Latest / Clinician to CEO : Export Your Medical Device With Confidence By Overcoming Go To Market Roadblocks For Medtech Growth / #169 | 5 Strategic Questions To Answer BEFORE ATTENDING Any MedTech Conference, So You Can Accelerate Distributor Deals

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#169 | 5 Strategic Questions To Answer BEFORE ATTENDING Any MedTech Conference, So You Can Accelerate Distributor Deals · Clinician to CEO : Export Your Medical Device With Confidence By Overcoming Go To Market Roadblocks For Medtech Growth

• 0:00
  So
• 0:01
  the
• 0:01
  three
• 0:01
  things
• 0:02
  that
• 0:02
  you're
• 0:02
  gonna
• 0:02
  get
• 0:03
  from
• 0:03
  this
• 0:03
  episode
• 0:04
  on
• 0:04
  number
• 0:04
  one,
• 0:05
  why?
• 0:05
  Let's
• 0:06
  go
• 0:06
  to
• 0:06
  the
• 0:06
  conference
• 0:07
  and
• 0:07
  see
• 0:07
  who
• 0:07
  we
• 0:07
  meet
• 0:08
  is
• 0:08
  not
• 0:09
  a
• 0:09
  distributor
• 0:09
  strategy
• 0:10
  and
• 0:10
  what
• 0:10
  you
• 0:10
  should
• 0:10
  do
• 0:11
  instead.
• 0:11
  Number
• 0:11
  two,
• 0:12
  how
• 0:12
  serious
• 0:13
  med
• 0:13
  tech
• 0:13
  team
• 0:14
  views
• 0:14
  conferences
• 0:15
  to
• 0:15
  accelerate
• 0:16
  deals
• 0:16
  not
• 0:17
  to
• 0:17
  hunt
• 0:17
  blindly.
• 0:18
  And
• 0:18
  how
• 0:18
  you
• 0:18
  can
• 0:19
  become
• 0:19
  one
• 0:19
  of
• 0:19
  those.
• 0:20
  And
• 0:20
  number
• 0:20
  three,
• 0:21
  the
• 0:21
  questions
• 0:21
  that
• 0:21
  you
• 0:22
  need
• 0:22
  answered
• 0:23
  before
• 0:23
  any
• 0:24
  conference
• 0:24
  or
• 0:24
  you're
• 0:24
  better
• 0:24
  off
• 0:25
  not
• 0:25
  going
• 0:26
  at
• 0:26
  all.
• 0:27
  Welcome
• 0:27
  to
• 0:27
  Clinician
• 0:28
  to
• 0:28
  CEO,
• 0:29
  the
• 0:29
  podcast
• 0:30
  helping
• 0:30
  clinicians
• 0:31
  simplify
• 0:31
  your
• 0:32
  go-to-market
• 0:32
  strategy
• 0:33
  so
• 0:33
  that
• 0:33
  you
• 0:33
  can
• 0:34
  stop
• 0:34
  guessing
• 0:35
  and
• 0:35
  turn
• 0:35
  your
• 0:36
  working
• 0:36
  prototypes
• 0:37
  into
• 0:37
  international
• 0:38
  MedTech
• 0:38
  businesses.
• 0:39
  I'm
• 0:39
  your
• 0:39
  host,
• 0:40
  Hakeem
• 0:40
  Aade.
• 0:41
  Let's
• 0:42
  get
• 0:42
  started.
• 0:42
  To
• 0:43
  be
• 0:43
  fair,
• 0:43
  most
• 0:44
  med
• 0:44
  tech
• 0:44
  founders
• 0:45
  go
• 0:45
  to
• 0:45
  conferences
• 0:46
  for
• 0:46
  lots
• 0:46
  of
• 0:46
  good
• 0:47
  reasons
• 0:47
  to
• 0:47
  speak
• 0:48
  to
• 0:48
  clinicians,
• 0:48
  to
• 0:49
  present
• 0:49
  data,
• 0:50
  to
• 0:50
  build
• 0:50
  credibility.
• 0:51
  But
• 0:52
  when
• 0:52
  you're
• 0:52
  looking
• 0:53
  for
• 0:53
  someone
• 0:53
  to
• 0:53
  help
• 0:53
  distribute
• 0:54
  your
• 0:54
  product
• 0:55
  in
• 0:55
  another
• 0:55
  country,
• 0:56
  that's
• 0:56
  when
• 0:56
  conferences
• 0:57
  stop
• 0:57
  being
• 0:58
  a
• 0:58
  tool
• 0:59
  and
• 0:59
  quietly
• 0:59
  turn
• 1:00
  into
• 1:00
  a
• 1:00
  very
• 1:00
  expensive
• 1:01
  substitute
• 1:02
  for
• 1:02
  clarity.
