How distributor reps can help practices successfully navigate respiratory season.
Are you ready?
As respiratory season ramps up, physician offices will rely on their distributor reps to ensure they have rapid, reliable access to test kits, vaccines, and other critical supplies when demand spikes suddenly. Distributors not only help maintain adequate stock levels but also provide timely communication, product education, and logistical support so practices can respond quickly to surges in patient volume without disrupting care.
Indeed, demand for respiratory tests can spike suddenly during outbreaks, making preparedness and well-stocked inventory essential, said several key manufacturers whom Repertoire Magazine spoke to for this issue. Coordinated, well-planned sales calls – especially during high-demand seasons – are key to quickly meeting end-user needs and securing orders.
Healthcare providers we spoke to report that recent respiratory seasons have brought shifting patterns in dominant viruses, with simultaneous surges of flu, COVID-19, RSV, and other illnesses straining hospitals. Improved access to rapid testing and vaccines has helped mitigate severe cases, though gaps in routine immunizations and fluctuating community immunity continue to fuel outbreaks.
Also, Families Fighting Flu shares powerful real-life stories of children severely affected or lost to influenza to emphasize that the virus is far more dangerous than many realize. Through advocacy, education, and community partnerships, the nonprofit works to increase vaccination rates, dispel flu myths, and prevent future tragedies.
Empowering Customers with Data-Driven Diagnostics
Abbott’s Julie Shaw shares how to make respiratory testing a year-round priority.
For Abbott RSM Julie Shaw and her team, respiratory testing is a focus each and every month. “We see the greatest success when we begin laying the groundwork early in the calendar year to ensure strong momentum going into Q3, so we can support customers proactively ahead of the season,” she said.
Each year brings unique dynamics due to shifts in seasonality, prevalence, and circulation patterns. In recent years, patients have become more informed on seasonality and the type of testing that is available. They now expect rapid, accurate testing, which has reshaped the landscape of respiratory diagnostics.
“It’s important that we focus on providing diagnostic solutions for our customers that can flex to meet their testing needs based on what is circulating,” Shaw said. “The ID NOW rapid molecular platform provides flexibility and allows customers to quickly pivot based on what’s circulating in their community – making it easier to respond effectively and efficiently.”
Shaw believes thorough pre-call planning and clear communication can mitigate any reservations or issues that may arise with customer discussions. “Aligning on shared goals with our distribution partners before customer visits helps ensure productive engagements,” she said. A focused, strategic approach – especially considering post-pandemic preferences for virtual meetings – helps both the distributor and manufacturer rep connect with the right stakeholders and advance the sales process effectively.
Effective ride-days are also built on strong pre-call planning and ongoing collaboration. Establishing clear next steps for each customer interaction and aligning on follow-up cadence ensures continuity. This not only drives deal closure but also helps identify new opportunities, resulting in a win-win for both the manufacturer and distributor.
“Building trust and maintaining a steady cadence of communication post-ride-day can significantly accelerate deal closure and uncover additional opportunities.”
Shaw and her team track shared performance metrics and celebrate wins across teams to reinforce best practices. “This helps us continuously refine our approach and drive both sales and engagement.”
During peak respiratory season, customers may experience “respiratory fatigue.” However, strong distributor credibility can open the door for early, proactive conversations, encouraging customers to prepare ahead of spikes rather than react to them. “With respiratory season quickly approaching, we want to make sure our customers are prepared with tests on hand, so we have assay promotions running until the end of September that include: COVID-19, Flu A&B, Strep A and RSV.”
The Abbott team tailors their respiratory testing strategy based on regional CDC data and seasonal trends. Outbreaks and promotions often guide their timing and messaging to ensure relevance and urgency.
“The powerful insights provided by POC Link (a connectivity tool within ID NOW) enable us to analyze regional and customer-specific prevalence trends,” Shaw said. “We can then share these insights directly with customers, empowering them to leverage data to better prepare and serve their communities.”
