Custom USB Drives

A tiny computer memory device, the USB flash drive can make a big impression.
By Marianne Cotter, Freelance writer

When customized as a promotional gift, a USB flash drive conveys far more than your company name and logo. Thanks to their universal compatibility, portable USB drives allows you to preload your company’s marketing materials to send home with potential customers, while providing clients with a handy means of storing, backing up and transferring important files. And the myriad varieties of colors, shapes and materials assure that your USB flash drive will be truly unique. When sourcing bulk USB drives as a promotional gift, consider the following:
 

1. The flash drive should have enough memory to carry your promotional message plus ample free drive space for customer’s personal use.
2. Choose a simple retractable memory stick (also known as a thumb drive) or one of many creative casing designs such as pens, key chains and lanyards.
3. When incorporated into high-value devices such as watches and MP3 players, a USB flash drive makes a memorable gift for special clients.

Customize USB drives

Simple USB stick drives (also called a thumb drive when the interface is retractable rather than capped) come in a variety of materials from sleek aluminum to plastics in a variety of fashionable colors and styles. The pen drive, in which a USB flash drive is fitted inside the barrel of a pen, is a popular variation. In addition to imprinting your company logo on USB drives, many other customization options are available.
Try: 

Visit Business.com for a directory of customizable flash drives, custom USB drive providers, and memory sticks.  USB 007 will laser-etch individual names on a metal USB flash drive in a choice of fonts for a personalized corporate gift.  For a truly one-of-a-kind giveaway, Custom USB will work with you to design and manufacture a uniquely shaped USB flash drive, maybe one that mimics your logo. 

Preload company marketing materials on a USB flash drive

PDF brochures, images, audio files, PowerPoint presentations and software demos are examples of the types of marketing materials that can be preloaded into a USB flash drive and set to auto run when plugged into a computer. Or you can have your live Web page or an ad load automatically when the flash drive is inserted.
Try: 

Find advertising and marketing consultants at Business.com who can help you create stellar marketing materials to preload into a promotional USB flash drive. Check out CustomUSB.com’s Beginner’s Guide, a step-by-step guide to selecting a flash drive and customizing it with your logo and content. CustomUSB also offers a free package of portable Windows-based applications that can be pre-loaded onto USB drives, including Web browsers, email/instant messaging clients, office suites, anti-virus programs, backup and sudoku games, all preconfigured to work portably. Scroll to the bottom of USBshop’s homepage for information on how to pre-load auto-run ads and Web pages. USB007 offers advanced protection and security features for its promotional USB drives, including non-erasable content protection that prevents users from deleting your marketing materials, unique ID/password protection, secured user partition and more.

High-value devices and options for USB drives

For special customers, consider a premium flash drive option in which USB drives are designed into consumer devices such as watches, MP3 players or cameras.
Try: 

USB flash drive wristwatches are available at the USB Shop in several styles and colors. You can have your company logo imprinted on the face of the watch with a minimum purchase of 100 units.  Promo.com sells a Swiss Army-style knife that contains seven tools, including a removable flash drive.  The Sentinel model USB flash drive from CustomUSB can be “illumaprinted” so your logo illuminates in red, green, orange or white light when plugged in. Memory Suppliers offers a biometric USB flash drive with a flip top, which requires the user to register a fingerprint for security access.  For a classy presentation, Pexagon offers a satin-finish gift box and lanyard for its Store-It line of USB drives.

• Buy high memory capacity. As promotional USB drives become more common, offering one with a generous amount of memory (at least 512 MBs) considerably increases its value to your clients.
• Be creative. With so many flash drive shapes, colors and customization options available, let your imagination guide you toward a unique, useful, fun and valuable giveaway.
• Take advantage of disk space. Use part of the memory to deliver your corporate message.
• Buy USB drives in bulk. Purchasing in quantity pushes the per unit price way down.