Fall is the season of leaf-jumping, harvest-picking, pumpkin-carving and hot chocolate-drinking. It also happens to be a great time to spice your promotions up with a seasonal twist. Get your employees and customers into the spirit of the season with these great giveaways:

1. Pumpkin Patch: Give each adult a pumpkin stress ball personalized with your picking dates and phone number.
   
2. Warm Cider: The dark red version of this promotional pen is scented with a spiced cider aroma, conjuring warm memories of holidays at home.
   
3. Snuggling up: While avoiding turning on the heat just yet, cuddle up to this super-soft, logo’d chenille blanket.
   
4. Kickoff of football season: Keep the cold ones coming inside this football-themed custom can coolie.
   
5. Campfires: While everyone is gathered around the bonfire, begin a new fall tradition with complete personalized S’mores kits.
   

One of the simplest ways to prevent check washing is to use a gel ink pen, because regular ballpoint ink can be “washed” off of paper quite easily. However, according to Experian, ink from a gel pen “will permeate the fibers on the check,” making it difficult to alter signatures and payees.

The uni-ball® 207™ is one of the most trusted anti-fraud gel pens around. Not only is it great for writing checks, but it’s also handy for writing prescriptions and signing legal documents. With your logo imprinted on the barrel, your customers will know you have their best interests in mind.

Check out the video to learn more about the pen and its ink features:

We’ve also just added the Pentel® HyperG™ Gel Pen, which has been designed with document safety benefits in mind. And the exciting color options do wonders for your promotional message!

Bic® even makes a Secure Ink version of their ever-popular Clic Stic® pen. And the price and color selection certainly can’t be beat!

Check out National Check Fraud Center’s website for even more fraud prevention tips.

Introducing full-wrap laser engraving! The entire barrel of this Dimensions Metal Pen is open for imprinting, offering your company 360 degrees of advertising potential.

Here are some great ideas for using that imprint area to its greatest potential:

Use a symbol of your company or a simple logo repeated all the way around the pen. Our example above shows paw prints. How about mugs for a coffee shop or tiny footprints for a children’s clothing boutique? Reiterate a mantra or tagline all the way around for bonus brand boosting. Engrave with your monogram letters and wedding date and use as a wedding party favor. Or engrave with your college or team letters.

We also have two neat stock designs already available, including circles and squares, if you’d like to leave the designing up to us.

Ever wondered how our promotional products get their names? It’s a simple process, really. Something about the product inspires one of my teammates. And, another product name is born.

Take one look at this pen and you’ll see why we named it the Midas.

With a sleek gold barrel and muted sunset accent colors – olive, aubergine, charcoal and turquoise – on the clip and tip, the look is rich.

Looking for a promotional pen that’s lively and fun? Once again, the name of the Miami Pen says it all.

Bold, bright colors on the plastic barrel contrast against black rubber and chrome-colored accents make this pen hot.

Then, there is the Muse.

As its name suggests, this pen’s translucent barrel and chrome-colored will inspire customers, volunteers, members or supporters to pick it up and take it along with them!

For a limited time, these promotional pens are available exclusively from 4imprint.

Have a favorite product name? I’d love to hear it.
-Suzanne

PS – Ever wondered how the Malmo Travel Mug got its name? Check out this post.

What girl doesn’t get a little giddy when she sees glitter? Glitter literally lights up a room. Sparkly makeup, twinkling confetti, shiny sequins…we love to add a little glitter glamour to everything! When we were kids, you could almost bet we glued glitter to our art projects and stuck glittery stickers all over our notebooks. Are you trying to reach a female-centered audience? Wanna catch a woman’s eye? Try one or a combination of these low-priced iridescent promoters:

A sparkly flag notepad and a shimmering stick pen make a dashing promotional pair, don’t you think?

We also offer this snazzy lineup of glittery promotional pencils.

Watch the eyes of both guys and gals light up with this imprinted dazzler. Build some play into the workday! A little twinkle never hurt anything.

