What are some of the many ways that corporations are using corporate memory sticks to promote their businesses and communicate with clients and industry professionals effectively?

Data Integrity

Giving presentations, sales pitches, meetings, often involves setting up files and source material on a slide projector, central computer monitor, or other audio-visual systems so that attendees can follow along with the discussion and contribute meaningful input. Corporate memory sticks adapt well to these interactions, since source files and statistical data can be pre-loaded onto portable memory sticks.

These files can be setup by a provider as read-only, meaning they can be viewed by individuals but not amended or erased. The vendor can also interact with IT professionals at your place of business if access to input data is allowed, and by setting up authentication and security measures, the integrity of your corporate network does not have to be jeopardized.

Pre-load and Auto-run

In a similar vein, a larger corporation may have an annual report, product catalog, newsletter, financial statement, order form, or any number of other documents they would normally distribute on paper. Some of this data may be too sensitive to distribute through e-mail, for various reasons.

Sometimes there is a select group of associates that the company wants the data released to, or there are issues related to competition or time-sensitivity that require better control over the release of information. In this case, a memory stick becomes an easy-to-distribute vehicle that allows business associates to communicate with their industries while keeping unauthorized users out of their networks.

If these files are setup to run automatically with specific programs when plugged in or the data is encrypted, the level of security is increased. At the highest level, some memory sticks are biometric, meaning the device includes a fingerprint reader that gives buyers audit controls and unique access parameters for better control.

Corporate Branding

One of the more obvious advantages of corporate memory sticks is the promotional capability of the device itself. By branding portable memory with logos, applications, and contact information, a company creates an advertising campaign of sorts, one with a low-cost per item investment.

Branding options include engraving, embossing, an illuminated design that lights up when the device is plugged in, and printing options that range from spot to full-color (photo quality) to true digital printing. The type of material your corporate memory stick is made from will determine which option works best with your design.

Security Concerns

It is worth mentioning that, at the corporate level, memory sticks pose a level of security risk, in terms of lost, stolen, or misused USB devices ending up in the wrong hands. Despite security measures, data encryption, virus protection, and departmental controls, careless handling or misuse of company files can be damaging to vendors and clients alike.

News reports of lost or mishandled patient information are enough to prove that there are still improvements to be made in data security. Private records or confidential data that are not destroyed or handled properly can not only defeat the purpose and convenience of corporate memory sticks, but can severely damage the reputation of a firm that carelessly distributes branded USB drives.