than a site that has spent hours keyword stuffing and asking for backlinks.
Google Analytics is great for tracking your website visitors. Knowing the sources of traffic, pages your visitors are spending time on, and their demographics is valuable information for any online business owner. It looks a bit daunting on the inside, but with the help of your developers or web designers, it can be set up with custom reports tailored to the information you need to help your site grow.
Real-life example: Orders for Custom Printed Race Bibs are more popular in California than in Texas.
Search Console goes a little deeper with information involving your traffic and google positioning. I love it for gaining more insight on the traffic driven by certain keywords.
Real-life example: Custom Wristbands spiked in total impressions this last week, and its average position is on the up & up.
Trends is an awesome, easy-to-use tool that helps you monitor industry trends. I love the simplicity of comparing different variations of keywords, and the home page offers a quick glance into the ‘Latest Stories and Insights’ to help keep you up with the latest & greatest. The only thing I really find missing is a “Latest Lingo” section — tbh, that’s kinda sus.
Real-life example: Looks like event badge is on an uptrend, vs custom lanyards that seems to have plateaued.
Google My Business is essential in having your business listing visible on google products, particularly google.com and google maps. I see it as its own little site — add photos, your address, and obtain reviews — all of which are visible right on Google’s search engine results page.
Real-life example: Look up your favorite food spot near you. You’ll find their business profile and be able to view their restaurant menu.
Forms is a very simple way to collect data with online forms. Insanely easy to build, you can collect user feedback, conduct surveys, obtain sales leads and more, all with a few clicks of a button.
Real-life example: Patty filled out our order request for 500 in-stock Tyvek wristbands and we were able to get her order completed in a timely manner.
It was at about this point during my research where I nearly scrapped this whole post and wrote: “Google Rules All” in the header. Among their menagerie of apps, Google Sites nearly knocked me out of my seat. It’s a FREE website designer, people! Though not as diverse or flexible as other website building platforms are, it’s a simple way to get a business site up and running.
Great for people who tend to have a hard time ‘just doing it’. Real-life example: Me and The “Publish” Button I have yet to push to make my mug store go live.
Think with Google is what you’ll find me pouring over once this post is published. With a collection of creative ad campaigns to get inspired by, as well as industry insights, articles, case studies and infographics, the expansive insight this site provides almost seems too good to be true.
Real-life example: You, ditching the rest of this post to go explore Think’s wonderfulness.
Google Alerts is a fun tool that notifies the user any time a keyword of their choosing pops up on the world wide web. You can select options according to demographics and source types, as well as how many notifications you want in a day. It’s a simple way to stay up to date on developments in your industry.
Real-life example: A useful post on the necessity of guards and event security popped into my inbox this morning, all on its own.
The few sites and apps mentioned here are just some of a very long list. The moral of this google story is that you are absolutely not alone in the vast expanse that is the internet — thanks to google.]]>SYMPTOMS/SIGNS
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 10 warning signs & symptoms, illustrated below:
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Walk about it! With purple as the leading color in raising awareness for Alzheimer’s, thousands of people join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s each year, donning their purple race bibs and wristbands. This walk takes place in more than 600 communities nationwide. Walk in the Park 2022 is another fundraising community that enables people to walk and contribute throughout the country. With November as National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a simple google search within any community should pull up a chapter or group that’s preparing for an awareness stroll.
GET YOUR PURPLE ON
Symbolism and color have long been essential tools in building awareness for certain causes. In this spirit of symbolism, you have a vibrant way to show off the cause your marathon or walk is spreading awareness for. Get your attendees suited up in various shades of purple on their racing bibs, RFID wristbands, and even custom cloth wristbands that they can hold onto long after the event as a keepsake for their accomplishment and a reminder of what they took a stand, or rather, a walk for.
While a grim disease to spread awareness to, you can give your participants a sense of unity and singularity through the use of custom race bibs & cloth wristbands. Everyone may show up and leave separately, but for the duration of their stroll, purple binds them together and the world will be a few steps closer to finding a cure.
AWARENESS ALL MONTH LONG
Don your purple for other health observances in November, including:
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Security at your event, your office, or even your hotel doesn’t start and stop with a team of intimidating guys in suits. In fact, some of the most efficient and effective security can’t be seen.
After years in the events space, we know one of the biggest threats to security starts with counterfeit tickets and making sure only the people who are supposed to be inside are inside. Interestingly, it’s as easy as taking advantage of your unique branding, creativity, and a little bit of technology.
To help you make informed decisions that enhance the security of your event, we’ll be going over what types of security measures actually make a difference. This includes artwork, add-ons, locks, barcodes, RFID solutions and more.
When it comes to the security of your event, there’s no doubt it starts with your credentials. Guaranteeing that only the people who are meant to be in are in, that transactions are happening as they should, and that you’re actually at the capacity you say you are is everything. Unfortunately, counterfeit passes are possible, but by adding built-in security features to your passes, you’re able to nearly guarantee your event is as secure as possible.