• 1:03
  And
• 1:03
  in
• 1:03
  this
• 1:04
  episode,
• 1:04
  we
• 1:05
  are
• 1:05
  gonna
• 1:05
  discuss
• 1:05
  the
• 1:05
  old
• 1:06
  way
• 1:06
  of
• 1:06
  approaching
• 1:06
  conferences
• 1:07
  and
• 1:07
  the
• 1:07
  new
• 1:08
  way
• 1:08
  that
• 1:09
  actually
• 1:09
  works..
• 1:10
  And
• 1:10
  then
• 1:11
  at
• 1:11
  the
• 1:11
  end
• 1:11
  of
• 1:11
  the
• 1:12
  episode,
• 1:12
  we
• 1:12
  are
• 1:12
  gonna
• 1:13
  pose
• 1:13
  a
• 1:13
  scenario
• 1:15
  which
• 1:15
  will
• 1:15
  force
• 1:15
  you
• 1:16
  into
• 1:16
  a
• 1:16
  Practical.
• 1:17
  decision
• 1:18
  point.
• 1:18
  So
• 1:18
  make
• 1:18
  sure
• 1:19
  you
• 1:19
  listen
• 1:19
  out
• 1:19
  for
• 1:20
  that,
• 1:20
  it's
• 1:20
  a
• 1:20
  scenario
• 1:21
  and
• 1:21
  a
• 1:21
  decision
• 1:21
  point
• 1:22
  that
• 1:22
  will
• 1:22
  make
• 1:23
  you
• 1:23
  rethink
• 1:24
  how
• 1:24
  you
• 1:24
  approach
• 1:25
  conferences
• 1:25
  and
• 1:26
  distributor
• 1:26
  conversations.
• 1:27
  Now,
• 1:28
  let's
• 1:28
  say
• 1:29
  the
• 1:29
  quiet
• 1:29
  part
• 1:29
  out
• 1:30
  loud.
• 1:30
  Most
• 1:31
  founders
• 1:31
  don't
• 1:32
  arrive
• 1:32
  at
• 1:32
  conferences
• 1:33
  with
• 1:33
  a
• 1:33
  defined
• 1:34
  distributed
• 1:35
  strategy.
• 1:35
  Not
• 1:36
  because
• 1:36
  you're
• 1:36
  careless,
• 1:37
  but
• 1:37
  because
• 1:37
  distribution
• 1:38
  is
• 1:38
  one
• 1:39
  of
• 1:39
  the
• 1:39
  hardest
• 1:39
  parts
• 1:40
  of
• 1:40
  the
• 1:40
  business
• 1:41
  to
• 1:41
  structure
• 1:41
  in
• 1:41
  those
• 1:42
  early
• 1:42
  days.
• 1:43
  So
• 1:43
  instead
• 1:44
  of
• 1:44
  getting
• 1:44
  to
• 1:44
  conferences
• 1:45
  with
• 1:45
  clear
• 1:46
  market
• 1:46
  choices,
• 1:47
  defined
• 1:47
  distributor
• 1:48
  profiles,
• 1:49
  explicit
• 1:49
  success
• 1:50
  criteria,
• 1:51
  you
• 1:51
  arrive
• 1:51
  with
• 1:51
  questions,
• 1:52
  who
• 1:53
  should
• 1:53
  I
• 1:53
  talk
• 1:53
  to?
• 1:54
  How
• 1:54
  do
• 1:54
  I
• 1:54
  even
• 1:54
  tell
• 1:55
  if
• 1:55
  someone's
• 1:55
  a
• 1:55
  fit?
• 1:56
  What
• 1:56
  does
• 1:57
  good
• 1:57
  actually
• 1:57
  look
• 1:58
  like
• 1:58
  in
• 1:58
  this
• 1:58
  market?
• 1:59
  And
• 1:59
  at
• 1:59
  that
• 1:59
  point,
• 2:00
  the
• 2:00
  conference
• 2:00
  becomes
• 2:01
  the
• 2:01
  place
• 2:02
  where
• 2:02
  you're
• 2:02
  trying
• 2:02
  to
• 2:02
  figure
• 2:03
  it
• 2:03
  out
• 2:03
  in
• 2:03
  real
• 2:03
  time,
• 2:04
  and
• 2:04
  that's
• 2:05
  where
• 2:05
  things
• 2:05
  will
• 2:06
  start
• 2:06
  to
• 2:06
  unravel.
