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USB flash drive as promo. Big hit IF used correctly.

Posted on 16. Aug, 2008 by PJS in Promo items and concepts

The flash drive or “memory stick” is one of the best pomo items of today.  This could possibly be the most useful promo item in history.  At fist they were very expensive, but prices have been dropping and dropping and it is now feasible (cost wise) to use these regularly at shows. 

But there is a major problem that plagues organizations.  Companies using these little darlings are often times loading their presentations, brochures etc, etc on them and handing out to clients and prospects.  In theory, a great idea… but there is the major issue of control of content.  WHAT?

Let me explain.  You load your info onto your memory stick.  Clients and prospects are supposed to view the information, but the usefulness is in them reusing the sticks.    This means they can add and delete information on that memory stick at a later time.  What this also means is your sales/account managers can add and delete information on the stick.  EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!

The USB flash drive is in essence like a brochure.  Brochure’s content is approved through the proper channels to ensure accuracy and proper corporate representation.  Once it is approved and printed, no one can change it and so the proper corporate representation is assure. 

Now your promo flash drive is most likely approved through the proper channels, but when given out to sales and account managers, it can easily be altered.  This can be trouble. 

Sales/account managers typically have the best intentions with altering the memory stick, but they often do not pay attention to quality and corporate messaging.  So the original stick has the approved general corp brochure and a short corp advertisement film.  Now some sales rep throws in his personal Power Point.  This document does not follow corporate guidelines and messaging and does not look and sound professional like the other content. THE STICK IS RUINED!

Solutions: Memory sticks can not be content locked like a CD, as the point of giving it out is for people to reuse it.  So there is no way to physically stop this madness.   Here are some suggestions though to help try and avoid this madness.

- Get firm memo from upper management or legal department (if you want to really get tough) stating one can not alter the memory stick in any way.   

- In the case of a tradeshow/conference, hand the sticks out to sales and account reps onsite.  Do not send ahead of time.  Also hand out on a limited basis.  Do not give a stack of flash drives, so they can head to a corner and load what they want on them during down time. 
 
Side Note:  If you are going to use USB flash drives as a promo item, make sure you get the ones that have a flip top.  Do not get the ones that have removable tops that separate from the base.  The tops always get lost. 

Tags: collateral, memory sticks, promotion, tips, tradeshow, USB drives