In our experience, the best kind of security is simple and effective. At large events, that means credentials that are easy to identify by sight, that are unique enough to not be copied, and that can’t be transferred.
To hit all three, we love RFIDs but you should always tailor your features to your needs. Fortunately, technology is on our side and there are a lot of a la carte features we can add to your credentials so that before your event even starts, your security is stronger than it’s ever been.
Here are 8 ways to enhance your security when choosing your credentials:
This is a feature unique to wristband credentials because you can’t include a lock for lanyards, laminates or keycards. When it comes to wristband credentials, you can purchase more economical options — like paper credentials — but they will never be as secure.
When it comes down to it, there are a few standard options for locks, but we recommend a barrel lock. This plastic tube slides one way onto the wristband, locking on with plastic teeth that grip the fabric when pulled back.
Convenient, economical and highly secure, this addition makes sure your wristband stays where it should (ie - on the guest who purchased its wrist, not a friend and then another friend’s). If you decide to go with a tyvek paper wristband, they’ll be secured with a self-adhesive tab. Don’t be worried! This adhesive works well, does the job and prevents a lot of transfers. However, it’s not nearly as secure as a custom cloth wristband barrel lock.
If you’re relying on stock colored wristbands to signify levels of access and different day access, you’re not really securing your event at all. Once someone notices the credential is easily obtained at a bulk store, they can go buy their own and hand out as many as they’d like.
However, if you create custom artwork for your credentials, it’s nearly impossible for an attendee to guess what art you’ll use, how it will look, and what features you’ll include. Even better, you can use the same branded look and feel across all your credentials, giving a sense of cohesive consistency while signifying different levels of access for VIPs, talent, etc. This makes it easy for security to identify on sight who can go where.
It’s hard to fake what your face looks like, especially when it’s right there on your badge. Often used for conventions, this is a great way to ensure your passes aren’t being shared among multiple attendees.
When ordering, your client can upload all the images and data relevant to each attendee, making it easy to pre-print badges long before the event even begins. If printing on-site, it’s possible to take a photo there, add it to the guest’s data, and print it right then.
Whether it’s UV thread directly woven into the fabric of the wristband or a UV print on a laminate, ultraviolet light is visible under a blacklight, immediately identifying real from fake credentials. Think of it like glow in the dark ink.
To make sure a pass or wristband is authentic, you can either equip your staff with UV wands or UV readers at specific checkpoints. This means that even if someone can make a credential that looks exactly like the real thing, it won’t pass the test when scanned for UV light.
More costly, but far more secure. Metal badges and credentials are hard to duplicate because they’re not widely available or easy to fake. Customize them with artwork, holograms, shapes, and more. They’re easy to identify by sight, touch and scan.
This add-on quickly takes your security up a few notches all at once. Use your art and just add a little enhancement with printing security foils and holograms directly onto your badges or wristbands. This addition immediately makes fakes easy to identify and keep out.
By adding a sequence of numbers, QR codes or scannable barcodes to your wristbands or laminates, it’s a pretty basic (but successful) way to improve access and identification. By using barcodes, you’re able to generate a unique code per ticket, so once that code has been scanned, it won’t grant access for any additional scans of that same code. Tried and tested, barcodes immediately up security.
High-tech with high results, RFID technology not only helps your event go cashless, but it helps you create contactless access control, and create secure connections.
When it comes to security, adding RFID technology to your event is the move. Not only are they excellent pieces of wearable promotion for your event, but they’re a reasonable choice for all types of events, not just huge music festivals.
From races to cashless payments, RFID makes your guests’ experience easier, with less lines, and far more interactive. From linking their emails, social media, and wallet to their credentials, guests can be located (in case separated from their group), they don’t have to carry items like credit cards or cash (which can be lost), and their credentials cannot be stolen or lost (if they are, they can easily have the lost credential deactivated and a new one activated).
In fact, here are some of the security benefits of RFID enhanced events:
Lines don’t have to happen and RFID is one of the easiest ways to make sure crowds are moving and bottlenecks aren’t. There’s no question that lines are not only unsafe, but they impact morale, prevent spending, and can impact everything from start time to the bottom line.
Enter RFIDs. Because of their ability to quickly move large groups securely, RFID credentials make it possible to move upwards of 20 more people per minute per gate per scanner.
The difference is that each RFID band has a unique tag, making it possible to guarantee security. Since guests’ RFID tags can be read up to a few meters away, they don’t have to stop and wait to be scanned individually by a barcode reader. This saves time from guests searching for tickets, dealing with wrinkled or damaged tickets, and trying to get a barcode reader to read.
