USB Writing Pens

If you think about it most of these activities require companies that are participating in them to hand out lots of supporting material, copies of presentation slides, speaker notes, agendas and details of other forthcoming events/activities. The attendees on the other hand are likely to want to write lots of notes throughout the event(s) so its typical to provide pens to enable them to do this (often provided by the hotel or venue at which the event is being held)

USB writing pens tackle these two requirements in one simple but nevertheless attractive and stylish approach. The USB pens look and work just like any regular pen but they have the added benefit of containing a USB connector and flash memory. So, it’s possible to pre-load all of the conference or event data (speaker notes etc.) onto the USB pens flash memory and to hand these out to the delegates/attendees and equip them not only with the content from the days event but also with a writing pen so they can start making notes straight away.

USB Pens

Typically the USB connector is discretely tucked away inside the main body of the pen and is accessed by unscrewing the top half of the pen. When revealed the USB “half” of the pen can then be used just like any normal USB memory stick. This means that not only can the recipient access and print the data you have stored on it but they can also use the flash memory to save their own data to and carry it around with them.

USB pens are popular because they are easy to carry (simply clip them inside your suit or jacket pocket), they’re

USB Pen

discrete, they look great and they carry branding very well. They’re also a little different from the standard USB flash drives that are typically given away so they create a bit more of an “impact” when given out.

The pens come in a range of different memory sizes starting at 512MB all the way up to 8GB. Some models include a laser pointer and small torch but most are just a “biro” style pens. Because of the need to include a standard USB connector they are a little “fatter” than a conventional pen but not enough to make it a problem or to detract from their overall aesthetics.

Exhibiting at a trade show is typically a pretty large investment in terms of money, time and manpower and as such it’s critical that this commitment is fully optimised. Whilst lots of energy tends to get put into the location of the stand in the exhibition hall, the stand design, the lighting of the stand and who’s going to staff the stand sometimes the little, but nevertheless important, things like giveaways and collateral for the show tend to get overlooked.

Whilst an exciting and innovative promotional tool or giveaway designed to draw people to the stand won’t make or break a show it will certainly help to maximise your investment. When you’re competing for the attention of potential customers against hundreds of other exhibitors its key that you equip you sales team with all the tools they need and a giveaway that pulls people into the stand works.

Your challenge is to decide what’s the best product for you and for your target audience. What really is going to deliver the greatest footfall onto your stand and what’s going to get your product and company to stand out from all the others that will be visited during the show?  After all we all know that at the end of most shows the attendees leave with tired legs, heavy hearts and laden down with carrier bags full of brochures and leaflets.  What you have to do during the show is “wow” them, ideally secure an order but failing that get them interested enough so that when they are back at home or work they recall your company and follow up with an enquiry.

There are lots of inexpensive giveaways that work on one level like printed bags which double as a “walking advert” for your brand or printed usb pens, which cost pennies. There are even sweets that can be printed with your brand and help get people to approach your stand. The problem with these is that they are either eaten at the event or thrown away after the event! With all of these simple ideas there is very little carry through post the event, there is no incentive to use them on an on-going basis and they don’t deliver much information about you’re company or products.

One product that is growing in popularity for use at tradeshows is the promotional USB flash drive. Whilst flash drives might initially seem too expensive to use a “giveaway” bear in mind that if you pre-load all of your sales material onto the promotional flash drive you can reduce significantly your brochure print costs and your storage and transportation costs. Because you can load data onto the flash drives right up to the start of the show (and even during the show if you wish) you can be much more flexible in terms of what brochures and data you take with you to the show. More fundamentally people like to be given memory sticks and they will keep them and use them after the show.

The on-going use of a printed usb flash drive means after the show means your brand will continue to get exposed and your sales material will be there every time the flash drive is inserted into a PC.  So, in terms of drawing prospects to your stand and delivering sales leads to your company branded flash drives deliver.

If the items in question have also got to be transported to the event then size and weight might also be an issue or at least something you need to consider. This is particularly true if the event is overseas where shipping costs might well exceed the actual cost of the items and then of course there is VAT and Duty to consider at the point of entry into the country – no one said it would be easy!

If you’ve already exhausted the old favourites like printed pens, T-shirts, key rings, cups and mugs etc. then you’re task will be all the harder. Whilst these great favourites are good options you might consider printed USB flash drives.

Printed USB flash drives (also sometimes referred to as memory sticks or USB Pens) not only look fantastic when printed up with a company logo but they are incredibly popular with the recipients because they really are very useful and handy things to have.

Flash drives are available in a wide range of styles and memory sizes so you’re bound to find something to suit your taste and budget. If you want to go the extra mile you could even commission a fully bespoke flash drive that is manufactured in 3-D shape to reflect your company’s products. Just remember if you do go down the custom route to allow yourself a little longer when placing the order.

