Plain lanyards are cheap and quick. Personalised lanyards cost a little more and take a little longer. So when is it worth printing your own design, and when is a plain or pre-printed lanyard the smarter choice? This article compares the options honestly.
The three options
| Plain | Pre-printed | Personalised | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A single-colour strap, no print | Ready-made wording such as Staff or Visitor | Your logo, text and colours |
| Branding | Colour only | Role, not brand | Full brand |
| Speed | Fastest: held in stock | Fast | Made to order, after proof approval |
| Best for | Colour-coding, top-ups, unbranded use | Quick role identification | Staff ID, events, merchandise |
Browse plain lanyards, pre-printed lanyards or personalised lanyards.
Five benefits of personalising
1. Your brand is seen every day
A lanyard is worn at eye level all day. With your logo on it, every conversation is a brand impression, at no extra cost after the initial order.
2. Better security
A plain lanyard can be bought by anyone. A lanyard printed with your organisation’s name is much harder to fake, which makes it more useful for controlling access.
3. Trust and professionalism
Customers and visitors trust staff who are clearly identified as part of your organisation. Branded ID looks deliberate and official.
4. A useful giveaway
People keep good lanyards for keys and passes, so a personalised lanyard keeps promoting you long after you hand it out.
5. Low cost at volume
Printed lanyards start from 100 units and the price per lanyard falls at 250, 500, 750, 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000+ pieces. At larger quantities the gap between plain and personalised is small.
When plain or pre-printed makes more sense
- You need them very quickly. Plain lanyards are in stock and ship faster than Pantone-matched custom lanyards.
- You only need a few. If you need fewer than 100, plain stock is the practical choice.
- You are colour-coding. Plain lanyards in 24 colours are an easy way to separate groups, and they work alongside branded staff lanyards.
- You need role labels, not branding. Pre-printed Visitor, Contractor or Security lanyards do the job well.
The best of both
Many organisations combine them: branded lanyards for staff, and pre-printed or plain lanyards in contrasting colours for visitors and contractors. Pre-printed designs can also have their colours and text adjusted, giving a semi-custom option.
Not sure which suits you? Tell us what the lanyards are for and we’ll recommend the best option. Get a free quote within 30 minutes or call 0333 090 5134.
