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Posts Tagged ‘Promotional USB Memory sticks’

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5 Reasons To Buy Promotional USB Memory Sticks

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

If you’re wondering why so many companies are buying promotional USB memory sticks at the moment here’s a few reason to help you understand what’s underpinning the demand for them:

  1. People like being given USB memory sticks – a recent BPMA (British Promotional Merchandise Association) survey found that people prefer to be given USB Sticks (45%). Next in the list came pens (39%) swiftly followed by mugs (36%). USB sticks were the clear winner because they were considered to be the most useful.
  2. They’re easy to uses – simply plug them into any PC and you can save data to the stick or retrieve saved information from the stick in a matter of seconds. They work on any PC equipped with a USB port (and that’s pretty much everything these days) and they work equally well on Macs.
  3. USB sticks pre-loaded with sales collateral, presentation files, media files and press release information are great at sales conferences, shows, seminars and press events. The cost of buying the USB sticks can be offset by the savings made not printing the brochures etc.
  4. They look great printed with a company logo or school crest. A wide range of different USB flash drives are available in all sorts of styles and shapes and made from lots of different materials. Popular models like the Twister USB stick can even have the body shell colour matched to help enhance the overall look of the printed disk.
  5. The price of Printed USB flash drives continues to fall and the minimum order quantities are now as low as 25 pieces – expect to pay around £2-£3 for an entry level USB stick printed with your logo (including printing on both sides and with a free lanyard or key ring).
Promotional USB Sticks

Promotional USB Sticks

This year thousands of companies will give away millions of promotional USB sticks printed with their logo on. USB sticks have moved from being a “techie” product to a mainstream promotional product in just a few years and they set to be with us for a more years yet.

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5 Reasons To Buy Promotional USB Memory Sticks

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Branded USB Flash Drives Communicate to Students

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

As August comes to a close many educational students will be facing the reality of having to return to school and University for another year of learning. For those students starting a new school settling in will be quite easy and hassle free but for those starting new schools it may take a bit more time, and more help for them to settle in and make the most of their experience.  Students starting University will probably find it the biggest change in lifestyle as they move out of home and have their first taster of the big wide world.

Although some students clearly embrace going to University with open arms it can be a daunting prospect for a lot of students because it is no longer a place that you attend for 5 to 6 hours a day, it’s a whole lifestyle change.  Students will rely on the University and the surrounding area for pass-times, entertainment and fun.  When students move to large University in an unknown city it can be very hard to know what there is to do in the area and what the University offers.

It can also be hard for the University to advertise to the substantial amount of students that join each year the different programmes, activities, sports, clubs, sororities etc. that are available for the students to get involved in.  Compared to schools, Universities have substantially more students enrol each year but have less personal contact with the students making introductions, briefings and communicating information much harder.  If you work for a University, or even a large organisation and have this problem we have just the solution for you.

We supply many promotional USB flash drives to Universities and educational institutes who use them internally, for open days to attract more students and a number of other ways however, one use of custom USB memory sticks could solve the institutions communication problems.

A University branded USB flash drive loaded with important websites, interactive applications, campus maps, informative documents, introductory videos and any other important information given to every new student would ensure that they had all of the information that they needed to hit the ground running and make the most of their University experience.  Not only would the University ensure that each student had the important information that they needed to start the new year, it could be personalised for each school or college within the University and possibly each course.  With password protection the information could be referred back to later on in the year once the student has settled in and sobered up to refresh their minds.

Along with great services, a solid track record and innovative ideas, we also have a great selection of logo USB flash drives which can be customised to suit each University and occasion.  If the University logo and branding is important then the any of the memory sticks from our classic range would be suitable.  If the size and portability of the flash drive is important then we have a range of small and easily transported USB sticks.  If you just want to make sure that students use it throughout their time at University then we’re sure that a USB Bottle opener would get a lot of use.

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Branded USB Flash Drives Communicate to Students

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Flix on Stix Movie Rental – Another Revolutionary Use for Branded USBs

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

We have slowly been witnessing USB flash drives take the place of their less advanced predecessor, the CD. We have been finding that more and more photographers are sending newly wed photos on branded USB flash drives in place of CD’s and we recently reported in one of our articles Ford replacing CD players in their new Focus’ with a USB port as standard (CD Player Dropped from New Ford Focus – Replaced With USB Ports).  We have now found quite a revolutionary new way that USB memory sticks are being used instead of CDs, DVDs and even Blu-Ray Discs.

