The best advice and recommendations on most things are given from a position of expertise on the subject concerned combined with as much information as it’s reasonably possible to acquire from the person or persons asking for the advice.

Branded USB Flash Drives

When it comes to making recommendations on what USB flash drive is best for you or your company the same observations apply. If you’re looking for general advice about what works best for “most” people or what USB flash drive is the most popular then that’s is relatively easy but if you want a more detailed, bespoke response then that will need a degree of consultation with you to understand your precise needs. This “consultation” needs to be done with a company that specialises in the supply of USB flash drives and they will expect to ask you the following:

• How many USB flash drives you need for your event or activity
• What you plan to use them for; a trade show, a press event, internal distribution to your staff, students at university etc.
• The demographic of your target audience – certain styles of USB flash drives work better when the target user is a high net worth individual, e.g. the Credit Card USB
• The environment they will be used in – this is critical to determine whether you should buy metal USB flash drives or lighter but less robust plastic flash drives
• What would you like printed on the USB flash drives and do you want to print on one side or two
• How complex is your company or school logo and how many colours does the logo have
• Whether you need data to be pre-loaded onto the flash drives and how much data will need loading
• What’s your budget and does this include VAT
• How quickly you need the USB flash drives delivered – whilst some models and styles of USB flash drives are held in stock locally and can be supplied within 48hs the majority are manufactured to order. If you need your flash drives quickly be prepared to compromise on models, colours and memory size
• Do you need accessories like lanyards, keyrings and gift boxes

Branded UBS Twisters

Without this information the answer to “what USB flash drive is best for you” is likely to be based on what is typically the most popular or what is in stock and available at the time. So, if you really want the right USB flash drive for the right price and one that will do the best job for your brand and your event then its worth engaging in a proper consultative dialogue with your supplier. This will be time well spent and will ensure you get a branded USB flash drive that you’re delighted with.

Why? Well, several events have come together to create a huge supply vacuum the most notable of which are:

	Apple’s iPhone uses Flash Memory chips and market forecasts suggest they will sell around 33million iPhones in 2010 and Apple have apparently been very canny with their suppliers and “locked them in” with guaranteed future orders. Who can blame them after all the iPhone has been a runaway success and they have the cash reserves behind them to ensure forward continuity of supply.
	Sales of mobile phones that contain NAND (memory) flash chips are expected to top 700 million in 2010.
	The success of other consumer products like electronic book readers, camcorders and of course the ubiquitous flash memory stick continues to grow apace.
	Unusually this year many employees of the smaller support factories/companies have been slow to return from their Chinese New Year holidays and this has resulted in production backlogs.

For the manufactures like Toshiba, Micron Technology, Samsung, Hynix and Intel this is explosion in demand is great news but it will put a huge amount of pressure on their production capabilities this year just to keep up.

For suppliers of branded USB memory sticks and their partner factories the challenge will be ensure the continuity of supply during 2010 and to ensure this supply is at a price that the market will bear. Expect some turbulence in the supply this year and as usual shop around to ensure you get the best deal you can and in timeframes that suit your project, event or activity.

Many clients are faced with the dilemma of whether they should add an autorun facility to their Branded USB Memory Sticks.

An autorun facility allows users to insert a Branded Memory Stick and for the computer to automatically run a programme e.g. a movie file.

The advantages of this facility is that it ensures the user is presented with the information the client wants them to see, without having to find the information themselves. This makes is a very intuitive process and ensures the information on the USB Memory Stick is delivered. However there are some hidden pitfalls:

• Autoruns will not work on Win 98 or 2000 operating systems – beware there are still many users out there with these systems. You will also need to ensure that the appropriate code is written into any autorun for it to work on Mac operating systems.
• Some corporate firewalls restrict autoruns, so the danger is that the end user will never see the data.
• Nuisance factor. If one of the objectives is to ensure that the USB Branded Memory Stick is a keepsake that the end user will access on a regular basis then its worth bearing in mind that every time the user wants to access or save a document they will have to run through the dataload programme. Fine for the first few times, but thereafter they may find this an irritation and relegate the memory stick deep into a draw!

There is a middle way, why not consider loading the data onto the Branded USB Memory Stick with an icon labelled ‘Click Here To Start’ and allow the user to access the data when they want.  This data can be protected so it would not be deleted, but overcomes may of the issues detailed above.

If this is not an option, then it is highly recommended to produce a pre-production sample of the autorun. In this way you or your client can test the autorun in the environment it would be used. You do not need to have the final data file to complete this exercise.