• 2:07
  So
• 2:07
  conferences
• 2:08
  become
• 2:08
  a
• 2:08
  substitute
• 2:09
  for
• 2:09
  strategy.
• 2:10
  And
• 2:10
  I
• 2:10
  get
• 2:10
  it
• 2:11
  because
• 2:11
  you're
• 2:11
  building
• 2:12
  a
• 2:12
  product,
• 2:12
  you're
• 2:12
  juggling
• 2:13
  regulatory
• 2:14
  clinical
• 2:14
  evidence,
• 2:15
  cash
• 2:16
  flow
• 2:16
  investors
• 2:17
  And
• 2:17
  distribution
• 2:18
  feels
• 2:18
  vague.
• 2:19
  It
• 2:19
  feels
• 2:19
  messy.
• 2:20
  It
• 2:20
  feels
• 2:20
  opaque
• 2:21
  does
• 2:21
  that
• 2:22
  start
• 2:22
  to
• 2:22
  sound
• 2:22
  familiar?
• 2:23
  If
• 2:23
  so,
• 2:23
  you're
• 2:24
  definitely
• 2:24
  on
• 2:24
  the
• 2:24
  right
• 2:24
  episode,
• 2:25
  so
• 2:25
  keep
• 2:25
  listening.
• 2:26
  So
• 2:26
  just
• 2:27
  Attending
• 2:28
  a
• 2:28
  conference.
• 2:28
  Often
• 2:29
  feels
• 2:29
  like
• 2:29
  action,
• 2:30
  but
• 2:30
  action
• 2:30
  without
• 2:30
  direction
• 2:31
  is
• 2:31
  effectively
• 2:32
  just
• 2:32
  wasting
• 2:32
  time.
• 2:33
  And
• 2:33
  the
• 2:33
  logic
• 2:34
  used
• 2:34
  for
• 2:34
  going
• 2:34
  to
• 2:34
  conferences
• 2:35
  to
• 2:35
  find
• 2:35
  distributors.
• 2:36
  Sound
• 2:36
  reasonable
• 2:37
  on
• 2:37
  the
• 2:37
  surface?
• 2:38
  IE
• 2:39
  or
• 2:39
  the
• 2:39
  distributors
• 2:39
  will
• 2:40
  be
• 2:40
  there.
• 2:40
  It's
• 2:40
  international.
• 2:41
  We'll
• 2:42
  have
• 2:42
  loads
• 2:42
  of
• 2:42
  conversations.
• 2:43
  Something
• 2:44
  will
• 2:44
  come
• 2:44
  out
• 2:44
  of
• 2:44
  it.
• 2:45
  But
• 2:45
  here's
• 2:45
  what
• 2:46
  you'd
• 2:46
  be
• 2:47
  forgetting.
• 2:47
  Good
• 2:48
  distributors,
• 2:48
  and
• 2:49
  I
• 2:49
  assume
• 2:49
  that
• 2:49
  they're
• 2:49
  the
• 2:49
  ones
• 2:50
  that
• 2:50
  you're
• 2:50
  after.
• 2:51
  Good
• 2:51
  distributors
• 2:52
  don't
• 2:52
  attend
• 2:53
  conferences
• 2:54
  to
• 2:54
  be
• 2:54
  found.
• 2:55
  They
• 2:55
  attend
• 2:56
  to
• 2:56
  protect
• 2:56
  existing
• 2:57
  relationships
• 2:58
  to
• 2:58
  selectively
• 2:59
  scout,
• 2:59
  emphasis
• 3:00
  on
• 3:00
  the
• 3:00
  term
• 3:01
  selective,
• 3:02
  and
• 3:02
  also
• 3:03
  to
• 3:03
  validate
• 3:03
  manufacturers
• 3:04
  who
• 3:05
  already
• 3:05
  look
• 3:05
  credible
• 3:06
  to
• 3:06
  them.
• 3:07
  They're
• 3:07
  not
• 3:07
  wandering
• 3:07
  the
• 3:08
  halls,
• 3:08
  the
• 3:08
  good
• 3:09
  ones,
• 3:09
  that
• 3:09
  is
• 3:10
  hoping
• 3:10
  to
• 3:10
  discover
• 3:11
  a
• 3:11
  company
• 3:11
  that
• 3:11
  hasn't
• 3:12
  worked
• 3:12
  out
• 3:12
  its
• 3:12
  market
• 3:13
  focus
• 3:13
  yet.
