Calling all Guiding fundraisers - we’ll help design your badges for free!

Many Guiding groups raise money for charities, and fundraising badges are a brilliant way to help with these campaigns. Badges are very easy to order, and when it comes to designing the perfect patch, we’re here to help.

When Emma from the 1st Helston Brownies contacted us looking for a badge to accompany the ‘Forget Me Not challenge’ for the Alzheimer’s Society she already had a great design idea.   Emma was aware that the badge had to look really great, and had to be at a cost low enough to maximise the amount of money that would be raised for this great cause.  The fundraising efforts would be part of Emma’s Queen’s Guide Award, so it was important that the badges were really effective.

Emma sent us the design as a pencil drawing of the forget-me-not flowers, with lettering above and below, and the Guiding trefoil positioned by the unit name. The trefoil needed to be matched to the official Guiding blue colour of PMS 2718c.  The challenge name and unit name both needed to be prominent in the design.

From the drawing, our designers quickly created a formal design proof and sent it to Emma for her comments.  The proof is a picture showing exactly how the final badges will look, including colour references for each of the threads. To accommodate the perfect pantone colour matching, our designers recommended woven badges.

When Emma at 1st Helston Brownies saw the proof she had the opportunity to give feedback and to address any ideas for improvement. We offer unlimited artwork changes for free, so the design can always be adjusted until it exactly matches what our customers have in mind.

When the final proof was signed off we set to work making some woven badges that would be a real asset to the Forget Me Not Challenge, and to the 1st Helston Brownies.

The finished badges were a great example of how well a badge can support a fundraising initiative. Everyone here at Best Badges and 1st Helston Brownies agreed, the badges were a brilliant success!

Here’s what Emma had to say about the process of designing and ordering her badges:

‘I knew exactly how I wanted my embroidered badges to look, but I wasn't sure how to put my ideas into a technical format that badge companies would accept.  I had sketched out my design on paper, but from that point I wasn't sure what to do next.  I was amazed when the guys at Best Badges told me that all they needed was my sketch!  I didn't have to worry about any file formats, there was no need to compromise on my design and above all there was no stress!  We're all really pleased with our badges, and I would definitely recommend Best Badges to any fellow Guiders who have badge ideas they want made a reality!’

Emma, 1st Helston Brownies

Your badge idea is only the start!

If you have an idea for a great Guiding badge then don’t worry about complex artwork specifications, just show us your ideas and we’ll use our expertise to make you a badge worthy of any occasion or achievement.  It’s all part of the service, and helping Guiding groups design brilliant badges is something we really enjoy.

Promotional products - perfect for charity fundraising

Promotional products, displaying your charity logo or slogan are incredibly effective in fundraising campaigns. Whether you give away your promotional items or use them as donation incentives, these are items that can define a campaign.

The profile of your charity can be effectively raised using promotional products.  Everyone can recognise the poppies of the British Legion, or understand the significance of the Help for Heroes wristbands. The RSPB enamel badges have become so popular they are now considered collectables.

But you don’t have to be a household name to get good results from promotional goods.  You don’t even need a big budget.  We’ve put together some tips to help you get the most from promotional items.

1. Use your promotional items to advertise your events

Your fundraising efforts will have the biggest impact if started early. Advance advertising inspires anticipation.  Make a positive impact on your target audience with a batch of badges distributed ahead of the day, or encourage people to ‘Save the date’ of a big event using fridge magnets.

2. Branded items maximise fundraising on the day of an event

People are more likely to make a donation if a token is given in return for the donation.  Offer a free badge in return for a donation and you’ll find people will be more wiling to dig deep.  This method can boost your fundraising much higher than relying on donations alone.

3. Make it unique, make it special

If you make the merchandise unique you can make it collectable – this is a powerful way of encouraging your supporters to continue to donate. Adding a special engraving to the reverse, or including a date with the badges will help to tie the item to a specific occasion. People can enjoy collecting a set of items over time.

4. Promotional goods prolong the giving window beyond your event.

When the memory of a big fundraising effort begins to fade in the memory, you can keep your charity fresh in people’s minds with the merchandise that they have kept from the day. The longevity of your message will be well served. If the promotional item you choose is wearable then each person who has donated will continue to increase the awareness of your cause everywhere they go, and to everyone they meet.

You can also market the products through your website, gaining important revenue.

Choosing the right promotional item for your charity campaign may seem like a challenging task.  We’re here to help you get the best possible return from your investment, so please get in touch with our friendly team and we’ll make sure your fundraiser meets your goals.