The traditional film rental market is facing pretty gloomy times with the development of easier ways to rent films such as Love Film and online rental.  However, Flix on Stix thinks that they may have found a gap in the market with an alternative way to rent films.  The name of the company pretty much explains the idea, films are rented using a USB flash drive.  Films are rented and transferred onto a USB memory stick via kiosks resembling ATM machines.  The clever part of this idea is how the films are rented.

Flix on Stix Movie Rental

Flix on Stix distribute a company branded USB memory stick, known as a ‘passport’ to customers wanting to use the service.  The flash drive is pre-loaded with proprietary anti-theft software to stop the transfer of the films once rented and the files will self-delete when the specified rental days have expired.  The flash drives and ports are also USB 3.0 to ensure a speedy transfer rate of the chosen film.

Branded USB Flash Drive

The idea has some legs as it eradicates problems that traditional film rental stores had with late fees, scratched discs or limited copies of a particular film.  Another benefit is that you do not have to leave the house to get and return the film, only to get the film.  However, this venture is up against other popular film rental developments such as online movie rental through stores such as iTunes, Blockbusters and also the services on Sky and Virgin television.

Despite these issues it is clear that Flix on Stix is a revolutionary use for promotional USB memory sticks.  The use of USB flash drives allows for more advanced technology that CDs or DVDs such as 3.0 transfer speeds, the pre-loaded anti-virus software, timed file deletion but most importantly company branding.

Having the promotional USB flash drives that would be used to transfer and play the films would get Flix on Stix much more brand exposure that traditional methods.  When the person downloads the film they will use the flash drive, when they play the film in a room full or friends they will use the flash drive and when they talk about the service to friends they can show them the flash drive.  The brand exposure for the company is much wider than with traditional DVD renting.  Now only time will tell if the idea catches on and can stand up to the tough competition.

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Flix on Stix Movie Rental – Another Revolutionary Use for Branded USBs

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The Branded USB Flash Drive Rush Service: Help With a Tight Schedule

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Today’s world is getting faster and faster. With the development of speedier and more functional travel, devices and communication it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. This translates to every part of our lives but especially work, we wonder how we used to get things done without certain technologies that we now rely on.  We know first hand that deadlines get shorter and shorter with more and more to do; our ability and capacity are stretched to their extreme, that’s why we offer a Rush Service.

USB2U Rush Service

If you have an event coming up and don’t have the promotional material that you need or you are frantically trying to organise a conference and need an impressive finishing touch quick we have just the service for you.  Our Rush Service offers branded USB memory sticks within 48 hours of the confirmation of order.  We hold blank stock of the most popular range of USB flash drives for those that need their promotional USB memory stick urgently.

It may seem unbelievable but we really can get USB flash drives branded with you logo in your hands within 48 hours.  We have tried to make the process as simple and stress free for anyone ordering their logo USB flash drives through the Rush Service because we know that they will most likely be occupied with all of the other things that they have to plan for the event or campaign.

To achieve these timescales and to make the process as smooth as possible we do need a bit of help on the customers side.  If the artwork is ready to go in the right format, an order can be confirmed and a proof can be approved in a short time then the process can be underway in good time and the time goal can be met.  The colour of the flash drive is subject to availability but we always make sure that we have a range of memory sizes to fit your specification.

Data loading is also usually possible in these tight timescales but since we will do this in-house it will depend on the speed at which you can get the files to us, the size of the files and the availability of our data-loading machine and team.  Despite this, we will always try to accommodate your requirements, just give us a call to discuss the possibility.

Not only is the fete to get branded USB memory sticks a pretty impressive one but we have done it many times in the past and have gained much experience at it.  If this service fits your requirements for the busy schedule that you have in planning your event then just give us a call to discuss what you need and get the order for your promotional USB flash drives rolling.

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The Branded USB Flash Drive Rush Service: Help With a Tight Schedule

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Augmented Reality Promotional USB Flash Drives

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

A lot of our articles recently have been on the development of USB technology and other general technology. This has got us thinking about other applications for technology on USB sticks for promotional purposes and to create a buzz, so we got thinking about augmented reality.