• 3:13
  So
• 3:14
  if
• 3:14
  you
• 3:14
  turn
• 3:14
  up
• 3:15
  without
• 3:15
  clarity,
• 3:16
  without
• 3:16
  intent,
• 3:17
  and
• 3:18
  more
• 3:18
  importantly,
• 3:18
  without
• 3:19
  a
• 3:19
  compelling
• 3:19
  reason.
• 3:20
  For
• 3:20
  them
• 3:21
  to
• 3:21
  engage.
• 3:22
  You
• 3:22
  don't
• 3:22
  look
• 3:22
  like
• 3:23
  an
• 3:23
  opportunity.
• 3:23
  To
• 3:23
  them.
• 3:24
  You
• 3:24
  look
• 3:24
  like
• 3:24
  noise.
• 3:25
  Or
• 3:25
  even
• 3:26
  worse,
• 3:26
  you
• 3:26
  might
• 3:26
  just
• 3:26
  look
• 3:26
  like
• 3:27
  confusion
• 3:27
  and
• 3:27
  that's
• 3:28
  not
• 3:28
  gonna
• 3:28
  attract
• 3:28
  the
• 3:28
  right
• 3:29
  sort
• 3:29
  of
• 3:29
  distributors.
• 3:30
  So
• 3:30
  the
• 3:30
  simple
• 3:31
  question
• 3:31
  for
• 3:31
  you.
• 3:32
  Would
• 3:33
  you
• 3:33
  rather
• 3:33
  speak
• 3:34
  to
• 3:34
  30
• 3:34
  distributors
• 3:35
  that
• 3:35
  you
• 3:35
  meet
• 3:35
  randomly
• 3:36
  at
• 3:36
  a
• 3:36
  conference
• 3:37
  or
• 3:37
  speak
• 3:38
  to
• 3:38
  five
• 3:38
  distributors
• 3:39
  that
• 3:39
  you
• 3:39
  already
• 3:40
  know
• 3:40
  are
• 3:40
  a
• 3:40
  fit
• 3:41
  in
• 3:41
  the
• 3:42
  right
• 3:42
  market
• 3:43
  with
• 3:43
  the
• 3:43
  right
• 3:43
  profile?
• 3:44
  Now,
• 3:44
  I
• 3:45
  know
• 3:45
  everybody
• 3:46
  says
• 3:46
  five,
• 3:47
  and
• 3:47
  I'm
• 3:47
  positive
• 3:47
  that's
• 3:47
  what
• 3:48
  you've
• 3:48
  just
• 3:48
  said,
• 3:48
  but
• 3:49
  behavior
• 3:50
  tells
• 3:50
  a
• 3:50
  different
• 3:50
  story
• 3:51
  because
• 3:52
  30.
• 3:53
  When
• 3:53
  you,
• 3:53
  when
• 3:53
  you
• 3:53
  have
• 3:54
  a
• 3:54
  number,
• 3:54
  a
• 3:54
  large
• 3:54
  number,
• 3:55
  it
• 3:55
  feels
• 3:55
  like
• 3:55
  progress,
• 3:56
  doesn't
• 3:56
  it?
• 3:56
  Five.
• 3:57
  It's
• 3:57
  quite
• 3:58
  a
• 3:58
  small
• 3:58
  amount
• 3:59
  and
• 3:59
  it
• 3:59
  requires
• 4:00
  thinking
• 4:00
  and
• 4:00
  a
• 4:00
  lot
• 4:00
  of
• 4:00
  preparation,
• 4:01
  and
• 4:01
  most
• 4:02
  founders
• 4:02
  are
• 4:03
  busy
• 4:03
  being
• 4:04
  busy.
• 4:05
  So
• 4:05
  you
• 4:05
  answer
• 4:05
  five
• 4:06
  in
• 4:06
  theory,
• 4:06
  but
• 4:07
  you'll
• 4:07
  probably
• 4:07
  Actually,
• 4:08
  chase
• 4:09
  30
• 4:09
  in
• 4:10
  reality.
• 4:10
  And
• 4:11
  this
• 4:11
  brings
• 4:11
  us
• 4:11
  to
• 4:12
  the
• 4:12
  next
• 4:12
  question.
