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Medical Distribution Sales in 2023: Do Relationships Still Matter?

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With all of the tools and technology available to med/surg sales reps today, it’s easy to wonder if things have changed for the medical sales process. Just in the last few years, digital tools have become a much more popular platform for making connections and facilitating meetings of all sorts. In addition to plenty of other things, COVID-19 has sort of siloed people from making face-to-face connections.

But should that mean that relationships aren’t a critical component of the sales reps’ repertoire? Do relationships still matter in the sales process?

Replacing the human element

One of the main things to consider about relationships and sales is what the human element will look like with a digital approach. Sure, relationships can be built through tools like Zoom, but it’s really difficult to replicate the authenticity and trust that can be built through a face-to-face sales interaction.

Personal relationships are the foundation on which business is built. In a recent survey conducted by Repertoire Magazine, 82% of medical distribution reps said they highly value the relationship with the manufacturer reps in their territory.

The digital tools are a great supplement to what you already have at your disposal, but it’s no replacement for the real thing. Even if the landscape doesn’t look the way it used to, it’s important to remember that the human element isn’t going anywhere – use it to your advantage! With a huge shift towards digital selling, cultivate a personal touch that will separate you from your competition. Personalization is a great way to build better relationships with your customers.

How to build better relationships

Utilizing a personal touch is only one way to build better relationships in the medical sales process. Here are some other key ways to developing stronger relationships with your customers:

●        Build a rapport – Take the time to establish and cultivate some common interests with your customers. All good relationships are built on commonality, and that starts with having something to talk about. Additionally, make sure to research the needs of the company to help you better identify pain points that your products can address.

●        Respond promptly – If you want your customers to feel valued, don’t leave them waiting on a response from you. Prompt communication is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your customers trust you and feel heard.

●        Provide value – A relationship with your customers will mean nothing if you can’t consistently provide value. Every interaction should leave the customer with something that they can use. Be sure that you understand what your genuine value is to the customer, as differentiated from your competitors in the customer’s mind. With the right skills and tools to communicate value, you can continue providing that value throughout the customer lifecycle.

Even with today’s Amazon style of buying the number one reason someone buys a product or service is when it’s recommended by a friend or family member. To the health care medical device buyer, that friend or family member is their distribution sales rep. Here at Share Moving Media we help best in class manufacturers build relationships with 95% of the distribution reps in the US.  Please contact us at sadams@sharemovingmedia.com to learn how we can help you gain market share through distribution.

How Healthcare Sales Teams Can Use Content For Supply Chain Success

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You need to stand out to your customers. Advertising campaigns and person-to-person sales strategies are excellent tools for bringing awareness to your company and your offering, but to really carve out mind share among your customers requires more – especially for sales in the healthcare supply chain.

Today’s health care buyers have a lot on their plates and, since they won’t be the end-users of what they’re buying, they work closely with their clinical value analysis team to make contracting decisions about new products and services.

Your messaging needs to go deeper than an advertising campaign, since marketing materials are often outright ignored by purchasing and value analysis leaders (Frustrating, but true!). They know that the goal of advertising is to showcase the best parts of your offering, they liked what they saw, and now they need to know more.

“Hard data” about your offering is a crucial asset, but to really get through and set yourself apart you need to tell your product’s story.

That’s where content saves the day. 

Savvy, successful suppliers know that creating captivating, targeted content is the best way to close the deal. Never underestimate the power of success stories that clearly demonstrate how the value of your offering is multiplied by the added value of having you and your company as a supplier partner.

Know your customer better than they know themselves

Getting on contract is just the beginning of the journey.

To get on contract, your customers have to know who you are. Forging a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship means you need to know your customer better than they know themselves.  

We’ve asked supply chain leaders across the country what their top supplier partners have in common, and they all say the same thing: Good suppliers respond to problems, best-in-class suppliers are so well-informed – so dialed in – that they can anticipate their supply chain partners’ needs and proactively collaborate on solutions.

When it comes to contracting in the health care supply chain, there’s nothing more critical to your success than knowing everything there is to know about your customers and prospects. But how do you get those high-level insights? What’s the secret?

Keep reading to learn why content is critical for health care sales teams and how you can leverage content to take your sales success to new heights.

Content takes out the guesswork.

A good database is a valuable tool because you can use data to uncover the story of what’s happened. But sorting through data to find what you need to know can be tedious and time-consuming. Putting that data in context and translating it into meaningful insights – a specialized skillset in itself – even more so.

Moreover, it doesn’t tell you what problems your supply chain leaders are dealing with right now or what their plans for the future are.

The best way to get relevant, actionable information for sales success is going to come from consuming content. Supply chain leaders want all the help they can get; they aren’t hiding what their needs and goals are. Whether its press releases, blogs, podcasts, or news articles, the content and media surrounding an IDN can tell you exactly what they’re dealing with, what they’re planning to do, what their priorities are, and so much more.

Industry magazines and publications, like The Journal of Healthcare Contracting, are treasure troves of details and nuance. Not to mention that there are countless podcasts and videos out there as well – a perfect way to stay in-the-know when you’re traveling or on-the-go.

