I was speaking with a magazine ad salesman the other day and we were discussing how technology is changing how we all get our information. We reminisced for a brief moment on how advertisers could judge the effectiveness of their ad by the number of leads they received from the ‘bingo’ cards the magazines included. The internet did away with the ‘bingo’ cards. Once the magazines realized their readership wanted to find information while at their computer (instead of pouring through a pile of magazines), they all started their own websites.
The internet allows magazines to offer additional advertising opportunities. Besides their website, they can also send out e-mail ‘newsletters’ to their readership. They can promote ‘white papers’ their advertisers create as a means of getting attention for those customers. One of the latest trends is webinars. This is usually a 20 to 60 minute video presentation that includes a power point visual along with a live audio presentation. At the end of the presentation, the viewers are allowed to ask questions.
One of the offshoots of the webinar is a ‘virtual tradeshow’. This is where the organizing company (sometimes a magazine), puts together a number of their advertisers to present a video presentation on a specified date and time. The ‘virtual tradeshow’ will occur on a pre-set date and the advertisers/exhibitors are given a specific time slot to fill. At that time they give their live presentation and accept questions at the end. The advertiser/exhibitor must announce the topic of their presentation in advance so the potential visitors to the ‘virtual tradeshow’ can plan on which times they want to visit the ‘virtual tradeshow’ to see the presentations they feel are worth their time. The virtual tradeshow may someday eliminate real tradeshows. They save everyone a tremendous amount of time and money to accomplish much of the same results as a real live tradeshow.
The final trend I see now that can alter the way we all advertise in and read trade magazines, is the new e-readers. These are hand-held devices, such as Amazon’s Kindle, or Sony’s Reader. Magazines will soon start to offer downloads of their latest edition on these readers so that busy business men and women can have the convenience of carrying their reading material, including magazines in their pocket. Public transportation commuters will be able to catch up on all the latest news articles while in route to the office without having to carry a stack of magazines.
Technology is definitely changing the way we all live and work. In business we need to keep abreast of these changes as quickly as they occur, or be left behind by more technical savvy competitors.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage,
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
How Important is Branding?
What is Branding and how important is it to a machinery manufacturer? According to Wikipedia “a brand is a name, sign, symbol, slogan or anything that is used to identify and distinguish a specific product, service, or business.” Business Directory.com defines branding as: “Entire process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product (good or service) in the consumers' mind, through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.”
To have a successful, world-wide recognized brand is every marketers dream. It creates immensely increased value for the product it represents. Several successful examples include the Nike name and ‘swish’ mark, the famous Coke name and font, the Apple computer apple-shaped logo, or Microsoft's flying windows logo. In most cases, you don’t even need to see the name of the company to know the brand. The obvious benefit of branding is that when a consumer is looking to purchase a product, they will automatically think of the well-‘branded’ item first. It comes to their mind immediately, because the "brand" is widely recognized.
Branding is just as important, if not more so, in B2B sales. Most packaging machinery manufacturers are competing with numerous other companies to sell similar products. Our customers are extremely busy and hard to reach. They often don’t have time to sit and listen to a twenty minute sales presentation. When they have the need for a new machine, they will contact the company that comes to their mind first. The machinery manufacturer that is the most successful in branding its name is the company that will get that first call.
So, how important is branding to a packaging machinery manufacturer? Very important. It could mean the difference between being asked to quote on a new project, or never even being considered.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
To have a successful, world-wide recognized brand is every marketers dream. It creates immensely increased value for the product it represents. Several successful examples include the Nike name and ‘swish’ mark, the famous Coke name and font, the Apple computer apple-shaped logo, or Microsoft's flying windows logo. In most cases, you don’t even need to see the name of the company to know the brand. The obvious benefit of branding is that when a consumer is looking to purchase a product, they will automatically think of the well-‘branded’ item first. It comes to their mind immediately, because the "brand" is widely recognized.
Branding is just as important, if not more so, in B2B sales. Most packaging machinery manufacturers are competing with numerous other companies to sell similar products. Our customers are extremely busy and hard to reach. They often don’t have time to sit and listen to a twenty minute sales presentation. When they have the need for a new machine, they will contact the company that comes to their mind first. The machinery manufacturer that is the most successful in branding its name is the company that will get that first call.
So, how important is branding to a packaging machinery manufacturer? Very important. It could mean the difference between being asked to quote on a new project, or never even being considered.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Monday, March 22, 2010
How To Stand Out From The Competition
Want to stand out from your competition? Write a hand-written note to your prospective customer. It doesn’t have to be long. It might just be two or three short sentences thanking them for their time and/or sharing their needs with you. I can just about guarantee that your competitor will not spend the time to do this. The art of hand-written notes is dying. Everyone is too busy to buy note cards, write them out, address them, stamp them, and mail them. Not when they can type a quick e-mail and hit send all in less than one minute.