• 4:13
  Founders
• 4:13
  wrestle
• 4:14
  with,
• 4:14
  should
• 4:14
  you
• 4:14
  book
• 4:15
  a
• 4:15
  stand
• 4:15
  or
• 4:15
  should
• 4:16
  you
• 4:16
  walk
• 4:16
  the
• 4:16
  floor?
• 4:17
  Different
• 4:17
  tactics,
• 4:18
  but
• 4:18
  what
• 4:19
  I
• 4:19
  usually
• 4:19
  see
• 4:20
  is
• 4:20
  the
• 4:20
  same
• 4:20
  mistake
• 4:21
  underneath
• 4:21
  No
• 4:21
  plan.
• 4:22
  If
• 4:22
  you're
• 4:23
  exhibiting
• 4:23
  without
• 4:24
  a
• 4:24
  distributor
• 4:24
  plan,
• 4:25
  you're
• 4:25
  hoping
• 4:25
  footfall
• 4:26
  is
• 4:26
  gonna
• 4:26
  save
• 4:26
  you.
• 4:27
  And
• 4:27
  if
• 4:27
  you're
• 4:27
  walking
• 4:27
  the
• 4:28
  floor
• 4:28
  without
• 4:28
  a
• 4:28
  distributor
• 4:29
  plan,
• 4:29
  you're
• 4:29
  hoping
• 4:30
  chance
• 4:30
  meetings
• 4:31
  will
• 4:31
  save
• 4:31
  you.
• 4:31
  Now,
• 4:32
  one
• 4:32
  of
• 4:32
  those
• 4:33
  two
• 4:33
  options
• 4:33
  costs
• 4:34
  more,
• 4:35
  Are
• 4:35
  e
• 4:35
  getting
• 4:35
  yourself
• 4:36
  an
• 4:36
  exhibition
• 4:36
  stand,
• 4:37
  but
• 4:38
  neither
• 4:38
  works
• 4:39
  consistently
• 4:39
  because
• 4:39
  in
• 4:39
  both
• 4:40
  those
• 4:40
  cases,
• 4:40
  you're
• 4:41
  outsourcing
• 4:42
  strategy
• 4:43
  to
• 4:43
  look
• 4:44
  and
• 4:44
  chance.
• 4:44
  So
• 4:45
  there
• 4:45
  are
• 4:45
  really
• 4:46
  two
• 4:46
  ways
• 4:46
  that
• 4:47
  you
• 4:47
  can
• 4:47
  approach
• 4:47
  conferences
• 4:48
  when
• 4:48
  you're
• 4:48
  looking
• 4:48
  for
• 4:48
  distributors.
• 4:49
  The
• 4:49
  old
• 4:50
  way
• 4:50
  which
• 4:50
  I've
• 4:51
  obviously
• 4:51
  started
• 4:52
  to
• 4:52
  allude
• 4:52
  to.
• 4:53
  And
• 4:53
  the
• 4:53
  new
• 4:53
  way
• 4:54
  and
• 4:54
  the
• 4:54
  old
• 4:54
  way
• 4:55
  is
• 4:55
  simply
• 4:55
  trying
• 4:56
  to
• 4:56
  see
• 4:56
  as
• 4:56
  many
• 4:56
  people
• 4:57
  as
• 4:57
  possible
• 4:58
  and
• 4:58
  hoping
• 4:58
  that
• 4:58
  some
• 4:58
  of
• 4:59
  it
• 4:59
  sticks.
• 4:59
  Conversations
• 5:01
  that
• 5:01
  sound
• 5:01
  good
• 5:02
  in
• 5:02
  the
• 5:02
  moment.
• 5:03
  IE
• 5:03
  people
• 5:04
  saying
• 5:04
  things
• 5:04
  like,
• 5:04
  oh,
• 5:05
  that's
• 5:05
  an
• 5:05
  interesting
• 5:05
  product,
• 5:06
  or,
• 5:06
  yeah,
• 5:06
  yeah,
• 5:06
  let's,
• 5:06
  let's
• 5:07
  follow
• 5:07
  up,
• 5:07
  or
• 5:08
  send
• 5:08
  me
• 5:08
  some
• 5:08
  more
• 5:09
  information.
• 5:09
  And
• 5:10
  then
• 5:10
  what
• 5:10
  happens
• 5:11
  after
• 5:11
  the
• 5:11
  conference?
• 5:11
  Nothing.
• 5:12
  Why?
