Most adults remember making lanyards at camp or in after-school youth programs. Some of them get a kick out of the thought that they've never really outgrown them, because so many people wear a lanyard as part of their work attire. Of course, these lanyards are completely different than the lanyards of our youth. In today's business parlance, a lanyard is a strap you wear around your neck to keep your company identification visible and handy at all times. For many people, grabbing their lanyard as they walk out the door at home is as much second nature as grabbing their car keys.

Badge lanyards are also popular at conventions. Lanyards replace those pin-on name tags that people hate to wear, and provide the extra benefits. It's easy for a businessman to slip a supply of business cards in the lanyard's pouch, as well as the access card to his hotel room. This convenience factor is one reason why lanyards are so popular among meeting and convention planners. Another point in favor of lanyards is the ability to customize them to advertise a product or service. Many companies find giving away lanyards works better as a marketing ploy than passing out magnets or pens.

Just about any company that offers personalizing services can produce an order of custom lanyards. Many graphics companies have a display of lanyards they have created for other clients, in order to give you some idea of the vast design possibilities available.

Because lanyards are so th

in and flexible, they are easy to take along as a marketing give away when salespeople travel. Promotional lanyards are a hot trend, since more and more companies expect their employees to either wear identification on lanyards during working hours, or have switched to a card-swipe method of punching in and out. In the latter case, pouch or clip end lanyards keep the employee's time card from getting scratched beyond usefulness in a wallet or purse. Some marketing experts wonder if lanyards are in danger of becoming the unwanted promotional item. For now, however, it seems as though lanyards have a few good years left as a prized giveaway. It seems that they are eagerly taken whenever offered. Can you ever have too many lanyards? Probably not, especially if you have school aged children at home. Many parents find their kids are delighted when they bring home promotional lanyards as a "present” after being away at a professional convention.

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