Has Earth Day 2011 inspired you to find a few ways your team can green your workplace? The Eco News Network has pulled together some simple ideas in a post titled “Ten Easy Ways to be Green at Work.”

Here are a few of my favorites:

“Replace plastic water bottles and Styrofoam coffee cups with reusable travel mugs and water bottles.”

If you usually offer visitors to your office a cup of coffee upon arrival, replace throwaway coffee cups with the I Am Not a Paper Cup -16 oz. Mug. This paper coffee cup look-alike keeps throwaway cups out of the landfill and is biodegradable.

“Spread the word! Encourage your co-workers to become green and improve your workplace atmosphere.”

Want to inspire your team to be more eco-friendly? The Just the Facts Bookmark – Eco Friendly includes 15 easy, do-able tips for being green.

“Invest in some eco-friendly office supplies…”

Eco-friendly promotional products and office supplies can be green, stylish and so handy that your team will snap them right up. The Eco Meeting Notebook is a great example. This journal is made from 100% recycled material and organic inks.

The Kernel Eco Pen is another great among eco-friendly promotional products.

These striking pens are manufactured from cornstarch material.

Koerner also suggests encouraging team members to walk or bike to work. Adding bike racks is a great way to do that. (Here at 4imprint, we made sure bike racks were included in the design of our new distribution center.) Likewise, she suggests turning down the lights and using natural lighting whenever possible.

What other ideas do you have for making your workplace more green? I’d love to hear them.

-Suzanne

I admit that I’m easily excited about promotional products, but the all-new translucent Javelin pen release really got me giddy. I’m very particular about my pens, but even I can’t pass these up! In fact, I have one right next to me from a recent benefits fair.

But don’t just take my word for how great these pens are…. We’ve received hundreds of positive reviews on the original Javelin Pen (see for yourself!), and the new translucent colors are destined to impress as well!

The Javelin pen is a best-selling, all-purpose logo pen with a comfortable curved shape and super-smooth ink flow. It’s also a flexible budget option starting at just $.39 each. No wonder it’s such a hit!

Whether the Javelin is already your favorite promo pen or you’re in the market for a new pen giveaway, we know you won’t be disappointed with the new translucent option and same great performance of the Javelin. Be among the first to roll them out!

I still remember my first Javelin…. Do you? Tell us about it in the comments!

German housewares manufacturer Koziol has launched one of the most fun-filled promotional products lines I’ve seen in awhile: Office products themed after celebrities and other pop culture characters.

Here are some of my favorites:

Elvis tape dispenser 

Pelle the Pelican pen and pencil holder

Curly paper clip dispenser

Edward Scissor-holders

The feel-good vibe of these desk accessories will bring fun to desks everywhere.  And, that’s likely to make these giveaways very popular with your customers. 

Cheers,
Suzanne

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed your holiday with family and friends and, hopefully, a bit of time away from work.  In the spirit of the New Year, I want to give you a sneak peek at some new products that will help you wake up your writing.

• Blow customers away with a bubble pen or highlighter. These entertaining pens are sure to be a crowd pleaser, breaking up the writing monotony with the promise of a little workplace fun. Not only are they eye-catching, but also offer the surprise of a built-in bubble blower. 

• For a job well done, consider giving your clients or coworkers one of our newest Goofy Handz Pens, topped with an oversized thumbs-up or peace-sign! Certain to incite a few laughs, these pens sit nicely on desks, making sure your logo isn’t tucked into a drawer or desktop pen holder.       

From the office to the trade show booth, these pens will definitely stand out!  Where can you see your company using these cool promotional products?

-Suzanne

Blue or black?

The question of ink color is one that draws lots of conversation.  Here in the U.S., many pens come with black ink as the default.  In other parts of the world (such as Europe), it’s actually the other way around and the default is blue.

I have good news for fans of blue ink!  Coming soon is the stylish new Athena Pen with blue ink.

This 4imprint exclusive comes in molded plastic and will be available in a refreshed palette of bright promotional colors.  The range of hues features black rubber and chrome-colored accents.  Each color looks great with blue ink, of course!

-Suzanne