Diversity Supplier ShareGroup

Diversity Supplier ShareGroup Takeaways

September 2018

Sales leaders from diversity suppliers and distributors participated in the Diversity Supplier ShareGroup at the Streamlining Healthcare Expo and Business Exchange in Chicago last month. The ShareGroup, led by Gavin Jeffs of Owens & Minor and Joe Reubel of Kerma Medical Products, discussed the following points about successfully cultivating relationships with distributors and manufacturers:

Distributors can help diversity suppliers

• Distributors may be willing to support diversity suppliers in obtaining new technology, innovative products, or other medical products that stand out from the market.
• When reaching out to new customers, diversity suppliers need to focus on the value their products add and the ease of implementation. Distributors can help.

Diversity Suppliers: Focus on the narrative around “why”

• Diversity suppliers have a slim window to communicate the business value their products and services can offer to distributors and GPOs, so succinct, clear communication is key.
• “Do the work for them.” Diversity suppliers should know everything about the people you are going to meet. Be prepared to communicate the value your products will bring to them.

Membership in a trade association or professional organization can be valuable

• Membership can provide access to data that can help diversity suppliers improve their market position.
• Association membership can allow diversity suppliers to pool their resources with other organizations to effect big change.

Collaboration is necessary

• Often, distributors and GPOs think, “We don’t do business with diversity companies because they don’t have a sales force.”
• Diversity suppliers should have a conversation about collaborating with distributors and GPOs more efficiently than they do now.