Printed Lanyards and Name Badges for Events: A Quick Planning Checklist

When people arrive at an event, the first things they interact with are not the food or the attendees. It is registration, security, and name badges.

If your printed lanyards and name badges are organised, clear, and on brand, check-in feels smooth, attendees relax more quickly, and your event looks professional from the first minute. If they are rushed or poorly planned, you feel it immediately in long queues, confusion at the doors, and a lot of “Sorry, what’s your name again?”. Creating a bad experience from the get-go. 

This is why planning your lanyards, badge holders, and attendee cards is worth the effort. These are small details that make a big difference to how your event looks, feels, and runs.

At Card Monster, we specialise in printed cards, card holders, and printed lanyards and name badges for South African events of all sizes. We have had the privilege to be a part of some great events and look forward to doing many more in the coming year of 2026. Some of these events include the Club 1959 event, FastTrack Road Rally, Calabash and Deli Stationery Event, to name a few. We wrote a full piece on how lanyard name badges are more than just IDs, and how they support branding and networking.

Why Printed Lanyards and Name Badges Matter So Much

It is easy to treat printed lanyards and name badges as a “tick-box” item, but they do several important jobs at once:

• They show who belongs where (staff, VIP, backstage, media, students, players, visitors).

• They carry your logo and colours, reinforcing your brand.

• They help people network without awkward “I forgot your name” moments.

• They support access control when linked to scanners or door staff.

In a previous blog, we explained how name badges can carry your brand story and help people connect, not just display a name. For events like conferences, school functions, sports tournaments, or expos, this is even more important. When everyone is wearing your brand around their neck, it becomes part of the event atmosphere.

Planning ahead means you can choose the right:

• Lanyard design.

• Clip type.

• Card holder style.

• Badge layout and information.

These all create the perfect combination for your event or conference. Making sure that you have all these in place will make it easy for Card Monster to put together everything you need and get your order ready. 

How Far in Advance Should You Plan and Order?

Lead times will depend on:

• How many people are attending the event?

• Whether you are ordering custom printed lanyards or plain lanyards. Plain lanyards are already in stock and may have a delay of 2-3 days if we are out of stock. Customised printed lanyards usually take 7-14 business days to create.

• Whether your badges will be pre-printed or printed on demand

• Shipping times to your city. We can deliver anywhere in Johannesburg, which usually takes 2-3 business days. If you are in the surrounding areas in South Africa, then it could be (2-5 business days), depending on where you are in the country. 

As a general guide, this timeline works well for most conferences, school events, sports events, and expos.

8–12 weeks before the event: numbers and concept

At this stage, you don’t need final names yet, but you do need:

• An estimated headcount of how many will attend.

• Categories of attendees (staff, VIP, speakers, exhibitors, students, teams, etc.)

• A decision on colour coding (for example, red for staff, green for visitors)

You also decide whether you want:

• Simple, plain lanyards. Choose from our range.

• OR Fully custom printed lanyards with your logo and brand colours.

• Single-sided or double-sided printed cards.

• Clear rigid card holders or soft pouches. Check out our range.

This is also the right time to confirm your budget and rough quantities.

6–8 weeks before the event: artwork and approvals

Here you create or finalise the artwork for:

• The lanyard print. Please ask us for the artwork guidelines for this. 

• The card layout. Please provide your artwork as requested. 

• Any sponsor logos that must appear.

Keeping branding consistent with your existing cards and marketing helps everything look more professional. If you are already working on cards with special finishes or carefully matched colours, your event branding can mirror that.

Make sure you follow our basic artwork guidelines so production is smooth and you avoid delays caused by low-resolution logos or incorrect files. Card Monster has a dedicated artwork guidelines page that explains how to prepare files correctly.

If you are planning a large conference or multi-day event, this is also the time to lock in your lanyard clip choice. Card Monster has a full blog on different lanyard clip types (egg clip, bulldog clip, lobster clip, swivel clip and more) and how to choose for your industry.

