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Badges with a QR Code

A QR Badge is a unique identifier for an event attendee, granting various privileges, access to specific venue areas, and more.

How to Design Guest Badges

Typically, a badge is a cardboard or plastic card that displays event information – its name, date, location, and the attendee's full name. Ideally, you should also add the company the guest represents and their position. You can also include information about sponsors and partners, the event program, and much more.

We won't go into detail about ultra-expensive options or special badges with NFC and other high-tech features. Instead, we want to provide examples of the most commonly used and budget-friendly options:

badge

Convertible Badge-Ticket

A ready-made attendee ticket generated by the RegToEVENT service can be used as a QR badge if folded into four parts.

One of the sections of such a ticket will contain all the necessary information: the event name and logo, attendee details, and a personal QR code with their contact information embedded. By scanning each other's codes, attendees can exchange contact information.

The organizer simply needs to place this ticket into a silicone holder instead of creating separate laminated badges for guests.

badge

Classic Cardboard Badge

This is the standard and most common type of badge. It's made of thick cardboard, printed on one or both sides. If you want the badge to be sturdy, and resistant to tearing, creasing, or bending against clothing, it's best to laminate it. This will add stiffness and durability to the cardboard base. Lamination can be glossy or matte.

broshura

Brochure Badges

Badge + program + information about partners and sponsors. There's no need to print the program and badge separately. Its thickness makes it quite sturdy, even though it's made of regular paper, not cardboard.

The program is always at the attendee's fingertips, and you can add pages with information about sponsors and even a couple of pages for notes. However, it's important to keep up with the times. Now that paper programs have been replaced by interactive ones accessed via QR codes, you can skip printing brochures. Firstly, it's a cost-saving measure, and secondly, you don't have to worry about last-minute changes to the program.

badge

Notepad Badge

This is another very interesting 2-in-1 option: a badge that's also useful. If an attendee hears something important during a talk and wants to jot it down, a notepad and pen are right there.

Just like with a brochure, you can add the program and sponsor information to the notepad.

But there are some nuances! The layout needs to be designed correctly so that the program isn't upside down. Such a badge must have a lanyard with two clips, and it shouldn't be too large. Attendees won't be thrilled to wear a heavy notepad around their neck all day long.

Personalized Event Badges

Of course, an event attendee's badge must be personalized; otherwise, having everyone wear the same pretty card is simply pointless. This is where every organizer gets creative, coming up with their own ways to personalize them, whether by printing, handwriting, or using other methods.

badge

Pre-printed at a Print Shop

They look nice and uniform, but if you have 200-300 or even 3,000 guests, arranging them alphabetically is a dead end! All your hard work sorting them alphabetically, which took several hours the night before, will be undone by attendees searching for their badges in just 15-20 minutes. This option is ideal only for small events, or for making a few separate badges for organizers and speakers.

badge

Handwritten Badges

The tackiest option. The badge cards are pre-printed, looking nice and uniform, but only until your hostesses start writing guests' names on them. Messy handwriting, a leaky marker, or even worse – a smeared pen. Mishearing the name, misjudging the space so it doesn't fit. The only "plus" is the cost savings, which isn't worth it.

badge

Badges with Printed Stickers

A sticker with the attendee's details is printed the moment their ticket is scanned. All stickers are the same size, with the same font, and are applied to pre-made cardboard bases. No queues, no chaos, no lost badges that were so carefully sorted alphabetically the day before. The registration time for one attendee is about 7 seconds, and the professional appearance of the badge will be pleasing to the eye.

badge

Badges Printed On-Site

The badge is printed on-site, right at the venue, during attendee registration. It's expensive and premium, but it's also a costly pleasure in terms of expenses. Plus, it significantly increases the registration time per attendee, as printing takes much longer. The registration desk itself also gets physically larger due to the equipment requirements. So, this option isn't very suitable if you have limited space for registration or a very large event.

What Information to Print on Badges

  • First Name

    Suitable for a younger audience where everyone is on a first-name basis, and if the event is small and your goal is simply to help people get acquainted.

  • First and Last Name

    Better for more productive networking, especially if there are more than 50 attendees. This helps people feel unique, rather than encountering 5-10 other badges with the same first name.

  • First Name, Last Name, and Company

    This option is ideal for business networking and productive connections, as for business events, it's important not just to know you're talking to "John," but also which company he represents.

  • First Name, Last Name, Company, and Position

    This is the full package for business introductions. It's much easier for guests to identify which company representative is in front of them and what position they hold, and thus whether they can help with a particular issue. If so, they can approach and get acquainted.

  • First Name, Last Name, Company, Position, and QR Code

    A QR code added to a badge can serve as a digital business card for exchanging contacts, can link directly to personal chats in Telegram or an app if you use them, or can be used for additional identity verification by security. With it, a badge becomes more than just a name card; it's a multifunctional tool for networking and security.

