Client Profile
PPC Flex is a solutions focused custom flexible packaging manufacturer. Headquartered in Buffalo Grove, IL, the company has 13 locations worldwide to serve numerous markets, including food, healthcare, pet care, floral, and more.
Business Situation
PPC Flex acquired Plastic Packaging Technologies (PPT) in October 2022. The company faced a significant challenge with having bandwidth for the new logo acquisition. Because its dedicated sales team was focused on growing existing national accounts, it lacked a team of sales professionals to focus on developing new business. The onset of COVID-19 further complicated matters by eliminating traditional avenues, such as trade shows and travel.
Angie Taylor, PPC Vice President of Commercial Operations & Supply Chain, noted, “We were focused on the new logo acquisition. We did not have the resources to focus on new business development and needed that support to help grow the business. Our target was to add 10% in new customer growth, but we lacked the people resources to focus on what it takes to close those deals quickly. For the top-line revenue we had at that point, it was impossible to hit based on the resources we had.”
In addition to the limited resources in sales and marketing, PPT was engaged with an outsourced SEO team that was experiencing a high turnover rate. While searching for a solution to bring to the board, PPT received a cold call from Athena SWC who pitched an outsourced front-end sales model and infrastructure.
Gaining Bandwidth
After bringing the Athena solution to the company board and learning more about its services, the company partnered with Athena, leveraging its expertise to enhance business development efforts. Athena’s team provided much-needed bandwidth, allowing PPC Flex to focus on strategic growth without the distractions that had previously hindered their progress.
Enhanced Outreach
Athena’s front-end sales (list building, lead generation, appointment setting, follow-up) process provided consistent and focused outreach efforts, key aspects for converting a prospect to a meeting, which requires 14-16 unique touches in the flexible packaging market.
As Angie Taylor explained, “The number of touch points we see Nate [account manager] and his team needing just to get someone into a warm call is daunting. They have helped us handle that bandwidth effectively.”
The multiple touch points are part of a multi-channel strategy to keep PPC Flex in front of potential customers. This included cold calls, emails and newsletters, and other tactics to maintain engagement.
Angie appreciated the comprehensive approach, stating, “Nate’s team calls, sends newsletters, and tries different tactics. They give us the ability to focus on multiple strategies simultaneously.”
Reaching prospects via phone is becoming increasingly difficult in the connected world we live in. While outbound is a more targeted approach, the need for inbound marketing is critical.
Inbound Success
The program started in 2021, and Athena took over inbound marketing just before PPT was acquired by PPC. This created a complete Inbound/outbound solution. The website was relaunched, and new search engine optimized (SEO) blogs have been added—written monthly based on relevant keywords chosen to bring specific prospects to the website. Website visitor tracking, website forms, and an interactive chatbot provide additional ways to generate leads. The Athena team follows up with viable leads, qualifies them, and, if the need is not immediate, puts them into the nurturing process with regularly scheduled follow-ups.
Athena’s efforts have resulted in significant growth in the inbound submissions. In the last 6 months, the website has averaged 112 submissions per month, up nearly 50 percent from the previous three months. Of those 112, about 1/3 have been qualified submissions that have a need for PPC services. The Athena team has proven themselves to be skilled at qualifying and securing meetings for inbound submissions. They have been consistently securing 10+ meetings per month for PPC.
Consistent Reporting and Adaptation
Athena provides regular reports and insights, which are shared with PPC Flex’s executive team. This transparency allows for continuous improvement and adaptation of strategies.
“There is a ton of clarity on how we’re spending our money, what touch points are happening, and who’s in the pipeline — they keep a lot of detail around the conversations, Angie Explained. “There is good transparency around what activities are taking place and what’s working and what’s not working. Nate is looking at metrics and toggling activities if something isn’t working. It’s good that he’s focused on results; that is something I rely on his expertise to deliver and gives me bandwidth back.”
Value From the Relationship
Of the 179 meetings secured, 103 are in the active sales pipeline, some of which have multi-million dollar potential. However, as PPC expands into new markets, the value to Angie is having resources to work these markets. “Keeping PPC Top of mind with today’s prospects and showing our relevance in the packaging market are super valuable to us. We leverage Athena to make sure these activities are focused on.”