Inside the Respiratory Season Playbook
BD territory managers share how to deliver when it counts most.
As respiratory season ramps up, frontline sales professionals like Damacio Ulibarri and LaRae Abney, Point of Care Territory Managers for BD, know that success isn’t just about selling products – it’s about strategy, adaptability, and trust. With rising flu and COVID cases triggering a sense of urgency across the healthcare space, selling during this critical time demands more than just timing. It demands best-in-class execution. The following are several best practices the two BD territory managers recommend.
1. Start early, stay proactive
While most customers begin inquiring about flu and COVID testing in June, BD’s strong distributor relationships often ignite conversations well before that. “Distributors need to stay ahead of the curve, especially in a competitive market where many companies are going direct with low-cost alternatives,” Ulibarri and Abney said. “Because of this dynamic, our distribution partners rely on us for early and accurate communication regarding BD Veritor updates and promotions. Having insights into upcoming promotions before the season gives our distributor reps a strategic advantage that they’re able to engage proactively with customers and retain business before competitors enter the conversation.”
2. Plan the ride-day with purpose
Both BD territory managers emphasized the importance of structure. “It is very important to establish clear daily objectives,” they said. Begin each day with a well-defined understanding of your goals and priorities. Once you have that, the next step is to plan your joint target account engagements. Identify specific accounts to focus on and outline the desired outcomes for each interaction.
3. Stay agile during outbreaks
Flu outbreaks, RSV spikes, or COVID surges often demand last-minute pivots. During the pandemic, BD’s team quickly transitioned to virtual platforms to maintain momentum. But as restrictions eased, BD’s team were some of the first to return to the field, showing up in-person where others were still remote. That willingness to adapt and prioritize support – whether in hospitals or parking lots – demonstrated BD’s commitment to being a reliable partner under pressure.
4. Evaluate success beyond the sale
The BD territory managers said there are several ways to measure impact. First and most important is high-quality lead generation. “To achieve this, we need focused efforts on identifying and cultivating strong, qualified prospects,” they noted.
Secondly, what are the opportunities for future engagement? “For success we need to strategically build relationships that support long-term growth and pipeline development.”
Finally, the closed business objectives. “Driving toward clearly defined sales goals and measurable outcomes.”
5. Reliability is paramount
Respiratory season creates a clear sense of urgency for customers. “As flu and COVID cases rise, they need to trust that we can deliver reliable, high-quality testing products without delay,” they said.
“During peak seasons or outbreaks, such as during the early COVID epidemic, BD’s consistent supply and clinical accuracy made us the go-to choice, even as competitors faced backorders. Increased urgency during this time means distributor reps and customers lean heavily on us to deliver solutions fast and with confidence.”
Selling for Respiratory Season
A strategic, team-driven approach at Cepheid
At Cepheid, the ramp-up for respiratory season is a well-coordinated and relationship-driven effort that begins months in advance. Connie Bermingham, Regional Sales Director – West for Alternate Site & Channel Sales at Cepheid, sat down with Repertoire Magazine to share how her team prepares to meet seasonal demand and why strong distributor relationships are the key to success.
“We always say respiratory season starts August 1, but the preparation begins well before that,” Bermingham said. “By May or June, we’re already mentally, physically, and strategically getting ready. That includes everything from inventory planning to aligning with our distributor partners on goals and strategies.”
This unified approach extends to Cepheid’s ride days with distributor reps – an essential part of relationship building. Rather than focusing solely on sales tactics, these joint field visits are about understanding the people behind the partnerships.
“It’s like a first date,” Bermingham laughs. “There can be some initial awkwardness, but it’s about getting to know what drives your partner – what their goals are, what motivates them, how they’re compensated. That understanding helps us align and sell better together.”
One example of this long-term strategy paying off is in the Pacific Northwest. A rep in that region invested years into cultivating distributor relationships, and now those efforts are paying dividends.