4–6 weeks before the event: production and delivery

For custom-printed lanyards, this is usually when production runs. Custom satin lanyards with your logo repeat print need time for setup, printing and quality control.

Here you will be given a quotation which you can approve by payment. We will then proceed with the order. 

At this stage, you should:

• Confirm final quantities with a small buffer.

• Confirm how many different colours or designs you need (for example, one design for staff, another for exhibitors).

• Purchase your cardholders and pouches so you are not scrambling in the last week.

If your cards are being pre-printed with names, they may also go into production here, or slightly later, depending on how close to the event you can finalise attendee lists. We will only continue with production once we have payment in full and the attendee list intact. 

2–3 weeks before the event: packing and sorting

By now, all your printed lanyards and name badges should be:

• Delivered

• Checked for quality

• Counted and matched with your registration list

This is the time to:

• Insert cards into card holders or pouches.

• Attach lanyards. Let us know if you'd like us to do this; we can assemble anything you may need us to do, including putting the cards in the cardholders or pouches. Adding any clips you may need to the lanyards and adding cardholders to your lanyards so that everything is ready for your event without you having to do anything. We have called it the lanyard assembly service, but we can do anything for your event.  

• Sorting and boxing them (by surname, company, grade, team, or role)

Do this before your attendees arrive. It is much easier to sort everything calmly at a table in your office than under pressure at the registration desk.

Having all of this ready does two things:

1. It reduces stress on the day.

2. It creates a better first impression of your event and brand.

You are now ready for your event, stress-free and prepared.

What Details Should Go on the Card?

A name badge should be easy to read from a short distance and fast to scan if you are using barcodes or QR codes. It should also support security and access control without cluttering the layout.

The key details on printed lanyards and name badges will differ slightly by event type.

Conferences and expos

For business events, we recommend:

• First name in large text (this is what people use when talking).

• Surname in smaller text.

• Company or organisation name.

• Role or function (Speaker, Exhibitor, Delegate, Media, Staff, etc.).

• Event logo and date.

• Access level or zone info, if relevant (Expo floor, VIP lounge, Backstage).

• QR code or barcode linked to registration or lead capture.

• Optional: Country flag or city, if it helps networking.

When printing codes, the material and finish matter. A badge with excessive gloss can reflect light and make scanning harder under bright lights or camera flashes. Card Monster has a blog that explains the difference between matte and gloss finishes and when each is better.  That same logic can apply when you choose surface finishes for card inserts.

School events and education

For schools, open days, and awards evenings:

• Learner or visitor name.

• Grade or class.

• School name and logo.

• Role (Parent, Visitor, Staff, Prefect, Guest Speaker).

• Optional: House colour or group for easy sorting.

If badges are used beyond a single event (for example, as ongoing student cards), then you may also add:

• A small photo.

• Student number.

• Barcode or contactless chip, linked to your system or gate access.

Again, test readability from a short distance. Teachers, security staff and event organisers should not have to squint.

Sports events and tournaments

For sports events and races:

• Participant name.

• Team, club, or school name.

• Role (Player, Coach, Official, Medic, Volunteer).

• Event name and date.

• Category or division.

• Emergency or medical note indicator (for example, a small icon showing “see back”).

You may also include a QR code that links to event schedules, maps, or rules.

Lanyards:

People usually just have the logo on the lanyards to show what company this is from and enhance brand identity without cluttering it. 

Security and Flow: How Good Badges Help

Well-designed printed lanyards and name badges support security in a simple way:

• Clear roles and colour coding help staff see who belongs where.

• A consistent holder type, such as Twinprox clear holders, keeps cards visible and protected.

• Integrated technology (MIFARE or proximity cards) can connect to doors, gates, or time-and-attendance systems.

• Visibly displayed QR codes makes it easy to attendees to be scanned in at the door without long waiting periods.

This does not have to be complicated. Even without tech, you can combine:

• Coloured lanyards.

• Clear holders.

• Simple icon, colours or text on badges.

To make it obvious who is staff, who is a guest, and who is allowed backstage or on the field.