For those of you who haven’t heard of augmented reality it is a pretty cool development in technology.  Many of you will have come across it on televised sport without knowing it as augmented reality.  It is used in the end of game analysis on Match of The Day, to measure and show distances of kicks on live rugby and in athletic events to show world records and competitor results.  All of these uses make watching sport more interesting and informative.

The more known uses of augmented reality are in smart phone applications.  Applications that use the smart phone’s camera to show where a restaurant is around you or point out and label landmarks use augmented reality.  These applications can be really impressive and quite helpful.

Augmented Reality with branded USB flash drives

Augmented reality has also been used to advertise cars and films with a computer and a webcam.  BMW used augmented reality back in 2009 to advertise the release of the new Z4.  All that was needed was simple piece simple software was downloaded from the website to use the webcam and a Z4 printout.  Once the application was software was opened and the piece of paper was placed in view of the webcam a 3D version of the new Z4 car could be seen on the paper that could be turned and spun to see each angle of the car.  A nice added feature was that the car could also be driven round your desktop leaving coloured tyre marks on the screen to match the television advert.

Pepsi used a similar idea with their drink cans to advertise the release of the Avatar film.  When a can was placed in view of the webcam a helicopter from the film appeared on the screen and followed the can around.  We have also seen boxes that display the ring from Lord of the Rings in it, T-shirts that show a dagger in the chest and many more creative ideas.

With the recent article that we wrote about company who used their promotional USB memory sticks to print QR codes on we thought that branded USB flash drives are an ideal medium for augmented reality.  The software could be pre-loaded onto the logo USB memory stick to be installed onto the computer and when the webcam recognises the USB flash drive it displays a company logo or something even more creative like and interactive product.  To see which of our many, branded USB memory sticks are most suitable for your creative, technological and creative ideas visit our branded USB product range.

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Augmented Reality Promotional USB Flash Drives

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Promotional USB vs CD

Monday, August 1st, 2011

There have been a lot of articles on our site recently showing how USBs memory sticks are taking over uses that were dominated by other forms of technology (for example our previous article on how Ford are now installing USB sockets instead of CD players), we have compared the USB flash drive to cloud.  All of these articles and particularly our article on University graduation photographers however got us thinking about how USB flash drives compare to CDs.

Promotional USB Flash Drives vs CDs

Some industries, especially photographers who use promotional devices to store data have been quite slow in moving from CDs to USB flash drives.  Considering the amount of time that logo USB drives have been around and have been affordable enough to compete with promotional CDs most of these industries have been laggards in adopting new technology.  We can’t tar all of the companies within these industries with the same brush as we have been seeing an increasing number of photographers and promotional companies move platforms from the CD to the more advanced branded USB flash drive.  We are however, still surprised at those who are still using CDs and are questioning whether or not they should make the switch.

For those who can’t decide whether or not to change, we wanted to make the most important advantages of using promotional USB memory sticks over CDs as clear as possible:

  1. USB flash drives have much quicker transfer speeds.  Whether downloading or uploading data to a USB memory stick the speeds are arguably much faster.  The average transfer speed for a USB flash drive is 480MB/S whereas the average CD drive at 32x has only 39MB/S.  This makes the duplicating time of data much quicker especially if a large amount of devices are being used.
  2. Storage capacity ranges from a small 64MB to a huge 16GB and the price changes accordingly accommodating for all data needs – something not possible with CD’s.
  3. All USB memory sticks are easily re-usable as opposed to the difficulty involved in writing a CD and having to make sure that the CD/R style is used.  Customers can therefore use the device as opposed to throwing it away after its use.
  4. Branded USB flash drives are much smaller and more portable than CDs as they can easily be put into a pocket or onto a key ring without difficulty.  This makes them really effective as a promotional tool especially at trade shows where customers will likely leave carrying a lot of heavy brochures and give-aways etc.
  5. USB sticks are not as sensitive as CDs for being scratched and worn down.
  6. We know that this point, strictly speaking, is subjective however, we believe that branded USB flash drives are much more appealing and ‘cooler’ than CDs.

