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Posts Tagged ‘Promotional USB Sticks’

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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Promotional USB Stick Can Make You The Company Of Choice

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

With so many companies doing their best to grab the attention of potential customers, it has never been more difficult for a firm to get their promotional message across but there are always new and quirky ways to do so. Some firms who have large budgets may employ a marketing company to provide them with a concept for improving their image but that is not the sort of option that is open to everyone. It is possible to find ways that you can promote your company and ensure your name is on every desk that you want but you may have to be a little bit creative. Think about the sort of product that you use a lot in the office and try to imagine what would be of benefit to you.

Many businesses are now using usb sticks to store and pass their information and data between their staff members so you can imagine that a promotional usb stick would be of benefit to a great number of firms. Many of the promotional products that are sent to firms look great but have no real purpose which means they are probably stored away in a desk or unseen cupboard. This is frustrating as it would defeat the purpose of sending out the promotional product in the first place but using a product that is in demand can see the benefits rise greatly. A firm who receives a promotional usb stick with a company’s logo or contact details branded upon it may think that the firm is in touch with their needs.

They will likely look upon them in a more favourable manner which could make all the difference when decisions are made regarding future sales and contracts. Considering the current economic climate, it is hugely important for all firms to do the very best they can to increase sales and revenue and the promotional usb stick is a very useful way of increasing brand awareness amongst potential customers. Another benefit of using a promotional usb stick can come when working with a firm who undertake a great deal of work with the supplying company. It may well be that a pre-branded usb stick would be the obvious choice of storage system to record the work and data that is relevant to the relationship between the two firms.

Being able to have all this information in the one place and conveniently stored somewhere with that firms logo on it should make it easier to be retrieved when it is needed. This should bring benefits to both parties and help to ensure that the working relationship goes very well without any hitches. With so many different promotional tools and activities available it can be very hard to find the one that is right for you and for the parties you are trying to impress but there is no doubt that the benefits that arise from using a promotional usb stick are very apparent and should see any firm being placed in a better light. At a time when gaining any competitive advantage is of the upmost importance, this may be the factor that places you ahead of any rival firms.

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Promotional USB Stick Can Make You The Company Of Choice

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Promotional USB Memory and Data Integrity

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

While flash memory has revolutionized business communications, promotional USB memory, when used to share data and important or even confidential information, requires a bit of foresight before a company decides to distribute a whole series of flash drives to end users.

A few extra steps may be required to ensure files that are pre-loaded remain secure and, if extra space for storing files is provided, that the flash drive remains useful to the widest possible audience.

Let’s say, for instance, that your company wants to distribute a product catalogue or an annual report to a select group of retailers that your firm normally does business with. To reduce the cost of printing hard copies and distributing them by mail, you decide to generate a bulk order of promotional USB memory sticks for easy reference within your sales network.

How do you ensure that this competitive information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands? The first step is to distribute these memory sticks only to authorized representatives that will have likely filed non-disclosure agreements with your company in advance. This ensures a measure of control over who has the information and how it is utilized.

The second step to protecting proprietary information is to encrypt or restrict the use of the files themselves. A distributor can pre-load data files with read-only access or include password protection that requires a user to enter a password to open the file. Strong encryption technology can delete files completely after a finite number of unsuccessful attempts to open a file.

In this way, marketing agreements between retailers and manufacturers, policies and procedures, and confidential data are protected and the risk of unauthorized access by competitors is minimized. If files are accidentally deleted or a flash drive malfunctions, a control group could retrieve the memory stick before replacing it.

These measures apply most in institutions where information is most specific and ultimately valuable, like government, non-profit, and civic organizations, universities, large corporations, and private interest groups.

promotional USB memory sticks distributed to employees or managers of these entities are not just handy tools for sharing information, but are company-owned assets that are subject to accountability and proper use, especially among principals with some measure of authority and cultural or professional influence.

Another factor in relation to data integrity and promotional USB memory is the issue of compatibility. In some cases, older computers will have problems running pre-loaded movies or applications that are native to newer operating systems like Windows Vista and Windows 7.

In addition, security firewalls designed by IT groups to protect corporate networks may prevent auto run capabilities for audio and video files or certain file types that could be used to spread computer viruses.

A corporation or an LLC, then, has important challenges with regard to IT security and data integrity. When designing and ordering promotional USB memory sticks, these firms must develop acceptable use policies, limit access to computers with USB drives, and keep antivirus software programs up-to-date to protect their company’s interests and ensure successful transactions when sharing information.

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Promotional USB Memory and Data Integrity

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What’s The Most Popular Storage Capacity for Promotional USB Memory Sticks?

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Branded USB Memory sticks are becoming evermore popular for the transfer and storage of large amounts of data. This popularity is mainly due to their compact size, ease of use and the dramatic reduction in price over the past few years.

One of the key decisions to make when purchasing Branded USB Memory sticks in the storage capacity.

Before delving into which capacity to select a short technical overview as is useful to understand the measurement terminology used when defining memory capacity.

