The Most Stolen Item in Offices Everywhere. Make Sure It’s Yours.

The Most Stolen Item in Offices Everywhere. Make Sure It’s Yours.

Write Your Brand Into Their Daily Routine

If you have had a meeting with me, you have likely heard, don’t cheap out on branded pens or hats.  You don’t want your branded pen getting lost in the back of a drawer or hitting the back of the garbage pail because it doesn’t write well.  People get VERY territorial when they find a pen they like, and people will go on a full-scale one-person search party if someone walks away with their favourite pen.

When I left my first radio job from promotions into car sales (in 1997), the station manager gave me the gift of an expensive pen with the words, “Tim, when you ask someone for $30-thousand dollars don’t hand them a crappy pen.”

Why Branded Pens Work > Before choosing a style, it helps to understand why pens continue to outperform other low-cost promo products:

• High Daily Use: People use pens constantly — at home, work, school, traveling, and in meetings. That means high-frequency impressions.
• Long Product Life: A good quality pen can last 6–18 months, providing ongoing brand visibility long after the initial interaction.
• Massive Reach: Pens are one of the most shared items. When someone lends a pen, your brand travels further than your competition do.
• Cost-Effective Marketing: Low cost per unit, high return in impressions — perfect for trade shows, events, front-desk counters, and gift bags.
• Relationship Tool: A pen is a small but meaningful gesture. It communicates professionalism, thoughtfulness, and presence.

 

Who Should Receive Your Branded Pens > Using pens strategically can turn them into relationship-building assets.

1. Prospects
   1. Great first-touch item to spark conversation
   2. Leaves behind a physical reminder of your brand
   3. Encourages follow-up and familiarity
   4. Existing Customers
   5. Reinforces loyalty and brand trust
   6. Keeps you top-of-mind when they’re ready to reorder or make referrals
2. Staff & Teams
   1. Encourages pride and unity
   2. Professional look in offices, at trade shows, and on-site
   3. Functional daily-use tool for front-line employees

 

Categories of Promotional Pens to Consider > Different goals call for different types of pens. Here are the core categories:

1. Budget Pens: AMP Tools:  Budget Pens
   1. Trade shows
   2. Large-volume handouts
   3. Community events or giveaways
   4. Features:
      1. Affordable pricing
      2. Simple branding (logo + website or phone number)

• Wide colour choices

2. Premium Executive Pens: AMP Tools:  Executive Pen
   1. VIP clients
   2. Closing gifts
   3. Staff appreciation and onboarding kits
   4. Features:
      1. Metal body
      2. Laser engraving

• Gift boxes available

1. Higher quality writing performance

3. Gel & Hybrid Ink Pens: AMP Tools:  Gel & Hybrid Pen
   1. People who value writing comfort and smooth flow
   2. Health care, education, financial services, real estate
   3. Features:
      1. Smooth writing with less pressure
      2. Comfort grip options

• Modern look and feel

4. Eco-Friendly Pens: AMP Tools:  Eco Pens
   1. Companies with sustainability values
   2. Government, environmental, education, not-for-profits
   3. Materials include:
      1. Wheat straw
      2. Bamboo

• Recycled plastic

1. Kraft paper tube bodies

5. Multi-Function Pens: AMP Tools :  Multi Pen
   1. Technology firms, contractors, engineers
   2. People who love gadgets
   3. Features:
      1. Stylus tips for touchscreens
      2. Built-in ruler or level

• Flashlights or screwdrivers

6. Branded Sets & Packaging: AMP Tools : Gift Pen
   1. Welcome kits
   2. Corporate gifting
   3. Holiday appreciation
   4. Options:
      1. Pen + journal combo
      2. Gift boxes

• Custom notes inside

7. Fun Pens: AMP Tools:  Fun Pen
   1. They spark conversation
   2. They get kept longer
   3. They differentiate you from competitors
   4. Options:
      1. Custom Shapes
      2. Sensory features

• Non traditional ink colours

A pen is not just a pen — it’s a branding vehicle with staying power. When chosen well, it feels like an extension of your organization’s professionalism and values.  The right pen Builds relationships + Drives referrals + Improves loyalty.  Keeps you top-of-mind at the right moment

If you want help selecting the perfect branded pen that meets your goals and budget, sourcing is always free at AMPLIFY. I’ll help you choose a pen that represents your brand with pride — and gets used daily, not thrown away.

The pens in my network range from 7-cents – $1,300 each.  Contact me to find the pens that matches your project at tim@ampbroker.ca or 705-626-TIM-1

Let’s put your brand into people’s hands — literally.

Tim Thomson, Profit Impact Broker/Owner for AMPLIFY

November 2025