Acrylic Pen Engraving and Sales Catalog

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jenamison

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I read where one member asked about engraving on a wood pen before or after finishing. What about an acrylic pen? Can you engrave them and it look nice or does it cause a problem?

Also I am trying to get a sales catalog together for my husband, we just started marketing the pens and really feel that we need something to show people the variety that there is out there for them to order. We did order the brochure from PSI, but there is so much more out there to offer. I wondered if anyone had any suggestions. Anything would be appreciated. Thanks
 
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Rick Prevett

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If you're looking for a quality catalog, I would suggest requesting that Berea send you one of theirs. High quality color pictures of most every style they offer on good quality gloss paper.

rick
 

Daniel

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i cut the pictures from every catalouge that had the pen style that I offer. which is most of them. then matted them into a binder. the Berea photos looked by far the best. but they all came out good. some took some pretty creative matting though.them of course everyone came out with their new styles. I didn't cry though. copying the photos onto a page that you can print would be much faster. in this case you need to ask their premission though. using their catalog photos is a loop hole in those laws. nothing was "reproduced" I used the photos they sent me.
I wouldn't think they would withold premission though.
now the bad news. the pens do not sell nearly as well from photos as they do by having it on hand. the pens fall very much into the see it now buy it now catagory. you may want to try just a small catalog at first to see how you like the results. plus people can get unbalievably creative with what they want when they see all the options. Oh can you make me one of those polaris pens in a fountain pen style??? with a cap!!!
I stopped showing my album because one I couldn't sell the pens I had already made. adn two I was getting ulcers trying to put together a pen that was custom ordered. I woudl order three of anything someone wanted just to make sure I got one completed to near prefection. then I would let them select their favorite of the three. the good thing about this is it always seemed the other two sold quickly. I try and sell only pens I have already made now. no nerves just enjoyment that way.
 

Scott

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Most acrylics can be laser engraved just fine.

On the catalog, if I may I'd like to make a suggestion. First of all, don't make a catalog. I assume you want to do this because you want to afford your customers the same choice we have in styles and types of pens, and in variety of available materials. If you find people that appreciate this mass of information, they will drive you nuts picking out what they want. Then you have to gear up - bushings, kits and such - for that style, as well as keep the various materials on hand. Instead, I suggest that you pick three or four kits that YOU like, and stick with just those choices. Lets face it, unless you have really bad taste, the styles you like will also be the styles a lot of people will like. And when you make a pen you like to make, you just naturally do a better job! Same for the wood or acrylic you use. Stick with just a few things you do well. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try new things and offer them, but I would only keep a style in production if you enjoy it.

I also suggest, like Daniel, that buying pens is much more than an intellectual excersize. If it weren't, we'd all write with BIC's! Everybody has their own reason (or not) to buy a $30 to $50 pen. Most generally it is because the pen satisfies some need they have to own something special. So if they percieve your pen as special, they will buy it. Ordering option A and option B out of a catalog is not conducive to getting that "special" feeling. Actually, holding the pen, getting that tactile response, seems to work for most special pens like ours. The beauty of our pens and the way they feel is so important. When selling pens I start by asking the person which pen they like the best, and I will pick up that pen and hand it to them. As they are touching the pen and looking at it I tell them about it, what wood it is, where it comes from, what finish on the metal, etc. Some people form an instant connection with the pen, others never will. But it is the "experience" of a pen that people are attracted to.

Just my opinion.

Scott.
 

Daniel

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Wonderfully put Scott. wht you described so well about handing them the pen and telling them about it is what I call telling them the story about he pen. If you can't keep the info on the wood handy or memorized etc. their is always something about the making of it. some special problem you had to overcome. some flaw you had to repair etc. the customer loves to here about this stuff. remember they already selected it as their favorite they approve of it. telling them what you had to do to get it into that shape makes it even more interesting. tell them about making pens in general and then work that specific pen into the explanation.
 

PensofColor

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Jan 9, 2004
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Fenton, MO, USA.
You guys said all that so well, I'm gonna go out and get myself a wood pen!!

I agree with both of you. We usually have 6-8 different styles at our shows, in the most attractive and wild woods we can find. We also have some more subtle tones for the more conservative. One of our happiest customers ever bought a plain ol' slimline in a plain ol' brown wood...because that's what he perceived as his favorite wood. He smiled the whole day!

Keep it simple for you, and it will stay fun for you.
 
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