Even better, RFID has the built-in ability to handle re-entry for multiple day events while also providing easy access to multiple zones. Now your security team can focus on security, not on being trained to fix and interpret scanners. By reducing human error when it comes to scanning, you need less staff at the gates because there are less issues.
This is one of the coolest, and most useful, features of RFID. Truly, data is king. Why? Because it gives you the ability to no longer make assumed or biased decisions based on experience or optics.
Instead, you are able to see hard facts when it comes to how many guests are at your event, where they are, how they move, when they go somewhere, what areas are crowded, and what sort of purchases they make. With immediate, real-time insights, you are able to re-stock merchandise, add food orders, open up an extra gate, add lanes, etc.
By seeing areas guests use as high-traffic zones, you can add points of sale to add easy upticks to your revenue. After all, adding a concession or merchandise booth where the people already are makes your chance of a sale that much higher. Of course, you can also use that data to redistribute toilets, add first aid stations, place high paying sponsors in the most trafficked areas, and more.
Additionally, you can track exactly how many guests attended a certain speaker or performance, who left when, and more. Truly, the opportunity for usable and game-changing insights makes all the difference.
The nature of RFID technology makes it impossible to create a counterfeit credential. Unlike print-at-home tickets, laminates, wristbands, or traditional tickets, RFID chips each have a unique identifier that cannot be duplicated. Even if an attendee loses their ticket, they don’t have to miss out on the event. Now, they deactivate their old pass and activate a new one.
Back in the day, you’d have to deal with endless lines for cash, waiting for credit card transactions to go through, lost cards, and so much more. With RFID, your guests can digitally attach their card to their credential, eliminating the need to bring cash or a very losable wallet to the event.
By using a linked digital wallet, attendees are more likely to spend money (up to 35% more) without the worry of loss or theft. Even better? Touchless and cashless payments mean your transactions are faster, more secure, and instantly safer for staff and guests alike.
Now sponsors don’t have to fight for space on your credential, they can instead create more meaningful and engaged interactions with your guests through their RFID tags. From raffles to competitions, voting in polls, using their badge to sign-up, and more, guests can share their data with sponsors and sponsors can easily monitor and track engagement to see the clear return on their investment.
From photo booths to giveaways, engagement is as easy as tapping and going. Since each RFID badge is linked to an individual, you can create multiple points of engagement throughout your event that allow guests to simply tap and enjoy the experience.
It just gets better with RFID. Not only does it make access to VIP-only areas easier and far more discreet, but VIP RFIDs can genuinely get the extra attention you want them to have. From entry upgrades to food, drinks, and VIP only areas, RFID makes it possible to make sure your attendees are happier than ever.
Why wait in line when you just don’t have to? If you choose to order your badges early, your guests get their wristbands delivered right to their home—allowing for their event experience to start months, weeks, or days before the doors even open
On-site, RFID bands mean check-in is faster and easier than ever. With a mobile app, your staff can assign a specific RFID tag to an attendee on the spot, not having to deal with printing out a ticket, dealing with day-of chaos, or any other potential hiccup. It gets attendees inside faster and that, ultimately, makes a happier guest and a better event.
It’s hard to say it without just saying it, but RFID credentials are cool. Guests know what they are and they know it means your event will immediately reach a level it could never have without. Not only are they a great souvenir, but they create extremely social-media worthy moments from the instant your guests receive them.
By collecting data about your attendees, you’re able to make their experience at your event tailored and specific. By knowing how far out most sales happen, how many tickets are purchased together, when they arrive, when they leave, what they buy, etc. you’re able to make sure your event delivers on your guests needs without them even having to ask.
Even better, RFID enhanced bands ask attendees to register their wristbands, linking their emails, social media, wallet and more. This makes it possible to easily contact them in the future for events, follow up surveys, and more.
Enhancing the security of your event really starts with your credentials. As one of the first points of contact between a guest and your event, your hotel, or your office, unique credentials are an easy deterrent for potential fakes.
To learn more about how you can enhance security at your event — whether by adding RFID enhanced technology, customizing your artwork, or something else—please get in touch with a sales representative at sales@arnettdesign.com
]]>When it comes to events, the possibilities for how this individualized, segmented and trackable data can be used is nearly endless and it applies to not only events and organizers, but operations and nearly every single aspect of the industry. In this post, we’ll be covering the basics of what RFID technology is, how it works, the types you can use, what you can use it for, the pros/cons and more.
After all, there are a lot of options and we want to make sure you not only feel good about your choice, but confident in it, too.
]]>RFID technology is everywhere these days, from small events to big, there’s no comparison when it comes to guest experience, responsiveness, integration, ease, security, and ROI. However, even though the technology has been around for a long time, it’s still relatively new to the events space. Traditionally used for sourcing and inventory control, RFID tags are, simply put, a message that’s received by a transmitter and tracked.
