Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/192798
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS The Pen Is Truly Mighty by LOUIS FERACA Where we eat and speak Italian le I & tizzeriataly itrp L estaurant • Casual Atmosphere • Impressive Wine List • Parties & Catering • Carry Home Service 910.867.8700 1400 Walter Reed Road, Suite 130 (All American Freeway & Owen Drive) HOURS: M-S 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. All Major Credit Cards Accepted THE GUITAR EVENT OF THE YEAR! NOV. 10TH @ 8PM TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: TICKETMASTER.COM 18 UCW OCTOBER. 16-22, 2013 pens at crowd events or go with a The results of a global study of few dozen of those gold Parkers promotional product user habits and handed as gifts to a pre-selected effectiveness were recently published target audience? Or, as I (See ASI Global Ad Impressions recommend (and follow for Study 2012) and three facts jump my own company), do both. right out: promotional products are One hurdle to overcome far more effective (at 86 percent when using an name retention) than television item as common (50 percent name retention). as a pen is how That's a huge advantage for to make yours the oft dismissed promotional stand out from the product; writing instruments many your target were found to be the most audience already commonly remembered has. According to category among the ten or so the global study, studied; and the average cost usefulness is the of marketing with writing main differentiator instruments averages less than among promotional 1/10th of a cent per view. products. In what That's 1,000 views per dollar. ways do pens vary Since promo items in in usefulness? As general have an 86 percent I mentioned above, name retention rate the better ones have (meaning the rate at which more ink and generally product users recall the write more smoothly. name of the company Once users learn that on the item) and can be particular brands suit purchased at pennies per their preference they item, businesses can create begin coveting pens a marketing strategy that from that manufacturer. begins at a much lower Bic, Papermate, Parker cost than almost any and Quill have that kind other medium. A minimal of following. Pens can television campaign be multi-functional with running just a few ads secondary tools like smartper day for just a few screen styluses, LED lights, weeks can cost many laser pointers or highlighters thousands of dollars. A added to one end. The added newspaper ad running function making them doubly weekly costs several used and coveted. thousand. For A recent study Lastly, make sure that you example, 1,000 choose a pen that attractively found that basic Bic Clic carries your logo and message. Stic pens cost promotional pens Make sure that the printable area a few hundred have an 86 percent dollars and name-retention rate. will fit both. Print should be large on the less expensive pens and leave 860 people smaller (preferably engraved) on the remembering the nicer keepsake-quality ones. Use a name of your company. Moreover, pen color that enhances and contrasts those 1,000 pens (with Bic's 1.2 with your logo color(s). Looking miles of ink per pen) generate a total good is often half the battle and it of more than 500,000 views of your doesn't necessarily cost more to make logo. That's power. a pretty pen. The quality and cost of pens vary At 1,000 views per dollar; 86 widely but the math mentioned above percent name retention; limitless applies at all levels. A 30-cent stick options and price points, the pen pen used for a few days carries the is truly mighty but only when used same 1/10th of a cent cost per view as a gold-plated Parker that is used wisely. for several years. The only question for you is, at what price point to effectively use pens in your branding campaign. LOUIS FERACA, Owner, U.S. Logoworks, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ Should you disseminate thousands of inexpensive upancomingweekly.com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM