From the trade show, to the office, to the kitchen counter at home…..at each round in the pen’s odyssey through  your prospect’s daily life, your  commercial message is subtly  reinforcing brand  awareness. Each impression is not  very  large  in itself (unless the pen is unusual or expensive), but in repetition,  the impact of all these common experiences  is substantial in assisting memory.    

At the office,  a prospect will use  your  branded pen because it’s probably  more comfortable and smooth  than the “standard issue” ink sticks that their company supplies.   Company accountants always seem to focus on office supplies as an easy cost-cutting target, putting your nice, ergonomic branded pen against easy competition.      Your branded pen also has panache, and demostrates to others in the office that the prospect has a “rock star” life outside the cubicle.     Cross-cubicle struggles over  convention swag are well documented.

Cold calling reps know that receptionists will appreciate just about any nice pen.   The receptionist who spends all day shooing away sales people might spend a crucial few minutes more with a gift-bearer with something worth using.     Notepads and sticky notes are also excellent gifts to the receptionist.

Distributing pens at tradeshows develops rapport right when you need it most.   While you are paying downtown Manhattan prices for your 10 X 10 square of trade show real estate, you need some type of draw to start a conversation with prospects.

 If you offer nothing, why will people stop? People are too overstimulated at trade shows to read your literature in  the brief moment when you first meet them.   You need something to slow  prospects down a couple of gears so that comprehension of your pitch will begin.     It does work, and the pen is right there so the prospect can make notes on your business card about the conversation you are having with them.     Oh sure, you could give away unbranded pens – but it’s kind of like offering people an empty cup of coffee – what would be the point?

At a tradeshow, you should place pens in a way that it’s an easy  reward for a conversation, not a free-for-all. Sometimes people really need a pen and will ask for one, but others will be on a swag hunt and grab 5 or 10  from every booth.   That’s a real no-no. Be generous  but show resistance,  and always pump a swag hunter mercilessly with questions if they seem to be grabbing and going.   Of course, if you are busy (a good thing), the swag hunters may just get their way.  

At the booth, stage your pen supplies  in a way that you can keep count and replenish in hurry. Small ziploc sandwich bags, loaded up and ready to go are best with about 20 to 30 pens each.   Keep them close by, and not under all your  stuff behind the display.     Nothing is more off-putting than seeing a booth rep’s  hind end  while they  dig through the luggage during peak attendance (which is exactly when you run out).

Always keep a few pens with you, especially while traveling.     Giving your last pen to the person sitting next to you on the flight home from a successful trade show is the sign of a true marketing professional.

 For more information on advertising specialities and how they work to build brand awareness, give me a call.