One of the beauties of a printed USB flash drive is their compact size. Typically they will come “bulk supplied” so there is no excessive packaging to worry about. They are also incredibly light so if you do have to take them to an event venue you’re not looking at a huge logistics operation.

To really get the best value from a promotional USB flash drive you can pre-load them with your sales data sheets, price lists, web links and media files. If you’re really organised these files can be loaded for you by the factory during the manufacturing process. The cost of doing this is tiny and in some cases free but it does rely on you having the information and files ready when you place the order.

There are lots of companies now supplying promotional memory sticks so shop around to get the best deal but do buy from a reputable supplier with a proven track record because its all too easy to buy cheap/cheerful versions that are not quite what they seem and will have a high failure rate.

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.

1. Be clear about what logo you want printed on the Printed USB sticks. In many cases you’re not going to have a huge amount of choice about which logo or brand to use particularly if you’re printing your corporate logo and you have clearly defined brand rules and guidelines to adhere to. But, there’s no doubt about it that some logo’s work better than others. Because of the relatively small amount of space the logo will be printed on a complicated or over fussy logo will not reproduce well. Try to use simple logos with strong colours that have a good visual impact. It may be necessary to adapt an existing logo to get the best effect.





2. Prepare the right artwork: Don’t expect to be able to use the low-resolution images from your company’s web site for printing. To get a great finish its essential that you make available to your supplier images in the highest resolution possible. Vector shape logos are preferred because they never lose any sharpness irrespective of how big or small you make them. Vector logos will typically be saved as .EPS or .AI files. If you have an in-house designer they’ll understand what’s needed.
3. Select a memory stick that works with your logo: Sounds obvious really but some logos look better on certain style Printed USB Flash Drive than others. A popular option at the moment is to go for a model where the main body shell can be pantone matched to one of the primary colours from your logo. The end result when this is done looks fantastic because it looks as though the flash drive has been specifically designed for you. If you’re not sure what the best option is then ask your supplier to work up a range of “mock-ups” for you. They should be happy to do this for you and at no cost.



4. Printing is not the only option: Until recently spot printing was the only option available but now slightly more complex logos with colour blending can be accommodated using digital print technology. On metal-cased memory sticks you could also consider laser engraving. This is a professional looking, long lasting option.



5. Don’t skimp on the memory size: Whilst cost will of course be a determining factor its important to get the balance right between choosing the correct capacity and the budget available for your logo USB memory sticks. Low capacity memory sticks that don’t offer much on-going use to the recipient. They are “ok” if you’re just using them to distribute data but if you want them to have a life beyond the initial distribution its important you give the user a reason to carry them around. A memory stick with little or no real or perceived storage will just end up in the back of a drawer.
6. Data to load? Get it ready early: If you have data that you want to load onto your logo branded memory sticks then try if at all possible to get it ready early. This way the data can be loaded during the manufacturing process for just a few pennies per stick. It’ll save hours of pain and heartache of doing it in-house or further cost if you have to have the data professionally loaded after they have been manufactured.



7. Don’t forget the packaging and accessories:  If cost is a real issue or if the memory sticks are just promotional giveaways then you probably won’t want to run to the additional cost of presentation boxes or lanyards. But there’s no doubt about it that a good quality presentation tin or box coupled with a neck strap (lanyard) really raises the overall look of the end product and if you want to go the extra mile you can print your logo onto the gift box and embroider your logo into the lanyard.
8. Allow enough time: Some supplier can provide printed memory sticks in a couple of days but you’ll be very limited in terms of choice, colour and the number of colours that can be printed. Ideally allow at least 14 days and this way you’ll be able to choose from a very comprehensive range and you’ll even have enough time for the sticks to be pantone matched. Remember the memory sticks are all produced in China so as well as the production time(s) the lead time of 14 days is to allow for the shipment of the finished product to you.
9. 9. Don’t always buy the cheapest Printed USB’s: There are many horror stories of memory sticks being supplied with “used” or Grade “B” memory chips inside. Some factories also disguise smaller capacity chips and sell them as larger memory sizes. If you’ve been offered a price that no-one else can match or get close to then its time to ask some hard questions and make sure that chips are brand new, does the price include a warranty, if so how comprehensive is it? Finally, does the price include all of the costs, i.e. Artwork setup, production and delivery.
10. Go with the right supplier: There are far too many people trying to make a ‘quick buck’ from unsuspecting customers looking to buy logo USB sticks so make sure you undertake proper due diligence. Get testimonials; check it’s a “real” business and not operating “side of desk” somewhere. Make sure they are a registered company and have QA processes and warranty policies in place.