That hand-written thank you will make an impression that the quick e-mail just can’t come close to doing. The recipient will know that you took the extra time and effort to acknowledge them and show them respect for their time. You will stand out as an individual who pays attention to detail and views his/her customers as important enough to deserve extra consideration.
I have recently had two instances where I wrote a hand-written thank you note to a business associate. They were both so impressed that they contacted me and commented on what a good impression my simple note made on them. They too, mentioned that no one takes the time in this day and age to write a short note. It is a dying art that needs to be revived. It says so much more than the simple words written down. Try it for one month and see if it makes a difference in your sales and relationships with your customers. After all, all you have to lose by trying it is a little of your time. But I’m convinced that you will more than recoup your time in increased sales.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
That hand-written thank you will make an impression that the quick e-mail just can’t come close to doing. The recipient will know that you took the extra time and effort to acknowledge them and show them respect for their time. You will stand out as an individual who pays attention to detail and views his/her customers as important enough to deserve extra consideration.
I have recently had two instances where I wrote a hand-written thank you note to a business associate. They were both so impressed that they contacted me and commented on what a good impression my simple note made on them. They too, mentioned that no one takes the time in this day and age to write a short note. It is a dying art that needs to be revived. It says so much more than the simple words written down. Try it for one month and see if it makes a difference in your sales and relationships with your customers. After all, all you have to lose by trying it is a little of your time. But I’m convinced that you will more than recoup your time in increased sales.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
When Pocket-Style Unscramblers Don’t Work.
New England Machinery (NEM) received a call from a customer who had a problem. They were using a pocket-style bottle unscrambler to feed their containers. The containers were being fed to the unscrambler from another room via an overhead bucket system. Occasionally the employee filling the buckets would put the wrong containers into them. As they traveled through the plant overhead, no one could tell what containers were in the buckets until they were emptied into the unscrambler. At that point it was too late to stop them from jamming up the unscrambler.
It would then take the company hours to lock out the machine and clean out the wrong containers. In many instances, the incorrect containers damaged the pockets and the pockets then needed to be replaced. The replacement parts were very expensive and took a long time to get from the manufacturer.
So the company turned to NEM for a solution to their problem. NEM built them its model NEHHLPE-72. This unscrambler is a real ‘work horse’. It handles their containers with ease giving them the production speed they need. But most importantly, now when an employee makes a mistake and sends the wrong containers to the unscrambler, the worse that happens is one of the containers gets jammed in the exit to the bowl. The operator only needs to open the door (which automatically stops the machine), pick out the jammed bottle and remove any incorrect size bottles, close the door, and push a button to re-start the machine. It can all be done in minutes, with no costly damage to any part of the machine. Removing the incorrect bottles is easy as the sorting bowl is at floor level. No ladders are required to get the components out of the machine.
The customer is very happy with NEM’s solution to their problem. A linear-style bottle unscrambler (like the model NEHHLPE-72), has a lot of advantages over a pocket-style unscrambler. They have a smaller footprint, don’t require tag-out to clear jams, they positively control the bottles, are simpler to adjust and changeover with minimal changeparts, can accommodate a large range of container sizes and shapes with easy adjustments, integrates well with any conveyor, is gentle non-marring of containers, some models can integrate an ionized air rinser, and some models offer an integrated hopper elevator to reduce floor space utilization. The linear-style bottle unscrambler is also less expensive. To learn more about the comparison of a pocket-style unscrambler versus a linear-style unscrambler, contact NEM at (941) 755-5550 or visit the website at: http://www.neminc.com/
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at http://www.neminc.com/.
It would then take the company hours to lock out the machine and clean out the wrong containers. In many instances, the incorrect containers damaged the pockets and the pockets then needed to be replaced. The replacement parts were very expensive and took a long time to get from the manufacturer.
So the company turned to NEM for a solution to their problem. NEM built them its model NEHHLPE-72. This unscrambler is a real ‘work horse’. It handles their containers with ease giving them the production speed they need. But most importantly, now when an employee makes a mistake and sends the wrong containers to the unscrambler, the worse that happens is one of the containers gets jammed in the exit to the bowl. The operator only needs to open the door (which automatically stops the machine), pick out the jammed bottle and remove any incorrect size bottles, close the door, and push a button to re-start the machine. It can all be done in minutes, with no costly damage to any part of the machine. Removing the incorrect bottles is easy as the sorting bowl is at floor level. No ladders are required to get the components out of the machine.
