Putting On A Show: Suppliers Find New Ways to Draw an Audience and Educate Customers

Whether it’s consultation, finance or extruded polymer tubing, today’s business-to-business consumers and customers are seeking more information, content and engagement from their suppliers—and all of it across an ever-growing array of channels. In the past, sales channels drove the buying decision. In today’s interconnected world, customers are taking matters into their own hands. This means they’re searching early and often for meaningful content to help them make decisions. Long before directly engaging with a company, they want to know as much as they possibly can about the company, what the firm stands for and if it can be trusted.

Any company sourcing polymer tubing is most likely conducting early online research to determine if they’ll take the next step to reach out to a supplier. Knowing this, component suppliers are upending the traditional ways in which they’ve done business. These companies are moving away from “sales” techniques and turning to thought leadership as a point of entry. Why? In today’s age of information, companies that share their knowledge freely and provide answers to customers’ most important questions are the ones that stand to profit most. In fact, it’s reasonable to be wary of companies that don’t—might it be they don’t have relevant knowledge worth sharing?

Below are six trends that show how suppliers are finding new ways to provide relevant and meaningful content wherever and whenever the customer wants it.

1. Websites
Originally used as a glorified online brochure, today’s websites are their own ecosystems of information where end users find valuable information—everything from tubing specs and applications to case studies, newsletters and interactive online catalogs. With suppliers working hard on the front end at delivering content that drives traffic to their websites, they’re working just as hard behind the scenes. Every time a customer (or potential customer) lands on a page, companies use analytics to capture data. This data is then used to enhance the user experience, a give and take that allows companies to better serve their customer through targeted marketing campaigns and behavior-based response systems that serve up more relevant information the more frequently a site is visited. Look for websites to continue to evolve as they become the hub for content marketing, providing portals for consumers to access virtually any type/form of information.

2. Sampling Programs
Rapid prototyping is paramount in the current era of product design. Medical device companies have neither the luxury of time nor the patience to wait for manufacturing lead time when prototyping a new design. Access to custom samples is a highly coveted benefit, and new approaches to traditional sampling services are just what the doctor ordered. Free prototypes delivered within a 24-hour time period are the new gold standard, allowing design engineers to verify proof of concept and quickly assess a new idea without ever spending a penny. Demand is on the rise for more of this type of instant access. Look for more medtech companies to establish or grow their sampling programs to accommodate an array of components and sizes tailored to various applications across the medical device market.

3. Webinars
OEMs want the latest and greatest information in order to remain informed about technology advancements, but they want it on their own time. In addition, companies know education is a premium offering to their customer base. With travel schedules and budgets tightening, product-specific webinars offer convenient anytime access to topics of interest tailored to specific needs. Webinars are current, customizable and used to reach interested participants on a global scale. Recent webinars on topics such as bioabsorbable polymers and the science of polytetrafluoroethylene extrusion boasted more than 1,200 registrants across both medical and industrial markets. Live and on-demand sessions mean greater audience access for suppliers, and more options (and relevant information) for OEMs.

4. Product Demonstrations
When it comes to the capabilities of tubing componentry, seeing really is believing. A customer may receive an e-mail blast or press release from a supplier claiming they have this capability or their product offers that benefit, but demonstrating those claims firsthand is the best way for a company to drive its point home. Knowing this, suppliers are leveraging product demos at tradeshows for a general audience, or scheduling private sessions with targeted guests to showcase their products and reinforce or substantiate these claims. Product demonstration videos also are delivered via a host of social media channels such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and many others. Suppliers know that if they can get a product into the hands of OEMs early in the development process, there’s a greater likelihood of that material or component making it into the prototype and, ultimately, going to market in a commercial device.

5. Expert Consultations
In the medical device industry, failure is not an option. With critical applications, the stakes are high. A trusted supplier engaged early on as a partner in the development of new device technologies may be the most valuable asset an OEM can have. These suppliers are able to offer 360-degree views of projects and can help ensure potential pitfalls in device design are identified early and avoided, saving time and money. Critical component suppliers are entrusted with everything from material selection, design input, regulatory support, supply chain programs and process improvements to value-added services and more. Having a true strategic partner allows OEMs to arrive at a design that will continue to push the innovation envelope and ultimately improve patient care. Look for an ever-expanding outreach of polymer and medical device design experts to emerge in the market.

6. Traveling Teams
Taking the role of expert consultant one step further is the idea of traveling teams. Having a supplier able to assemble a multidisciplinary team to educate customers on polymer selection and services—as well as conduct break-out brainstorming sessions for your specific applications—is crucial for OEMs to stay ahead of the medical device innovation curve. It’s likely that 24/7 access to suppliers and their in-house experts will increase over the next several years.

In the end, today’s consumers are more educated on the front end and only will engage with a supplier when they are ready to do business. Knowing this, it’s important that companies work to anticipate the future needs of their customers. Companies must be proactive in reaching out to present their products, services and information in ways that are not overly “salesy” and that speak to the inherent—and sometimes unvoiced—needs of their customers. Providing timely, relevant information across a variety of channels sounds simple, but is not a practice always followed by suppliers. Those that understand where their customers are looking for information and what that information needs to be, are the ones that stand the best chance of building long-term relationships that benefit both parties. 

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Josh Ridley is senior manager, biomaterials division, for Zeus Inc., headquartered in Orangeburg, S.C. Zeus makes polymer components for minimally invasive devices and was among the first to work in the arena of minimally invasive techniques for revolutionary procedures such as neuromodulation. In addition to medical, Zeus has experience in aerospace, energy exploration, automotive, fiber optics and other industries.