“When I visited, the distributor leaders said, ‘We trust your rep completely. He’s educated us, supported us, and has always been honest. So now, we lead with Cepheid,’” says Bermingham. “That territory is not only thriving – it’s also the easiest for me to manage. That’s what every sales manager wants: high performance with minimal friction.”
As September hits, the market shifts. Experienced customers, anticipating the seasonal surge in respiratory illnesses, place large orders to ensure they’re ready. Cepheid supports this proactive behavior with strategic promotions and a strong emphasis on training and product knowledge.
“For new hires, we run refreshers. For experienced reps, we double down on focus,” Bermingham says. “We remind everyone: for the next few months, it’s all about respiratory.”
Despite the planning, some customers will inevitably be caught off guard. “You start to hear the ‘oh no’ calls in September – requests for emergency installs and staff training. Luckily, our systems are simple, and we move fast. But those situations reinforce why it’s better to prepare early.”
For Bermingham, the real measure of success during respiratory season isn’t just the sales numbers – it’s the relationships that endure long after the season ends. “When someone speaks highly of you and your product when you’re not in the room, that’s the true win. That’s what we work for.”
More Viruses, New Peaks
Doctors navigate the unpredictable nature of respiratory season.
If there is one thing to expect during respiratory season, it’s that it will have its own ebbs and flows compared to previous years. Indeed, healthcare providers who spoke to Repertoire Magazine said they have seen changes to which viruses are dominant during the last several respiratory seasons.
“Yes, we’ve seen some notable shifts,” said Dr. Laura Arline, chief quality officer and an internal medicine specialist at Florida-based BayCare Health System. “For example, flu has had a double peak in past seasons. COVID continues to circulate, but we didn’t see the winter peak we usually expect, and the dominant strain continues to change. We’ve also seen an increase in pertussis, which hasn’t been as prevalent in previous years.”
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Dr. Parul M Goyal said their health system is seeing an increased mix of COVID virus, RSV, and enterovirus a lot more than five years ago during the respiratory season.
Everything from environmental conditions like temperature and humidity to human behavior such as travel, masking or vaccination can contribute to the rise or fall of respiratory infections, said Dr. Arline.
Even shifts in school schedules or large gatherings can affect how viruses spread. “We’re also seeing that the previous year’s exposure – or lack of it – affects community immunity.”
Respiratory season always puts added pressure on emergency departments and inpatient units, both physicians said. “It’s something we prepare for systemwide,” Dr. Arline said. The strain is greater when multiple respiratory viruses peak at the same time – like flu, COVID and RSV.
Severity
Dr. Goyal said healthcare providers are seeing more severe cases in older adults primarily because of their age and underlying co-morbid illness. “They are also more prone to get severe RSV infections,” he said.
BayCare physicians are seeing a mix of mild and more complex cases. Among children, there’s been a noticeable increase in flu, partly due to a drop in routine vaccinations. “We’re also seeing more pertussis in both children and adults,” Dr. Arline said. “When immunity wanes, more people get sick, and some may experience more severe illness.”
Both healthcare providers noted that testing has become much more accessible – especially for COVID. “A few years ago, you could only get tested in a medical office, or your test would be sent to a lab with results returning days later,” Dr. Arline said. “Now, home tests are available for COVID – and even flu. This allows for faster treatment, better isolation practices and quicker reassurance for patients. Telemedicine has also improved access to care, letting people see a provider from home.”
Dr. Goyal believes the availability of rapid testing has eased the load on health systems. Patients are able to get diagnosed and treated early on and preferably in the outpatient setting, thereby obviating the need for the ED visit. “[The rapid tests] might not catch everything,” he said. “However, the specificity is there, which means a positive test means it is positive.”
Vaccinations
Based on the latest CDC report of vaccinations, Dr. Goyal said the uptake is there for the available vaccines; “however, we can definitely aim for getting a much higher uptake.” He recommends that patients gather the vaccine related data and make an informed decision after discussion with their health care providers.
Dr. Arline said they are seeing some gaps in routine childhood immunizations. On the adult side, there’s been encouraging uptake of the new RSV vaccine since its approval. “While vaccines for flu and COVID don’t eliminate the risk of transmission, they significantly reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death.”
