In sales and service situations, people will be drawn to you if you’re wearing a friendly name tag. Before someone is even close enough to read your name, if you’ve done the tag right, they’ll be drawn to you by the message your name tag is sending. They’ll sense that you’re saying, “I’m approachable.”

Here are some tips for doing a friendly name tag:

• Remember it’s a NAME tag, not a billboard for your bio. Unless your situation compels it, don’t clutter up the tag with credentials, slogans, contact information, logos or pictures . Usually, the inquiring customer doesn’t care if you’re the CEO or the janitor.
• Send a warm message. Use the friendliest form of your name. Regardless of which form of your name you usually go by, on your name tag, use an informal version. So, for example, I use “Dick” rather than the more formal “Richard” or “Mr. Marks.”
• For mounted tags, pin or clip it on the right side of your chest, so that if we shake hands, I’m looking at your name tag.
• If it’s a neck-hanging type that can easily flip over, put the name on both sides, please, and don’t let the tag hang at your bellybutton.
• The tag should be neatly, if not professionally, printed. An informal easily read font is best. I like Tempus Sans.
• Put the name in LARGE letters. Use wide, bold print. Don’t require people to squint while looking at your chest high name tag.

If you’re the customer, when possible, avoid the staff person without a name tag. He may be a poor performer who doesn’t want to be held accountable for the information or service he provides, If you have no choice, first ask for his name. You’ve just raised the accountability bar.