What to Consider when Choosing a Pen as a Promotional Gift

Published: June 27, 2011 Article Tags: Promotional Gifts

Using gifts as a means of advertising a company’s brand or product line has become a popular choice for many businesses. The advantages of implementing promotional gifts as part of a larger marketing campaign, has proved successful for many. How many times do you come across promotional gifts? From product inserts in magazines to giveaways at tradeshows and expos – promotional gifts have become a cost-effective means for targeting a wider customer base while increasing brand awareness at the same time. One of the most common items used as promotional gifts are pens, whether for customers at large or special clients and business associates in particular. If you are considering using a pen as a promotional gift but want to know what to look out for, keep the following considerations in mind.

Preparation – Ask Yourself the Right Questions

Before taking any decisive steps it is important that you carefully think through your reasons for choosing a promotional pen. You need to ask yourself who your target market is; is it for a particular client or business associate or is it directed towards a larger customer base? Is your aim to show appreciation for a specific business relationship or to carry out a marketing campaign directed at increasing brand awareness? It is essential to clearly understand the motives behind your use of a promotional pen so that the right steps are taken to achieve your desired result.

Client versus Target Market

A pen aimed at an important client will be completely different compared to a pen designed to increase brand awareness. Gifts that are given to important business associates need to express a certain level of quality whilst those targeted towards a larger audience can be made of cheaper materials. In other words, plastic pens are perfect as promotional gifts given away at expos, direct mail, handouts and so on. These pens can be bought in bulk at a cost-effective price and when branded appropriately can offer great marketing potential when given to the right audience.

Metal pens can be a good gift of choice for clients – perhaps as a special occasion gift such as at Christmas time or as a way of showing appreciation. These pens can still be bought at a reasonable price when bought in bulk. When targeting top clients and executive business associates you need to move up the ladder and go for pens that are of considerably higher quality.

Put yourself in the receiver’s shoes, whether it is a potential customer, client and top executive and ask yourself if the pen of choice would be an attractive gift? Would you gladly accept such a gift and use it rather than throw it away or tuck it away in a drawer? The aim of using a promotional pen is to ensure that the receiver uses it on a practical level so that the brand and logo is being adequately exposed.

The more expensive the pen the more personal it should become. Think carefully over the style and colour choices and make sure that when you incorporate the branding, it is done tastefully and subtly while not taking away from the clarity of it. Having an executive pen engraved also offers a great personal touch. Using a pen as a promotional gift can yield positive results as long as careful planning has been carried out beforehand so that you understand the reasons behind each step you take while keeping the bigger picture in mind.

What to Consider when Choosing a Pen as a Promotional Gift | Promotional Articles | Proactive HS