• 5:13
  Because
• 5:14
  there
• 5:14
  wasn't
• 5:14
  any
• 5:14
  market
• 5:15
  focus.
• 5:16
  There
• 5:16
  wasn't
• 5:16
  any
• 5:16
  clear
• 5:17
  distributor
• 5:17
  profile.
• 5:18
  You
• 5:18
  didn't
• 5:18
  have
• 5:19
  a
• 5:19
  value
• 5:19
  proposition
• 5:20
  for
• 5:20
  the
• 5:20
  distributor.
• 5:21
  You
• 5:21
  didn't
• 5:21
  have
• 5:22
  a
• 5:22
  defined
• 5:23
  next
• 5:23
  step
• 5:23
  or
• 5:24
  follow
• 5:24
  up
• 5:24
  logic.
• 5:25
  Can
• 5:25
  I
• 5:25
  scan
• 5:26
  Your
• 5:26
  badge
• 5:27
  isn't
• 5:27
  qualification
• 5:28
  of,
• 5:29
  distributor
• 5:30
  opportunities
• 5:31
  if
• 5:31
  your
• 5:31
  distributor
• 5:31
  pipeline
• 5:32
  depends
• 5:33
  on
• 5:33
  who
• 5:33
  happens
• 5:34
  to
• 5:34
  walk
• 5:34
  past
• 5:34
  your
• 5:34
  stand
• 5:35
  or
• 5:35
  who
• 5:35
  you
• 5:36
  bump
• 5:36
  into
• 5:36
  walking
• 5:37
  the
• 5:37
  floor,
• 5:37
  you're
• 5:37
  not
• 5:37
  building
• 5:38
  a
• 5:38
  go
• 5:38
  to
• 5:38
  market
• 5:39
  strategy.
• 5:39
  You're
• 5:39
  effectively
• 5:40
  just
• 5:40
  rolling
• 5:41
  the
• 5:41
  dice,
• 5:42
  and
• 5:42
  that's
• 5:42
  the
• 5:42
  old
• 5:43
  way
• 5:43
  of
• 5:43
  doing
• 5:43
  conferences.
• 5:44
  Now
• 5:44
  let
• 5:45
  me
• 5:45
  be
• 5:45
  clear.
• 5:45
  I'm
• 5:46
  not
• 5:46
  Anticon
• 5:46
  conference.
• 5:47
  I'm
• 5:47
  just
• 5:48
  anti
• 5:48
  doing
• 5:48
  conferences
• 5:49
  in
• 5:49
  the
• 5:49
  wrong
• 5:50
  way
• 5:50
  because
• 5:50
  used
• 5:51
  properly
• 5:52
  conferences
• 5:52
  are
• 5:52
  powerful
• 5:53
  and
• 5:53
  this
• 5:54
  is
• 5:54
  the
• 5:54
  new
• 5:54
  way.
• 5:55
  Of
• 5:55
  using
• 5:55
  them.
• 5:55
  They
• 5:56
  should
• 5:56
  be
• 5:56
  great
• 5:56
  for
• 5:57
  qualifying
• 5:58
  distributor
• 5:58
  fit
• 5:58
  quickly,
• 5:59
  accelerating
• 6:01
  existing
• 6:01
  distributor
• 6:02
  conversations,
• 6:03
  pressure
• 6:03
  testing,
• 6:04
  appetite,
• 6:05
  market
• 6:05
  by
• 6:06
  market,
• 6:06
  and
• 6:06
  compressing
• 6:07
  months
• 6:07
  of
• 6:07
  meetings.
• 6:08
  In
• 6:08
  today's,
• 6:09
  because
• 6:10
  in
• 6:10
  the
• 6:10
  new
• 6:10
  way
• 6:10
  of
• 6:10
  working,
• 6:11
  the
• 6:11
  real
• 6:12
  work
• 6:12
  has
• 6:13
  to
• 6:13
  be
• 6:13
  done
• 6:13
  before
• 6:13
  you
• 6:14
  arrive
• 6:14
  because
• 6:15
  if
• 6:15
  your
• 6:15
  distributor
• 6:16
  strategy
• 6:16
  starts
• 6:17
  at
• 6:17
  the
• 6:17
  conference,
• 6:18
  it's
• 6:18
  already
• 6:19
  too
• 6:19
  late.
