The use USB Flash drives printed with a company logo or brand and possibly a contact phone number or web address is very popular at the moment with millions being produced every year.

Typical uses for the printed USB flash drives include:

• Trade shows and exhibition give-aways
• Press launches and press events
• Conferences and seminars
• Sales team “leave-behinds”
• Promotional campaign “give-aways”
• Staff incentives and staff work tools
• Student Fresher Fair incentives

Of course this list is just a snapshot of what USB flash drives are used for with more and more innovative uses being found everyday including photographers using them to distribute client portfolios to mothers buying baby scans on USB flash drives!

Whilst USB flash drives do an excellent job of promoting a company’s brand and generating brand loyalty and recall

USB data loading

you can get much more “bang for your buck” if, when ordering branded USB flash drives, you pre-load them with data files. The fundamental function of a USB flash drive is, after all, to store and transport data so it make sense when distributing USB flash drives to ensure your own data files are pre-loaded onto the drives.

Pre-loading data files does mean you have to factor this step into your own project plan but data-loading can be done during the manufacturing process or just prior to delivery so you don’t have to have your finalised files ready when placing your order. If you can supply the data when the flash drives are being manufactured the data will be loaded onto the drives during the manufacturing process and typically the cost for this is negligible. If you want the data pre-loaded a little later in the order cycle, i.e. just before delivery, then be prepared to pay a little more for it because it’s a much more manual process.

Given the relatively small incremental cost for data-loading its really a “no-brainer” because the more information you can put on the drive about your company, your products or your announcements the less you have to print and the less transportation costs you’ll have for any printed material. So, not only will you save a small fortune on printed collateral but you’ll make life easier for anyone you’re giving the USB flash drives to because they won’t have to lug around large files, sales brochures or presentation files/notes.

In some cases, where you would normally print, collate and transport lots of printed material, its possible to build a cost benefit case that shows you can offset all of the costs of buying printed flash drives purely by pre-loading them with data and reducing your print, storage and transport costs.

At USB2U we are seeing a significant increase in the number of customers now asking for data-loading onto their USB flash drives. Fortunately we’re well geared up to handle these requests in our factory during production or at our facility in Northampton where we have our own professional data loading equipment.