Promotional pencils are one of the cheapest ways to get your brand name in front of the public. This is because promo pencils can cost as little as $0.13 per unit for basic 0.2 lead pencils with your brand's name and logo imprinted. Pencils are great giveaway items for trade shows, fairs and other events where you set up a booth to promote your products and services. To get the most out of promotional pencils, look for features that will help to better promote your business.

Making the most of promotional pencils requires more than just having your name and logo imprinted onto a pencil. You must also consider design features that will help your name stand out, such as:

1. Choosing custom pencils with colors that match your logo.

2. Finding custom imprinted pencils that have colorful patterns.

3. Exploring mechanical pencils, and pencils that have other unique features.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Match the customized pencils to your logo colors

Even the cheapest promo pencils come in a variety of colors. To get the most out of this promotional tool, choose your logo colors as the main color of the pencil. This works well to associate a color with your company's name. It also provides a way to inject color, because pencil lettering is usually only available in one or two colors.

I recommend: 4Imprint has a line of budget pencils that come in a variety of colors. You can also choose the eraser color for a better match to your logo. The Graphite Pen & Pencil Company lets you build your own pencil for the most personalization options.

Choose personalized pencils with unique patterns or shapes

If your personalized pencils will be used to promote your brand at a trade show or local event, most people will expect your pencils as a type of giveaway. But to really get their attention and create brand recognition, choose pencils with colorful patterns, or a pencil with a unique shape to attract more people.

I recommend: InkHead Promotional Products offers carpenter pencils as a promo pencil option for those with businesses where carpenter pencils come in handy. EPromos offers a pencil with an interesting color pattern that also changes color with heat.

Find promotional pencil providers that offer truly unique items

While many of these pencils are purely for novelty and attention, there are many unique promotional pencils that can really grab the attention of any customers or potential customers at trade shows and other public events.

I recommend: Quality Logo Products offers its giant promotional pencil for those who want to make a big first impression. Advance Custom Promotions offers pencils in unique shapes, such as crutches for medical supply stores. Many other shapes are available, and you can also find suppliers that will create custom shapes for your business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When choosing the right logo pencils for your business, remember that you're using them to make a unique first impression with potential customers. Avoid using colors or symbols that are similar to your competitors.

Promotional pencils are a great way to improve name recognition or reward clients and employees. When they’re imprinted with your company name and logo, pencils become mobile advertisements for your company. And because personalized pencils are affordable, small business owners can expect a high return on investment.

Pencil giveaways are a great way to thank loyal customers, to attract attendees at tradeshows or to reward employees.

Basic considerations for promotional pencils include:

1. Choosing the right promotional pencils for your business needs.
2. Weighing the need for unique custom pencils.
3. Finding the best avenues to maximize the impact of pencil giveaways.
4. Choosing high-end personalized pencils for gifts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose cheap promotional pencils for bulk use

Basic No. 2 lead logo pencils can be a wise choice for mass pencil giveaways, such as tradeshows, fundraising events or conferences.

I recommend: : TradeShowexhibitor.com provides an array of promotional pencils as low as 14 cents each when purchased in large quantities. With the Thrifty Pencil at VictoryStore.com, you’ll find similar deals on basic logo pencils in a number of colors.

Choose custom pencils in unique and eye-catching looks

Personalized pencils are a common promotional tool. To make yours stand out from the competition, choose specialized features.

I recommend: At ePromos, you can order custom pencils that range from sparkly metallic foil to Earth-friendly recycled paper models. The Graphite Pen & Pencil Company offers logo pencils with custom foil, holographic and even velvet styles in a wide variety of colors. Quality Logo Products offers a number of unique looks, including color-changing models and neon styles. At Bagwell Promotions, you can choose from more than 1,000 personalized pencils and pencil sets. For promo pencils in unique shapes and colors, visit 4imprint.

Specialty promotional pencils are a great way to make a statement

Some personalized pencils are created for specific uses. For instance, promotional golf pencils and promotional carpenter pencils make great pencil giveaways.

I recommend: Pencils n’ More specializes in custom promotional golf pencils. You can find more promotional golf pencils at Absorbent, Ink. A wide variety of promotional carpenter pencils can be found through vendors, such as Boss Promo.

High-end mechanical promo pencils make great gifts

To make a lasting impression on employees, customers or vendors, consider offering high-end mechanical personalized pencils as gifts.

