The increasing popularity of promotional USB memory drives has encouraged us to consider not only how powerful and efficient these compact tech items are, but also how they can shake up any promotion.
USB memory drives are wonderful giveaways that can be used for a wide variety of events; from educational orientations to business conferences, concerts, sporting events, and more. Promotional USB memory drives can be used to meet the marketing and advertising needs of numerous industries and corporations, alike. What’s more, they are an effective and versatile tool for anyone who owns or uses a computer.
Since many people may think USB memory drives do not have a lot to offer beyond tech capabilities, we are happy to provide a list of creative ideas - perfect for your next marketing or advertising campaign.
Many of us get nervous about sharing web browsers. There are lots of personal settings, and private search histories, that we would rather not share with each other. Portable Apps, a site that collects apps that can run on USB drives, offers up Google Chrome Portable, a version of Chrome that lives on a flash drive.
Portable records your settings and extensions, so when you find yourself in front of a borrowed computer, pop the thumb drive into the USB port. This is especially handy for travelers, who may find themselves an Internet cafe or hotel business center. The Portable software is both familiar and efficient, and it won’t impact any version of Chrome that’s already on the machine.
The Tails operating system has an intriguing tagline: “Privacy for anyone anywhere.” You can run Tails from a USB drive on a computer, and it will keep your activity private and anonymous by acting as an independent OS.
You will need two (2) USB drives for the initial Tails setup and it can seem a little involved, but the site will walk you through every step the process.
Tails is one way to protect your privacy when using public computers or a computer you don’t trust. It can also be a way to hide your tracks if you’re shopping for birthday or holiday gifts on a computer you share with your family.
Click here to learn more about Tails operating system and get the direct download links.
You can turn a USB drive into a key that unlocks your Windows computer. Download and install Predator on your PC and a flash drive. Once it’s set up, the computer will only work when the USB drive is plugged in.
Pull it out and the display goes dark, and the keyboard and mouse are disabled. Plug it back in to get back to work. Predator can be used on multiple computers, so that the same flash drive can unlock more than one machine.
You can also have several flash drives as keys for the same computer, so everyone in your family (or only certain members) can unlock a particular PC. Predator starts at $10 for the home edition.
Click here to learn more about Predator and get the direct download links.
If you know or suspect a computer has been compromised by a virus, you can use a USB drive to scan and remove the offending software. PortableApps offers several options, including ClamWin Portable, McAfee Stinger Portable, and Spybot-Search & Destroy Portable. Install these on the drive, plug it into the computer, and run them to check and clean the machine.
Microsoft has long offered a little-known Windows feature called ReadyBoost. It’s meant to speed up certain processes on computers that use standard hard drives. While it may offer a benefit to some computers running Windows 10, people with older machines and those using earlier Windows operating systems are the most likely to see a speed improvement.
It does not work for computers with solid-state drives like those often found in higher-end laptops.
ReadyBoost turns an external flash drive into a hard disk cache. Microsoft gives instructions for setting up a ReadyBoost drive for Windows 7, but this also works on more recent versions of the operating system. It's worth a try if your computer feels poky.
Don’t wait until your Windows PC unexpectedly melts down. Prepare yourself by turning a spare USB stick into a recovery drive. This drive lets you run troubleshooting tools if your Windows machine is having problems, even if it won’t start up properly.
Follow Microsoft’s directions to create the drive. You may need at least a 16 GB USB drive if you choose the option to back up your system files, but this will let you reinstall Windows if necessary.
Once you have the drive finished, label the thumb drive and store it where you’ll be able to access it easily if your computer starts acting up.
7. Carry-on Content
USB memory drives can be used to store exclusive pieces of content. For example, you can use them to upload a sneak peak of an e-book or book, music and video clips, or even a speech you are particularly proud of.
This is a great opportunity to provide your loyal and prospective clients with a sneak peek of what your business and you have to offer them and, at the same time, keep them interested in the additional services and products you may have to offer. After the recipients have previewed the uploaded content, they can use their flash drives for something else: store personal and work files, upload their favourite music and movies, etc.
If you are going to speak at a convention, conference, or class, you can use a USB memory drive to store a copy of your presentation. By doing so, you are offering your audience the possibility to look back on the presentation. In addition, it offers the possibility for the presentation to be referenced in the future, or share it with those interested prospects that could not make it to the original presentation.
8. Digitize!
USB memory drives can be used to create digital copies of your website link, business card, and resume/work samples, where appropriate. Presenting your contact information in a digital form allows your social links, website link, and email address to become easily accessible while handing out physical items that will help recipients to remember you. By doing so, you will be able to take your networking to new levels, while making a big impression on the recipients.
9. Create a Call-to-action
USB memory drives can be used at trade shows or expos. So why not have them pre-loaded with printable or digital coupons? This offers a great opportunity to get leads from trade shows or other events to go on and make purchases. While paper coupons are very easy to lose among other papers and flyers at trade shows, storing a digital coupon on a memory drive is a wonderful way to make sure that the attendees will make it home not only with your promotional USB memory drive, but also with their coupons.
10. On-boarding/Welcome Package
You can use imprinted flash drives as part of welcome packages or orientation day giveaways. Memory drives offer plenty of storage space that can be used to include employee handbooks, welcome letters, or other important policy information you consider pertinent. Uploading this information on a memory drive makes it easy to access or transfer to a PC or other devices for quick reference. In addition, it provides students or employees with a quality branded memory drive that can be used for future projects.
11. Giveaways & Information
If you are organizing an event and you expect many people from out of town to attend it, loading a memory drive with a local guide can be a great giveaway. You can provide maps, restaurant suggestions, or places to visit around. This will make visitors feel comfortable and at home. You can hand out the memory drives when attendees sign in or register. By doing so, you will make sure that they can take advantage of your giveaway as soon as possible. By helping your attendees make the most of their stay, you will make sure that they will remember your event for a long time to come.
12. Client Education
Pre-load USB drives with industry information. This strategy works well for financial institutions, trade shows, hospitals, and other similar industries. If you have to deal with potential clients that are rather new to the industry, then you should keep in mind that there might be lot of information they are not familiar with. Providing specific information such as history, facts, industry statistics, and keywords is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate that you want to help the recipients make informed buying decisions.
13. Networking
USB memory drives are a great way to start new conversations with networking connections made at events. You can provide your new connections with flash drives filled with videos, photos, and other materials that will help recap your event. You will thus open a new communication line with leads from your event. In addition, it will also be a nice way to remember your event.
To find out more or if you're interested in placing an order, you can reach Team Global via:
Toll Free Phone: (866) 601 - 0589
Email: GlobalPrintGroup@sbcglobal.net