We buy from brands we feel offer the best value. When we get the best value, we feel good about ourselves. Think about the last time you bought a newly released Apple product. You were happy, and admit it, you felt like a kid for a few days.
One of Lantech’s goals is to get customers to feel the same way about a new stretch wrapper as they do about a new iphone.
This year at Pack Expo, we tried to hone in on that goal. How would we get attendees (hopefully future customers) and our distributors to feel the best they’ve ever felt about our products? To do so, we made sure the people behind our company – whether that’s Pat Lancaster, our founder and the inventor of stretch wrapping, or our regional sales managers – carried on meaningful conversations with attendees. We feel good about Steve Jobs and the “geniuses” at Apple stores’ genius bars, right?
As a newbie who’s been working as a marketing specialist at Lantech for a little over a year now, this was my first-ever trip to Pack Expo. During the show, I got to wear my reporting glasses, take notes and observe what was happening around me. I spent a few hours walking the show, watching competitors talk to customers and seeing products I’ve never even known existed. There’s really a machine that bunches flowers together?
Besides seeing what was happening outside of our Lantech booth, I observed what was happening inside of it. Customers remember the people who are actually able to identify their needs and demonstrate an understanding of their barriers. Some attendees had short term problems that needed immediate attention. I overheard a customer say, “I just sent my operator to the hospital because he passed out from running around in circles hand wrapping.” At the opposite end of the spectrum, I heard a customer say, “What’s new with you guys? I’ll be looking at an automatic machine in the next few years.”
Which companies do customers buy equipment from when the time comes? How do these companies stand out? It comes down to what people remember beyond the bright lights, free food or beautiful models. When customers are ready to buy a particular machine, they’ll buy it from the people who offered them the most value in solving their problems. They’ll remember more about the relationships they built rather than a sales argument about features.
Now that’s a good feeling.
For more information, you can contact us on our website or call us at (502) 815-9109.
This post was published on November 14, 2014 and updated on July 20, 2015.
November 14, 2014