Another option would be to load the same data as a non-autorun file on the unprotected part of the Branded Memory stick. In this way, if the autorun fails to work, the user still has the option to select information manually.

There is no doubt that autoruns are a great method to deliver information, but ensure you and/or your client are aware of the pitfalls and try to build in a safety net, as once produced it is extremely difficult to reload the data without returning to the manufacturing plant, which is usually based in China.

View Tip 1. Here.

One of the many advantages of using the Twister USB Memory Stick is that the branding is on the removable metal clip, as opposed to other USB Memory sticks that are branded directly onto the housing. This makes the most valuable part of it, the housing, reusable if your branding requirements change.

It is a cost effective method and easy process to change the clip from Branded USB Memory Sticks. With just a few precautions to take to ensure that the USB housing isn’t damaged or scratched. It is also important to ensure that the new clip is installed correctly to ensure a snug fit.

The following steps should be followed for a smooth transition from one clip to another:

1. To avoid fingerprint marks on the Branded USB Memory Twister, it is advised that you wear gloves before handling the goods. To remove the old clip, put the forefinger of your left-hand into space inside the metal clip to prise it apart and open it up to get the plastic housing out. This should avoid any scratches to the housing.
2. Before attaching the new metal clip you need to pinch it together to ensure a snug fit.
3. In order to avoid defacing the housing, wrap a small plastic bag around it before attaching the clip. Prise open the clip just enough to squeeze it around the housing with the plastic bag sandwiched in between as a protective barrier.
4. Lastly, carefully pull out the plastic bag to reveal the finished Branded USB Twister.

If all of these steps were carefully followed, you would never know that the clips had not been factory fitted.

Your Branded Twister USBs are now ready to use.

The challenge this year as China starts to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, is that the holiday period is over 2 weeks and the start and the end is staggered to allow for the mass movement of people around China as the staff in the factories and offices return to their families. So, the reality is that the Chinese New Year break will last for nearer 3 weeks and during this period not only do the factories that manufacture branded memory sticks close but pretty much the whole infrastructure closes. So even if things are manufactured its very difficult to get them moved and shipped.

Consequently any new orders placed today for printed USB flash drives could take up to 4 weeks to be fulfilled. But, don’t despair, at USB2U we’ve been through this cycle for the last 7 years so we knew what was coming and we’ve pre-shipped into the UK thousands of blank (un-printed) USB memory sticks that we can print locally for our customers.

Branded Memory sticks that are printed in the UK will always be a little more expensive simply because of the local (UK) printing costs but when you buy them from USB2U you won’t pay any more for the memory sticks themselves. Not only that but we can turn around printed memory sticks using our UK stock in 48 hrs! If you’re struggling with artwork or design ideas don’t worry because our in-house design team can help you with this as well.

If you have been let down by your supplier or you’ve got a “rush” job and simply have to have some branded memory sticks during the next few weeks then give us a call at USB2U. We’d be delighted to hear from you and we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to help.

In fact these incredibly useful gadgets can be used in many many ways including but not limited to:

• On-pack sales promotions
• Competition prizes
• Trade show “give-aways”
• Press Launches (and lunches)
• Product Launches
• Staff rewards and incentives
• Customer mailers
• Re-seller and partner fairs

The most popular style or shape of branded memory stick used for these activities tend to be “stick” shaped (not as in a stick from a tree but small, rectangular shaped flash “sticks”) but there are other options!

One of the key trends in 2010 is expected to be the move to a bespoke or truly custom shape that is unique to the customer using it. Examples would include custom USB disks in the shape of a car or truck to support the launch of a new vehicle or perhaps in the shape of a company logo or brand. Any 2-D or 3-D shape is now possible and bespoke memory sticks really do up the ante in terms of brand support, brand building and product recall.

But, custom memory sticks are not for everyone. If you are looking for something a little different, a little more sophisticated with the scope to support a complex logo or design then you might consider a branded credit card USB. These come in a variety of styles and types but they all adhere to the basic “form factor” of a credit card. Not only do they support a full colour, photo effect print but they can also be supplied in a complementary wallet or case. Costing just a little more than a standard branded memory stick they are certainly worthy of consideration particularly if your target audience is ABC1.

The small additional cost is worth it in terms of the visual impact and much greater perceived value. If you are interested then give us a ring or fill out the on-line enquiry form and we’ll get back to you with a tailored quotation. We also offer a free design and mock-up service to help you visualise the end product.

