Cohesion and unity create a team. Longevity and familiarity breed greatness. Team members should be reminded regularly of their worth. Surely, cash is king of the rewards, followed closely by perks. But merchandise, such as lapel pins, is also a valued memento of service above and beyond the call of the customer. A lapel pin can signify membership on a particular team that was responsible for a great feat, like selling heat to a fire. It can be a reward for signing the next big thing or it might be a badge of honor, recognizing membership in an elite corps.
There are a few types of rewards for which lapel pins are appropriate and well-received.
1. Performance-based rewards, or planned-rewards, show a level of success that few reach within an organization. These pins are exclusive and coveted within the business or club. These are trophies, meant to be worn proudly. Salesmen with Corvette lapel pins have sold twenty Corvettes. Wearing such a pin would make a prospective customer feel comfortable spending such a large amount on a car.
2. A progressive reward marks the advancement of a club member or employee as they climb the ladder of success. The office manager has a lapel pin only worn by office managers. The same is true of the District and Regional managers. During corporate functions, the lapel pins are like stripes on a Sergeant. They show rank. They garner respect.
3. Back-slapper rewards are spontaneous outbursts of gratitude for a particular individual accomplishment. A lapel pin with your logo is a nice reward for the successful handling of a difficult client, the performance of a job nobody else wanted, or working from bell to bell at the yearly “Christmas in July Outdoor Sale and Memorial Barbecue and Fish Fry.”
4. A lapel pin that commemorates a particularly amusing or unpleasant incident is also popular. Perhaps the company picnic was attacked by a swarm of angry bees or your sales team survived 5 days in Heathrow Airport. A lapel pin will immortalize the incident as company folklore.
Lapel pins can be made from anything from plastic to precious metals, so the range of your generosity is only constrained by your budget. If the pin is meant to last for years, have it made from thicker, more durable material.
The available styles, materials, processes, and options are myriad. Some pins have the colors baked onto them and some have the colors baked into them. The back of the pin might also be inscribed with a date or saying like Band Camp, 2010.
Contact a lapel pin dealer to order custom lapel pins or buy them online. Most manufacturers also offer design services. However, your design is welcome and will be faithfully rendered no matter what route you choose to take.