Challenge coins have a century-long history in the United States of America, and those ties go back to the United States Army Air Service during World War One. Legend has it that a lieutenant purchased bronze medallions for his unit as a token of pride. The idea of customized coins took off, and they’ve been a staple of service ever since.
Military challenge coins might get most of the spotlight, but you can use custom coins to grow your business and brand awareness. Designing challenge coins offers the chance to show off your logo and your brand’s values in ways that business cards and advertisements cannot.
The good news is that you’ve found the perfect guide to learning more about using customized coins to grow your brand. Keep reading for some helpful tips today!
Benefits of Using Customized Coins for Brand Awareness
One of the most prominent features of a challenge coin is the design and logo you place on either side of the coin. It’s an excellent way to show off your brand, no matter how small or large your company is. You’ll also find plenty of room to add important text to the challenge coin that represents what your brand stands for.
One excellent way to capitalize on your custom coin design is to give these coins away as a sign of gratitude to your loyal customers. Your customers will feel special and want to continue doing business with you. They will also likely tell friends and family about their new custom gold coin necklace.
You can also use customized coins as a reward for your best employees. Employee recognition is vital for engagement in the workplace. A custom coin for your company will make them feel seen and heard, and they’re an excellent reward for individual accomplishments.
The custom coins are also free marketing since happy employees enjoy discussing their work experience. They’ll spread the word about your brand and help you enhance your reputation. People want to do business with brands that treat employees well and have noble goals.
Challenge coins also work well as business cards. People will remember your brand better if you hand over custom gold coins that represent your brand rather than the cliche business card. Start handing out custom coins to your target audience to help them remember your brand in the future.
Tips for Designing Customized Coins
You don’t need to be a professional artist to design an eye-catchy custom coin to build brand awareness for your startup. There are certain elements to use when creating custom coins, and knowing the best route makes it simple to design the perfect coin. Here’s a closer look at the essential design elements when designing your company’s first challenge coins.
Consider the Coin’s Purpose
Knowing the goals you’re setting with your custom coins makes it much easier to design them. You need to know who you’re designing your custom coins for to achieve the desired result. Think of things that will stick in your target audience’s mind when you’re choosing colors, fonts, and images for the coins.
You don’t want to create the wrong challenge coin for your audience. If you’re commemorating firefighters, then you need to design firefighter challenge coins. A design that doesn’t appeal to your audience will fall flat and fail to increase your brand awareness.
Use High-Quality Artwork
You don’t need to be a professional artist to design custom coins, but it’s best to develop a rough concept and allow the professionals to take it from there. Professional artists will create a design that is stunning and effective. Think of your custom coins in the same way you’d plan a tattoo.
Your best bet is to determine what you want and allow a professional to take those details and create something special. The design is much easier to scale with quality artwork, and you can pair that with the best colors to create a design that sticks in your audience’s mind.
Consider Plating Options
Gold coins stand out, but it’s still wise to consider all plating options before you start producing your customized coins to spread brand awareness. The plating you choose sets the tone for the rest of your challenge coins, so getting this part right is essential. Some custom coins use zero color options and rely on the texture and artwork to carry the coin.
You can also choose plating options that allow other colors to pop and stand out. Think about how you want the metal to impact the rest of your design. Natural plating is an understated way to represent your brand.
Localize Your Design
Find iconic local elements to include in your design if you want to spread brand awareness with your coins. You want people to associate your brand with iconic and memorable things. They’ll grow to associate your brand and the goods and services you provide with those iconic buildings and landmarks.
You can combine these local elements with your logo and brand colors to create a memorable coin. It’s essential that your custom coins show off the personality of your brand. Look for areas to include text to spread your message and build a bond with your target audience.
Consider 3D Molds
If you’re working with a larger marketing budget, consider using 3D molds with your customized coins. These coins stand out more than your other challenge coin options. The designs pop off the coin and make the recipient feel special since they’re in possession of something beautiful and important.
Start Purchasing Customized Coins for Your Brand
Designing and purchasing customized coins is an incredible step toward building brand awareness and establishing bonds with your target audience. Choosing the right plating is vital for the coin’s design, and it’s best to let a professional handle the finer details of the coin design. They’re excellent to use in place of business cards; you can hand them out to happy customers after a purchase.
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