When it comes to events, the possibilities for how this individualized, segmented and trackable data can be used is nearly endless and it applies to not only events and organizers, but operations and nearly every single aspect of the industry. In this post, we’ll be covering the basics of what RFID technology is, how it works, the types you can use, what you can use it for, the pros/cons and more.
After all, there are a lot of options and we want to make sure you not only feel good about your choice, but confident in it, too.
Invented in 1948 by Russian scientist Leon Theremin, RFID or Radio Frequency Identification uses electromagnetic radio waves to identify, capture and transmit small amounts of data. This data is usually stored in a small RFID chip that’s embedded or attached to some sort of asset being tracked, this could be warehouse inventory, a shipping container, a concert ticket, passport, or even a pet.
In truth, it can be just about anything and its versatility is what makes RFID technology so valuable. By replacing barcodes, magnetic strips, data entry, and more, RFID offers an accurate, simple, and seamless way to collect, track and manage all sorts of real-time data, no matter the use.
Generally speaking, the only downside of RFID technology is that it does require a specific reader to track the chip and record its data. However, this doesn’t tend to be much of an issue because RFID chips can be read from a distance, making it easy to scan and read large numbers of RFID codes as they move — to get an idea, think of a large concert crowd, allowing guests to move through gates without having to individually scan tickets.
RFIDs were originally developed as a supply chain tracking solution for businesses who wanted to more efficiently track their inventories. By automating data and tracking, RFIDs make it possible to tag, sort and track nearly anything, giving real-time data about what is where.
Since tags can be linked to different systems, it’s possible to put certain markers on items—like if they move—so that an alarm is triggered if it moves when it shouldn’t. Eventually, RFIDs moved from the warehouse to tracking animals, pets, passports, and cars. Before RFIDs, QR codes, barcodes, and number systems were the standard.
As you can imagine, this not only made it easy to counterfeit these materials as they’ve been around for a long time, but human error is a huge factor. After all, when dealing with massive quantities of materials or huge groups of people, it’s inevitable that something (or someone) will slip through the cracks.
When it comes to RFID technology, there are three types of frequencies transmitted: Low, High and Ultra-High Frequency. The main differences between the three are cost and range readability.
120-150KHz, offers low data speed and a reading distance of about 1-10cm.
13.56MHz, offers moderate data speed and a reading distance of 1cm-1meter.
902-928MHz, offers moderate to high data speed and a reading distance of 1-12 meters.
When it comes to deciding what frequency is best for your use, you want to consider the cost of the item being tracked as well as the distance as which you’ll need to ensure accuracy of scanning.
In terms of the hardware needed to run RFID technology at an event or for a business, you need two main components: The transponder or chip and the scanner or reader. Usually, RFID readers come with an interface that not only scans and tracks the data, but also forwards it to another system. The chip stores and processes the information and the antenna or reader receives and transmits the signal. Each chip has a tag that carries a specific and unique serial number for one object.
There are two types of RFID tags used today: Active and Passive.
More economical than active tags, passive tags are the most common tag and don’t require any batteries for use. Generally used for lower and medium value items, they are wirelessly powered by the receiver and their greatest limitation is their range.
Active tags have batteries they draw power from so they’re bigger than a small microchip and cost more. The benefit is that their range jumps from a few meters to upwards of 100. Generally, active tags are reserved for expensive items (like cars).
Practically speaking, RFID technology is used everyday from keyless car entry to automated toll road deductions. Even tap to pay cards, passports, and building access cards use RFIDs to track and transfer data. Because RFID technology can store more data than a bar code can, it makes it far more useful as a tracking and monitoring tool. Even better, the data can be tracked and segmented, making it possible to create highly accurate and useful insights when it comes to movement, usage, purchasing, etc.
Making the transition to RFID technology can seem like a daunting move. However, the benefits far outweigh the costs, especially when you consider ease, efficiency and, above all, security. In fact, one of the biggest incentives when it comes to adopting RFID technology is that of touchless payments.
These transactions allow for seamless purchases, sending payments directly to your bank account with accurate reporting and settlements. Additionally, cashless and touchless transactions also mean a greater level of safety for your staff and guests. Read on for more—
RFID technology helps you move crowds quicker, process transactions faster, track real-time data and reduce wait times.
With less interaction, either from employees for entry, or between guests and staff for transactions, there’s less possibility of transmission. This makes running an event, office, or transaction safer than ever.
With digital receipts tracked directly to each individual (via their unique RFID tag), you produce less waste, have lower costs, and are more eco-friendly. It’s a win-win all around.
With real-time reporting, vendor sales, product performance, and data are available so you can keep track, make calls, restock merchandise, and adjust as needed.
Counterfeit credentials, whether it’s hotel keys, ID badges, event laminates or marathon bibs are impossible to make.
RFID tags can be scanned from up to 12 meters away, making it easy to move large groups without having to individually see and scan each ticket, credential, or item.
