Morris Gleitzman is one of Australia’s most famous children’s authors. His books sell worldwide. Needless to say he has signed thousands of books at book signings. When asked which pen he prefers to use for book signings, he had a story to tell. He said he once mentioned his preferred pen when interviewed. He was promptly sent box loads by the company. What does this have to do with promotional pens?

The point is that people associate authors with pens and writing. Even though most authors use computers, they often have a favourite pen to jot down notes or ideas. You can leverage this so that your customers associate your bookstore with famous authors and a positive experience. You just need to explore ways to use promotional pens imaginatively and to provide a value added experience for your customers. Here’s an example.

Order some promotional pens to have ready for your next bookstore author visit and signing. Our pens are pre printed with your nominated details, so decide what will work best for you. You could choose to have the pens printed with your logo or bookstore name. You may prefer to tie it in with the author’s visit. You may select a message or slogan suited to your business or the world of books, reading and writing.

Just say you have a children’s author visiting. A well publicised children’s author event will attract children, parents and grandparents. It will also attract other writers, aspiring writers, teachers and librarians. Similarly with an author of gardening, cooking or fiction books for adults, you will attract regular customers as well as first time customers.

Of course, you can just give out the pens or give them away with the purchase of the author’s books or other in store item. You could also have book related slogans printed and sell the pens at cost price to get your name out there. While these are all effective strategies for using promotional pens, remember you have an author’s visit coming up. How much more powerful would it be to tie the pens in with the experience of the author’s visit and the author? Meeting the author and having a personally autographed book is what attracted your customers in the first place.

As people purchase the book, also give them one of your promotional pens. They will need to open the book ready for signing and have their pen ready. Instead of using the author’s own pen, the author signs each person’s book with his or her personal promotional pen. Of course, you would need to line this up with the author beforehand. You also let people know this is what is happening when they purchase the book, so they have their pen ready.

Can you imagine the joy of a child meeting his favourite author and being the proud owner not only of the book, but also of the very pen the author signed the book with? This is the stuff inspiration is made of. If a child or adult is an aspiring author or keen writer, there is no better motivation or encouragement than to be writing with the pen used by a famous author. Better still, your promotional pen now has a personal connection between your customer, the author and your bookshop. That is a powerful association indeed and is just one way bookstores can value add with promotional pens.