The customer is very happy with NEM’s solution to their problem. A linear-style bottle unscrambler (like the model NEHHLPE-72), has a lot of advantages over a pocket-style unscrambler. They have a smaller footprint, don’t require tag-out to clear jams, they positively control the bottles, are simpler to adjust and changeover with minimal changeparts, can accommodate a large range of container sizes and shapes with easy adjustments, integrates well with any conveyor, is gentle non-marring of containers, some models can integrate an ionized air rinser, and some models offer an integrated hopper elevator to reduce floor space utilization. The linear-style bottle unscrambler is also less expensive. To learn more about the comparison of a pocket-style unscrambler versus a linear-style unscrambler, contact NEM at (941) 755-5550 or visit the website at: http://www.neminc.com/
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at http://www.neminc.com/.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Innovation Keeps Your Company Ahead!
Our company offers a standard line of packaging machinery including unscramblers, cappers, retorquers, lidders, pluggers and much more. But, occasionally a customer will need the unusual. To many of our customers, consistent, specific applied torque when capping is extremely important. Usually the customer needs assurance that their containers have an applied torque high enough to prevent leakage, spills, or product contamination. Some projects require precise applied torque for validation purposes.
Recently, however, a customer came to NEM with the request for a specific low torque for empty containers. The company produces containers that they cap before shipping to their customers. The company wanted to be sure that the caps were just tight enough not to fall off. They requested that a very low torque be applied.
NEM came to their rescue! Utilizing our Servo Capper, we consistently applied the specified low torque required for this unusual application. They were very pleased with the result.
Another customer came to us with an extremely light weight water bottle they needed unscrambled at speeds of 250 cpm. The bottle unscrambler they had could not do the job. The 20 oz. PET containers weighing only 14.5 grams each were being crushed by their unscrambler. We built them our model NEHHLPE-72 unscrambler and it worked like a charm. The customer was so pleased when they came for their Factory Acceptance Test, that they told our tuner, they would name the machine after her.
Our company was founded by packaging machinery engineers and that has always been one of our competitive advantages. When a company cannot find the answer to their packaging machinery needs, New England Machinery is the company they call. For a company to sustain their growth, innovation is imperative. No industry is immune to evolution and keeping up with the changes, or better yet, staying ahead of the changes is what a company needs to stand the test of time.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Recently, however, a customer came to NEM with the request for a specific low torque for empty containers. The company produces containers that they cap before shipping to their customers. The company wanted to be sure that the caps were just tight enough not to fall off. They requested that a very low torque be applied.
NEM came to their rescue! Utilizing our Servo Capper, we consistently applied the specified low torque required for this unusual application. They were very pleased with the result.
Another customer came to us with an extremely light weight water bottle they needed unscrambled at speeds of 250 cpm. The bottle unscrambler they had could not do the job. The 20 oz. PET containers weighing only 14.5 grams each were being crushed by their unscrambler. We built them our model NEHHLPE-72 unscrambler and it worked like a charm. The customer was so pleased when they came for their Factory Acceptance Test, that they told our tuner, they would name the machine after her.
Our company was founded by packaging machinery engineers and that has always been one of our competitive advantages. When a company cannot find the answer to their packaging machinery needs, New England Machinery is the company they call. For a company to sustain their growth, innovation is imperative. No industry is immune to evolution and keeping up with the changes, or better yet, staying ahead of the changes is what a company needs to stand the test of time.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
How Do You Find A ‘Good’ Employee?
I have known several owners of small companies and they all say that the biggest ‘headache’ of owning a business is dealing with the employees. The financial and strategic problems and decisions are not what stresses them out. These individuals thrive on challenge and embrace the tactical maneuverings required to be successful in business. But they all agree that the interaction with employee problems, complaints, and issues can take the fun out of running a business. So how do you resolve this problem?
Some companies have turned to employee leasing programs. They bring in a company that specializes in leasing employees. The leasing company is given a description of the position that needs filling and the qualifications required and it is their job to recruit, screen, test, and hire the right individuals. The company that leases the employees have a final say in who they accept to work for their company. If the employee does not work out, the company calls the leasing company and requests a replacement. The employees are technically not an employee of the company where they work everyday. Their paychecks and benefits all come from the leasing company. If they have a complaint, they must take it to their employer – the leasing company. Unfortunately, this still does not resolve the ‘petty’ issues that come up every day regarding employees who have a disagreement with each other, or complain that their supervisor upset them. But some of the issues and most of the recruiting and hiring work are taken off the backs of the small company owners.