• 6:19
  Before
• 6:20
  you
• 6:20
  book
• 6:20
  a
• 6:20
  stand
• 6:21
  or
• 6:21
  even
• 6:22
  buy
• 6:22
  a
• 6:22
  ticket,
• 6:23
  you
• 6:23
  should
• 6:23
  be
• 6:23
  able
• 6:23
  to
• 6:24
  answer
• 6:24
  these
• 6:25
  following
• 6:25
  questions
• 6:26
  cleanly
• 6:27
  and
• 6:27
  clearly.
• 6:28
  Number
• 6:28
  one,
• 6:29
  which
• 6:29
  markets
• 6:30
  are
• 6:31
  you
• 6:31
  targeting?
• 6:32
  Not
• 6:32
  Europe,
• 6:33
  generally?
• 6:33
  Actual
• 6:34
  countries.
• 6:35
  Number
• 6:35
  two,
• 6:36
  what
• 6:36
  type
• 6:37
  of
• 6:37
  distributor
• 6:38
  do
• 6:38
  you
• 6:38
  need
• 6:38
  in
• 6:38
  each
• 6:39
  market?
• 6:39
  Is
• 6:40
  it
• 6:40
  hospital
• 6:40
  focused?
• 6:41
  Is
• 6:41
  it
• 6:41
  tender
• 6:41
  led?
• 6:42
  Is
• 6:42
  it
• 6:42
  private
• 6:42
  sector?
• 6:43
  Is
• 6:43
  it
• 6:43
  a
• 6:43
  hybrid
• 6:44
  of
• 6:44
  those?
• 6:44
  You
• 6:44
  know,
• 6:45
  you
• 6:45
  need
• 6:45
  to
• 6:45
  be
• 6:45
  clear
• 6:45
  on
• 6:46
  that.
• 6:46
  And
• 6:46
  then
• 6:46
  number
• 6:46
  three,
• 6:47
  what
• 6:48
  problem
• 6:48
  does
• 6:48
  this
• 6:49
  product
• 6:49
  solve
• 6:50
  for
• 6:50
  that
• 6:51
  specific
• 6:52
  distributor?
• 6:52
  Is
• 6:52
  it
• 6:52
  margin
• 6:53
  play?
• 6:53
  Is
• 6:54
  it
• 6:54
  differentiation?
• 6:55
  Is
• 6:55
  it
• 6:55
  a
• 6:56
  portfolio
• 6:56
  gap
• 6:56
  that
• 6:57
  they're
• 6:57
  trying
• 6:57
  to
• 6:57
  fill?
• 6:57
  Is
• 6:57
  it
• 6:57
  strategic
• 6:58
  leverage?
• 6:59
  You
• 6:59
  need
• 7:00
  to
• 7:00
  define
• 7:00
  what's
• 7:01
  in
• 7:01
  it
• 7:01
  for
• 7:02
  that
• 7:02
  specific
• 7:03
  distributor.
• 7:03
  And
• 7:03
  number
• 7:04
  four,
• 7:04
  what
• 7:05
  does
• 7:05
  success
• 7:05
  look
• 7:06
  like?
• 7:06
  60
• 7:07
  to
• 7:07
  90
• 7:08
  days
• 7:09
  after
• 7:09
  the
• 7:09
  event.
• 7:10
  You
• 7:10
  know,
• 7:10
  is
• 7:10
  it
• 7:10
  shortlist?
• 7:11
  Is
• 7:12
  it
• 7:12
  second
• 7:12
  meetings
• 7:13
  and
• 7:13
  follow
• 7:13
  up
• 7:13
  meetings?
• 7:13
  Is
• 7:14
  it
• 7:14
  pilot
• 7:14
  discussions?
• 7:15
  Or
• 7:15
  is
• 7:15
  it
• 7:16
  letters
• 7:16
  of
• 7:16
  intent?
• 7:17
  So
• 7:17
  let
• 7:17
  me
• 7:17
  ask
• 7:18
  you
• 7:18
  this
• 7:18
  directly.
• 7:19
  Do
• 7:19
  you
• 7:19
  actually
• 7:20
  have
• 7:20
  that
• 7:21
  level
• 7:21
  of
• 7:21
  detail
• 7:22
  when
• 7:22
  you
• 7:22
  are
• 7:22
  going
• 7:23
  to
• 7:23
  a
• 7:23
  conference?