From Prep to Peak
Keys to effective ride-days for respiratory season.
Ride-days before and during respiratory season are vital opportunities to strengthen customer relationships and drive product growth. According to a QuidelOrtho salesperson, success during these days hinges on one core principle: alignment.
“Goal alignment is probably the top challenge I face,” the salesperson shared with Repertoire Magazine. “I might have a different idea of what could be a qualified account for our product than my distributor does, so the ideal accounts don’t get targeted or there’s a mismatch in customer needs to our offerings. Sometimes it’s just not catching the right people to talk to in accounts.”
To overcome this, pre-planning is essential. The QuidelOrtho salesperson emphasized that preparing for each ride-day with account-specific knowledge and clear objectives ensures both reps show up equipped to have impactful conversations. “A good discussion ahead of time to make sure goals are aligned is key.”
Measuring ride-day impact goes beyond just immediate sales. While aligned goals can lead to quick conversions – sometimes even same-day wins – the longer-term value lies in education and relationship-building. “Anytime you can get out in the field with reps you’re planting seeds for future sales success. The more reps can see what your products can do and hear you talk about them the more they can better look for opportunities that match what you carry and talk about them on your behalf in their daily conversations with their customers.”
One memorable ride-day illustrated this perfectly. What began as a casual lunch with a distributor rep led to a breakthrough. They went over QuidelOrtho’s tests as a refresher, and one really clicked for the distributor rep based on issues in a few of his accounts. “We went by, and he confidently announced to his folks that he had the answer to their problems and turned it over to me – they agreed, and we had an easy placement. That led to several other successful ride-days and deal closes as well as several other wins with our products that he secured on his own without my help.”
Ride-days also shift with the seasons. Respiratory season, which ramps up in September and peaks from December through February, brings both opportunity and urgency. “Some customers are eager to hear about solutions, especially if they’ve been having issues,” the QuidelOrtho rep explained. “Others might be overwhelmed and delay decisions. That’s why it’s important to start conversations early.”
Staying informed is another key to success. Trends like flu outbreaks or RSV spikes can influence how a salesperson approaches customer visits. “Any new insights, data, or studies we can share are appreciated by customers and help build credibility,” the salesperson noted.
While recent years have brought uncertainty – especially during the height of COVID – things are starting to normalize. “We’re seeing flu, COVID, and RSV begin to follow more familiar patterns. But each year is still a little different, and staying adaptable is essential.”
Selling Respiratory Kits in Unpredictable Seasons
Sekisui Diagnostics’ William West on why pre-call strategy and planning matter more than ever.
Every July 1, William West, Account Executive Distribution and Alternate Care, Sekisui Diagnostics marks his calendar. It’s the unofficial time for respiratory products, when order and interest typically ramp up. It’s also when they run their end user promotion and distribution rep spiffs.
But the case load for physician offices often “starts on a dime,” he said. “Out of the blue, end users will suddenly see a huge uptick of sick patients and realize they need to order multiples of respiratory kits – Flu, COVID, Strep, RSV, etc. They will need them ‘yesterday,’ so we try to make sure distribution warehouses are well stocked with our kits.”
Every year is different, depending on the severity of the COVID/Flu season. For example, 2024-2025 was fairly harsh, but 2023-2024 was fairly mild. “Test kit sales are much higher, obviously, in severe years vs. mild years,” West said.
West knows distributor reps these days are super busy and hard to pin down. Pre pandemic, ride-days were quite common. “Post pandemic, not so much.”
West suggests that the ride-day experience would be most effective if distributor and manufacturer reps coordinated ahead of time by scheduling targeted appointments with the account decision-makers. He recommends distributor reps text the address to their manufacturer counterpart to meet at the account, but they each drive separate cars to the next appointment.