While RFID is absolutely game-changing, there are some considerations. For one, its cost is higher than traditional ticketing, credentialing, and monitoring. If you’re using RFID to track products, you might want to consider if the item’s value is high enough to warrant the technology and if it’s even physically compatible. For example, can a chip be placed on or in the item without easy removal?
Integrating RFID into your event, business, hotel or office takes strategic integration. You’ll want to consider where in your supply chain, point of entry, etc. you want to incorporate an RFID tag. In addition, you’ll need to add a solution to your system for data storage. This all takes time and consideration, but the benefits of highly accurate data and tracking will likely create a far more efficient system than can make up for the costs incurred by tightening up otherwise overlooked areas.
So far, we haven’t found an industry or event that couldn’t benefit from RFID technology. At the very least, the ability to track, monitor and collect real-time data allows you to know, without a doubt, exactly what happens, when and where at your event or on your grounds. This data makes it possible for you to make informed decisions about staffing, crowd flow, food orders and more.
We’ve also found RFID enabled credentials make traditional experiences elevated, seamless and far more enjoyable for guests. Whether a convention, office, or festival, you need to control who has access where and nothing makes that as secure, trackable, or as easy as RFID tags.
Designed for multi-day events with vendors, different access areas and more, wristbands enabled with RFID tags make it possible for your guests to have the safest, most seamless experience possible. Since attendees are already familiar with this format of credentialing, adding RFID is an easy addition. We add RFID chips by sewing them into the wristband itself, making it completely unnoticeable.
When it comes to conventions, concerts, and large-scale events, laminates are the go-to credential for bands, guests and VIP attendees. By offering the ability to fully customize your credential with art, holographic detailing and RFID technology, you can guarantee the security of your event as it’d be impossible to create a counterfeit laminate.
Perfect for hotels and employees, hard cards are durable credentials that make it possible to track and monitor sign-in and sign-out times, movement, and more. For guests, you can individually control access to specific areas, meals, and payments. With an embedded RFID chip, hard cards can be used and reused again and again, making them a far more sustainable choice for your hotel, event, and staff.
One of the most important parts of an event is the parking. If you can make that easy and effortless, you’ve already won over half your attendees. By using RFID technology, you can easily grant seamless and contactless entry to different parking structures and areas based on a guest’s pre-purchased parking package.
This ease of flow prevents bottlenecks, long lines and completely unnecessary traffic. Even better, with continuous and real-time tracking, you’re able to know exactly how full any one area is, making it easy to open, close, and move staff as needed..
We’ve discovered that not only are touchless solutions safer and more secure for staff and guests, but they are faster and more efficient, too. On average, attendees spend nearly 35% more with touchless payments.
When it comes to race tracking, RFID is really the only way to go. With its ability to track any type of data you’d like, you can easily isolate start times, finishes, split times, and so much more. Additionally, by using RFID tags in runner’s shoes, their bibs, wristbands or other products, you can easily allow contestants to focus on their race, not their tracking.
Even better, your contestant’s friends and family can track their racer in real-time as they compete, creating a dynamic, fun and interactive experience for everyone.
When used at a point of entry, RFID tags make it easy for guests and attendees to use the credentials they’d already have for the event as a safe and secure means of entry. Even better, you’re able to track their movement in real-time, knowing where to send more staff to or how to better direct your guests. For staff and employees, it makes security, tracking, and access easier than ever. By using RFID at gate entry, you’re able to lower staff numbers while also eliminating the risk of counterfeit credentials.
Since RFID tags are able to track multiple points of data, isolating each, guests are able to add a payment method to their unique RFID wristband/card/etc and utilize that as their touchless payment method throughout an event. Not only does this eliminate the need for guests to carry wallets or credit cards (which may get lost), but it makes it easier at the point of sale to quickly and efficiently complete a transaction.
This is a great option for festivals, nightclubs, arenas, and anywhere else with a high volume of sales with the potential of long lines and bottlenecks. Benefits include: No contact, no wait time, real-time sales reporting; savings from carriage, increased revenue, and increased safety.
RFID technology has become the industry standard when it comes to events, hotel security, tours, restaurants, bars, airports, and all kinds of special events. It’s easy, understood by guests and appreciated when it comes to their overall experience of your event.
pOnce you’ve decided to use RFID technology, remember it is a two part system so, while ordering your laminates, badges, and cards is something Arnett can help with, you’ll still need to make sure you have a scanner/reader. While we don’t offer them, we do work with WRSTBND, Front Gate, See Tickets, ShowClix, Intellitix and Elevate to make sure you have everything you need.
Be sure to budget about 3-4 weeks, from start to finish, for your credentials. Exact timing does depend on your order (including quantity), but standard turnaround time for a large event is about 30-45 business days from approval of your proof.