But what does a company do if they do not want to lease their employees? How do they find the right employees? What do you look for? Probably the most important quality to look for in a prospective employee is their enthusiasm for their work. Do they get joy out of a job well done, or are they working everyday just to support themselves? Do they take pride in the quality of their work and their business accomplishments? Steer clear of individuals who are looking to put in 8 hours a day for the money they get to support themselves and/or their family. They will never be a truly happy employee. Your company is simply a means of support to them.
When interviewing a prospective employee, ask them to tell you about their past accomplishments. Look for genuine pride in their voice and expression when they describe what they’ve done. Look for signs of ‘passion’ about their vocation. Beware, however, of the individual who takes credit for everything good that transpired in their past job and does not give any credit to a ‘team’ or co-workers. Only hire them if the job is a solo position requiring no interaction with other employees.
Finally, keep in mind that you are never going to make all of the people happy all of the time. You will go crazy to even try it. Prepare an employee ‘handbook’ that sets down the rules and make sure everyone gets a copy. If you make changes to it, hand out the changes and get the employees to sign a receipt that they received the changes. If everyone knows the rules, they can’t complain for not being paid for calling in sick the day after a holiday, if it’s in the handbook.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Some companies have turned to employee leasing programs. They bring in a company that specializes in leasing employees. The leasing company is given a description of the position that needs filling and the qualifications required and it is their job to recruit, screen, test, and hire the right individuals. The company that leases the employees have a final say in who they accept to work for their company. If the employee does not work out, the company calls the leasing company and requests a replacement. The employees are technically not an employee of the company where they work everyday. Their paychecks and benefits all come from the leasing company. If they have a complaint, they must take it to their employer – the leasing company. Unfortunately, this still does not resolve the ‘petty’ issues that come up every day regarding employees who have a disagreement with each other, or complain that their supervisor upset them. But some of the issues and most of the recruiting and hiring work are taken off the backs of the small company owners.
But what does a company do if they do not want to lease their employees? How do they find the right employees? What do you look for? Probably the most important quality to look for in a prospective employee is their enthusiasm for their work. Do they get joy out of a job well done, or are they working everyday just to support themselves? Do they take pride in the quality of their work and their business accomplishments? Steer clear of individuals who are looking to put in 8 hours a day for the money they get to support themselves and/or their family. They will never be a truly happy employee. Your company is simply a means of support to them.
When interviewing a prospective employee, ask them to tell you about their past accomplishments. Look for genuine pride in their voice and expression when they describe what they’ve done. Look for signs of ‘passion’ about their vocation. Beware, however, of the individual who takes credit for everything good that transpired in their past job and does not give any credit to a ‘team’ or co-workers. Only hire them if the job is a solo position requiring no interaction with other employees.
Finally, keep in mind that you are never going to make all of the people happy all of the time. You will go crazy to even try it. Prepare an employee ‘handbook’ that sets down the rules and make sure everyone gets a copy. If you make changes to it, hand out the changes and get the employees to sign a receipt that they received the changes. If everyone knows the rules, they can’t complain for not being paid for calling in sick the day after a holiday, if it’s in the handbook.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Don’t Miss Out On This Capital Expenditures Tax Deduction
According to the website www.section179.org, “for the 2010 tax year, under the current tax code, Section 179 allows businesses that spend less than $530,000 a year on qualified equipment to write-off up to $134,000 in 2010 with no bonus depreciation – then Section 179 is set to completely expire next year in 2011.
However, in his ‘State of the Union’ address on January 27, 2010, Obama called for extending temporary enhancements to Section 179 through the 2010 tax year end.
Administration officials indicate that those enhancements will include expanded limits on Section 179 including 50% bonus depreciation that have been a feature of earlier stimulus measures under both Bush and Obama.”
When enacted in 2008, a company purchasing capital equipment for $400,000 would realize a total cost of $281,000 for the equipment after Section 179’s write-off, bonus depreciation, normal depreciation and first year deduction. This was a $119,000 tax savings. In many cases the Section 179 deduction can also be taken on leased equipment.
Since 2008, the deduction has undergone some changes and the tax effect is not as high as it was the first year. However, 2010 may be the last year to get any benefit from this deduction!
In most cases this deduction requires the purchaser to take delivery of the equipment before the end of the year. Make sure a long lead time on the equipment you need does not prevent you from getting the deduction. Order your machinery early!
Neither I, nor my company, are authorities on taxes. Please consult a tax accountant for professional advice on how this tax incentive can help you purchase the packaging machinery equipment you need now, before this opportunity is gone for good.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
However, in his ‘State of the Union’ address on January 27, 2010, Obama called for extending temporary enhancements to Section 179 through the 2010 tax year end.
