Gifting pens

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jamesbil

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Feb 27, 2015
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Ireland
So apart from friends and family, who do you gift pens to? And why?

Of the 8 pens I have made I have given 5 away.
2 went to friends.

1 corian JR Gent to a friend who runs a kitchen company and who gave me a 16 x 12 piece of corian. I sub a few jobs out to him and he supplies me with panels.
He was delighted with the pen and will pass on my number to any of his customers who want a pen in the same colour as their worktop.

1 corian JR Gent to another workshop owner who sands solid panels for me. Same as above and he handed me 2 boxes of corian samples to play with! 140 pieces..
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1 Sierra in ancient Irish Bog Oak to a long time customer who runs a local resource centre and museum.

The idea is they are all people who network alot and hopefully my pens will get seen and lead to sales.
 
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TonyL

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Mar 9, 2014
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Georgia
I made over 400 in in 14 months, gave away well over 250:
waiters
dental hygienist
co-workers
clergy
strangers who admired the one the I was using
folks at various support groups

However, I am not looking to generate sales - just an "excuse" to make pens - so I my practices may not be the best to generate sales, although about half wind-up buying from me.
 

PSNCO

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Jun 7, 2013
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Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
I've been getting pens turned to gift out to all the managers and supervisors I work with. They're all $5-$7 rollerballs and ballpoint pen kits. I work with 110 people that all make $140,000-$180,000. I figured a small investment of a gift, gets my son's pens out there to be noticed by an audience that all are making a good salary.

I've given away pens to customer service people that have given me great service. If they admire the pen I'm using and it's just an inexpensive kit with no attachment to me, I'll give them the pen as a token of my appreciation.
 

Dan Masshardt

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Jan 30, 2013
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Mechanicsburg, PA
I give items I make for most gift giving occasions that I would otherwise buy stuff and some that I wouldn't otherwise.

I give pens to local silent auctions / fundraisers / ministries.

But I don't generally hand out pens nor do I expect that giving away pens will lead to sales.
 

Edgar

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Alvin, TX 77511
This is just a hobby for me, so I give away most of what I make - mostly to family and friends, our church & for servicemen and some to various charity auctions.
 

tomtedesco

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Jan 7, 2015
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Centennial, CO
If someone goes out of the ordinary to help fix a problem for me at a business I often give away a pen. At retired lunches, if its someone's birthday I give away a pen. Christmas presents for grandchildren's teachers.
 

BSea

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Dec 28, 2009
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4,628
Location
Little Rock, Arkansas
I gift them to people I think will really appreciate them, and don't expect a gift pen. It's nice to see their eyes widen. Of course family members get a free pen from time to time. I also donate a nice pen for each year to a charity event for disabled veterans.
 
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Warren White

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Aug 27, 2014
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Location
Livermore, CA
Gifting

I have only sold two pens; the first because my friend INSISTED I sell him one for his wife. I had given him one previously.

I have given them to friends and family for Christmas, birthdays, special occasions, etc., and sometimes just because they admired what I have done. I have given them to Doctors who are friends in addition to being our Doctors. I have given many of them to people I serve with at Church.

One of the great joys of this hobby...
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
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Anybody you feel like

You can give your pens to anyone you feel like giving one to. There are no rules about gifts, give for any reason or no reason at all. That is the beauty of giving (not just pens) you don't have to have a reason.
 

Rounder

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Jan 16, 2011
Messages
753
Location
Marlin, TX
I gave one away to a gentleman who took me on a tour of the SpaceX plant in McGregor, Texas. THAT was well worth a pen. He did the tour not knowing I would give him a pen. He didn't even know I made them. Always nice to make someone smile.
 

fafow

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Dec 27, 2007
Messages
159
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA.
I have given pens away to people on staff at my church, doctor, pharmacist (in a drug store owned and run by the pharmacist), to people I want to thank for whatever reason, etc. Everytime the person receiving it has thanked me and smiled, and in some cases has later remarked that they still use it and how much they like it. I also have "given" them in trade. There is a firewood place near my home and I would give him a ballpoint pen (his choice of what I had) in exchange for enough wood to 3/4 fill the back of a Chevy S10 pickup. I would wander around looking for figured wood and take my choice. It was all the same value to him. I got some cherry burl, olive wood, curly ash, oak burl, red eucalyptus, walnut, etc. He even started showing me where he had stashed some good stuff. Eventually I was able to give him a pen from wood I got from him. He loved it. I hae never given away a pen hoping it would generate sales, but sometimes it does. What generates more sales is using my own pens and someone makes a comment about it.

