Why The Best Story Wins
As we head into the fourth quarter, most sales professionals are thinking about closing the year strong. You are looking at your forecast, pipeline, opportunities still on the table and the number you committed to months ago.
At Repertoire, we are doing the same thing, but our fourth quarter looks different. In fact, we’re already working on 2027, talking with manufacturers about advertising, education, content and access to the medical distribution community.
As you build your 2027 marketing plan, consider a few numbers.
There are approximately 5,000 medical distribution sales representatives across the United States who influence billions of dollars in purchasing decisions. Collectively, these reps are chasing an estimated $67 billion in medical-surgical supply sales and may have access to more than 350,000 SKUs.
Your product is competing for attention among hundreds of thousands of others. A distributor rep cannot possibly know every SKU, feature, clinical benefit and manufacturer story.
That is why we believe one simple principle: The best story wins.
If you manufacture products sold through distribution, our job is to help you tell that story. Why should a rep remember your company? Why should they bring your product into the next customer conversation? What problem does it solve? Most importantly, how does selling your product help them grow their territory and better serve their customers?
We believe distribution sales rep mindshare equals market share. If your brand is top of mind when a rep walks into a physician office, ASC, laboratory, health system or long-term care facility, you have a better opportunity to earn the business. Flip through this issue and look at the best-in-class manufacturers who, in many cases, have trusted us for more than 20 years to tell their story.
So, as you establish your 2027 marketing budget, start with your growth number.
Are you forecasting 8% growth? 10%? 12%?
Then ask us a different question:
“How can Repertoire help us hit that number?”
Don’t simply give us an advertising budget and ask what you can buy. Give us your growth objective. Tell us the products, markets and customers you need to reach. Then challenge our team to build an advertising, education and content strategy around that goal.
You have a number to hit in 2027.
Let us build a plan to help you get there.
Dedicated to the Industry,
R. Scott Adams
Publisher