Articles: notebooks

Among promotional gifts a notebook does unusually well for one simple reason: it gets used. It does not sit in a drawer like most things handed out at fairs, it comes back to the top of the desk whenever something needs writing down. All that time the company name is in view of its owner and everyone sitting nearby.

Why a notebook keeps working

A plain sheet of paper still beats a phone wherever speed matters: a number read out during a call, the time of a meeting, a list of things to do. That is why notebooks and pads disappear from receptions, meeting rooms and desks faster than other materials. It is worth using that on purpose and matching the size to the situation - a larger format for a desk, a smaller one for a pocket or a bag, a sticky pad where the note has to end up on a document.

What to settle before ordering

A few early decisions make a notebook feel like part of the company rather than a random giveaway.

• The cover - your logo, a calm colour and stiffer board if the notebook will travel in a bag.
• The pages - plain, ruled or squared, possibly with a light print in the footer.
• The size - matched to where the notebook is meant to live.
• Contact details - a web address on the cover or the last page is enough.
• Who receives it - a notebook works better as a considered gift than as something handed to everyone.

If you want a gift that gets used rather than glanced at, start with a notebook and a pen set. Formats and options are listed in the calculator.