Custom awards are a fantastic way to honor some truly special people in our lives. It may be an employee at work, where 2 in 3 people reported feeling unrecognized by their company, or for a truly special friend or family member.
An award is just a small bit of metal with some engraving. It’s a truly special source of recognition that shows care and acknowledgment.
But choosing the right type of custom award can be difficult. For instance, where do you even begin designing one?
Read on for a complete guide on how to choose the best custom awards and make that special person feel truly recognized.
Establish The Award
Before sending a great design off to be engraved, you’ll first need to establish the award itself. First, think about how you can set a theme for the award.
The theme is the general reason or purpose for the award. Let’s say you’re looking to create an award for your workplace. The theme may be ‘Best Employee’ or ‘Most Improved ‘ or even something as simple as reaching a sales goal.
But in each of those instances, the goal is the same: to make an employee feel recognized and heard.
It should be something simple but relevant to the situation or environment. The theme is going to be the driving force and will play a large part in the overall design of the award itself, so brainstorming is essential.
Determine What Type Of Award You Want
Now that the theme is established, the next step is to decide what type of award to make. After all, there are dozens of different types of custom awards.
Generally speaking, there are 5 key types of awards that are given out on a fairly regular basis:
- Trophy
- Coin
- Medal
- Crystal/glass statue
- Plaque
No one award type is better than the other, so your choice will depend on personal preference. However, plaques tend to be the most common and professional-looking awards.
And there’s a fair bit of customization to them, too. Take a look at Martin Awards to get a feel for everything you can do with a plaque. You can even get custom state-shaped awards!
Shop Around For Custom Awards In Your Area
Good news, most of the hard work is done! Now all you have to do is shop around for the best deal. When shopping around for awards, it can be difficult to know what to look for.
But not all awards shops are the same. Some may use different materials or take longer to complete a project than others.
Ask about turnaround time. If you need a custom award in a pinch, your options will be limited. However, if you have a few days, you can get more creative and choose more creative fonts and styles.
Material and durability are important, too. Make sure that the shop you choose uses quality materials that are going to last a while. You wouldn’t want to give someone a cheaply made award.
Get Your Awards Today
Custom awards are so much fun to give away, but they can be difficult to create. Give yourself plenty of time to establish a theme and come up with a great-looking design.
It’s a lot of work, but just think about how excited the recipient will be when they receive their custom award.
For more great info on businesses in your area or how you can get the most for less, take a look at our blog today!