Despite the digital revolution, everyone still needs to pick up a pen now and then; making sure that the pen they do pick up has your message on it is a great way to promote your efforts with a wide variety of people. Whether it’s a simple, inexpensive stick pen handed out at events and conferences or a more expensive pen that a salesman can offer to a valued customer, promotional pens provide a handy and efficient way of getting your message out to those who should hear it.



Pens can be mass produced and customized for a minimal cost, and are easily personalized. There are a wide variety of options available, starting with the stick pen. Commonly a ballpoint, felt tip, or marker tip with a cap and designed to be disposable, these pens can have their barrels imprinted with a company or organizational name, logo, slogan, or inspirational or motivational message. If the message is aimed at an internal audience – think of safety and customer service messages, for instance – they can be given out at training seminars, meetings, offsite retreats, etc. Because of their low cost, it’s easy to have a large number of these pens printed up and handed out at events and conferences.

The array of choices broadens greatly once you move past the entry level stick pen. There are pens of brightly colored metal and neon hued plastic, with higher quality materials. Gel point pens begin to show up more frequently here as well. The special formulation of ink in a gel pen provides an easy flow that offers the expression of a fountain pen with the convenience of a ballpoint.

Once you move into the next level of available product, more elaborate mechanical workings – such as “click" pens, twist pens, and multipurpose instruments that might include points of red, back, and blue, mechanical pencils, highlighters, laser pointers, and/or PDA styluses – become attractive options for only marginally greater cost. They can be used as incentives by salespeople with favored clients, handed out at sales presentations, or given to employees who have been involved in special projects. These promotional pens can really make a statement as souvenirs of special occasions, events, and programs.

Pens at any price point can be personalized with names and dates of events. Even in limited print runs, this is still an excellent value; even when one gets above the basic level, the cost for individual units is still very affordable, especially in light of the potential impact.

Writing instruments made of exotic woods (such as mahogany and ebony) and precious metals (gold, sterling silver, and even platinum), while not usually handed out indiscriminately, are a superb choice for special presentations and awards, or to recognize a particularly valued client. Such pens can be engraved and include the name of the recipient. Pens in this category are treated and cherished almost as carefully as fine jewelry.

Pens have always offered one of the best opportunities for promotion and marketing for anyone looking to put their message out there. They provide a good and effective way to get your message into the hands of your clients and other target audiences, offering a great deal of impact for very little initial cost.