When security staff feel confident reading badges quickly, lines move faster, and the event feels calmer. That reflects well on your brand.

How to Pack and Distribute Lanyards Before Attendees Arrive

The physical handling of printed lanyards and name badges is often where events fall apart. A few simple systems can change that.

Sort in the way people will arrive

Some easy options:

• By surname (A–F, G–L, etc.) for conferences and expos.

• By class or grade for school events. 

• By team, club, or event for sports tournaments. You can also categorise by houses in schools.

• By level of groups (i.e. VIP, backstage, etc)

Label boxes or containers clearly and use table signs on the day.

Pre-attach lanyards to holders

Have as much assembly as possible in advance. We are able to assemble your cards, cardholders and lanyards for you before the event with our Lanyard Assembly Service. 

This saves you time and stress on the day.

Prepare spares

Always print:

• extra blank inserts

• a few spare lanyards and holders in each colour

These cover late registrations, name changes, or lost badges.

How to Reuse or Repurpose Leftover Lanyards and Card Holders

One big benefit of printed lanyards and name badges is that parts of the system can often be reused.

1. Choose designs with reuse in mind

If you know you run similar events regularly, consider:

• Keeping your lanyard design generic (logo and colours, but not a specific event date).

• Use standard, clear card holders or pouches that fit any future cards you may produce.

You then only update the cards for each new event.

2. Use leftovers for internal branding

Extra lanyards can be used for:

• Staff ID cards.

• Visitor badges at your office.

• Volunteer roles at school or club events.

• On-site contractors or temporary staff.

If you run access card systems in your business, your leftover holders may work well with your existing cards, especially if you are already buying plastic employee or student IDs from Card Monster.

3. Support future events and partners

If you partner with schools, clubs, or non-profits, some leftover generic lanyards and holders can be donated or used again for jointly branded events.

Why Planning Early Is Good for Your Brand

Early planning for printed lanyards and name badges is not just operational. It also builds your brand in several ways:

• Consistency
  Your lanyards, cardholders, cards and printed materials share the same colours and finishes, which you’ve already explored in blogs about colour matching and special finishes. 

• Professional impression
  When attendees see organised registration, clear signage, and neat badges, they trust the event and the organiser more.

• Sponsor value
  If sponsors or partners have their logos on badges or lanyards, good planning gives them more visibility and makes you look reliable as a host.

• Excitement and build-up
  As lanyards arrive and badges are printed, your team can feel the event becoming real. Sharing sneak peeks on social media of your branded lanyards or name badges is a simple way to create hype before the event day.

How Card Monster Can Help

Card Monster already produces:

• Custom printed lanyards

• Card holders and access card holders for everyday business use and events. 

• Plastic cards for staff, students, loyalty programs, and event cards.

We also share practical advice on:

• Clip types and how to choose the right attachment for your event.

• How to design name badges that go beyond basic ID and support your brand and networking goals.

We can help you turn your plan into finished lanyards, card holders, and cards that are ready before your first attendee walks through the door.

Quick Planning Checklist (Copy/Paste Friendly)

To summarise, here is a simple checklist you can keep:

• ☐ Estimate headcount and attendee types.

• ☐ Decide on colour coding (lanyard colours, badge layouts per group).

• ☐ Choose lanyard style and clip type.

• ☐ Choose card holder or pouch type.

• ☐ Plan card content (names, roles, access levels, codes).

• ☐ Prepare artwork following Card Monster’s guidelines.

• ☐ Confirm production lead times and place your order early.

• ☐ Assemble lanyards, holders, and inserts before the event. We can do this for you with the Lanyard Assembly Service.

• ☐ Sort badges by surname, group or team.

• ☐ Prepare spare lanyards, holders and blank cards.

• ☐ After the event, review usage and plan reuse of leftovers.

Planning ahead lets you focus on running the actual event instead of fighting with last-minute badge problems. And when everyone walks in wearing your brand on a neat, well-designed lanyard and badge, your event feels organised, intentional, and worth attending.