Competitive advantage for businesses mean so much in today's cut throat world. There is so much for companies to think about; customers; the competition all for the holy grail that is profit. However this goal is an almost impossible target to reach if people don't know about your business. Getting your company brand out there is imperative and one of the most effective ways of being noticed, and to be noticed by the correct people, is through promotional products.

Whether you are a small business or a large business, advertising is a costly exercise. Chester L. Posey once said that ‘Advertising is a ten billion dollar a year misunderstanding with the public'. This tongue in cheek statement pokes fun at the way in which companies plough money into advertising only to reap little benefit and instead find decreasing profit margins. Promotional Products are a nice alternative to piling money into print & media adverts as they are cost effective, fun and create attention from the people who your business thinks matters. You may think that this only applies to business to business (B2B) industries but this could not be further from the truth as business to consumer (B2C) industries widely use promotional products also sometimes disguised as sales promotions.

Think about when you have walked down the street or been to a store opening. Getting free promotional clothing or promotional pens is something we have all done and we remember the brands that are displayed on these promotional products. Although – like with anything – your budget may restrict what promotional products you buy for your company there are so many varieties to choose from. If you have a high budget promotional umbrellas are a promotional product you may want to invest in. They are practical, people will (unless you happen to live in the Maldives) use them at some point, and on top of this people will use them outside meaning you get outdoor exposure – a promotional umbrella costs less than £10 and yet you are getting outdoor exposure the same as you would with costly advertising techniques! If you have a low budget then promotional pens are a good promotional product to use. They are cheap, come in high volumes and let's face it everyone needs a pen!

Another benefit to promotional products is the synergy you can get from it. If your company uses the very best quality promotional products like a metallic pen over a plastic one it gives off a greater sense of quality about your business to someone who happens to use/receive one of your pens. Other promotional products such as promotional USBs can tell people that your company understands technology, is living in the 21st century, and understands people's needs.

It is naive to say that promotional products are a replacement for advertising or that it is better. Rather promotional products just offer a nice alternative. Everyone wants things for free and having things that are free and practical make things even more the better. People will use personalized mugs, promotional bags, promotional mouse mats, promotional conference folders and having your brand logo on them will serve as a constant reminder to that person about your company. Remember if people do not know about your company then it is impossible to stay competitive. Promotional products offer you a nice solution to helping your business become noticed and are well worth the investment.