When customers walk into an office, name plates are usually one of the first things they notice. Customers use name plates to easily find who they want to talk to and who they want to do business with. Placards bearing names can also make their business experience more pleasant, as they save time and can provide customers with more information than just names.

Using name plates is a business owner's best bet when it comes to marketing their employees and the business they represent. When attempting to incorporate name plates into your business consider the following:

1. Name plates aren't just for business owners, supervisors or managers.

2. Desk name plate sizes can have an influence their effectiveness.

3. Positioning a name plate correctly can ensure that customers know who employees are and what they do.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get nameplates for everyone in the office

Office name plates are a standard accessory for high-ranking employees. But desk name plates can also be beneficial to up-and-comers who want to make a name for themselves in the office. Desk plates help customers remember the names of excellent business representatives and contribute to the overall feel of a personalized business experience.

I recommend: You don't have to spend a lot of money on an engraved name plate for each employee. Names plates made out of plastic are economical alternatives to more costly ones. Buying in bulk can also lower your costs. PlaqueMaker.com lets business owners place orders for name plates at substantially discounted prices. Customized Engraving has a few simple clear and plastic name plates and also some premium alternatives.

Consider the size of your desk plates

The standard desk plate is 2 x 8 inches. This size usually allows space for a name and no more than two lines of text underneath it. With a name plate that small, you have few choices of where the name plate will go best on the surface of your desk. But bigger name plates may give you more opportunities to choose where and how your desk nameplates are displayed.

I recommend: Name Tag offers different sizes of name plates, adding as much as four inches to the standard size. Namifiers provides name plates that are slightly larger than the standard and also let business owners design and order their name plates right on their website.

Put your name placards where they will be seen

Buying name plates for desks isn't enough to identify an employee or your business. You have to put them in places where your customers' field of vision naturally falls. Positioning your personalized name plates at the front of your desk is the most natural choice, but what if your desk has an odd shape or can't handle any more clutter? Another choice is wall name plates which can be hung at eye level so that customers are sure to see them.

I recommend: The Corporate Connection has a number of customizable wall name plates that can be made out of plastic to help cut your expenses. B & I Nameplate can help you order wall plates in bulk with fully customizable options, including colors.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Name plates just aren't for desks and walls. Use door name plates as another way to market your business and the employees who work for you.

Name plates are a must-have for every business. They lend an air of sophistication and professionalism to the office. Name placards identify whose office is whose or display a product name in a retail environment.

Office name plates come in all shapes and sizes, including the traditional, rectangle-shaped engraved name plate, desk name plates in the shape of the employee's name and wall name plates to be hung inside the office.

Keep the following in mind as you select your business name plates:

1. Determine the function your company's name plate will serve.
2. Opt for a professional and impressive look with a stand-out design and logo.
3. Invest in high-quality, durable name plates. It's a one-time cost that will save you money over time as you avoid replacing less durable name plates.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Determine your name plate's purpose

The function of a name plate may seem obvious, but there's more to it than meets the eye. Your company may need personalized name plates for employees to hang up, name plates for desks or name placards to exhibit products or services. Other uses include barcode name plates for pallets in a warehouse or name plates for datecodes in food processing plants. With so many types available, you must consider the function your name plate will serve carefully.

I recommend: Review different uses for name plates at ThomasNet. You may find uses you didn't even consider, such as using wall name plates to point the way to the restrooms or remotely located offices. Read over a list of name plate manufacturers to see what types of corporate name plates are available.

Review a variety of business name plates for your company

You don't need to get the most expensive engraved name plate on the market. But you do need to buy one that best represents your company. Name plates are as unique as your business, so take time to choose and design one that makes your company stand out. Remember, it's a good investment that will last your company for years.

I recommend: Check out Customized Engraving for tons of corporate name plates. Names Plates Plus also has a good selection of name placards in various font styles.

Choose the material for your name plates

This isn't as simple as choosing the material you think will look the best such as wood, brass, stainless steel or even zinc. Those materials will do just fine if you need interior office name plates or desk plates. But if you're buying name plates for harsher environments you need to use a material that will withstand the elements prevalent in the climate where the name plate will be installed.

I recommend: Check out name plates by Metalcraft for aluminum nameplates, stainless steel, color-designed plates and etched name plates. They will stand up to whatever Mother Nature dishes out, including high temperature manufacturing environments. Get a free quote on custom name plates or sample pricing for more specific information.

Establish a custom design for your business name plates

Name plate design is as important as your business logo. Business name plates are part of your company's branding campaign. The design you create reflects your company's strong identity. Stay away from the run-of-the-mill tin or plastic desk name plates with cursive writing. Instead, make your company stand out with a creative logo. Make sure the logo leaves an appropriate amount of background space on the engraved name plate, so it doesn't appear cramped. Don't be afraid to mix materials and colors for a truly unique look. In addition, consider engraved name plates in a variety of different fonts.