Administration officials indicate that those enhancements will include expanded limits on Section 179 including 50% bonus depreciation that have been a feature of earlier stimulus measures under both Bush and Obama.”
When enacted in 2008, a company purchasing capital equipment for $400,000 would realize a total cost of $281,000 for the equipment after Section 179’s write-off, bonus depreciation, normal depreciation and first year deduction. This was a $119,000 tax savings. In many cases the Section 179 deduction can also be taken on leased equipment.
Since 2008, the deduction has undergone some changes and the tax effect is not as high as it was the first year. However, 2010 may be the last year to get any benefit from this deduction!
In most cases this deduction requires the purchaser to take delivery of the equipment before the end of the year. Make sure a long lead time on the equipment you need does not prevent you from getting the deduction. Order your machinery early!
Neither I, nor my company, are authorities on taxes. Please consult a tax accountant for professional advice on how this tax incentive can help you purchase the packaging machinery equipment you need now, before this opportunity is gone for good.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Monday, March 1, 2010
How Do You Compare To Your Competitors?
The other day one of our new Sales Managers came to me asking about how our bottle unscramblers compare to a competitor. I showed him a chart we had prepared that compared our machines to the competitor item by item. But then I realized that there was so much more that he needed to know.
Our company has been building packaging machinery since 1974. We were founded by packaging engineers who came up with a ‘better way’ to unscramble rigid plastic containers. Over the years the company has responded to the various needs of our customers and designed different models of bottle unscramblers. To date, we have eight different models that each come in numerous sizes. This, I realized, was a very big difference between us and the competitor he was inquiring about. This particular competitor offers two different models that each come in different sizes. But the important point here, is that no matter what the customer’s needs are, they will try to make one of these two models ‘fit’ that need - similar to Cinderella’s step-sisters trying to fit their big feet in the glass slipper.
Our company did not design all of these different models just to keep our engineers busy. We designed them when our customers challenged us with a project that needed a new solution. So while the competitor may have been in business as long as us, they either chose a more-narrow path to marketing or did not have the Engineering capability to respond to the ever-changing needs of the packaging industry. This, then, is our company’s most important competitive advantage over almost all of our competitors.
New England Machinery utilizes its Engineering strength to design new products to meet new challenges across the board in all of our product lines. From bottle unscramblers to bottle cappers to orienters, retorquers and beyond, we have more than one or two solutions to offer our customers.
In the end I was able to put together another list of competitive advantages to help our sales force. These included such items as: all our machines are designed, built, tuned and tested in the US; NEM is a woman-owned business; all service technicians are factory trained and certified; NEM machines are the most versatile on the market; we have dedicated employees with over 2/3 celebrating 15+ years with the company; and twenty other advantages to buying NEM. When arming your sales force to ‘do battle’ on the selling field, make sure they have a quiver full of information. Arm them with both the full array of competitive advantage strengths of your company as well as the direct hit items that show exactly why your product is the right choice.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
Our company has been building packaging machinery since 1974. We were founded by packaging engineers who came up with a ‘better way’ to unscramble rigid plastic containers. Over the years the company has responded to the various needs of our customers and designed different models of bottle unscramblers. To date, we have eight different models that each come in numerous sizes. This, I realized, was a very big difference between us and the competitor he was inquiring about. This particular competitor offers two different models that each come in different sizes. But the important point here, is that no matter what the customer’s needs are, they will try to make one of these two models ‘fit’ that need - similar to Cinderella’s step-sisters trying to fit their big feet in the glass slipper.
Our company did not design all of these different models just to keep our engineers busy. We designed them when our customers challenged us with a project that needed a new solution. So while the competitor may have been in business as long as us, they either chose a more-narrow path to marketing or did not have the Engineering capability to respond to the ever-changing needs of the packaging industry. This, then, is our company’s most important competitive advantage over almost all of our competitors.
New England Machinery utilizes its Engineering strength to design new products to meet new challenges across the board in all of our product lines. From bottle unscramblers to bottle cappers to orienters, retorquers and beyond, we have more than one or two solutions to offer our customers.
In the end I was able to put together another list of competitive advantages to help our sales force. These included such items as: all our machines are designed, built, tuned and tested in the US; NEM is a woman-owned business; all service technicians are factory trained and certified; NEM machines are the most versatile on the market; we have dedicated employees with over 2/3 celebrating 15+ years with the company; and twenty other advantages to buying NEM. When arming your sales force to ‘do battle’ on the selling field, make sure they have a quiver full of information. Arm them with both the full array of competitive advantage strengths of your company as well as the direct hit items that show exactly why your product is the right choice.
The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.
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