It’s strange how pens just disappear, isn’t it? One minute it’s in your pocket, and the next it’s gone to live with all the other strange socks. But company pens aren’t just temporary writing instruments. They hold messages, brands, and occasionally the trick to grabbing that last piece of cake at work meetings. There are a lot of different kinds of pens, such the clicky one, the smooth rollerball, and the one that proudly shows off your company’s colors.

It’s strange how rewarding it feels to sign papers with a pen that has your brand on it. It’s like having a little ambassador with you all the time. People pick up a pen and—bam!—it reminds them right away of where they acquired it or who gave it to them after a long session on the whiteboard. The humble office pen turns into a subtle but strong marketing tool. People will even battle tooth and nail for those pens at trade exhibitions and conferences, which is even funnier. A plastic tube of ink is suddenly worth its weight in gold.

Some pens are fun, some are useful, and some are just plain flamboyant. Some light up, some work as styluses, and some have strange designs. There are even those strange ones with four colors in one tube. It looks easy: put a brand on a pen and you’ve got a tiny billboard. Choose a few cool ink colors, think about how comfortable the grip is, and if you’re feeling brave, go for a bright barrel that says “Pick me!”

But here’s a twist. People remember how a pen feels. Is it a mass of scratches and leaks, or does it slide over the paper like a figure skater? That feeling is more important than you might think. A good pen makes people’s brains tingle. A nasty one? You could end up forgetting it in a dusty office drawer or, even worse, throwing it away on a stressful Monday.

Distribution is also very close to being smart. Leave a stack at the front desk, put some in candy bowls in the conference room, or send them out in mailers. You can never be sure where they’ll end up. Sometimes it’s at a busy café, where they write notes in a stranger’s journal. Sometimes, it lives on forever in the form of signatures on important contracts.

Customization—there’s a hole for you to fall into. Some businesses prefer metal finishes that look nice, while others desire materials that break down over time. There are pens for everyone, whether you appreciate technology, the environment, or keeping things simple. You can order in bulk or have a special run for an anniversary. Each choice tells a story.

Brand consistency also slips in. Colors, shapes, and fonts of pens are all small pieces of a broader puzzle. It’s not only about getting the cheapest one; it’s also about finding the one that makes people stop and say, “This one’s a keeper.” And that’s when your brand will last longer than the ink ever could.

If you give out a few at a meeting, your brand can suddenly spread halfway across town. Pens go places. They end up in purses, shirt pockets, garbage drawers, and even the neighbor’s house by mistake. Maybe only one small pen, but it has a tremendous job: to help your tale go far and wide, one signature, doodle, and grocery list at a time.