For years people have talked about the sweeping changes of the digital age. Information technology is seen as a force that would transform everything . . . and it has! Thanks to advances in software, the microchip, social media and cloud technology, we can be "plugged in" and communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world within seconds.

But in many ways, life in the digital world is the same. We still drive our Fords, Jeeps, and Hondas, despite all the talk of self-driving cars. Smartphones may have altered the way we organize and record data, but humans still use pens and pencils. Occasionally, we even ask another person instead of our phone for directions. Moreover, print as a form of communication is not dead, no matter who claims the sky is falling for newspapers.

In the realm of small businesses, much of what they rely on to promote brands remains the same—with improvements. This is part of the reason that many small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) continue to use promotional products as a cost-effective element of their advertising, trade show marketing and general relationship-building efforts with new and existing customers.

It's also not surprising that the promotional products business has a few classics that have stood the test of time. SMBs still consider these staples essential to their branding and name recognition efforts.

Pens and Writing Instruments

Just like newspapers and landline phones, pens and pencils are still here in 2017 and widely used. According to data released last year, sales of pens and other writing tools are actually growing. Market research firm Technavio says that the industry generated revenues of $16.2 billion worldwide in 2014 and its collective revenue is projected to reach over $20 billion by 2019.

The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) says that one in every two Americans owns at least one logoed or branded pen, marker, pencil, highlighter or other writing instruments. The secret of the pen's success and continued use as a promotional product is its simplicity as well as its low cost. ASI also says, in their infographic on the category, that writing utensils have the lowest cost per impression of any promo product.

But keeping that in mind, it is important to note that pens and writing utensils are not just cheap giveaways. In 2017, the variety that promotional products distributors can offer is far greater. Style is an important consideration, with suppliers offering a greater number of colors and features. Meanwhile, class is in. For example, formal-looking quality metal pens are in high demand.

That said pens and writing tools are no longer just a go-to for insurance agents, realtors and title companies. And businesses don't need to be law firms or investment banks to offer their next customers something special. Just ask car dealers.

Last year, BMW — the self-proclaimed maker of "The Ultimate Driving Machine" — used pens as a sales tactic. Car lovers in the market for new luxury BMW 7 Series models were enticed by the addition of special "100-year edition" blue lapis and metal BMW Mont Blanc pens designed to match the colors and design of BMW's iconic logo.

Printed Marketing

As we've hinted already, print is another subcategory of marketing that is not going away. Recently, Marketing Profs shared some important data about print marketing. Based on some findings from Vistaprint, the marketing intelligence website said that 92 percent of 18- to 23-year-olds surveyed reported that they find printed marketing materials, such as posters, billboards, brochures and printed ads, easier to read than digital content.

When it comes to response-based marketing, data shows that direct mail marketing garners a 37% higher response rate than emails do. Despite the widespread expansion of ecommerce and online retail, their report also said that "consumers trust print ads 34 percent more than search engine ads for making purchasing decisions". According to Vistaprint's infographic, physical print ads are just "easier for brains to process than digital".

This may be in part because it is easy today to make print-based marketing as visually appealing anything digital. Some small business customers and their designers have embraced the sleek and cost-effective trend of one-color print marketing, while tourism and real estate firms continue to rely on high-resolution photographic collateral to convey visuals of mountains, beaches and other breathtaking views that sell their offerings to vacationers and adventure seekers.

When serving SMBs customers, don't forget that it helps to have a partner that knows the territory. Idea Custom Solutions can make your job easier and more profitable. Whether you need graphic design for print materials or vector artwork for writing instruments, we help you provide quality for your SMB customers’ marketing campaigns.