Standard security features include fraud elimination, lost bands, and cashless payments. When it comes to traditional print-at-home tickets, it’s easy to duplicate them or to sell them. RFID credentials, on the other hand, can’t be duplicated because they each have a unique identification chip that cannot be copied.
Similarly for lost bands, you don’t have to worry because the previous RFID tag can be cancelled or deactivated and a new one activated. It’s that simple. And when it comes to payments, there’s no more worry about no cash, credit card, or lost cards. With secure RFID technology, guests can add their payment information to their RFID tag and tap for transactions.
When it comes to running an event, office, or hotel, the numbers really tell the story. By understanding crowd flow, merchandise sales, inventory, and more, you’re able to better plan, order, and adjust as needed.
This helps prevent bottlenecks, running out of supplies, and knowing your clients. Also, when it comes to inventory management, your accuracy in reporting is increased by upwards of 98% from manual tracking. This includes tracking, receiving, finding items, reorders, and so much more. The potential for data gathering and usage is almost endless when it comes to RFID. It’s really up to you.
While RFIDs were originally developed to quickly and wirelessly track just about anything, they’ve absolutely outgrown their first use. Today, they’re so much more than a simple inventory tracking device. They’ve revolutionized security, safety, and event management through the integration of trackability, cross-platform application, and individualization.
As one of the more exciting credentials and options available, there are new uses for RFID technology everyday, making life and events easier and more efficient than ever.
To learn more about RFID technology and what solution is best for you, get in touch with us for a custom quote by emailing sales@arnettdesigns.com.
]]>Sustainability is a important topic when it comes to events, plastic bottles and more. Today, there are more choices than ever for sourcing more ethical, local, and sustainable options. From reusable water filling stations to cashless transactions, there are a lot of choices that can be made to not only lower your environmental impact, but to make a meaningful difference when it comes to day-to-day operations.
]]>Sustainability is a important topic when it comes to events, plastic bottles and more. Today, there are more choices than ever for sourcing more ethical, local, and sustainable options. From reusable water filling stations to cashless transactions, there are a lot of choices that can be made to not only lower your environmental impact, but to make a meaningful difference when it comes to day-to-day operations.
After all, the big decisions matter, but it’s the small ones that can really add up. In this article, we’ll be covering simple swaps you can make right now when it comes to simple things like eco-friendly ticketing, RFID transactions, and more.
Sustainability and our environmental impact is something every event, organizer, and attendee should care about. With festivals and conventions only growing, there’s no doubt their footprint is huge and that a few strategic changes can make a big difference. That said, even if you aren’t running a huge, multi-day event, the choices you make can still move the needle in the right direction. After all, being more sustainable is a value-point most consumers not only care about, but expect. So how can you make your event more green?
Conscious consumerism is standard among millennials and gen-z, meaning their starting point is one that takes into consideration environmental friendly choices, materials, and opportunities. From supply chain transparency to vendor sourcing, your chance to make choices that convert your customers are everywhere.
By knowing what your attendees do and do not want, you’re able to make choices when it comes to operations, sourcing, staffing, etc. that reflect their values and, more often than not, save you money when it comes to unused items, wasted food, etc.
By working with green consultants, you can make choices all the way from banking with green banks to cashless systems that save on receipts, to printing credentials made with PET plastics. The reality is, however, you can’t do everything. That’s why it’s crucial you set clear and reachable goals that not only make a difference, but make it possible for you to keep moving in the right direction.
By gathering data about your event and attendees, you can accurately track things like travel, food and beverage, venue, accommodation, and hard goods, and more to properly estimate your total environmental impact.
By knowing these numbers, you not only have a starting point for improving in coming years, but you have the opportunity to offset your actual carbon footprint, not a grossly over or underestimated amount.
You’re going to make reaching your sustainability goals a lot easier if you start with one of your biggest factors first: Where. Depending on where your event is held, a lot of your sustainability goals may already be met through things the site already does.
In fact, they may have done most of the legwork for you, knowing vendors, sourcing local, using green energy, etc. If you’re interested, you can ask your venue if they’re certified for sustainable events through ISO.
Even without certification, most venues can (and should) have a number of initiatives in place. This helps you minimize waste, reduce your emissions, manage recycling, reduce travel from vendors, and more.
When you’re looking for a venue, we recommend considering a central location that makes travel to and from easy. This eliminates the need for rental cars, additional accommodations, flights and the like. Instead, attendees can take advantage of public transit or they can walk or bicycle to the event. It’s also important to make sure there is enough lodging on or near your site. This makes it possible for guests to attend without significant travel distance or time between sessions or days.
Not only are single-use plastics controversial for their waste, but a lot of local governments and officials have severely restricted or banned single-use plastics across the country. An easy solution is to source bamboo or recycled plastic utensils, cups, plates, and to-go containers. We also recommend encouraging guests to bring reusable bottles so they can refill at centrally located (and branded) water stations.