Electronic data is measured in ‘bytes’. Multiples of these are:

•      1 Kilobyte (KB) is equal to 1,024 bytes

•      1 Megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,024 Kilobytes (1,048,576 bytes)

•      1 Gigabyte (GB) is equal to 1,024 Megabytes (1,073,741,824 bytes)

Branded USB Memory sticks range from 32MB to 16GB. They double up in size from 32MB:

•      32MB (almost obsolete)
•      64MB
•      128MB
•      256MB
•      512MB
•      1GB
•      2GB
•      4GB
•      8GB
•      16GB

You need to be aware that all Promotional USB Memory sticks need a small amount of capacity to allow it them work. As a general rule of thumb around 5% of the storage capacity will be used by the Memory Stick to manage how it stores the data on the stick.

So, how much data can each stick hold? The amount of data that can be stored depends on the type of the data, such as MP3 audio files, digital photos, word files etc. and the quality for example the resolution of photos.  As a benchmark 512MB memory stick would typically store about 250 photos.

When deciding what capacity to select for your Branded USB Memory sticks you need to consider the following.

• What is the objective of your Promotional USB Memory stick campaign. If it is to provide specific data or information that is pre-loaded, then the size should match the amount of data to be loaded. If the requirement is to allow the user to use the Memory stick as a promotional keepsake, then there needs to be sufficient headroom over and above any data that you may wish to load.

• What budget do you have? The higher the capacity the higher the price. However, the price differential between a 64MB and 1GB is no longer that great.

• The market for flash memory is volatile and is driven by supply and demand. Therefore, it is worth checking if there are any special offers on different USB Memory capacity. For example it has been know for 512MB to be cheaper than 256MB.

• If the Branded USB Memory sticks are gifts for prospects or existing key clients, you need to consider the perceived value of the item you are giving. So if budget is limited it may be prudent to buy less of higher capacity Branded USB Memory sticks.

Based on the above criteria, currently the most popular capacity for Branded USB Memory sticks is 1GB, but watch this space!

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What’s The Most Popular Storage Capacity for Promotional USB Memory Sticks?

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Drawing in the Crowds

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Many companies and businesses today are finding more and more that attending trade/marketing shows is one of the best ways to attract new business, especially in these hard times of the recession. Many potential clients can be approached face to face, and leaflets and freebies can be handed out, which help people to remember different companies and their services.

There are many types of giveaways that companies can offer to prospective clientele. Free pens with the company logo or slogan written on them are a big hit, as everybody needs a pen from time to time. Other companies opt for things such as stress balls, chocolates, balloons and even alcohol, occasionally, to draw in customers. All of these usually have the company logo and details featured prominently on the packaging and are ordered in mass quantities.

However, it seems that one of the latest trends in advertising your business is to use promotional USB memory drives, or pen drives. These are memory sticks which come in a variety of sizes, from as small as 64mb to a larger 4 GB, or sometimes even more. They can be used to store vital company information on them, such as price plans, contact information, available packages on offer and even videos and images showing the company to its best advantage. Also, they can be locked after they have been created, meaning that once the information is on the promotional USB memory drive, it cannot be deleted.  In addition to all these benefits, the exterior casing of the USB pen drives can be customised to show the company logo and/or slogan on the front. A lot of them also come in plastic cases that prevent them from being damaged and make them easier to stack and display on a marketing stand.

A lot of companies that are using promotional USB memory sticks to advertise their business seem to be finding that they have a bigger impact than using items such as chocolates or balloons. This may be because they are easy to slip in a handbag or wallet, so people will find them after they have left the show and access them to jog their memory of the company. Also, as it is so easy these days to use a laptop whilst travelling, people can access the promotional USB memory sticks even when they are going home on the train or the tube, for example.

The range of promotional USB memory drives that are available is ever growing. From the classic brushed aluminium style to leather, from wooden ones to novelty varieties such as wristbands or spheres, there is a type out there to suit every need. They can also be bought in an array of colours including yellow, green, red, blue and pink. Eco friendly memory sticks are also available, which are classed as environmentally friendly.

So, if you have booked yourself in for a trade show and need to find some way of advertising your business that is not only cost effective, but doesn’t hurt the environment, USB sticks may be the way forward. With such a wide range to choose from and incredible versatility when it comes to choosing the actual design that will best suit your company, promotional USB memory drives cannot be beaten.

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Drawing in the Crowds

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USB Hubs and promotional pen drives

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

USB ports have a number of applications, allowing connection of USB sticks and promotional pen drives.  However, many people choose to use hubs.  Hubs are a device that allows for many other devices to be connected to a single USB port.  The advantage of this is that hubs are often built into computer equipment.  This allows for each device to work on one internal USB as opposed to every port having independent USB hardware.

Hubs come in a variety of forms.  Along with more regular hubs are hubs that are known as inverse or shared and these allow several PCs to access a single peripheral.  Only one PC can access a peripheral at any one time, but many computers can be hooked up, using all recognized devices off and on.

