INTELLIGENT FLASHDRIVE PINPOINTS CUSTOMER

A powerful new generation of intelligent flashdrives is set to become the smart way to target individual customer groups with a tailored marketing message.

Much like a miniature computer, this new breed of intelligent flashdrive has its own operating system and is powerful enough to host a range of imaginative marketing initiatives.

It offers business sectors a chance to interact with their customers on a moment by moment basis as they promote their latest marketing message.

For instance motor manufactures could help their dealer group target specific customers with an invitation to the motor show, including map showing stand location, along with video clips of a new model appropriate to them. Financial organisations could reach IFAs with financial products appropriate to their specialist areas. And technology businesses could show animated, interactive, high-definition images with links to their website data.

Best of all, any information is automatically updated every time the flashdrive is plugged into the USB port in a direct download. This download can include further promotional ideas, such as targeted offers

An interactive database like this gives the kind of feed-back that enables customer profiles to be built. This can include how the flashdrive is used and what links are looked at. Such analysis and statistical data gives valuable information for even more precise targeting to individual customers.

Leading this pioneering flashdrive concept is the new StickyDrive from Firebrand, who already offer the largest range of flashdrive options in the promotions business.

For anyone wanting to organise a promotional programme through the StickyDrive, Firebrand will arrange for the target-specific message to be factory-loaded onto the flashdrive before despatch.

A value-added feature for the user is that they can also store, search, view and play their own images, music, word and excel files on the flashdrive. This is likely to make customers receptive to useful and timely promotional information offered by the marketer through the same device.

For marketers this new breed of interactive flashdrive has endless possibilities for creative promotional campaigns that can be on-going, and can build relationships with different customer groups. Travel companies, for instance, could show video clips of destinations with navigation links for bookings – and these could be updated on a regular basis, keeping the promotion fresh.

Industrial companies could show animated visuals of equipment that can be twirled and examined with links to specifications and with case-studies. Sporting organisation can offer real time updates of sports news and information with video clips of past games. Retailers could target e-coupons to customers with known interests. And Pharmaceutical companies can launch a new product through such a flashdrive, then keep the medical profession updated with information about the product.

Technology has often opened the door to new promotional opportunities, but with the introduction of the intelligent flashdrive, never before has something so small opened up such an unlimited range of marketing possibilities.