Be green

In the plastic world, and other industries, becoming "green" has been on the to do list for years. Our world is becoming more and more conscious of what we are doing to our planet and slowly companies are putting their effort into making positive changes operationally to help.

The good thing about the milk crate business is that recycling is a large component of it. From what I learned, plastic milk crates are made from a percentage of regrind material. Regrind material means taking broken milk crates and grinding the crates into pieces that can be mixed with "virgin" material. This is HUGE!.

This process helps the environment because the milk crates are reused, not just thrown out in the landfills. Also plastic does not decompose (the majority of its components do not). The material and proportions we use at Adali Plastic is a perfect blend of about 80% virgin material and 20%regrind. While the proportions can be changed, depending on a client's needs, this is a huge money saver to the client because material that is recycled is less expensive.

While being "green" is a process and normally not the most cost effective option for companies, I am glad we are doing our part and can use the plastic material in our product to help the environment and help keep the cost down for our customers.

Spring Forward

It has been awhile since I last posted anything on this blog. While the purpose of this blog was to update our customers and prospective clients with the "family business", I admit- I did FALL back (PUN is fully intended) during the fall/winter months..SO now with spring just around the corner- I am back at it aka SPRINGING FORWARD!

We have a lot going on. For one, NEW WEBSITE. We are in the final stages of putting together a website that is easier to navigate, has the look and feel of our brand and can provide our customer with a bit more information about our product and what we can do for them.

Second, and this is ALWAYS on our to do list and that is to EXPAND our customer base. While we value our current clients so much and thank them for the support, we need NEW clients! At my previous job, my VP of Sales & Marketing-Beth, always said you have to keep feeding that pipeline. SO I am trying new approaches and hoping this will work! FINGERS CROSSED.

Now to update on me getting acclimated with the business and trying to understand it all. It is SO much harder then I ever imagined it would be. Trying to understand the dynamics of plastic and what material to use etc. IT IS MIND BOGGLING. My father deals with this primarily but at some point it will be my responsibility at least to oversee the process. Too bad I wasn't an engineering major! BUT hey this is why you hire great people to help you understand and hopefully grow Adali Plastic.

I would like to go back to the website! I know it is milk crates so visuals help correct?! What else would you want to see on the website? More pictures? Social media links? More information on the crates and us?? Would love any feedback you have.

make that dollar-differently!

I love the song above and I think everyone can relate to it. In the midst of #occupywallstreet and other movements it is very hard to deny the fact that "making it" has definitely become more of a lets "survive it" endeavor.

Second guessing my decision on becoming part of a small business in this economic climate is part of my daily routine but hey, I guess you can say I like a challenge or I would have stayed in corporate america. 

I would love to know what everyone is doing to "survive" the current economic climate. I know here at Adali Plastic, I am always thinking of new ways to relate to our clients; give them a richer experience. I know some of you may say you are just selling milk crates but if I can make some one's life easier because of my product- I did my job and added VALUE to them as well. It's all about the overall experience. Are you available to troubleshoot, can you get a load out ASAP because a client is low on crates, can you offer a logistical solution etc.! All of these things come into play when selling your product. I feel that I am not only selling a milk crate; I am selling myself! I have years of experience with clients and I know one thing, IT IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. I make sure my product is durable, cost effective and meets my clients needs. BUT I also like to make sure I am available to chat at all times. Sometimes its just as simple as having a conversation about where they grew up- everyone loves to talk and especially about themselves! Anyone have any other suggestions on how to make your product stand out and be different?

Till next time- here's to making that dollar, differently!

SELL it lady!

It has been over 3 months since I have joined in this venture. I must say that sales is extremely difficult. I was always involved in sales but more of the reporting and research side. The calling of strangers was not part of my job description and I was very happy about that.

Now, it is part of my every day life at work.

Sales people say that if you are a great sales person, you can sell anything! Well, I guess that is true BUT I am selling a commodity! It isn't really a consumer product that is used by EVERYONE- though everyone can, but that is another blog post-.

You try to research as many companies as you can who might use milk crates and reach out to them! I try calling and emailing. Having a script doesn't work for me. I learn what I can about the company but then sometimes it really does come down to how you interact with the person on the phone. Thankfully once you get a person on the phone it is much harder for them to be rude...sometimes. With email thought, it is hard to actually engage with the person. It is so easy for them to just dismiss your product and you!

In my previous experience, I have learned to listen to sales people and at least give them a shot. Even though you are happy with your current supplier you never know what another company has or can provide you with!

I would love to hear your best sales story or maybe a sales call you received that was either compelling enough for you to try their product or so horrible you blocked their phone number for life!

The Elevator Speech

Now in the advertising/marketing world, there is a term used called "the elevator speech". It is dubbed that because you need to be able to tell another person (who has NO idea who you are or what you do) about your company in as little time as it takes for them to reach their destination- let's say in this case the 11th floor.

So here is ours:

Adali Plastic Inc. is a family owned and operated manufacturing company specializing in the production of heavy duty plastic dairy crates. We have been providing quality heavy duty crates to operations all over the U.S. and Canada. Distinguished by the specific molds we use, Adali Plastic crates are ideal for any large dairy farm or even a small catering company. We hold our crates to strict industry standards for strength, dimensions and stacking capability so that our crates exceed our customer's expectations every time.

Still working on it a bit more but that is what I have so far!

the family business

Now, if we went back in time and asked me the infamous question "what do you want to be when you grow up" , the answer most defininetely would not have been "a manufacturer of plastic milk crates".

When my father first told me that they are getting into this business, I started to laugh. I did not understand how they even thought of this business and why they would try something new like this in their...dare I say it, OLD AGE!

To back track- I am a 27 year old woman who graduated from The University of Connecticut aka UCONN. Before the move, I was living happily in NYC and working as a marketing manager for a corporate housing company.

A few months ago, I received the call (I knew it was coming for a while now) from my father saying I can not ignore the "family" business anymore and need to help him.

Yes, I wasn't surprised but to change my whole life! Move FROM NYC to Hoboken, NJ (ONLY place in Jersey that a young professional can live and still have a life) leave my job, friends and city that I loved? It was a huge shock to my whole entire being! BUT what can you do, this is a family venture and you need to be there for your family, right?

My one concern, and I am sure most would agree, how can I work with my dad?!!?! My dad has a lovely temper, as do I. He also doesn't like to explain things and I come from a world where training is usually part of coming on board. BUT hey I do like a challenge.

I am now a month and half into being here at Adali Plastic. We now have a new logo and business cards. I am trying my very best to prospect new clients and to market our company in a different way. I figure this much, aside from quality and price,  our customers should appreciate our company because we are just like them. Most of these dairy farms and production facilities are family owned and operated and even if they aren't today- they STARTED out as a family business. They understand the fight and right now that is what I am doing- I am fighting for my family's well being