Despite these clear advantages that USBs have over CDs we are aware that they do hold some value.  CDs have a large printable area; if that is an important factor in your promotional needs check out our USB credit card range that allow for a large, full colour print area.  Our branded memory sticks also come with a range of packaging options which can also be branded and printed on.  CDs can also be printed at home which may be important for photographers, it is important to note however, that the quality of a products often reflects on the quality of the service or business which is why an increasing number of companies are moving over to branded USB memory sticks.  There is also, most likely a perception that CDs are much cheaper than logo USB sticks however, with the price of flash memory changing all the time and much of the cost in the printing and personalisation of the promotional media the difference in price is getting smaller and smaller.

We hope that we have made our case clear and that anyone who currently uses promotional CDs will give branded USB flash drives a try.

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Promotional USB vs CD

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Tip 5 -The Hazards Of Buying Promotional USB Memory Sticks

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

In the fifth of the series of top tips to consider when purchasing customised USB memory sticks, we explain the top ten pitfalls when buying promotional USB memory sticks.

Buying branded USB memory sticks should be an effortless process and for the most part it is. However, there are many examples of where things have and could go wrong – some real horror stories! However, by asking the right questions and selecting a reputable supplier you can avoid most of these issues.

This guide provides the top ten hazards of buying promotional USB memory sticks and how to avoid them.

Find a reputable supplier

There are many UK companies providing branded USB memory sticks. As with any industry the quality of these companies varies widely. Whilst standard due diligence is always required, here are a few tips to help you with the process:

  • Reputation speaks volumes. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and testimonials from their existing customer base and make contact. If they have provided excellent service levels, they will delighted to share their branded memory stick successes.
  • Make sure there are full contact details on the web site including address and contact telephone numbers – and phone them!
  • It is always good practice to run a credit check to make sure your memory stick supplier is in good financial health. This is more important if you are being asked to pay upfront for the branded USB memory sticks.
  • Ensure they are working from a business premises. There is a growing trend for individuals pertaining to be companies working from home without the infrastructure to support you if things go wrong or they fall ill or go on holiday – it happens. A simple way to check this is by using Google Earth, or ask the question

Hidden costs

When stating your requirements to a USB memory stick supplier be specific about your needs and ensure that they are all met by studying your quotation carefully. Ask for terms and conditions and be aware of payment terms and delivery date promises. For example some companies will charge extra for print and origination, so ensure that these are covered in the quotation. There as also hidden ‘rush fees’ if deadline are not met, so again ensure these are full disclosed.

Quality of Chipset / Housing

If you quote sounds to good to be true – then it probably is! The core cost of any branded USB memory stick is made up of the USB body shell and USB flash chip components. There are several techniques to shave the costs on these, for example using inferior quality housing and reconditioned USB Memory chips.   Both carry reputational risk for you or your client if things go wrong. So ensure you ask for a sample to check the housing quality and your supplier provides new branded A Grade chipsets such as Samsung, Hynix, Micron or Intel.

It is also worth asking what the manufacturer’s Quality Assurance testing procedure is for branded memory sticks.

Proofs/screenshots

Most suppliers will mock up a visual of what the promotional USB memory stick will look like before production. This does not always match the finished product. So ensure that the proof carries the colour pantone references and size of the logo. The leading suppliers will provide a photo of your printed pre-production brand stick so you know exactly what you are going to get and there are no surprises!

Dataloads

Many clients are faced with the dilemma of whether they should add an autorun facility to their promotional USB promotional memory sticks.

An autorun facility allows users to insert a USB branded memory stick and for the computer to automatically run a programme e.g. a movie file or link directly to a web page.

The obvious 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 drawbacks:

  • Nuisance factor. If one of the objectives is to ensure that the USB promotional 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!
  • Autoruns will not work on Win 98SE 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.

There is am alternative method, why not consider loading the data onto the USB branded 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.

Shipping / Customs

Almost all branded USB memory sticks are manufactured in the Far East and as such need to pass through both Chinese and Taiwanese and UK Customs. For the vast majority of orders this is pretty seamless process. However, any consignment can be pulled for inspection and customs may request additional information. If a global brand is printed on the promotional USB memory sticks they may ask for written authentication from the end clients that the goods are not counterfeit.  Either way a custom check will delay your order from a few days to up to 3 weeks!