I recommend: InkHead Promotional Products offers a wide array of high-end mechanical promotional pencils that can be imprinted with a company logo or engraved with a message. Mechanical personalized pencils from Marketsync are offered in a wide range of prices and option.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Promotional pencils can range in price from as low as 10 cents each to more than $10 each depending on quality, design and the number of pencils ordered.
• •  Some vendors of custom pencils will create a unique look just for you if you don't find what you're looking for in their inventory.
• •  Keep custom imprints clean and simple on logo pencils. Limit graphics and text to your company logo, name and a phone number.

Many businesses look for custom ways to advertise, and a great way to do this is with imprinted pencils. This type of advertising has been around for many years, and it continues to be a staple for many small businesses. In order to find promotional pencils that fit your budget and also give you the advertising that you need, consider the type of information that you want on a promotional pencil. In many cases, you will have to pay by the letter.

While most logo pencil suppliers charge by the letter or the line, there are other additional features that can add to the cost, but also make your advertising unique. These are:

1. Use of multiple colors for the writing or logo.

2. Getting your company's logo and name printed on the promotional pencil.

3. Using a specialized font for your message.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose simple customized pencils to get the lowest cost

A No. 2 lead pencil is the cheapest promotional pencil option. This type of pencil costs under $0.25 per pencil, as long as your minimum order is at least 1,000. And even though this is the budget option for businesses, you still have the ability to customize the message and choose the color of the promotional pencils.

I recommend: EPromos provides its solo value budget promo pencils for those looking to spend the least amount of money. Dollar Imprint provides a similar choice, and its pencils are also available in smaller quantities.

Get mechanical personalized pencils for added value

While traditional logo pencils will provide effective advertising, you and customers can both benefit from mechanical promo pencils. These pencils are designed to be reused, so although they are typically twice as much as regular pencils at under $0.50 for 1,000, your customers will be able to use them for a long time to come.

I recommend: Inkhead provides mechanical promotional pencils in five different colors and also has a smooth thumb grip feature. Sharper Brand offers a similar model for high visibility of your logo and brand name.

Purchase custom pencils that offer unique features

If you have a lot of money to spend on promotional business pencils, choose a type of pencil that will really stand out from the ordinary. These pencils may feature custom colors, sizes or functions that you cannot find in a traditional promotional pencil. However, the price of these pencils can range from $1.00 to $6.00 per unit, and may still require a large minimum order.

I recommend: Motivators offers a mini mechanical pencil that clearly promotes your logo while still providing a comfortable size to fit any purse or pocket. Empire Promos provides a mechanical pencil that accounts for the pull of gravity when you write.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Since pricing and costs of promotional pencils can get expensive when you add extra features, look for companies that offer free samples of promo pencils to get a better idea of how the finished product will look.

Many businesses use promotional pencils to get their company names or logos into the public eye. These traditional writing instruments are great for public outreach. Though they're not usually the preferred tool for legal forms or anything that needs to be photocopied, pencils are still the favorite for any writing that may need to be erased from a surface at a later time. Knowing about some of the basic terms for promotional pencil models can help buyers or others make informed decisions.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Number 2 pencils

Anyone using pencils for computer-aided forms hears a lot about No. 2 pencils. This standard pencil type is the best kind for filling out computer-read pages. As a result, the No. 2 is uniquely traditional and a great option for all kinds of promotional pencils.

I recommend: Find out all about the No. 2 designation for pencils and what it means at The Straight Dope.

Mechanical pencil

Contrary to its name, the mechanical pencil doesn't have a lot of robotic parts. However, it is called mechanical because its writing tip is pushed through the pencil by a mechanism that grips thin graphite rods to replenish the writing substance over time. Mechanical pencils make great promotional pencils for showing off a 'high-tech' design.

I recommend: Learn more about the mechanical pencil at WiseGeek.

Holographic pencils

Holographic pencils utilize a product called 'holographic foil' that provides a shimmering, eye-catching surface. This can be great for getting a cool, fun style of pencil for gifting.

I recommend: Find out more about holographic foil at Reconnaisance International.

Ferrule

A ferrule is a metal band put onto something to hold its components together or to keep a solid piece from splitting. On a pencil, the ferrule is right below the eraser. Many of these are just simple aluminum, but some promotional pencils use the ferrule for larger design options.

I recommend: Find out about the ferrule and other neat info on pencils at Pencil Making.

Promotional golf pencils

These smaller gift pencils are perfect for scoring a round of golf and can be imprinted with the company logo for superb branding. Golf pencil types can also be handed out with surveys or paperwork; their small size makes them a little more portable.

I recommend: Get a clue about promotional golf pencils with definition and visuals at Absorbent.

Recycled pencils

Another option for promotional pencils mixes green business with good outreach: Recycled pencils can spread a company imprint while pushing good stewardship of resources and material source reduction.

I recommend: Find more recycled pencils info at BBC.