Make Your Awards Stand Out!

Inspired Award Making

Creating Unique Awards and Plaques for Customers

When designing an award or plaque for a client, it’s common to opt for the familiar wooden blank plaques. While these awards are quick, affordable, and easy to produce, they may not offer the creativity needed to distinguish you from your competitors. By introducing your customers to innovative ideas, you not only set yourself apart but also foster long-lasting relationships.

Thoughtful Inspirations for Awards

For instance, if your customer is sourcing awards for a construction company, consider using a faux brick backer plate that can be found at any home improvement store. Creative materials such as saw blades, flooring tiles, and corrugated steel can be combined to craft distinctive plaques. Attaching a recognition plate with small standoffs can add dimension, resulting in a plaque award that truly stands out.

Sports-Themed Awards

If the award is for a sports-related event, explore materials relevant to that field for an impressive design. For example, used skis can be repurposed by cutting and binding them to create an eye-catching backer. Similarly, baseball bats can be shortened, split, and joined together. Old sports equipment can be painted or stained, and then embellished with an engraved label and standoff hardware for a polished finish.

Think Outside Your Shop

Creating Unique Awards with Rustic Materials

For a charming rustic appearance, visit a woodworker’s supply store. They often carry stunning lengths of rough-hewn cedar that can transform an ordinary plaque into a captivating presentation. Additionally, round cross-cuts of various wood types can truly enhance your customers' awards.

Alternative Mounting Options

• Small plaque awards can be mounted on lava rock, river rock, or similar stones to create eye-catching tabletop trophies.
• Solid-surface countertop materials also serve as excellent backers. Connect with local kitchen remodeling companies and inquire about purchasing their off-cuts; they might even give them away. Often, contractors discard leftover materials when cutting sink openings, and they may have small pieces of marble or granite that could be repurposed. For these contractors, selling the material means extra profit, while for you, it provides a stylish backing for your customer’s service award.

Explore Your Local Stores

Take a stroll through craft or home goods stores, exploring the aisles for readily available materials. Consider how you can utilize these items in your projects and look for a cohesive theme. For one-off creations, you might even discover fantastic source materials at a thrift store.

Stand Out From The Crowd

The possibilities are virtually unlimited. When you open your mind you will find inspiration all around you. Your customers will appreciate your resourcefulness, and you will quickly earn a reputation for your original designs and personal service.

JPPlus has a complete line of mounting hardware and award accessories, including Gyford StandOff kits. Gyford StandOffs are made from high quality aluminum and stainless steel and proudly manufactured in the USA.

Gyford StandOffs used in a unique award

INSPIRED AWARD MAKING

When creating an award or plaque for a customer, the tendency is to reach for the tried and true wooden backer. These awards are fast, inexpensive and easy to produce, but may lack the creativity that will set you apart from the competition. When you open your customers’ eyes to new possibilities, you will not only differentiate yourself from the others but gain a customer for life.

Let’s say your customer is purchasing awards for a construction company. Consider using a faux brick backer plate available at any home improvement store. I have seen saw blades, flooring tiles and corrugated steel used to create some interesting and unique plaques. Mounting a recognition plate to these with small standoffs will add depth and create an award that really catches the eye.

Is the award for sports? Look at items used in that field for an impressive build. For example, used skis can be cut and bound to make a great backer. Baseball bats can be cut down, split and joined. Old equipment can be painted or stained, then affixed with an engraved label and standoffs.

Award using wood and Gyford mounting hardware

THINK OUTSIDE YOUR SHOP

For a more rustic look, check out a woodworker’s supply store. They will have some beautiful lengths of rough-hewn cedar that can make an otherwise mundane plaque into a visually stunning presentation. Round cross-cuts of various types of wood can really make your customer’s awards pop.

Small plaques can be mounted on pieces of lava rock, river rock or other similar stones for table-top trophies.

Solid-surface countertop material can also make a great backer. Check in with a kitchen remodeling company in your area and offer to buy their off-cuts. (They may just give it away). Typically, these contractors discard the material that is left over when a sink opening is cut into a countertop. They may also have small pieces of marble or granite that can find a new life. For them, selling the material is just added profit. For you, it’s a great-looking backer for your customer’s service award.

Go to a craft store or home goods store and wander the aisles. Look at the materials readily available and think about how you can employ them in your applications, look for a ‘theme’. For one-off builds, you may even find some great source material at a thrift store.

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

The possibilities are virtually unlimited. When you open your mind you will find inspiration all around you. Your customers will appreciate your resourcefulness, and you will quickly earn a reputation for your original designs and personal service.

JPPlus has a complete line of mounting hardware and award accessories, including Gyford StandOff kits. Gyford StandOffs are made from high quality aluminum and stainless steel and proudly manufactured in the USA.