Guest Badges with a QR Code

QR codes on badges can serve as a tool for exchanging contacts, or as a tool for controlling and verifying guests. They can solve any task you need.

badge
badge

QR Code Business Card

This QR code contains the full registration data card of the attendee, which they provided when filling out your form. Additionally, each attendee can log into their personal account and fill in other fields: links to their social media, chats, and information about what they are looking for at the event and how they can be useful to others.

Guests can scan QR codes on badges to open a special card with this data, which can be saved. This solves the problem of exchanging business cards, as few people print them anymore.

badge
badge

QR Code for an App

If you use a mobile app for networking at your event, attendees can scan the QR code on each other's badges to save them to their contact list. From there, they can move to private chats, arrange meetings, and continue communicating even after the event, or use other networking tools in the app.

badge
badge

QR Code for Chat

If you are sure that your audience actively uses Telegram, you can add a "nickname" field to your registration form. Many users hide their phone numbers and can only be found by their nickname.

If you use a QR code on badges that links to Telegram, scanning it will immediately open a chat window with the person whose code was just scanned. This allows attendees to instantly exchange contacts and start a conversation.

badge
badge

QR Code for Tracking

This QR code on a badge can be used if your venue has different zones with restricted access. Perhaps attendees paid extra for access to a workshop area or an afterparty, or you want to track the number of times a guest enters a particular zone or measure hall occupancy during talks.

At the entrance to each of these zones, the QR code can be scanned, and an entry/exit will be recorded. If an attendee's access to a zone is limited (e.g., the dining area only twice a day) or prohibited altogether, the system will issue a warning like "access denied" or "entry limit reached."

badge
badge

QR Code for Security

If your event requires strict access control, verification of attendee registration, documents, personal belongings inspection, etc., a separate QR code on the badge can be scanned by security to verify the authenticity of the registration. Security will see the full registration data of the attendee and can cross-reference it with physical documents before conducting searches, using metal detectors, etc., and allowing the person into the venue.

Even if security inside the venue suspects that a person has given their badge to someone else, they can approach, scan it, check its authenticity, and verify it against documents again.

Badge and Sticker Sizes

You can't just go to a print shop and say, "Make me a standard badge." Everyone has their own "standards," and they will make whatever matches the design you provide.

Badge Sizes for an Event

Most often, a badge is a portrait-oriented cardboard card measuring approximately 10x15 cm. However, every organizer has their own preferred size.

It could be 9x14 cm, 9x13 cm, or even smaller at 8x12 cm, or larger at 12x17 cm. It all depends on how much information you want to fit on the card.

If it's a presentation of your product or company and there's nothing on it besides your logo and the event name, it can be smaller. If you have a large-scale event with many sponsors and partners and you want to advertise them all on the badge, then of course, the size should be larger to accommodate all their logos.

badge
badge

If you want to place the program on the back of the badge in text format, you need to use a larger badge to ensure the text is readable. However, if your program is very long, a QR code leading to a separate page with the program will suffice, and the badge doesn't need to be large.

If you're only printing first and last names on the badges, they can be smaller. But if you know for sure that your guests' organization names and job titles are very long, it's better to leave more space for the printed sticker, and consequently, the badge itself should be larger.

badge
badge

Sometimes landscape-oriented badges are used, or even non-standard shapes. It all depends on your idea, goals, and budget. It's best to consult with a print shop; they can tell you which size will be most cost-effective. This is because they print several badges on one sheet and then cut them into individual cards. The less waste the print shop has, the cheaper your badge will be.

Personalized Stickers on Badges

The size of the sticker will depend on the size of the badge itself and the amount of data you plan to print on it. An 8x4 cm sticker can perfectly fit a name, surname, company, and even job titles, as long as they aren't 150-200 characters long. You can also add a QR code to such a sticker, but again, this depends on the length of the text (names, surnames, companies) in your attendee database.

For example, everything fits on an 8x4 cm sticker. But if you take a 10x4 cm sticker, everything still fits, but the font and the size of the QR code itself can be made slightly larger for better visibility from a distance.

badge
badge

If you know in advance that the names of your guests' organizations or their job titles will be long, leave more empty space on the badge so you can use a larger sticker, say 10x6 cm.

At the same time, just a first and last name on such a large sticker will look less concise, and it will take up a lot of space on the badge that you could have filled with something useful. Perhaps in this case, it makes sense to abandon the idea of printing the job title.

badge
badge

Choose a sticker that is slightly narrower than the badge itself. For example, if the badge is 10 cm wide, an 8 cm sticker looks harmonious on it because the badge's background is visible on the sides.

However, if you want a 10 cm wide sticker, then the badge width should be 11-12 cm. If you choose a 1:1 size ratio, you may encounter difficulties when applying it at the venue. Hostesses will be in a hurry and any misalignments will be visible, or you might even have to fold one of the edges over to the back.