I recommend: Visit ID3, Inc for rules on designing a good name plate for your business. The company makes 3-dimensional nameplates in plastic, metal and domed. You can get a quote on 3-dimensional corporate name plates.

Pay for durability in your office name plates

It won't do your business much good if you get great-looking name placards that start to peel or fall apart in a few months. Look for name plates that not only look professional but are durably constructed.

I recommend: For durable, custom designed office name plates, check out Nameplates for Industry. They print your design on the sub-surface, so a layer of plastic material protects the name plates from wear and tear. Plus, the adhesive backing is made to withstand all types of temperatures and environments.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Choose a name plate design that's clear and easy to understand.
• •  Keep the customer in mind. A women's boutique, for instance, should aim their name plate toward women.

If you're a business owner who is thinking about spending money on name plates, know that they're worth the investment. Name plates can do much more than just identify the person's desk a customer has walked up to. They can act as covert marketing tools to convince customers to do business with you.

Making the most of name plates should be high up on your list of priorities after you've purchased them. Think of the money spent on name plates as an advertising expense. When trying to get the most out of your name plates, consider the following:

1. The best name plates are those that can adapt to your business's spatial changes.

2. Name plates made out of sturdy material give customers the impression that you pay attention to detail.

3. Customizing name plates with extra information like logos, business names or other business-related information can work as another form of advertisement.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make your office name plates mobile

Many name plates can be affixed to a surface using screws or a strong adhesive. But the problem with permanently installing name plates is that every business undergoes changes and those could include changes in operational space. Invest in name placards like free-standing desk name plates or hangable wall name plates so that your name plates can move as your business gains momentum.

I recommend: MyNamePlates.com offers many mobile name plates that can be put virtually anywhere. You can also request a quote right on the website. QuickNameTags offer a few fast solutions for anyone wanting a mobile desk name plate in a short amount of time.

Splurge on sturdy material for desk plates

You get what you pay for. While buying cheap, plastic business name plates may serve your purposes for a time, investing in more expensive material like metal, aluminum or even bronze may add to your name plate's durability. This, in turn, can save you money because you won't have to keep buying more name plates to replace your old ones. Looking into sturdier materials may also give the option to buy an engraved name plate, which can give it that an extra professional touch.

I recommend: My Name Plates has a few different desk name plate materials from which to choose, including brass. Keysan even offers name plates made out of marble.

Consider customizing desk nameplates

Using personalized name plates gives your business a pinch of class, no matter what your product or service is. Buying custom name plates shows your customers that you care about quality and presentation, especially if the name plates have extra lines of information on them. This first impression can mean the difference between doing business with this customer or not.

I recommend: The Nametag Source lets business owners customize desk name plate sizes, colors, lines and logos. All Wood Name Plates & Gifts provides a unique and rustic take on the name plate by offering plates that are designed in the shape of your name.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider investing in a glass desk name plate to add an extra touch of sophistication to your work space. A glass name plate can compliment the desks of everyone from a CEO down to a schoolteacher.

Name plates for businesses are seen in a lot of different places. We generally think of them as sitting on someone's desk, but there are many other locations where different kinds of name plates pop up. A name plate can represent an individual, a company or a product, depending on its role and use. Learning about some of the common terms for name plates can you a basis for thinking about how to use any kind of name plate in a specific business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Placard

A placard is just a sign, of any size or material, that is posted in a place where people can see it. Within this general definition, name plates are good examples of placards.

I recommend: See the definitions of the term placard at the Free Dictionary.

Alloy

Alloy is a mixture of metals. Cast metal alloy is a traditional material for making name plates. Older cast metal alloy name plates are often hand painted.

I recommend: Get the definition of an alloy at Dictionary.com. See examples of common types of name plates in cast metal alloy with hand painted designs at The Sign Maker.

Name plate holders

Name plate holders are structural tools, either metal, plastic or another material that holds a name plate in place. These simple accessories come in various types for hanging name plates, desk plates, or slotted types for stand-up plates.

I recommend: Check out details on specific types of name plate holders at Name Tag Inc.

3D industrial nameplates

An industrial name plate is a name plate placed on a product. An example would be the metal plates that manufacturers put on cars for easy make and model identification.

I recommend: See more on industrial name plates and definitions for common types at Industrial Nameplates in 3D.

Anodizing

Anodizing is a process of weatherproofing for name plates and other items that may be exposed to the elements.

I recommend: See more on anodizing different kinds of name plates at the Detroit Name Plate Etching Company.

Engraving

Engraving is the process of cutting a name or image into a name plate. In the past, this was done by hand. Today, high tech machines have taken over most engraving jobs.

I recommend: Find more on metal engraving for name plates and other items at the Engraving Connection.