Messaging is important and attendees listen. If you can encourage carpooling, public transit, or even shuttle services, you can greatly cut down on your collective environmental impact before guests even arrive.
Everyone loves a little swag, but is it necessary? For large-scale events, try to use environmentally friendly options for guest takeaways. Think: Seed packets, tote bags, bamboo cutlery kits, tumblers, and more.
With RFID technology as an option, there’s no need to waste paper (and time) with receipts, paper transactions, and ancient methods. Instead, use your website to get the word out rather than printing pamphlets; use RFID enhanced wristbands to track attendance, make transactions, and more. Integrate their RFID tag into a web-based app experience that gives them digital media kits, provides them with quick and relevant information (like maps and show times), and sends personalized surveys and follow-ups instead of direct mail. It all saves money, time, and the environment.
Even better? You get higher engagement because the hurtle of entry is so much lower.
Materials matter. Our sustainable wristbands and lanyards are made from recycled bottles that are collected from our oceans. Cleaning up the Earth has never been so cool with our fully customizable lanyards and wristbands, guaranteeing your event looks as good as it can.
As with most things, greening your event and having a positive environmental impact comes down to choice. Knowing you have to do certain things no matter what (like ticketing, transactions and crowd control) means you have the opportunity to make everyday decisions that can have a meaningful impact. From materials to finding creative ways to cut down on unnecessary waste, we can take advantage of technology to create seamless, easy, and efficient solutions that make a difference.
To learn more about easy choices you can make when it comes to greening your event, feel free to get in touch with one of our sales reps at sales@arnettdesigns.com.
]]>Event badges come in all shapes and sizes, from Flush Cut Qlams to laminated badges and Lanyards that hang around your neck, to Holographic Passes, Satin Stickie Passes and more. In this day and age, there’s nothing more important than the security of your event and being able to easily identify attendees from non-attendees, staff from guests, and speakers from the crowd. With the right credentials for the event, you should be able to effortlessly manage and maintain the safety and flow of everything going on.
As a great networking tool, credentials offer attendees an easy icebreaker to start a conversation, making it comfortable to create connections between guests as well as vendors and attendees alike. We’ve found that simple add-ons, like QR codes, RFID tags, and photographs make the hurdle of engagement between businesses, sponsors, and guests far easier to overcome.
By quickly and seamlessly gathering data about what booths you’ve visited, who you’ve spoken to and more, gone are the days of pads with scribbled notes, endless business cards, and lost connections.
Today, credentials are a non-negotiable at events, hotels, and businesses. The real question is whether or not you need them, but what type best suits your needs.
When deciding what type of credential you need, you should start with what kind of information is important for your staff to know, other guests know, and what your attendees need to know. From there, you can add other factors like aesthetics, wearability, etc. In fact, depending on your event, your credentialing solution may be as simple as a badge with your attendees name and job title or as in-depth as you’d like.
When deciding what type of event badge to get, we like to first start with security: How important is it that our badges can’t be transferred? How long do they have to last? Do they need to be fully branded? Is style as important as content? More often than not, one of these factors will help you find your starting point when it comes to selecting your badge.
As an attendee at an event, one of the first things you’ll do — if you haven’t had your credentials mailed to you beforehand — is find the registration desk to check-in and gather your event badge. When it comes to the operations behind a large-scale event, the coordination that goes into organizing, printing, and preparing badges for attendees is staggering. Setting up tables, dividing credentials alphabetically, hoping nothing is misspelled, and the list goes on.
The perfect solution for making in the moment adjustments to a badge (like a misspelled name or wrong position). By printing on-site, you don’t have to worry about attendees self-dividing by name or group, instead all attendees can easily visit any registration or check-in desk to get their credentials printed right then and there. Not only does this prevent wasted materials from absent guests, but it makes unused badges a thing of the past.
For a lot of events or experiences (like hotels). it’s not crucial your guests’s credential is individualized with their name or photo. If this is the case, it’s best to order your credentials beforehand so you can fully customize the materials, finishes, shape, lanyard choice, and more. Not only does this save time at the event because you aren’t customizing each badge for each attendee, but it gives your staff the opportunity to quickly identify who is allowed where by their credential alone.
There are so many moving parts that come together to make an event happen and every part has a person with a different job. From the front-facing side of things to the back of house, you need to make it easy, quick, and seamless for security to identify who gets to go where and who should be doing what.
That’s why we offer completely customizable credentials, from shape and size to material and accessories. We know the more unique your badges, the more of a keepsake they are and the harder they are to replicate. From custom shapes to holographic stocks, we’re confident we’ve got the solution for you. If not, we’ll make it.
Usually, people think of event badges and passes as only laminates and lanyards, but the reality is there is a lot more credentialing that needs to happen at your event, no matter the size. From small gatherings to school sporting events, business, conventions, hotels, and especially huge festivals, we have parking passes, backstage passes, stickies, luggage tags, and so much more.