Branded Memory Sticks are typically used for events, promotions, staff giveaways and corporate events. You can also load your company data files or brochures onto the drives making them a great alternative to paper based options or CD’s.

At USB2U we have stock available which can be printed, loaded with your data and delivered before Christmas! All you need to do is place your order and provide the artwork and data by the 22nd December. We’ll email you with a proof and your branded USB’s will be printed and delivered within 48 hours!

There are many different models and capacities available such as the Twister, Harbour and Chic. Please call 01604 685040 or email trade@usb2u.co.uk and an Account Manager will discuss your options and provide a quotation.

…from all at USB2U

The classic twisters with are supplied with either a smooth plastic finished or a more tactile “rubberised” finish and if you’re ordering over 100 pieces we can even pantone match the body of the memory stick to any primary colour from your logo and we’ll do this at no extra cost to you!

But, despite its dominance there might be a new contender from the same stable on the horizon. The wooden twister has many of the key attributes of its metal/plastic counterpart but the silky varnished finish coupled with its eco-friendly pedigree might see it push the classic twister for dominance.

Its early days in the battle between the classic and wooden twister memory stick but watch this space!

If you are interested in either model give us a call or if its easier just complete our on-line enquiry form and we’ll get back to you in a flash!

Either way it’s worth considering using branded USB memory sticks as part of your overall sales and marketing strategy for 2010. Branded memory sticks are incredibly popular, useful and relatively inexpensive and they can be used in some many ways including:

1. A “leave behind” for your sales team. Print them with your logo and contact details on and pre-load them with your sales material, product sheets, links to your web sites, sales videos and pricing information.
2. Sales exhibitions and shows – branded memory sticks pre-loaded with your sales material make excellent give-aways at sales exhibitions and shows Not only are they better received than loads of paper brochures that have to be lugged around all day but, you can deliver much more information. You can also offset the cost of preparing, printing and transporting lots of paper brochures to the event and because you can load data onto the memory stick right up to the day of the event the information (and pricing) can be more dynamic.
3. Press events – Custom USB or bespoke memory sticks are a great idea for any press event. The capability to produce memory sticks in any eye catching 2-D or 3-D shape really opens up the opportunities to deliver something that excites the invited journalists and fires their imagination. You can of course also pre-load all the relevant information about your press event on the memory stick making life easier for the journalist to access the information they need to write what will hopefully be a great article on your company and/or its new product/service.
4. Product launches – stimulate the demand for your new product with a “free” or promotional branded or custom memory stick. Combine with a viral e-campaign to generate lots of “on-line chatter” and activity. Integrate into vouchers and coupon offers from the many on-line coupon aggregators. Done well these types of activities can be incredibly cost effective and delivery a real spike in sales.
5. Conferences and exhibitions – if you’re organising an event or participating in a conference or exhibition then you might want to consider getting some branded memory sticks produced to give away. Again, simple things like pre-loading any presentation material and sales material really will help sales. Today people have an expectation of easy access to information so literally putting your brand; your product and your pricing information into the palm of their hand will help.

The popularity of branded memory sticks does not look like abating so use this to the benefit of your company and deliver a memory stick that will be well received, packed with useful information and supports the development of your brand/products.

Well here are the top 10 reasons for buying Branded USB Memory Sticks.

1. Branded USB Memory sticks are a unique way to get you or your client’s brand in front of an existing or potential customer.
2. Branded USB Memory sticks are a great way to deliver content. The data can be passive, so the user would need to click on the files, or interactive for a more immersive experience.
3. Branded USB Memory sticks are excellent ‘keep sakes’ and with a high probability that users will save their own information on them. Making the USB a valued tool that has a high intrinsic value.
4. The cost of USB Flash Memory has fallen dramatically over the past few years, so they have become a far more cost effective promotional item.
5. USB Branded memory sticks now come in over 100 different models or can be designed and built to order…..making them truly unique to you or your client.
6. The speed of delivery is now as little as 48hrs, which includes a logo print – so ideal for emergency use.
7. Branded Memory sticks can be ordered in as little as 25 units – so it can be a targeted campaign.
8. CD / DVDs are now seen as old hat, with Branded USB Memory sticks taking over as the media of choice for sending content.
9. The technology has improved making Branded USB highly robust and reliable.
10. Finally, there are now several professional providers of Branded USB Memory sticks in the UK, making the process of ordering very simple.