How to Choose a Promotional Pen

A pen is the hardest-working promotional product there is. It gets handed across a counter, signed with, borrowed and carried off — and your name goes with it every time. But “a pen” covers hundreds of choices. Here is how we help customers narrow it down.

Start with how it will be used

Think about where the pen ends up. A pen that lives on a front desk or a sign-in counter gets used by dozens of people a day, so a dependable, inexpensive retractable makes sense — you will want plenty of them. A pen you hand to a client at a closing or tuck into a thank-you package should feel a step up in the hand.

Retractable pens click closed, so there is no cap to lose and nothing leaks in a pocket. BIC’s Clic Stic is the classic example: BIC describes it as having a lightweight barrel, a break-resistant pocket clip and a choice of ink color and point size, with hundreds of color combinations to match your brand.

Ballpoint, gel, or something in between

Ballpoint ink is the everyday standard. Gel ink is known for bold, vivid lines — Sharpie describes its S-Gel as having intensely bold colors and a contoured rubber grip, and Pentel says its EnerGel-X is quick-drying and no-smear.

There are also hybrids. Paper Mate says its InkJoy ballpoint combines the best qualities of ballpoint and gel technology, with vivid colors and a fast dry time to help avoid smearing. If you are not sure which your customers would prefer, tell us how the pen will be used and we will suggest a few to compare.

Make the barrel work for your logo

Your logo needs contrast to read. A bright barrel with a white accent, like the Javalina Executive, is designed to make the imprint stand out. On a clear barrel, a dark imprint is often the better choice — Hub Pen, for example, recommends black on its clear Javalina Revive. Your free e-proof shows exactly how your logo will look on the color you pick before anything prints.

Metallic-finish pens give a more polished look. Some add a stylus on the other end for phones and tablets, like the Metallic Cool Grip Stylus pen, which also has a soft grip.

Recycled options

If sustainability matters to your audience, several pens are made with recycled material. Hub Pen says the Javalina Revive is made from recycled PET water bottles, Pentel says the EnerGel-X is made with 84% recycled materials, and the Metallic Cool Grip Stylus pen contains recycled ABS plastic, according to its supplier.

Not sure? Ask

Tell Dorothy, our product finder, something like “a blue-ink pen for real-estate closings” and she will pull matching pens from our catalog. Or call our team at 954-559-7124. Either way, every order comes with a free e-proof, and nothing goes to press until you approve it.