In The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself, John Jantsch writes about a business consultant—Scott Ginsberg. There is one truly remarkable thing about Ginsberg. He wears a name tag. Every day. All day. All night. He has done so for more than nine years now, and he intends to keep doing so for the rest of his life. He is so committed to wearing a name tag that he has had one tattooed to his chest—just in case you meet him at a pool party.

He’s not crazy. Okay, maybe he’s a little crazy. But he has a sound reason for his obsession with wearing a name tag. He wants people to approach him. And it works!

How can pastoral leaders glean something from Ginsberg’s strategy for improving parish hospitality? Can we use name tags in more creative ways to make ourselves more approachable to parishioners and visitors?

Some parishes do provide name tags for ushers and hospitality ministers. Most, however, do not. And even fewer ask key parish leaders to wear name tags. So here’s my suggestion. Make a list of everyone you think of as a leader in your parish. That would certainly include all paid staff members and the parish council members. For me, it would also include all committee chairpeople, catechists, school teachers, and liturgical ministers (lectors, Communion ministers, etc.) Draw the line wherever you like, however.

Next make a list of times and places folks in leadership would be expected to wear name tags. For example, during business hours, during school hours, at parish functions, at Sunday liturgy. Again, draw the line where you like. I think Sunday liturgy would be the bare minimum requirement because that is where we are most likely to encounter strangers.

Finally, decide what kind of nametags you are going to use. Scott Ginsberg, who is the nametag expert, wears the plain, paper, peelable kind and handwrites his name. If you decide to invest in permanent name tags, make sure the first name is at least 48-point type so it is readable at a distance.
 
This is 48-point type.
 

And, of course, tattoos are optional.

Do you have any more suggestions to share? How are you using nametags in your parish? What other ways are you making yourself more approachable to parishioners and visitors?