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Looking for new ways to increase pen sales? Here are five ideas to help you improve your pitch and ink more deals.

Words by Shane Dale edited by Pantheon Systems

Want a surefire way to turn your clients off to promotional pens? Show them hundreds of

ultra-low-priced pens that don’t write well and don’t align with the client’s budget or branding expectations.

Cheaper pen sales that were popular a few years ago hav subsided. Perhaps the “get what you pay for” adage was all too real for distributors. Today, suppliers are encouraging higher-quality, trendy and higher-priced pens for distributors and their clients.

Of course, clients might say they want higher-quality pens, but when it’s time to order they might not always be willing to pay the premium. So how can you sell more pens without having to suffer razor-thin margins?

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thousands of pen options, it is important for presentations to stay focused. Houlihan says distributors should focus on a select group of their preferred pens during sales calls or “you can get lost in options as there are so many.”

Selling packages is an imporant skill for any promotional products distributor, and pens offer the ideal add-on to existing sales. Pens are “a perfect upsell product when a client is buying other stationary or desk items,” says Houlihan. Of course, pens can be sold with various product categories outside of the traditional office and desk items.

3. Leverage Tech TrendsPens may not be used as much as computer keyboards these days, but suppliers are giving distributor partners a way to bridge the gap and impress their clients in the process.

Many suppliers, like BIC Graphic Australia & New Zealand, are offering multi-purpose pen products. BIC Graphic has a technology range within its writing instruments category, which includes a selection of stylus and usb options. The advancing features offer

suppliers a tie-in to the hot technology trends whilst end-buyers create a modern brand impact with a traditional product.

“As the market becomes more technologically savvy, BIC Graphic has recognized the trend and launched various writing instruments that cater for this market,” says Alison Cowles, trade marketing specialist for BIC Graphic Australia & New Zealand. She adds, “our range covers all sections of the market from the price conscious to the high-end pen buyers.”

Pen suppliers are required to advance their ranges becauase of end-buyer demand. Younger, tech-savvy buyers

ask for tech products like a pen and usb combo, or pen with stylus. Also important, some of the growing and new markets are in the hot technology sector and buyers, or their audience, prefer a tech product.

4. Pitch Higher-End PensEven though his clients may request less expensive pens, Gallant doesn’t shy away from offering top-of-the-line writing instruments as well. “Distributors will make a better margin selling higher-end pens and they can actually increase their overall competitiveness by offering a better quality pen.”

There are “many convincing arguments for the end customer to purchase a better quality promotional pen and not the alternative. It can provide the distributor with a point of difference,” adds Gallant. An often overlooked benefit for distributors who associate their business with quality products says Gallant, “they will attract customers who do the same, have less issues, and sleep better.”

According to Gallant, the obvious benefit for end-buyers choosing a higher-

end pen is “the better quality, the longer it will last” and subsequently the greater the period of visibility for branding and return on investment. “The quality of the product given in a promotion can say buckets about the company giving it. Make sure the brand message aligns with the quality of the product.”

Pens with higher price ranges can help deliver a positive message to valued employees or customers. Gallant and Penline had an opportunity to work with a distributor and their end-buyer client, a government agency. Like most requests, they received an urgent brief and the client needed 1,000 “high-end pens.”

Here are five tips to help you position pens as an attractive marketing tool – bringing you more sales in the process.

1. Focus on Options

Darren Gallant, new project & product development manager for supplier Penline, says “even after all of the innovation in our industry, the humble promotional pen is as popular as ever” and “providing clients with a very flexible promotional solution” still drives pen sales.

“Lower prices in recent years has also been a significant driver however we have really noticed a shift in preference for a high quality product,” he says.

And pens are always an option when a request is urgent and inventory for other products is scarce. “Stock levels have been an important factor in driving pen sales. If a client needs 4,000 pieces of a something printed urgently, then chances are high there will be available stock in a variety of pens that would suit the application.”

2. Offer Quality at BudgetSales requires an accepted product offering at an agreeable cost. “Match quality to budget,” says Adam Houlihan, director of distributor Corporate Edge.

The worst thing, Houlihan says, that any pen-selling distributors can do is “assume everyone wants the cheapest option.”

After delivery of any promotional product, the quality will “reflect on the brand and the distributor who sold it,” adds Gallant.

Distributor salespeople should control the outcome of their pens sales. With

The quality of the product given in a promotion can say buckets

about the company giving it.

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Penline recommended its Parker Pen with laser engraving. Delivery took a few days and “everybody involved was happy with the result,” says Gallant.

5. Make Selling InteractiveIt’s one thing to advertise pens on social media, but it’s a whole other thing to create a dialogue with customers.

Translation: social media networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are

by nature engaging. Distributors should use those environments to interact with clients and prospects.

There are many opportunities to soft survey or quiz your audience online and through social media. Consumers today enjoy or at least engage in such marketing practices. So, don’t be bashful - use the tools at your disposal.

Once you gain insights from your audience, make sure you put the results into action. Follow-up with a targeted email

campaign or direct mail (yes, via the post).Similar to the association of quality

for distributors who sell quality products, distributors who engage creatively with their prospects will be associated with creative marketing solutions. This is especially important for any promotional agency and pens sales offers the opportunity to engage because every client is a prospect to buy pens, even if they don’t know it. E-mail: editorial@pantheon.com.au

Distributors who engage creatively with their prospects will be associated with creative marketing solutions.

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sheAffer stylus

(g98262)

Don’t sacrifice form or function. The Scheaffer Stylus includes stylus and ballpoint functions. The comfortable slim profile and textured resin grip secures the repeat exposures for end-buyer clients.norwoodbic.com.au

echo (P44)

Quality, function and versatility! Echo is a quality aluminium pen featuring a textured grip, integrated sliding clip and chrome push-button. Available in black, gun-metal, blue, red or green all with gloss chrome trim.premiercollection.com.au

element Pen (g55210)

Explore colour with the Element Pen. The attractive, slim line plunger-action pen is available in multiple colours and various gift options. The large print area offers a great billboard to increase your client’s brand exposure.norwoodbic.com.au

strAtos foil 360 PrintDon’t waste any space. The Stratos Pen features full-colour printing over the entire pen barrel. Picture perfect quality is achieved by digitally printing your client’s artwork onto hot-stamping foil, which is then heat-embossed onto the pen barrel. logogift.com.au genius usB Pen

Another smart promotion! The Genius from Dex Group features a retractable action ball pen with integrated 16GB USB Memory in metallic silver finish. The Genius features high quality design plus a USB-flash inside its push button with the new COB storage technology.dexcollection.com.au

P87 torch PensTorch pens are an innovative and popular solution for any marketing campaign. The P87 Torch Pens are available in a wide range of vibrant colours and feature a slide power button for the torchlight. Batteries included.penaustralia.com.au

WhooPer Pen (P841-P847)

Looking for a pen with impact? The Whopper Pen is an easy-to-hold, super-sized pen with rubber type grip finish and an amazing brand area. Available in 6 colours.maxumcollection.com.au

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