What does your trading pin say about you?
Does it sparkle, does it flash? Does it bobble or have moving parts? Maybe the perfect lapel pin for your team looks stylish and striking without the need for anything fancy. Your trading pin will represent you and your team at trading events and in the general public eye, so make sure that it represents who you are as a team! Whether your pin is colorful and funky, gritty and edgy, or anything in between, you can make sure that your dream pin is ready for trading by following these simple guidelines:
Experience Counts:
Your team’s image is so important, make sure to only entrust it to a pin company with years of experience. We have a 20 year long reputation for designing and delivering high quality pins. When you’re looking to have your Pins created, you can trust The Pin Creator with making your design come to life.
Set a budget:
It is very important to know the resources you have available before starting the design process. The size of the pin, the material used to make it, and all of the fun add-ons will each individually add to the total cost of the pin. Make sure you check out the pricing section to get an idea!
Order Early:
This is huge! If you order early you can ensure a timely arrival for the big tournaments. Some pin companies even offer early-bird bonuses!
Order Enough:
Pins are generally cheaper per pin the more you buy, so you will actually save money with a higher volume order, sometimes as much as 50% per pin. After all, once you’ve designed that perfect pin, who wants to run out?
Check your Proofs:
Always check your information carefully before ordering, to avoid any spelling errors. Double check your roster numbers, and the spelling of your player’s names. The absolute last thing you want is to realize that you spelled someone’s name wrong after the pin is already being traded.
Get your Team Involved:
The pin making process is a creative one, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for your team to make something memorable together. Most players will end up keeping their pins for years, so make sure they feel good about the design, and the easiest way to do that is by letting them have a hand in making it.
Designing Your Trading Pin
When it comes to designing the pin you have a lot of options available to you, and it can be a little bit intimidating to tackle all at once. To help streamline the process, here is a list of things to consider before presenting your ideas to the pin designer.
Pin Type:
First thing to choose is whether you want a “die-struck” or “offset” pin. If the pin you want has complicated artwork, lots of colors, or a team roster of players names you will be better off with an “off-set printed” pin. These pins can have 3-D effects, and intricate detailing making them perfect for complex pins. If you want a more basic pin design that still looks sturdy and striking “Die-struck” may be a better choice. These are perfect for simple team names and logos with basic images or minimal color.
Team Name:
How do you want your teams name to appear on the pins? Are you the “Tigers” or the “So-Cal Tigers”? Is your city and state part of that name, and will you want it all on the pin? Do you have a certain font you always use for your team name? Be as specific as possible with the designer and it will only help your efforts.
Mascots:
Do you have a mascot? Great! It’s wonderfully easy to incorporate into your pin design, and doing this allows your pin to seamlessly match your jerseys or other marketing materials. Mascots are a powerful way to build recognition of your team, and if you don’t have one the designer will often be able to incorporate one into your pin. For example, if your team is the called “The Pirates” – be sure and let the designer know if you prefer a friendly pirate or a scary one. The more details you can provide about what you want, the better of a chance that your pin is going to be perfect for your team!
Your State:
Are you going to want to represent your state on your teams pin, and if so, how? Your state can play as large or as small a role in your pin as you want. Maybe it’s the background of the pin, or perhaps a home plate in a baseball diamond, or maybe even as a dangle (additional fee would apply). As always, be as specific as possible with how you want your state to appear. If you want your states image to be altered to fit the pin better, then make sure to mention that, and if you prefer it to appear exactly as it is shown on a map, be sure to mention that too.
Team Colors:
Your team’s colors are important for your pin, and can really do a lot to set the tone of the pin’s design. If you already have a PMS (Pantone Matching System) color scheme for your team be sure to share it with the designer. If you don’t have a PMS color scheme, be sure to be as descriptive and specific as possible; instead of simply saying “orange” try to narrow it down to something like “burnt orange”, “red-orange”, or “neon orange”. Pin designers will almost always need to use a third and fourth color to balance the design, so if you don’t want black or white or gray on the pin, be sure and make a note of that.
Roster or No Roster:
Rosters can really help to personalize a pin and give it a unique quality, but it can also be large and cumbersome on a small pin. If you decide to add a team roster the pin should be at least 1.75”. There are many unique ways to incorporate a roster, especially if you only want the player numbers and not the full names. It can be displayed in baseballs or softballs, fanned out bats, gloves, or even stars.
Remember: the more you add, the bigger your pin should be to accommodate all of the info, while still remaining visible and uncluttered!
Adding extras help trading power!
All kinds of extras can be added for additional impact, and not to mention trading power! For a small fee, your pins can be embellished with a variety of different options including:
- Glitter
- Blinkers
- Spinners
- Sliders
- Bobble heads
- Dangles
You can also order your trading pin with different metal finishes such as gleaming silver or antique looking brass. By adding these premium extras the trade value of your pins will go up, and they will become quickly sought after. It all comes down to budget and personal style.
Don’t forget those tiny details that really make your pin unique to you. Details like age brackets, mottos, memorable dates, or specific tournaments are easily worked into your pin design to make them more personal and important. By providing all of these specifics up front, your pin creator can ensure the design is well balanced and legible from the start.
Creating the perfect trading pin is an experience that everyone can join in on, and by following these simple guidelines you can help make that experience a memorable one, ensuring that everyone has the pin of their dreams from the very start.
