We all know about promotional gifts. Chances are that you've got a drawerful of imprinted plastic pens, sticky note pads and key rings with company names on them. There they sit, in a drawer, unused and unseen. In essence, they were a waste of money for the businesses that invested in having them printed up and handed out. Chances are also good that you have one or more promotional item that you DO use, and use often. What makes the difference between an item that gets tossed in a drawer and one that gets tucked into a pocket or put out on the desktop to be used every day?

The answer is careful choice. When you're deciding on promotional gifts to advertise your business, there are two words to keep in mind ? functional and fun. The best way to get the most out of your promotional marketing budget is to choose items that will be used often by their recipients. And the best way to ensure that your promotional gifts will be used is to do a little market research and find promotional gifts that your intended audience will want to use.

Market research doesn't have to be exhaustive to be profitable, by the by. Take a walk around your own company to see what items are always in demand. Is there a particular pen that's tucked into everyone's shirt pocket? What makes it different than all the pens sitting in desk drawers? Does your boss favor memo sheets that were a gift from a particular supplier? What benefit does it offer that traditional sticky notes don't? Once you put your finger on what it is that makes a particular item popular with your target audience, you'll be well on your way to choosing a fun, functional and useable promotional gift for your next publicity campaign.

Just to get you started, here's our pick for four top fun, functional promotional gifts at several different pricing levels.

Civic Ball Pens are a hugely popular choice. Their inexpensive pricing makes them easy on the budget, but sleek shape and the cushioned finger-grip barrel makes them comfortable to use. They're available in a wide range of colors, so it's easy to match them up with your company's color scheme. These are the pens most likely to be stolen from your desktop.

Acrylic Bottle Opener Keyrings are one of the handiest little promotional gift gadgets around. The bottle opener ensures that your customers won't toss these in a drawer where they'll never be seen again. Instead, your logo will end up on their daily use keys so that they've always got the church key available if they need it.

Everyone needs an umbrella sometimes, and the Wentworth Golf Umbrella is a best seller for a multitude of reasons. Quality construction, low price and utility make it a favorite. Your name will be on display whenever the clouds decide to open ? and we all know how often that can be.

Coffee mugs are a perennial favorite promotional gift, and we're not choosing favorites here. We guarantee that any mug you choose will find its place to being used every day on someone's desk. Coffee mugs are an excellent way to increase your brand awareness.