The pre-call work is critical, and often the difference between a confirmed sale or an indecisive shrug. For example, a recent successful ride-day involved upgrading an existing customer from an antigen-based test to a new molecular COVID/Flu combo kit. The distributor rep set the appointment, West met her at the account, and after presenting information on the new product, the user secured an order for one kit and two readers.
“It succeeded because the distributor rep had proper pre-call planning, knew where to go, who to see, what to discuss, and asked for the sale after presenting,” West said. “Textbook sales call!”
End users will typically only stock kits as needed, so it’s important for reps to be prepared for the fluctuations. For example, during summer when it’s blazing hot outside and there is low COVID/Flu circulating, physician offices may see little need to have a bunch of respiratory kits on hand.
“But once a COVID/Flu/Strep/RSV outbreak occurs, ride-days and direct calls to end user requests increase greatly,” West said, “and it’s all we can do to keep up.”
From Grief to Action
Parents turn flu tragedies into lifesaving campaigns.
For many families, the flu is seen as a temporary inconvenience – a fever, a few days off school, maybe some rest on the couch with soup and cartoons. But for the families of children like Kaden, the flu has left permanent scars – physically, emotionally, and economically.
In December 2022, 7-year-old Kaden’s mom thought he had a cold. Like so many parents, she wasn’t alarmed at first. But when his condition worsened, she rushed him to the ER just after Christmas. Within hours, Kaden was airlifted to a children’s hospital where he later underwent a double amputation due to complications from the flu. In the same hospital, a 5-year-old boy fighting the same virus did not survive. Kaden, now almost 10, continues to face ongoing surgeries and challenges as he grows – reminders of a virus many underestimate.
Then there’s the story of a healthy 12-year-old girl who got her physical in the summer but fell ill with the flu that fall. Her journey included 93 days in three different hospitals. At one point, doctors gave her just a 1% chance of survival. She beat those odds, but not without lifelong consequences, including the loss of part of her lung and a need for ongoing medication.
These are not isolated incidents. These are the real stories Families Fighting Flu shares – not to spread fear, but to raise awareness.
“The majority, if not all, of our family members didn’t skip the flu vaccine because they didn’t believe in it,” said Michele Slafkosky, executive director, Families Fighting Flu. “They simply didn’t think the flu was serious enough to make getting vaccinated a priority.”
Families Fighting Flu (FFF) was established in 2004 by a group of parents who had each experienced the unthinkable: losing a child under the age of five to influenza – at a time when flu vaccination was not yet recommended for healthy children that age. These grieving families came together to support one another and to advocate for change. They shared their stories with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and pushed for expanded flu vaccine guidelines. Their efforts played a pivotal role in the CDC’s 2010 decision to recommend annual flu vaccination for all individuals six months and older, marking a significant shift in public health policy.
“What united the [founding members] was disbelief – none of them could fathom that the flu had taken their child’s life,” Slafkosky said. “Their grief turned into purpose as they came together to raise awareness about the seriousness of the flu and to ensure other families wouldn’t have to endure the same tragedy.”
Their message was simple but urgent: it’s not “just the flu.”
Awareness
Today, FFF remains a national nonprofit advocacy organization guided by its mission “to save lives and reduce hospitalizations by protecting children, families, and communities against influenza.” Their work centers on raising awareness about the seriousness of the flu through personal family stories, public education campaigns like Stay in the Game™ and Keep Flu Out of School, and partnerships with healthcare professionals and community groups. FFF offers free educational materials, hosts grassroots advocacy programs, and honors the families impacted by flu-related complications or loss. By emphasizing evidence-based information and sharing heartfelt experiences, they aim to make annual flu vaccination a priority and, ultimately, prevent future tragedies.
“We’re often known as the face of flu because of the powerful stories we share,” Slafkosky said. “Our mission is to educate and raise awareness – but we do it through storytelling. That’s what sets us apart.”
This past flu season, there were over 265 pediatric flu deaths – the highest number in a non-pandemic year since the CDC began reporting them. In total, more than 26,000 people died from the flu during the 2024-2025 season alone.
