Searching For A Robust Healthcare Industry Network?
By BILL STEWART
Partner
March 23, 2021 – If you’ve ever attended a sales conference, you’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase Teamwork makes the dream work. Beyond its corny, eye-rolling, sing-song rhyming, there does, indeed, lie a profound element of truth.
Teamwork does actually makes the dream work.
Do you have a dream of launching a great new healthcare innovation but you don’t have the team in place to answer critical questions like:
- Where do I start?
- Who do I talk to?
- How do I reach them?
- How do I position my product or service, and at what price point?
We should chat … and I’ll tell you why.
Best-laid plans …
When I made the decision in 2020 to leave the corporate world [20+ years at Johnson & Johnson in spinal sales, strategic accounts and contracting, pricing strategy, and value-based purchasing], I thought I’d be a solo consultant working for myself and by myself, enjoying the independence of being self-employed.
Then something happened.
I discovered Excelerant Consulting and signed on as a Partner. [What’s that phrase, “the best-laid plans of mice and men …”?] Suddenly I was part of a wider-reaching, more deeply experienced team of seasoned and accomplished healthcare industry consultants; each with their owns areas of expertise and professional connections out the wazoo. So long, solo. Hello, teammates!
The beauty of this robust network works two ways and let me explain. Say I joined Excelerant with great relationships with three customers and my colleagues each had three strong professional relationships, too. Now, I have my three and the benefit of access to dozens more by way of
introductions. My ability to make things happen for my customers just grew exponentially. And it can open doors for you, too. With our combined industry connections and exceptional relationships, we can get you places quickly and strategically that might otherwise take you many months, even years.
Two weeks ago, my colleague Joe Mir penned a blog entitled How to Reach Profitability in Half the Time. Joe’s key point was: When one of our team members picks up the phone at just the right time to call just the right person at just the right GPO or IDN to introduce you and your new product as just the right solution to their specific challenges, you’ve struck gold. We can get you in those hard-to-open doors and make those all-important introductions you need to expedite your journey to profitability.
I’d like to build on that premise and say, beyond rich connections, it’s also the abundant healthcare industry experience and smooth machinations of a talented team that can accelerate your arrival at the intersection of Sales and Profit. I believe the real reason why our customers hire us to advise them is our teamwork and our experience. And, yes, the connections that come with that package.
You have questions, we have answers
For less than it would cost you to hire a fulltime employee – and I’m talking a junior one, at that – the team at Excelerant can answer those questions ping-ponging around in your mind, and help you get your innovation to market. With established, trusted relationships at all the Group Purchasing Organizations [GPO] and Integrated Delivery Networks [IDN], we can slash the time and headaches in half.
Gaining access has always been the key but especially so in this challenging pandemic era. In the past, it wasn’t that difficult to pick up the phone and schedule an appointment to meet with someone. In some cases when the relationship was already in place, you could simply drop by and chat for a few minutes if you happened to be in the neighborhood.
Not anymore.
With so many people working remotely, wearing multiple hats, and physically distancing themselves from others, It’s more difficult than ever to get the audience you desire and need to get your innovation over the hump and into the black. That’s where Excelerant Consulting can be your new best friend or your de facto Employee of the Year.
Pricing strategy matters
In addition to experience, teamwork and connections, creating the right pricing strategy is
paramount. We have deep experience on the manufacturer’s side of the pricing equation, as well as the health system side. We understand both philosophies and can help you find that magical middle ground that ensures profit and value for all. That’s a huge advantage!
And as we all know, our world is changing right now in so many ways. Some of these changes will go by the wayside once the pandemic has passed and others will endure. The old way of earning new business ain’t what it used to be. For instance, my area of expertise is medical device [orthopedic, neurosurgery and spine]. Reimbursement in those markets is changing dramatically. More and more, patients are migrating to outpatient treatment versus inpatient. Our team has had considerable exposure to these changes and has a keen understanding of how best to position products and services, including price.
Many of the companies we serve [I believe our wheelhouse is small- to mid-sized companies] are seeking to make connections at larger companies in order to establish a distribution network, or perhaps position themselves for a healthy acquisition. The team at Excelerant understands who the decision-makers are and how they think. In either case, we know what these larger companies are looking for and we’ll be able to assess your product or service and get it before the right people at the right time.
Speaking of right time, now’s a great time to contact Excelerant and discover how we can best serve you.
ABOUT BILL STEWART – Bill has more than a quarter-century of experience working in medical devices, having held positions in sales, marketing, and national accounts. He has led pricing strategy for organizations, including contract negotiation with national and regional Group Purchasing Organizations [GPOs] and Integrated Delivery Networks [IDNs]. He also has extensive experience developing relationships with senior leaders at health systems. Bill served five years in the U.S. Army, the bulk of his time as an infantry leader in the 82nd Airborne Division. During his service, Bill earned the Ranger Tab, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and Jumpmaster Qualification. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Honors History from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
bstewart@excelerantconsulting.com
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ABOUT EXCELERANT CONSULTING
Excelerant Consulting is the go-to organization for med-tech companies that need to position products and services successfully for value analysis committees, contract acquisition, and sales modeling and execution to commercialize the launch of medical devices or services with Group Purchasing Organizations [GPO], Integrated Delivery Networks [IDN], or Regional Purchasing Coalitions [RPC]. Our clients rely on us to enhance their product positioning, navigate corporate contracting opportunities, and provide sales support to accelerate sales growth.
For more info, contact Excelerant Consulting at info@excelerantconsulting.com.