Squeezing the most from your USB Memory Stick Budget
If, like most companies looking to buy promotional USB memory sticks, you’ve got a finite budget and you want to get the most from it then you can come at this challenge from two different perspectives; you can either pursue a strategy of getting the largest number of USB sticks your budget will buy or, you go for a solution that will make the greatest impact.
The “go for quantity” approach is typically used by companies attending a trade show or just trying to drive sales by handing them out at strategic locations – a real example of this was a property development company that handed out thousands of USB sticks at a couple of Tube stations in London. They selected tube stations adjacent to their development and just “blanket bombed” every commuter that used the station over several defined time slots – the USB sticks they handed out were printed with details of the development and pre-loaded the sales brochures, floor plans and prices of the apartments they were trying to sell.
The primary objective in this scenario was just to buy as many USB sticks as possible so the cheapest design with the smallest amount of memory they could get away with was chosen. To keep the print costs down they only printed in 1 colour and finally they wanted the sticks delivered in “bulk” with no outer packaging – this not only reduced the manufacturing costs but the reduced weight and bulk reduced the overall shipping, storage and handling costs.
But, not everyone wants lots of cheap, standard design USB sticks because they might for example be trying to encourage journalists to write about their product or they might be handing seminar notes out on USB memory sticks to attendees at a seminar or conference run for senior manager and executives. If this is the requirement then often the best use of any budget for USB sticks is to go “top-end” or commission Custom USB sticks.
Top-end USB sticks include USB writing pens or USB stylus pens that also double up as a USB memory sticks – these products exude quality and get incredibly positive feedback but they’re too expensive to use a “give-aways” to random prospects. Custom USB sticks are, as the name suggests, designed and manufactured exclusively for one customer and are typically manufactured in the shape of one of their “hero” products.
Custom USB sticks are the ultimate solution if the objective when you hand out your USB sticks is to create a “wow” factor and build your brand or product awareness. You might not get as many of them as standard USB sticks but in terms of “bang for buck” they certainly delivery albeit their use needs to be targeted.
So “squeezing the most from your budget” depends on what your underlying objectives are; if you want quantity then go with the budget ranges, choose smaller memory sizes, print just 1 colour on one side get your USB sticks supplied in Bulk (with no packaging). But, if you want to make an impact or you have high-end clients to build a relationship with then sacrifice numbers and go for quality or, in an ideal world, get your own Custom USB sticks commissioned and manufactured.