If a USB network has many hubs, it requires the hubs to be connected to each other.  A hub network can only extend a USB network up to five times.  Bus-powered hubs are not allowed to be connected with each other in a series; these specific hubs draw all of their power from the computer’s interface.  Many devices use more power than this type of hub can provide.

When creating hubs, you may end up blocking other ports.  Ports are closely spaced, of course plugging in certain devices may block a port rendering it unusable.

Due to hubs being external, you can now get them in novelty shapes to make your computer look more fashionable.  There are designs from time traveling spaceships to nuclear missile launch consoles to name just two.  We need to have these hubs for all our gadgets, but we also want to be looking good while using them.  Gadgets such as USB devices and promotional pen drives cater for our needs for novelty as well as practicality.

To allow for high-speed devices to work in their fastest mode, all hubs between the computer and devices must be high speed.  Devices should fall back to high speed once plugged into a full-speed hub. It is best to use USB 2.0 with high-speed devices.  Although this is true, USB 2.0 also incorporates and surpasses USB 1.1.  This means that full-speed and low speed devices are compliant, but not all 2.0 hubs operate at high-speed.

USB hubs use one or more integrated controllers.  They usually support a four port hub system.  You can get hub controllers that support 7 ports.  Some hub controllers can convert PS/2 to USB for your mouse and keyboard.

A self-powered USB hub is suggested for your smaller devices such as mice and keyboards.  When getting into your larger devices such as, external drives, printers and scanners, AC powered hubs are said to be a better choice.  Some AC powered hubs come with an adapter while others don’t.  Make sure to get the hub that best suits your needs.

If you have multiple devices that you will be using with your computer, hubs are probably the way to go.  They make your ports conveniently accessible.  They are inexpensive and especially handy with laptops where you may need more ports in order to use more devices.  You really can’t go wrong using a hub to support your devices.  You are more likely to have what you need right at your finger tips.  No matter whether you are using your promotional pen drives, a USB keyboard or mouse, make sure you have the correct hub.

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USB Hubs and promotional pen drives

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The potential for unusual flash drives

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

There is a world out there beyond the typical everyday flash drive.  This world is comprised of unique and personal ways of showing and sporting your promotional flash drives.  These are sure to grab anyone’s attention!

Flash drives now come in jewellery for the ladies.  You can wear them as a stylish necklace or a dazzling bracelet.  Not only are you carrying the information you need on you, you are doing it in style!  These are so realistic looking that no one will even know they are promotional flash drives until you take it off and plug it into your computer.  That is when people will begin to ask you the questions out of sheer curiosity.

We have all heard or even used the popular term ‘thumb drive’.  Now that can be a literal statement!  You can buy a very realistic looking thumb that has a retractable flash drive!  People will wonder what you are doing with that extra thumb!  Putting that aside, imagine the looks when it is sticking out of your computer!

Along with these very intriguing drives, you can get sports balls, animals, iPods, cars, and just about anything you can imagine.  If you are going to have something on you, it might as well be unique, trendy and well, you!  Trendy really can meet technology with these whimsical designs.

There are sites that will design promotional flash drives for you.  There is anything from crosses, wristbands with personalized sayings, gold bars, cameras, and many, many more.  Go for it and be creative!  The aspect of the wristbands and jewelry are an advantage because they are actually attached to your body.  You will be much less likely to lose them.

If you are currently in sales, think about the fact that this could be a sales tactic and advertising tool.  You can get trendy promotional flash drives that are representative of what you are selling, or your business services.  Maybe you just want something to draw attention as a conversation starter. It could be for personal reasons to give yourself a smile during the day while you are working.

Many people have become huge fans of these unique flash drives!  Let your personality and taste shine as you work and download.  Start a collection!  There are so many out there that there is something for everyone.

If you can’t wait to find a flash drive that is unique to your taste, just type in ‘unique flash drives’ into your favorite search engine and you will be awe-stricken at the creativity that has been associated with these small pieces of technology.

Get rid of that plain flash drive!  Carry your info in style with an infinite number of unique flash drive shapes, sizes, themes, logos and colors.  Get the attention of others and maybe even give yourself a smile or two.  If nothing else, they would make great gifts for people of all ages!  You can purchase them as a gift of caring or a hilarious gag!  Go for it!

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The potential for unusual flash drives

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Sizzling Summer Special!

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

We are delighted to offer Free Pantone Matching on our most popular models, whatever the memory size or quantity of the order.

Simply provide the Pantone Colour you would like the body of the memory stick to match and we’ll do the rest.

Our normal Pantone Matching price is £150!

Promotional USB Free Colour Matching

The models included in this offer are:

• TWISTER – More info
• MOSCOW – More info
• BERLIN – More info

Please fill out our quick form and we’ll get back to you with a quick quote: Click here

This amazing offer will end at the end of August 2009 – so don’t miss out.

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Sizzling Summer Special!

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