Personal interviews and webinars with supply chain leaders are doubly helpful because you can get to know the supply chain leaders’ personalities and interests as well as clear information about exactly who you need to approach and what you need to do to get your foot in the door and get on contract.

Industry networking organizations like ANAE (the Association of National Accounts Executives) and platforms like the IDN Directory are outstanding resources for fresh health care supply chain content.

At Share Moving Media, we have a dedicated, captive audience of supply chain leaders across the biggest IDNs in the U.S. For over 30 years, we’ve been partnering with suppliers and distributors to create compelling content and messaging. Share Moving Media has developed the tools, resources and expertise to help you tell your story. If you’d to brainstorm about content ideas to help build an audience and get through to Supply Chain Leaders, please email me at jpritchard@sharemovingmedia.com.

5 Reasons Why Medical Suppliers Should Blog

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The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the global healthcare supply chain. New viruses and supply shortages made it arduous for providers to procure supplies for quality patient care. But after three years of tackling new challenges and making the healthcare supply chain more efficient, providers are now seeking more resiliency from black swan events like COVID-19.

Medical suppliers must work in a more coordinated way with health systems moving forward to create a more integrated healthcare supply chain. One way medical suppliers can communicate their effectiveness and resourcefulness to health systems is through blogging.

Blogging allows medical suppliers to stay in front of provider audiences and show their expertise about industry trends. Using blogs as part of a multichannel marketing strategy allows them to reach current or potential customers along the healthcare supply chain.

Here are 5 reasons why medical suppliers should blog:

1.     Build trust with the healthcare audience. The best performing blogs can answer common questions about a product or service. This helps establish medical suppliers as more knowledgeable, and industry education is a top customer retention strategy. 

2.     Educate and engage. Medical suppliers can use blogs as a touchpoint with the healthcare industry to show their expertise. Each post shouldn’t focus on their products, but be a reliable source of information on the healthcare supply chain.

3.     Expand the brand. Blogging can help customers understand medical suppliers’ day-to-day business. It can also provide entry into a more personable side of the business that customers enjoy connecting with.

4.     Drive website traffic. Medical suppliers with a blog can drive traffic to their website. It keeps their website updated with fresh content through advice and tying in relevant products.

5.     Increase SEO. New content, keywords and indexed pages can improve medical suppliers’ search engine optimization (SEO). The key is quality content and new posts relevant to the healthcare supply chain. Creating blog posts naturally broadens medical suppliers’ use of industry keywords.

Blogging can help medical suppliers provide better understanding about their products, business and place within the healthcare supply chain. It can offer a touchpoint to providers and other customers along the supply chain with informative content, and allow customers to find new and existing products from medical suppliers.

Blogging in many cases can become like homework and easily get pushed to the bottom of your organization’s to-do list. Share Moving Media has developed the tools, resources and expertise to assist.  We write blogs for several of your peers in the medical device world.  Contact sadams@sharemovingmedia.com today to learn about our SEO blog programs and start drawing customers to you.   

Ready to Connect

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In the annals of digital technology, the iPhone’s release (June 29, 2007) is celebrated as ringing in a new era of innovation in communication. And rightfully so. But it could be argued that almost 13 months after that infamous debut came a just-as-important launch.

On July 10, 2008 Apple introduced the App Store. There were 500 apps in the store’s initial offering. By the beginning of 2023, there were more than 1.96 million.

All facets of not just the economy, but our individual lives, have changed from the development and implementation of apps. Getting around cities has become easier thanks to Uber. Connecting has gotten more streamlined due to mobile apps (Think Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat). Entertainment options are endless and at the tip of our fingertips 24/7 with gaming and streaming.

Yet not all apps are created equal. For every Uber and Instagram launch, there’s been dozens of failed attempts. And the same goes for business-oriented apps. That’s why the designers behind the relaunched RepConnect app were focused on the details to make the user-experience a powerful one for distributor reps. Among the key features:

No. 1: Instant accessibility

RepConnect provides reps instant access to their manufacturer partner’s rep lists, contacts, brochures, product information, website, white papers and more. The listings are free to use and easy to scroll. It allows you to more effectively prepare for client appointments, and be ready with materials during your meetings rather than having to waste time scrounging for the right paper products or having to get back to your client at a later time.

No. 2: Up-to-date news

As we all can attest to during the last few years, things change quickly in the U.S. healthcare supply chain. The RepConnect app includes an updated tracker with the latest industry specific news. Supply chain disruptions, mergers and acquisitions, products launches and industry news – it’s all there.

No. 3: Training videos

In the med/surg industry, movement is life. Rep Connect provides opportunities for reps to enhance their product knowledge and selling skills, so you’re always pushing forward in your wisdom and skillset.

RepConnect is a next-gen app with the right mix of tools, news and resources reps need to success in the field. To download the app, click here.

Why Use a Publisher to Distribute Your Content

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Publications are unique marketing channels because they can reach your audience on and offline. Because these publications are one of the only offline content marketing options, your marketing strategy receives several benefits. Learn how to use a publisher to distribute content and the advantages you’ll receive.

