Western Pallet Magazine May 2020 | Page 15

MAY 2020

New WPA Member First Alliance Logistics Management Offers Preferred Supplier Program

The new Preferred Supplier Program from First Alliance offers an innovative and inexpensive avenue for warm sales leads through online advertising.

This program should prove to be especially interesting as in-person sales have been impacted by COVID-19.

First Alliance Logistics Management (FALM) recently introduced its new Preferred Supplier Program (PSP), which it believes will be a useful supplement to direct selling by pallet company salespeople. The focus of the PSP program is to generate relatively inexpensive new sales opportunities for member pallet companies. This outcome is achieved through an emphasis on online advertising programs. These target the local pallet market of the participating member as well as nationally through FALM's corporate campaign.

In conjunction with the PSP program, FALM has also become a new WPA member. While it is new to WPA, however, it has a considerable industry track record. The company also celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, having been formed in 1995 by a dozen leading pallet companies, including WPA-member Girard Wood Products.

"We probably should have joined WPA several years ago as more of our business began to stretch out west," commented Glenn Merritt, president and CEO. "I'm happy that we have now joined the group." Over the years, FALM's pallet brokerage and management business has expanded to become more national in scope, including a strong presence in southern California and "several pockets" up the West Coast.

First Alliance has gained considerable experience in online sales. It operates a national online advertising program with a $200,000 budget. According to Merritt, it generates around 40 requests for quotation monthly. To participate in the PSP program, members would pay $1,000 annually, with a total money-back guarantee. That amount would be invested in local online advertising to support that member.

"The cost is minimal compared to common online advertising campaigns," Merritt elaborated. "A marketer will cost roughly $20,000 annually plus another $400 to $1,000 monthly for advertising." For a $1,000 annual fee, members receive the benefit of both national and local advertising programs. If participants do not make enough money to cover their PSP costs in the first year, they can ask for a refund or reinvest the amount into the program for a second year.

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