Promotional Pens – Measuring the value of your investment

Promotional pens will remain a popular choice for businesses looking to drive corporate communication directly into the hands of their consumers. Why? Let’s be honest, namely because of the low cost entry point associated with printed pens in comparison to other direct marketing techniques. The cost of 500 plastic pens for you to place in your customers hands at your next exhibition will be cheaper than employing a direct marketing agency to target 500 customers on your behalf.

Most savvy marketeers will tell you one of the fundamentals of the discipline is to be able to prove activity delivers a return for the business. Most would be nervous about undertaking a piece of experiential activity or embarking on a direct mail campaign without being able to prove a return on investment. I will allow an exception to this perception for brand marketeers who will have no qualms in investing astronomical sums in above the line campaigns and be satisfied with an improved awareness rating from their consumers.

As an individual with a historical passion for marketing it pains me to spend any of my budgets on activity that I cannot see an immediate return for. However, having worked for a multinational brand for a number of years I have finally come to learn that from time to time it is necessary to invest in campaigns that will not necessarily sell you an additional unit, but will improve the perception of your business in the eyes of your customers and as importantly in the eyes of your consumers.

So, can the notion of proving a return on investment ever be applied to promotional pens? Of course, very simply printed pens can be held in the same light as a piece of direct mail. However, instead of mailing to a database of potential customers you are in fact placing your message into the hands of your customers. In the same way a voucher redemption code can be used on a piece of direct mail it can also be applied to personalised pens. Why not test the theory out at your next exhibition, instead of just printing your contact details why not offer a nominal discount for customers who quote a code printed on the pens – one sure fire way to incentivise your customers and a very easy approach to measuring the results delivered by your investment.