Returning goods / Warranties

Unfortunately things go wrong! The mark of a good supplier is how they manage these issues. All customised USB memory sticks should carry at least a 12 month warranty. Ensure your supplier stipulates this as part of their Terms and Conditions.  However, if the items need replacing it make take several weeks for the branded USBs to be returned to the manufacturer and repaired or replaced.

Poor Packaging

Poor quality packaging can spoil a great looking USB memory stick. In particular the insert that holds the USB memory stick within a box needs to be of the same shape and size of the USB branded memory drive. Again the only solution is to have a sample of a box before you order.

Delivery Timeframe

Do not leave the ordering of branded USB memory sticks to the last minute unless you want to pay a premium for rush fees and limit your choice of what is available in the UK. Allow at least 2, ideally 3 weeks, from providing your supplier with the artwork, which kicks off the production process.

Quality Of Print

The printing of logos onto your branded memory stick is a real art form that at best makes a perfect reproduction of your logo at worst makes it look like real mess and something you would not want to associate your brand to. The typical printing process is spot or screen-printing. This is great for simple logos with up to 4 colours. However it cannot print tints, tones, complex logos or a logo with many colours. A new full colour printing process is now evolving allowing greater printing capabilities. Again if time permits ask for a pre-production printed sample and remove this potential dangers.

Look out for our next top tip, which will focus on the benefits of different USB models and designs.

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Tip 5 -The Hazards Of Buying Promotional USB Memory Sticks

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Chinese National Holiday – Order Now or Face Delays

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

The Chinese National Holiday (1st – 8th October) is nearly upon us. Over this period we can not manufacture or ship Branded USB Memory Sticks from our factories in the Far East. The main USB Flash manufactures have already stopped production and as a result there has been a dramatic increase in prices.

Important notice

Historically, there are customs delays when the holiday is over, which extends the deliver timeframe.

So if you require any USB Branded Memory sticks for early Oct, then please ensure you place your order by the 23rd Sept latest.

We do hold some limited UK stock which we can print within 48hrs.

Please phone 01604 685040 or email trade@usb2u.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

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Chinese National Holiday – Order Now or Face Delays

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Promotional USB Sticks Have Evolved.

Friday, August 21st, 2009

The standard USB stick has been around for years and it is fair to say there is a common look and feel to these products but there are some new formats of USB stick available. These are a massive step on from the traditional format and will make a huge difference to the way the product looks and feels. If you want to stand out in a customers mind, providing a unique twist on the promotional USB sticks format, with your name or logo emblazoned across it will go a long way to doing so. If you have any awareness about marketing, you will know that innovation and individualism can go a very long way to helping you stand out from your peers. It may not sound like much but having the smallest edge over your competitors can be enough to make a massive difference with regards to sales and promotional work.

It may be that the promotional USB sticks are required to contain information and content about the company but this is no problem at all as content is able to be pre-loaded onto the cards. This can greatly help a firm spread the word about their products and will make it easier for potential customers to have all the relevant details to hand. Using this form of promotion should enable companies to allow their customers to be more informed about what they can do, which will hopefully translate into a greater number of sales in the long term. Anything which can promote a long-term business relationship in this day and age has to be worth considering for a company.

The only thing limiting the style of USB sticks these days are budget and imagination. This is due to the vast array of new styles, designs and concepts that are being used for USB sticks and this inevitably filters into the promotional USB sticks market. The quirkiness of these new styles and designs lends them perfectly to the promotional world and should really help firms and businesses spread the word about them. It used to be that colours would be the most eye catching element of a product but with leather and wood being just two of the fabric choices available for the modern range of USB sticks, the sky is the limit. This has extended to different designs like credit card shapes holding the USB stick or wristbands all of which will help the owner stand out from the crowd.

promotional USB sticks have rapidly changed over the past year or two and if you previously considered them but thought against the decision, perhaps it is time to reconsider. No matter what you are trying to promote, having your name, logo or mission statement incorporated onto promotional USB sticks will act as a great marketing tool for you and your needs. Ensuring you reach as many people as possible is hugely important and this simple yet hugely effective marketing tool enable any company or business to get ahead in a difficult market.

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Promotional USB Sticks Have Evolved.

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