What is a smart badge?
A smart badge is nothing more than an upgrade of the traditional event badge that is achieved by adding an ID tag in its design. This tag is unique and offers plug-and-play security and greater speed in contact sharing. Smart badges are incredibly easy to use – over 98% of attendees interact with exhibitors through them – and also a great asset to avoid long queues at your entrance through contactless event check-in.
Also read: QR code vs. smart badge: what is best for your event?
Is this the perfect badge?
This device doesn’t have to be a regular badge like the one in the image above. It can take many wearable forms ranging from a wristband, a sleeve or a button, as long as there is a surface for the tag to adhere to.
Did you know? The beamian ID label printers allow you to go beyond text and also print headshots, avoiding the crossing of badges between event participants. Another possibility is to exchange physical badges for digital ones that send their data streams for decoding via audio codes. How techy is that?
Improve sponsor and exhibitor traffic
Looking to accelerate the ROI you promised to stakeholders? Does your event need new lead capture tactics? Smart badges are perfect for trade shows and networking events, allowing to collect business cards as a lead retrieval system. They can create an entire ecosystem to track visitors’ touchpoints and monitor their interactions with exhibitors.
The perfect badge is smart and allows exhibitors to have an instant record of visitor’s interactions plus the information they decided to share. Exhibitors can now have a digital visibility of their pipeline and keep track of leads directly on the event app, where analytics are stored in a live dashboard. Learn how to choose the right event management software.
How does it happen? Like the participants, exhibitors also benefit from ID technology. Each exhibition stand receives a unique electronic identifier – the beamer – that reads and sends the data from the smart badges to the event app in real-time.
Event data, engagement and ROI
Smart badges are making things easier than ever. In the past, the process of registering attendees was done manually, resulting in long lines and frustration. Nowadays, wearable technology has taken big steps ahead. Event badges have been turned into gamechanger, digital tools that improve the event experience for attendees, deliver monetary returns to sponsors and exhibitors, and offer in-depth data on event attendance and participant behaviors to organizers.
Event technology is bringing so much to the table in terms of facilitating processes, revenue streams, and using data to understand and measure the success of your event. Don’t get left behind and join the revolution!
Conference badges FAQ
How do badges contribute to event/brand positioning?
Event badges greatly influence the attendee experience as they use branding, design and technological elements to position the event towards its goals. Because of their visibility and exposure, badges are seen as a centerpiece. So make sure yours don’t go against the image you want to convey.
How do smart badges help in the check-in process?
It takes only 1sec to read a smart badge, and using it facilitates all interactions and processes from then on, on all days of the event. If you have an electronic check-in in place (already with registered attendees), smart badges will greatly speed up the entire event flow. Integrated into a well-planned process, we dare say that smart badges can completely evaporate the check-in process. And it’s the process that really matters, even more than technology.
Need help outlining the process? Take a peek at this quick guide for event check-in and occupancy control.
How can physical badges be a means of digital interaction?
No wonder the future of events is phygital! Smart badges can physically and digitally identify event attendees. Because they are almost always worn around the neck, they’ll make exchanging interactions very easy and intuitive. Likewise, a smart wristband also has a natural usability. Of course, the shape of your badge has to fit the type of your event and its goals.
How can event badges contribute to sustainability?
By reusing and/or recycling tags, wristbands, or even ID cards. For example, badges made of PVC are more durable and can easily be reused at another event. Also, tags can easily be disassociated and re-associated with someone else at a different event. Another great option is to use existing materials, as job fairs do with student cards. NFC technology can perform almost anywhere, even in attendees’ mobile phones.
Should event badges be printed on-site or in advance?
Pre-printing isn’t recommended because besides being very time-consuming, it becomes a manual process and leads to confusion. Therefore, event badges should be printed on-site because there are fewer glitches and it speeds up the check-in process (as long as technical conditions are met).
Can smart badges be copied? How to prevent them from being used by more than one person?
Remember the factors “something you know”, “something you have” and “something you are”? Well, smart badging is made of them.
Technically it’s not possible to copy the chip itself (we’re talking about the same chip that is used in bank cards, which are highly reliable). However, an attendee can perfectly well grab his badge and give it to someone else. As viable solutions, there are the use of headshots on the badge, tamper-proof wristbands, and two-factor authentication.
What material should I choose for my event badges?
Choosing the material for your event badges should depend strongly on the duration of the event. If we’re talking about a multi-day event, your badges should be laminated for durability. Among the most common choices are paper and PVC, which can also be recyclable and/or biodegradable.
