21 Jun How to Find the Right Distributor for Your Business 

In an increasingly globalised marketplace, working with the right international distributors is essential when growing your business, building a sustainable customer base and driving brand awareness.

Identifying and onboarding the right distribution partner can be overwhelming with potentially hundreds of companies working within the medical device industry in your target territory. 

As a result, medical device manufacturers often choose one of the first potential partners they approach, which can lead to suboptimal outcomes with long-term repercussions for your global expansion strategy.

So how do you identify the right distribution partner? 

Trade Shows, Conferences & Congresses 

Trade exhibitions are one of the best places to meet potential distribution partners. Larger shows are attended by hundreds of international distributors and manufacturers, allowing new and experienced exporters to conduct focused, targeted searches and connect with already trusted distribution partners.

Agreeing clear targets, goals and outcomes is important in maximising the value of your event strategy, giving your team on the ground the best chance of success. Alternatively, engage an experienced consultancy with existing contacts and relationships already in place to shape and support your event plan.

Online Marketplaces 

Global B2B marketplaces enable buyers to reduce the time and financial investment of finding distribution partners, and benchmark distributor costs and delivery terms against other providers. 

Standardisation and automation of processes and procedures within an integrated platform can also result in marked cost savings. Global B2B marketplaces serving the medical device industry include Medical Expo, MedWish, Bimedis and Thomasnet. 

However, your business may have complex or unique requirements that are not served by a one-size-fits-all solution. Where core commerce capabilities do not suffice, it may be you need the support of an experienced consultancy with an existing global network of distribution partners that can provide a more nuanced service. 

Digital Marketing & Research 

Engaging your marketing team to support distribution partner identification and deliver inbound enquiries should be a key element in your growth strategy.

They can conduct preliminary research from basic Google searches, sign up to medical device industry groups on social media and join relevant forums and professional networks. Medical device newsletters, blogs and news aggregators are also useful sources of information. 

Distributors are active across a range of social media platforms, with regular posts highlighting distributor opportunities that drive audiences back to a dedicated section of your website with a clearly signposted contact form are simple ways to attract interest. 

Consulting Firms

Attracting the right calibre of international distribution partner or sales agent can continue to be a problem despite having a good product or portfolio of products. Engaging an industry-specific consultancy with a trusted global distribution network can ensure you are speaking to potential partners best suited to your strategic goals.

Over the last twelve years, Ortho Consulting Group has created a strategic network and database of 4,000 global orthopaedic and spine distributors. 

We pride ourselves on our relationships, ensuring we are in regular contact with key distributors within orthopaedics and spine. This allows us to provide our clients with a more in-depth understanding of which distributor is most suited to their requirements.

Our objective is to not only give our clients a great list of distributors but also to provide a solid portfolio to our network of distributors, allowing them to develop and thrive. 

To find out more about how we can help your business, please get in touch here.