With the perilous state of the current economy it might be best to choose promotional gifts that reflect a no-nonsense, highly practical approach. Gimmicky, or slightly frivolous gifts can be a good choice when times are less more upbeat, but useful items like promotional calculators are clearly a better choice to fit the current business climate. In fact, promotional calculators are a thoughtful and enduring promotional gift under almost any circumstances. This article's writer received a calculator from a computer equipment services supplier in the late 90s, and it's still a regularly used desktop item.

Promotional calculators come in a nearly endless array of styles, colors, sizes, technical sophistication and of course prices. They're available from a host of companies who specialize in branded promotional gifts. It's fairly easy finding a supplier and a calculator that fit your specific needs and target audience.

For the most frugal, promotional calculators can be purchased in volume for under a dollar for the most basic units. On the upper end, the very full-featured calculators fall into the eight to nine dollar range. As with the purchase of any promotional item, a combination of the number of items to be distributed, the nature of your target audience and the size of your promotional budget will dictate your price point.

The variety of calculators in every price slot is impressive. The most simple are no larger than a credit card, the largest are suitable for desktops only. Some have very useful additional features. One very small and tasteful unit in the $2.50 range includes a slot that holds 10-12 business cards. An ingenious model is a combination calculator and tape measure, a terrific gift for an estimator or contractor. A promotional calculator built into a computer mouse pad is another innovative idea that would regularly be in the clients field of vision.

The price of the promotional calculator should include branding. It's important that the buyer supply the calculator vendor with an extremely clear and clean copy of the company logo for reproduction. Also make sure that the company information will fit comfortably into the branding area.