You can order a sticker of any size, color, and even shape. It's a matter of price and production time. So, if you approach the registration process seriously and contact us in advance, we can find a universal solution that will suit you. But if you remember in the last few days that the registration issue hasn't been resolved, it's better to stick with standard options.

Event Attendee Badge Design

There is no approved standard for what an event attendee's badge should look like. In essence, it's your creative flight of fancy. Nevertheless, there are some generally accepted rules that everyone adheres to.

  • Event Name

    The event name should be written in large letters at the top, like a heading for the badge. If your event already has an approved logo, you can use it instead of the text name.

  • Date and Location

    You can add the event date and location name. But if you're running the same series of events, say every month, and the design and style don't change, we can offer you a little life hack! Print a large batch of badges in advance (it will be cheaper for you) and don't specify the date and location on them. Then you can use them for all such events ;)

  • Logos

    If you have an open event that involves partners and sponsors, add small logos of the companies that supported your event. Accordingly, you can add this as a separate option in the sponsorship package – "logo placement on the badge."

  • Space for a Sticker

    Roughly in the middle of the badge, there should be a sticker with your guest's details. Leave enough space there, without important text or logos, so you don't have to cover them up later.

  • Program

    On the back of the badge, you can place a QR code with the program or the program itself if it consists of just a few points. This will allow you to save on printing separate booklets and, in the case of using a QR code for a program page, avoid issues with changes in timing, speakers, etc.

  • Other QR Codes

    Sometimes organizers add QR codes for a chatbot, mobile apps, their website, or other things they find useful. Regardless of whether you have one QR code for the program or several for different sources, be sure to label what each code is for. This will make it easier for people to understand that it can and should be scanned.

Lanyards for Badges

Naturally, a badge is a card that an attendee needs to attach to themselves somehow so that it is visible to other guests, organizer representatives, and security. A lanyard is always provided with it. This, in turn, can serve as an additional advertising tool if you print the logos of a sponsor or partner on it.

  • With 2 Clips

    To prevent the badge from flipping over and to always keep it facing other guests, it's ideal to use a lanyard with two clips.

  • With 1 Clip

    If you have a lanyard with one clip, be prepared for the badge to constantly flip over to the back, hiding the guest's details. You can apply a name sticker to both sides.

  • Lanyard with a Clip-on Attachment

    A lanyard with a clip-on attachment will rotate less, but the risk is still there. The die-cut on the badge will also be a different shape.

  • Clip-on

    You can make a badge without a lanyard at all, just with a clip, but this option won't be comfortable for all guests. It attaches well to a jacket or pocket, but it won't look very good on a sweater, blouse, or dress. This will result in people keeping the badge in their pocket or bag all the time.

  • Sticker without a Badge and Lanyard

    The option of not making a badge at all and just giving out stickers with attendee details is also not the best. Because if your event lasts all day, half the people will lose the sticker, and maybe more than once! Not everyone is comfortable sticking it on their clothes, and it won't stick to all types of fabric. And if someone sticks it on their phone or bag: first, the sticker itself will get dirty, and second, it's not a fact that it will come off the device without leaving a residue.

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Badge Lamination

Laminated badges are always more durable and look more expensive. They are thicker, don't wrinkle, don't tear, and don't bend in different directions. If you have an event that lasts all day, or even several days in a row, you should definitely have laminated badges. If you have a small event that will only last a few hours and there's no need to make it look expensive and fancy, you can use regular cardboard without lamination.

Lamination can be glossy or matte. Glossy lamination better conveys the colors of your design, but matte lamination doesn't show fingerprints and smudges as much, and the badge won't create glare in photos and videos.

Corner Rounding and Die-Cutting

It's best to make the edges of the badge rounded, especially if it's a laminated badge. Because sharp edges can damage guests' clothing.

The type of die-cut for the lanyard will depend on which lanyard you use. For a carabiner, it's usually round; for a clip, it's oval. If you have a lanyard with two carabiners, there will be two round holes on the sides, so consider this when designing the layout, so it doesn't turn out that these holes are cut right in the middle of your event's name. Always leave a margin at the top.

Frame for the Sticker

NEVER make frames for the sticker!!! Even if you and your team decide it's more convenient for the hostesses to apply it because they can see where to stick it.

No - it's not convenient! Your frame will only get in the way. No matter how hard you try to give instructions, when there's a large flow of people, your hostesses will stick them on however they can, and any misalignment from this frame, even by 1-2 mm, will be very noticeable. Without a frame, it will be unnoticeable.

The sticker is always a solid color, so it's visible anyway. And if your badge is blue, red, black, or any other color, and the sticker is white - then it itself is already a frame.

So, make a solid fill on the badge with your brand style and color, leaving an empty space there without important information. Believe me, your colored background around the sticker will look much better than a solid white stripe on the badge, or even worse - a crookedly applied sticker.

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badge

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