Key Takeaways:

  • Publications work best alongside digital distribution strategies to reach a diverse audience.
  • Publishers provide an engaged audience and help you build authority in your industry.
  • Publications are less competitive and allow more of your audience to see your content.

Where Can You Distribute Your Content?

According to 80% of marketers, content creation is a top marketing priority. In B2B marketing, content creation accounts for 26% of the marketing budget.

However, once you create quality content, you still must ensure that the right people see the content. The right people are potential buyers interested in and able to purchase your products.

For example, medical manufacturers and suppliers want to reach hospitals, healthcare providers, medical facilities, and sometimes even patients.

There are several popular content distribution strategies for healthcare content marketing:

  • Your website’s blog
  • A third-party website
  • Community pages and discussions
  • Social media
  • Publications

Marketers don’t need to choose just one distribution channel. Instead, the most effective marketers use various channels to reach their audience at all stages of the buyer’s journey.

7 Benefits of Using a Publisher to Distribute Content

Here are seven reasons to use a publisher in your content distribution strategy.

1. Reach an Established Audience

According to 41% of marketers, the top content marketing challenge is attracting quality leads. Close behind that challenge is generating traffic and promoting content.

These are significant challenges in digital content marketing because your team distributes content online where billions of users search daily. In addition, millions of other websites compete for that traffic. So there’s no guarantee that any traffic will see your content.

Conversely, publications have an established audience regularly receiving the magazine or journal. This element eliminates the challenge of finding readers for your content. Additionally, when you publish in an industry-specific publication, you guarantee the right audience sees the content.

Top marketing challenges

Image from SEMrush

2. Reach a Niche Readership

According to previous research, the third greatest challenge of content marketing is creating content that resonates with your audience.

Wouldn’t content creation be easier if you precisely knew WHO would read your content before you wrote it?

Publications give you more insights into your readers than digital channels. That’s because medical publications already have a paid subscriber list of healthcare executives, distributors, and medical sales reps.

Because you know who will read the content, you can personalize your message to that audience’s experiences, challenges, and needs. According to 98% of marketers, personalization improves customer relationships. That’s why 51% of marketers prioritize personalization in their content marketing.

3. Increase Your Visibility

Search engine optimization takes months before most marketers see results. The content you publish most likely won’t immediately appear on the first two pages of Google. Even if you invest in paid ads, you’re still not guaranteed a spot in front of your ideal audience. In addition, you’ll be competing against surrounding content.

Publishers skip the battle with complex algorithms and keywords. So while you should keep investing in your online ranking for long-term marketing goals, you can also invest where you know you’ll have an immediate audience.

Content in publications is always visible to the readers—no need to worry about whether the audience will click on the article. Your audience already chose your content when they signed up for the publication.

4. Face Less Competition

When publishing online, you compete with other sites sharing content on the same topics. In publications, you’re the only authority on the topic, which gives you an advantage as you already established trust.

All content in a publication works together to inform and engage the audience. You don’t have to consider whether the other articles will compete for the reader’s attention since the content is aligned towards the same goal.

5. Hold Attention Longer

The average reader spends 20 minutes reading publications. That’s considerably longer than people spend browsing websites and blogs. Many online readers skim blog posts to find a few pieces of relevant information.

However, your offline readers are more likely to read your entire content. This benefit makes publications ideal for sharing your most important information and strategic marketing content.

6. Distribute through an Innovative Channel

As digital options increase, the effectiveness of digital marketing decreases due to oversaturation. Conversely, the impact of your print marketing is increasing because of less competition. For example, data shows that print ad recall has increased by 67% from 46% to 77% between 2010 and 2020.

Because trends move in full circles, printed content has switched from being the norm to an innovative marketing technique. As a result, digital marketing now sits as the mainstream channel, while businesses that use published channels are seen as creative.

7. Build Your Credibility

Digital marketing is becoming increasingly more difficult. For example, Google’s search algorithm used to rely heavily on keywords. However, now Google’s algorithm looks more at the quality of content. 

Marketers refer to Google’s new algorithm guidelines as E-A-T:

  • Expertise: What does the writer of the content know about the industry?
  • Authoritativeness: Is the website an authority in the content’s industry?
  • Trustworthiness: Are the author, website, and content trustworthy?

Building online credibility takes time. However, the result is a better ranking for your online content and website. One way to improve your online credibility is by using a publisher to distribute your content offline.

Adults trust print ads more than digital ads. This increased trust is because readers partially feel safer reading print. They’re more concerned about privacy and data collection when they read digital ads. However, they feel more in control of their print experiences.

You benefit from the publication’s authority. Because readers trust the publication, they are more likely to trust the companies that publish content within the publication.

people trust print ads the most

Image from eMarketer

Distribute Your Content through Publications

Publish your most important content through Share Moving Media to make a lasting impression on your audience. Our publications connect you to an audience of healthcare executives and key decision-makers. Our publications complement your digital marketing for the greatest return on investment.

Contact us to learn more about our content publication services.