One of the easiest, most striking, memorable and highly-brandable ways to make your credential yours. We always recommend adding at least your logo to a badge because it’s an opportunity to create another point of connection with your attendee and the event.
When considering the art you may include, don’t feel limited! Depending on the type of material you’re printing onto, we can do anything from photo-realistic backgrounds to graphic heavy designs with full-bleed right to the edges.
You can easily create different levels of access just through the color of your badges, lanyards, and more. Something to consider is how many colors you want to print as that can quickly take you into different pricing tiers.
Add security, traceability and ease for yourself and your guests.
Creating custom shapes not only adds a level of security but a level of memorability to your event. Of course, the more custom you go, the more there is to consider when it comes to design, finishes, material, lead time, and single or double-sided printing.
All that to say, having a credential that isn’t the traditional rectangle stands out and can be a great artistic expression.
Add a little flare and extra security with holographic foils.
From biodegradable bamboo to tyvek paper, metal, or laminates, you have options that not only reflect your style and brand, but your ethics, too.
We’re just talking about wearable badges here, but you might want to look into custom wristbands, ID cards, or even Parking Passes, depending on your needs.
When durability is just as important as looks, our custom all access laminated event credentials are ideal for staff, VIPS, artists, and anyone else you need to stand out in a crowd. Depending on your event and needs, you might want to create your own badge shape, let it stand out with holographic foils, or have your event art printed right to the very edge. Whether it’s a convention, festival, workplace, or one-off event, credentials are key and laminated passes will get the job done.
These fully customizable, highly secure, and very stylish passes stand out with holographic foils that are nearly impossible to counterfeit. Allowing you to take your design and make it shine.
Our holographic ice laminates are impossible to duplicate, making your passes incredibly secure and easy to spot from far away. Available as single or double-sided holographic prints, standard or qlam laminates, these credentials are some of our favorites for a reason.
Laminated and then cut into any shape you want, these are the most customizable when it comes to out of the box and completely unique shapes, while still maximizing real estate by printing right to the very edge. Add custom holographic foil, single or double-sided printing; these passes are extremely durable and long-lasting.
A durable standard, these laminates are familiar and customizable with art. When you think of tour laminates and credentials, you should be thinking about these unique, high-quality holographic badges. Our custom pouch laminates are the industry standard for event passes, seen all over tours, concerts, conventions, and more.
These durable passes are perfect for multi-day events, VIPs and crew. Made with clear, laminated edges that surround your art, there’s a slit for your lanyard and laminate passes to attach, and they can be printed as single or double-sided badges in full color. We also offer custom holographic foiling if you want to get a little extra.
Think of this like a standard laminate but with tear-off stubs at the bottom so you have a set number of tabs you can redeem for drinks, food, or merchandise at your event.
The only choice when you want something no one else has. These badges are crystal clear and completely customizable with shapes, art, and design. Uncommon in a good way, our crystal clear laminates are a creative way to add a little extra security to your event.
These see-through passes are available with RFID, variable data, sequential numbering, QR codes, and more. These passes are not only impressive when it comes to their tech, but incredibly hard to replicate. Print single or double sided art and get as custom as your creativity allows.
Made to last, you can choose from a badge, business card, award medal, or lapel pin. These badges are great for VIPs or for events where a truly durable, lasting badge is crucial. Easily our most impressive credential, metal passes can’t help but make your event (and the wearer) feel special.
Extremely durable and customizable in shape and design, metal badges are the go to choice for VIPs and making sure you’ve got a highly desirable keepsake for your attendees.
An affordable option when preventing credential transfers isn’t crucial, satin stickies are a great choice that’s still customizable. Made from malleable woven satin stickies adhere to clothes, fabrics, flight cases, and more. Designed to not peel when wet, they are ideal for day-of backstage access, festivals and the like.
Similar to a credit card or a standard hotel key card, these tough and durable PVC plastic cards are great for staff and guests alike when it comes to conventions, arenas, hotels, and venues. Print directly on for fully customizable variations.
Our PVC cards and name badges come with a variety of different options to help secure and successfully manage your conference, expo or place of work. Hard cards work great as ID badges to help staff and guests to easily identify each other, ensuring a safe and secure environment for any cooperation. They are also great for hotels with keyless entry, touchless payments and more.
Find the Right Event Badges for Your Next Event
When it comes to event badges, the options are nearly endless and the add-ons are, too. We’ve found the best starting point for what type of badge to get really is security. The more secure your event needs to be, the more likely you are to want an RFID enhanced solution. However, that’s not always the case! We’ve innovated a lot of ways to create extremely high-levels of security without RFID technology and are always more than happy to help you find the best badge for you.
To learn more about the types of badges you can order for your event, explore our website or contact a sales representative at sales@arnettdesigns.com.
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