Posted by HisHughness on 11/28/10 12:35pm
Msg #362921

Promo item

Last month National Pen had a special on a pen, and I ordered a batch. The pen has a 2011 and 2012 calendar that rolls up inside it. Pull it out, and it retracts like a window shade. The cost is quite reasonable: 99 cents each for 50, and the prices decline as you order more.

For signings I use Foray Precision Point pens with a 0.7 mm ball, from Office Depot. That is a really fine point ball, and borrowers often comment how much they like it. The point will bleed through a single sheet of paper, though, so the borrower does need to use something underneath to protect tabletops.

The calendar pens come only in black, thus normally cannot be used for a signing. However, that actually works to my advantage. I tell borrowers tongue in cheek that the signing pen crossed the Rocky Mountains with my great-great grandmother in a Conestoga wagon, and I >will< repossess it after the signing. Then I give them the promo pen and tell them they do get to keep it. The patter tends to get things off to a congenial start, and since I have been distributing the calendar pen, borrowers really tend to warm to me right off.

I've used any number of promo items over the years, from calculators to calendars to pens. This one has gotten more comment from borrowers than any other pen or other type of item I have ever given them. I'm not trying to pimp for National Pen, but they are a good company with good prices. I have used them for years, and on the rare occasions when I have had problems with a product, they have always been willing to make it right.

You can check out the calendar pen, and other National Pen products, at:

http://www.pens.com/pens/Product_Detail.aspx?prod=FAB&design=Design-None

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 11/28/10 12:40pm
Msg #362922

I bought a batch of pens from them a couple years ago to give out - I paid what I considered a decent price - not the best but not the worst either - I was not happy with the quality, some of them ran out of ink after a couple uses; retracted one once on the first use and it shot across the room; some never wrote at all. I also didn't like the fact that every time you order a different pen they charge a $14-$15 "setup" fee (I think that's what it's called) - my order was 100 black ink, 100 blue ink - all same imprinting - I was charged 2 setup fees.

Needless to say I haven't ordered since - but I like the free samples they send me all the time!!

Reply by James Dawson on 11/28/10 12:53pm
Msg #362924

Same here as Linda...I like the free samples but I don't order from them anymore. Two years ago I ordered
some promo items within one hour of someone with the same last name. I got his order, he got mine. Whenever he orders something, it comes to me then I must ship it to him (Atlanta, Ga) and vice-versa. We have never been able to correct this problem, so we both agreed to just stop ordering from them.

Reply by LKT/CA on 11/28/10 1:25pm
Msg #362930

Heehee!! Sort of off topic but I stop using my name when going to a restaurant and putting my name on the list. Everybody is named Lisa (had this issue all through school) so I give a name that's not typical.....Penelope for two please!!! Or Esmeralda, Petunia, Henrietta, Mary Ellen, etc. No longer do five other women turn their heads when the name I give is called, like they did when it was "Lisa"......LOL!!!

Reply by James Dawson on 11/28/10 1:31pm
Msg #362931

You are sooo funny....I do that toO. specially when filling out forms on internet. I omit the space between my first and middle (Harold) name..It then becomes Jamesh...works everytime! LOL

Reply by Jack/AL on 11/28/10 1:41pm
Msg #362932

"Rufus" works for me. Never a conflict in over 30 years. Loved letting my 10 year old son (years ago) walk up to a restaurant's reservation desk and request seating for four in the name of Rufus........

Reply by Jessica Ward on 11/29/10 3:00pm
Msg #363062

Common names are tough! I use my cats/dogs names.

All my magazines come in the cat's names. I do this to control "junk mail" -- The magazines all get a cat's name, and then I know who sold my name to where. ;-) My dog Jasmine, that died 12 years ago, Ironically got an American Kennel Club master card in the mail a couple of years ago. I can't believe they still send those cards out to names that haven't been validated. Anything that comes in a pet's name automatically go in the shredder. (Yes, I confess, my pets are illiterate, and I don't have the energy to read their mail to them. ;-) ).

Years ago when my husband and I bought our house, the escrow officer asked if we were punking her. I couldn't figure out what she was talking about and she showed me our title report. The home has always been owed by four different Ward families--all apparently unrelated.

Reply by Frank/NC on 11/28/10 2:25pm
Msg #362939

When asked the name in restaurants I tell them the name is, Kimball, Richard Kimball. So far I don't think anyone has gotten it.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 11/28/10 2:45pm
Msg #362945

That's because they're probably sneaking off to call Lt. Gerard to come get you!

Reply by davidK/CA on 11/28/10 5:12pm
Msg #362962

I prefer to use D. B. Cooper. Those twenty somethings at the counter have no idea who he is/was.

Reply by HisHughness on 11/28/10 2:55pm
Msg #362948

Message from the Thread Police

Please be advised that this thread has been nominated for the most egregious example of thread hijacking since the first Eisenhower administration.

That aside, a couple of posters have made negative commens regarding their experiences with National Pen. That's understandable; that sort of discussion is what this forum is supposed to be about. I would like to note, though, that both posters cited >one< experience with National Pen products for their negative comments. I've been dealing with the company and its products for seven years, and have placed dozens of orders. Rarely is there a misfire, but when there is, the company has always made it right.

As noted originally, I'm not here to promote another business. This one, though, has proved to be an asset to my business over the years, and I would hate to see someone forego an opportunity for their own enterprise based upon the limited experience of another poster.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 11/28/10 4:20pm
Msg #362953

You're absolutely right, Hugh

"both posters cited >one< experience with National Pen products for their negative comments"

and it was only once because fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me....I was sufficiently unhappy with the product to not want to go dipping my fingers in that pond again.

I'm glad you're happy with them and have had good experiences. We all have our experiences and opinions...

Reply by LKT/CA on 11/28/10 5:31pm
Msg #362964

Re: Message from the Thread Police

<<<Please be advised that this thread has been nominated for the most egregious example of thread hijacking since the first Eisenhower administration.>>>

Do fun/positive/helpful tip hijacks mitigate any damage done to the original post? Just wondering....

Reply by jba/fl on 11/28/10 8:23pm
Msg #362983

Those tips are mitigating for sure-I love silly names! n/m

Reply by James Dawson on 11/28/10 6:39pm
Msg #362971

Re: Message from the Thread Police

Billing me multiple times for someone's else orders is the same thing, over and over again. Or more than one time.

Reply by Robert Williams on 11/28/10 10:05pm
Msg #362989

Re: Message from the Thread Police

For once I have to agree with Hugh on this. I've dealt with National Pen for many years, and almost always have been happy with the product. The only time I wasn't was when I bought the absolute cheapest pen they offer... and you do get what you pay for.

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 11/28/10 10:10pm
Msg #362990

Like Hugh, I've found

their products to be very good and have used them for all of the businesses I've been involved with for over 30 years. My first experience with them, I was getting tired of people walking off with my pens at the cashiers window and decided that if they wanted to walk off with a pen they were going to take my name with them.