But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Over 610,000 individuals were hospitalized due to the flu. Many of them were previously healthy, yet left the hospital with life-altering complications – some with chronic conditions, others even facing amputations. These stories often go unheard.
Outreach
FFF works closely with healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations by offering a wide range of educational resources. These include print and digital materials such as videos, posters, postcards, coloring books, comic books, and social media graphics – many of which feature real family stories. FFF partners with hospitals, pediatrician offices, and school nurses to provide tools that encourage flu vaccination, often speaking to healthcare residents or incorporating stories into newsletters and outreach efforts. Their storytelling approach helps humanize the impact of the flu and motivates providers and communities to take preventative action.
In addition to traditional partnerships, FFF has expanded into more unconventional outreach methods. They have partnered with organizations like USA Boxing to host flu clinics at boxing events and have participated in state fairs, health festivals, and wellness events. While they don’t administer vaccines themselves, they are present with branded materials and educational tools to support vaccination efforts. These partnerships help FFF reach diverse audiences and contribute to increasing vaccination rates, especially in community-based or non-clinical settings.
FFF also collaborates with “trusted messengers,” often family members directly impacted by flu-related tragedies, who now lead flu clinics in their communities. For example, a schoolteacher and mother who lost her 16-year-old son to the flu now coordinates mobile clinics at schools in her area. Another board member in Iowa has organized multiple annual clinics in memory of her daughter. FFF also supports large-scale public health efforts, such as their work with the Rhode Island Department of Health, which runs more than 250 on-site school flu clinics. These grassroots and institutional partnerships highlight FFF’s dedication to increasing awareness and vaccination access nationwide.
In the short term, Families Fighting Flu aims to increase flu vaccination rates, especially as current surveillance shows rising flu-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. Over the past five years, vaccination rates have steadily declined and reversing that trend is a top priority. The organization is focused on advocating, educating, and collaborating with partners to boost immunization efforts ahead of the next flu season. While the overall goal remains simple – increasing vaccination and reducing flu’s impact – the current public health climate is challenging. That’s why the organization is committed to staying flexible, adjusting its messaging, and being creative in its outreach to meet the evolving needs of different audiences.
Long-term, the goal is to build consistent year-over-year improvements in vaccination rates and, ultimately, prevent more flu-related tragedies. A key part of this strategy involves crafting culturally relevant and trustworthy messaging.
For example, FFF developed an indigenous-focused campaign featuring the story of Amiah Morningstar Houseman, a young girl who died from the flu, ensuring that the content reflected the values and preferences of that community. Similarly, they’ve found that certain campaign formats – like simple, relatable posts with links to trusted sources – are often more effective than polished video reels, depending on the audience. The broader objective is to rebuild public trust, especially among those who are vaccine-hesitant or fatigued, and to move them toward making informed decisions about flu prevention.
“We share these stories to show just how serious the flu can be and why prevention and awareness are so critical,” Slafkosky said.
Common myths
Some of the biggest misconceptions from the general public about the flu include:
1. “The flu vaccine can give you the flu.”
The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. The injectable flu vaccine contains inactivated virus or pieces of the virus that cannot cause illness. Some people may experience mild side effects, such as a sore arm or low-grade fever, but this is not the flu – it’s a sign that the body is building protection.
2. “It’s just a bad cold.”
Many people confuse the flu with the common cold, but influenza is a serious respiratory illness that can lead to severe complications, hospitalizations, and even death – especially among young children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with underlying health conditions. Unlike a cold, the flu often comes on suddenly with high fever, body aches, fatigue, and respiratory symptoms.
3. “Healthy people don’t need the flu vaccine.”
A major misconception is that only people with weakened immune systems need to be vaccinated. In reality, healthy individuals – including children, teens, and young adults – can get severely ill from the flu. Vaccination not only protects the individual but also helps protect others in the community, including those who can’t be vaccinated.
Addressing these misconceptions is crucial to improving flu vaccination rates and saving lives, FFF noted.