There is an almost limitless array of promotional business gifts available in the marketplace today. We are bombarded with catalogues, emails and advertising promoting them. It can be a bewildering task making the right decision on which one to choose, particularly if you are new to promotional merchandise as a marketing tool. Of all the promotional gift categories, promotional pens must surely be the most prolific and cost effective. In this short guide we look closely at this particular category and identify the different types and their level of popularity. They are listed in order of popularity.

1. Ballpoint Pens: Without doubt, the most popular promotional pens are invariably ballpoint pens; sometimes referred to as promotional ballpens. They are usually the cheapest, their refills last longer and there is a vast range to choose from.

2. Wooden Pencils: These cost-effective writing instruments have long been popular as a promotional item. Promotional pencils represent great value for money, they are environmentally-friendly and have a certain nostalgia associated with them.

3. Rollerballs: This type of pen is often chosen because of it smooth writing quality. Promotional Rollerballs are usually more expensive than ballpoint pens because the refills have to be made with much greater precision. Invariably these promotional pens come with a cap which also adds to the cost.

4. Highlighters: This is often overlooked as a promotional item but it is a powerful marketing tool, particularly as many styles available today have very large print areas to carry your corporate message. Promotional highlighters are gaining popularity in recent times, particularly as prices have fallen due to the lower manufacturing costs in the far-east.

5. Gel Pens: These are now becoming more popular than ever as promotional pens, mainly because prices have dropped due to high levels of competition from the far-east. Their writing quality is unsurpassed but the poor longevity of the refills, when compared to ballpoint pens will always be their biggest weakness.

6. Markers: Increasingly markers are being used as promotional items. They are quite often targeted at the seminar and conference end of business. Promotional markers are either the dry-wipe or permanent type; the former being the most popular.

7. Mechanical Pencils: Whereas promotional pencils made from wood are very popular, their cousin the promotional mechanical pencil is much less so. However, in the training and conference fields it has a certain degree of popularity. It is now more commonly used as a business gift when accompanied with a rollerball or ballpoint pen as part of a boxed set.

8. Fountain Pens: A very popular retail product but promotional fountain pens have never been mainstream. This is mainly due to to their higher price and the fact that fountain pens have fallen out of fashion. However, it is still regarded as an important promotional item when used as an executive business gift and is occasionally used as part of a boxed set together with either a promotional pen or pencil.

9. Fineliners: Once a reasonably popular item, promotional fineliners are not so any more. They tend to be more expensive than normal ballpoint pens and have metal or polypropylene bodies which are difficult and more expensive to print than most other types of promotional pens.

10. Fibre Tips: As promotional pens these are hardly ever used today for the same reason as fineliners. However, they are more cost-effective than fineliners with a similar writing quality.

I hope you found this review useful in helping you decide on the promotional pens that best suit your needs.