Also like others, I give pens as Christmas presents, birthday gifts, etc. I also do a package for a wedding gift that usually ends up with at least one of the people getting a little wet in the eyes. I get a piece of Kauri wood and mark out two pen blanks side by side and take a picture. Then I make his and hers pens out of that, include the picture, the authenticity cert, and a note on fancy paper drawing parallels between the wood and pens, and a marriage. Kauri is the oldest known wood to man and I draw on that, along with the wood being one piece and now made into two separate pieces and they were two and now made one, the wood being side by side not end to end like they are equals, not one lording it over the other, etc. I make either ballpoint pens or rollerballs depending on the people.
 
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Cwalker935

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May 18, 2014
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Richmond, Va
My wife is very generous with my pens. Any time someone visits us for the first time she says can I offer you something to drink, we have water, tea, etc and then she says Cody you should give them a pen. Talk about being put on the spot.
 

oneleggimp

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Feb 23, 2014
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Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan 48230 United States o
I've made and given some for Birthday and bu Christmas presents. I made 10 pens for soldiers in 2014 and am working on a dozen pens for soldiers for 2015. I'm also making some pens for Bugles Across America (BAA) Michigan Buglers who have gone "over and above". One in paticular has taken over several funeral missions at the last minute for me when I had trouble with my wheelchair or van. Also made a Civil War pen for a BAA State Director for Wisconsin who is a Civil War Re-Enactor. I've sold one pen to a guy who was repairing something in our flat and saw some of my pens and asked to buy one. I sold it to him for the cost of the materials just so I broke even.
 

firewhatfire

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Columbiana, Alabama
given away 15 in last 2 weeks. grads, silent auctions, the guy who offered to teach me cedar strip canoe building, Wood brought home from vacations from those who have gone on.
 

CREID

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Jul 23, 2008
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Vancouver, wa
I've been getting pens turned to gift out to all the managers and supervisors I work with. They're all $5-$7 rollerballs and ballpoint pen kits. I work with 110 people that all make $140,000-$180,000. I figured a small investment of a gift, gets my son's pens out there to be noticed by an audience that all are making a good salary.

I've given away pens to customer service people that have given me great service. If they admire the pen I'm using and it's just an inexpensive kit with no attachment to me, I'll give them the pen as a token of my appreciation.
Wow I need to read more carefully. At first glance I thought you were going to give away $140,000 worth of pens. :embarrassed:
 

CREID

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I give pens to people for Christmas presents, to people I like, people that have done stuff for me. mostly If I like ya, you just might get a pen.
Curt
PS. Now I don't want a ton of friend requests. :)
 

Edgar

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I give pens to people for Christmas presents, to people I like, people that have done stuff for me. mostly If I like ya, you just might get a pen.
Curt
PS. Now I [strike]don't[/strike] want a ton of friend requests. :)

Hi there ol' buddy, pal, friend-o-mine! :biggrin::biggrin:
 

CREID

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I give pens to people for Christmas presents, to people I like, people that have done stuff for me. mostly If I like ya, you just might get a pen.
Curt
PS. Now I [strike]don't[/strike] want a ton of friend requests. :)

Hi there ol' buddy, pal, friend-o-mine! :biggrin::biggrin:

See I knew someone would pop, it's like winning the lottery.
 

mark james

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Sep 6, 2012
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Medina, Ohio
I also give away most of what I turn, and my wife helps. But, my wife has also gotten requests for sales, so I tell them my material costs, and say I'll donate any profit above that (Beads of Courage usually).

I do have a suggestion, and please interpret this with a caution as it is only from MY experience and progression in learning how to turn...

I gave away 40-50 of my initial pens, and seeing them again, I wish I had most back :eek:! They were not very good compared with what I can do now... I'm pretty confident of my skills now (certainly still room for considerable improvement). I just wished I had waited 6-7 months before showing of my "Masterpieces."

This is only me! Your skills may be very different.

Have FUN!
 

SkookumPens

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Nov 11, 2005
Messages
157
Location
Puyallup, WA, USA.
I also enjoy making pens. I have made over 1000 and given them to the troops. My goal this year is 600. I will turn them in to my local Woodcraft this November. I am also working on dying some wood pink for our Pink Pens for Breast Cancer Drive in October.
Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA
 

dudstuen

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Feb 9, 2013
Messages
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Morris,ILL.
I have done and donated many mid to higher end pens for fund raisers for individuals or organizations for people with life threating illnesses. They are always well received and appreciated while helping out for good cause. Generates interest and future inquiries. A set of wine bottle stoppers also does well. Gives a great sense of personal satisfaction that one is able to help others in their time of need.
 
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