Trademarks of the successful packaging supplier

Wherever you go, chances are most of the materials you interact with are plastic.

Wherever you shop, chances are your food was packaged in plastic. And because plastics are diverse, they are everywhere and often taken for granted and villainized due to careless pollution caused by mishandling.

This is certainly a challenge or even an opportunity to an ever evolving and much needed industry. Today's packaging and plastics' professionals must have a diverse understanding of the product and the targeted market to not only secure their bottom lines, but to also validate a demonized industry through education and increased consumer interaction.

Flexible packaging is not a cookie cutter industry. The Devine Group, an organization offering employee assessments and analytic tools to help employers hire and develop talented workers, identified individual competencies for becoming more flexible in sales.

Being able to ebb and flow with customer demand is critical. This ultimatum can range from low to high seasons. As a result, communication is key during high demand because of longer lead times.

In addition, customers want to know they are important no matter their order quantity.

In a world full of noise, time is one of the most valuable resources at our disposal. Data shows once a prospect has been engaged, you only have five minutes to contact the lead or you risk losing them forever. In fact, a study by Lead Connect revealed a whopping 78 percent of customers buy from the first responder.

Competition is steep, differentiating your firm and associates in the marketplace is vital in the early stages of a sale.

If you don't have a handle on your target, it will be even more difficult to keep them.

Software company AeroLeads says a firm's demographics should be a basic action in their sales pipeline management. That information can be found at federal or state departments of commerce, census data, trade associations and many other places online.

Having a personal touch can make a difference.In a sea of fish, you want to be the mermaid. Customers don't want to feel they are being sold. Let them know their ideas, packaging, products and business has value.

Knowledge is power, right? Targeting and promoting the things you do best will give the customer better quality, price and knowledge. In addition, focusing on their specific needs will resolve a packaging dilemma while promoting your brand.

Pricing, styles, colors and models, product history, manufacturing processes, warranty and repair information were listed as "what to know."

Implementing these characteristics above into your organization is the first step to increase sales, improve customer relations, and become a "one stop flexible packaging shop."

Mark McClure

is vice president at International Plastics, with more than 35 years of experience in the flexible packaging industry