• 7:24
  Because
• 7:24
  if
• 7:24
  you
• 7:25
  don't,
• 7:25
  that's
• 7:26
  not
• 7:26
  a
• 7:26
  conference
• 7:26
  problem,
• 7:27
  that's
• 7:27
  a
• 7:27
  preparation
• 7:28
  problem,
• 7:29
  And
• 7:29
  that's
• 7:29
  the
• 7:29
  work
• 7:29
  you
• 7:30
  need
• 7:30
  to
• 7:30
  do
• 7:30
  before
• 7:30
  you
• 7:31
  go
• 7:31
  anywhere.
• 7:32
  So
• 7:32
  let's
• 7:32
  just
• 7:32
  pause
• 7:32
  for
• 7:33
  a
• 7:33
  second
• 7:33
  and
• 7:34
  start
• 7:34
  pulling
• 7:34
  this
• 7:34
  together.
• 7:35
  You
• 7:35
  know,
• 7:35
  conferences
• 7:36
  don't
• 7:36
  fail
• 7:37
  because
• 7:37
  they're
• 7:37
  bad.
• 7:38
  They
• 7:38
  fail
• 7:39
  when
• 7:39
  they're
• 7:39
  used
• 7:40
  as
• 7:40
  discovery
• 7:40
  instead
• 7:41
  of
• 7:41
  execution.
• 7:42
  If
• 7:42
  you
• 7:42
  don't
• 7:42
  know
• 7:42
  which
• 7:43
  markets
• 7:43
  you're
• 7:43
  targeting.
• 7:44
  What
• 7:44
  kind
• 7:44
  of
• 7:45
  distributor
• 7:45
  you
• 7:45
  need
• 7:46
  and
• 7:46
  what
• 7:46
  good
• 7:46
  actually
• 7:47
  looks
• 7:47
  like.
• 7:47
  The
• 7:47
  conference
• 7:48
  doesn't
• 7:48
  fix
• 7:48
  that.
• 7:48
  It
• 7:49
  just
• 7:49
  exposes
• 7:49
  it
• 7:50
  used
• 7:50
  properly.
• 7:51
  Conferences
• 7:52
  can
• 7:52
  accelerate
• 7:52
  distributor
• 7:53
  conversations
• 7:54
  used
• 7:54
  badly.
• 7:55
  They
• 7:55
  can
• 7:55
  become
• 7:55
  an
• 7:56
  expensive
• 7:56
  way
• 7:57
  to
• 7:57
  stay
• 7:57
  unclear.
• 7:58
  So
• 7:58
  here's
• 7:59
  the
• 7:59
  mindset
• 7:59
  shift
• 7:59
  that
• 8:00
  you
• 8:00
  need.
• 8:00
  You
• 8:01
  have
• 8:01
  to
• 8:01
  stop
• 8:01
  treating
• 8:02
  conferences
• 8:02
  as
• 8:03
  discovery.
• 8:03
  Start
• 8:04
  treating
• 8:04
  them
• 8:04
  as
• 8:04
  execution
• 8:05
  discovery
• 8:06
  happens.
• 8:07
  Before
• 8:08
  the
• 8:08
  conference,
• 8:09
  IE
• 8:09
  market
• 8:09
  selection,
• 8:10
  distributed
• 8:11
  identification
• 8:12
  partner
• 8:12
  shortlisting.
• 8:13
  Execution
• 8:14
  happens
• 8:15
  at
• 8:15
  the
• 8:15
  conference
• 8:16
  meetings,
• 8:16
  qualification,
• 8:18
  acceleration.
• 8:19
  That's
• 8:19
  the
• 8:19
  difference
• 8:20
  between
• 8:20
  the
• 8:20
  old
• 8:20
  way
• 8:21
  hoping
• 8:22
  and
• 8:22
  then
• 8:22
  the
• 8:22
  new
• 8:23
  way
• 8:23
  building.
• 8:24
  So
• 8:24
  I'm
• 8:24
  gonna
• 8:24
  leave
• 8:25
  you
• 8:25
  with
• 8:25
  a
• 8:25
  decision
• 8:25
  point
• 8:26
  scenario
• 8:26
  for
• 8:27
  you,
• 8:27
  to
• 8:27
  ponder
• 8:28
  on,
• 8:28
  to
• 8:28
  start
• 8:29
  thinking
• 8:29
  differently
• 8:30
  about
• 8:31
  your
• 8:31
  conferences.
• 8:31
  Hopefully.
• 8:32
  So
• 8:32
  the
• 8:32
  scenario
• 8:33
  is
• 8:33
  this,
• 8:34
  you
• 8:34
  get
• 8:34
  home
• 8:35
  from
• 8:35
  a
• 8:35
  conference
• 8:36
  with
• 8:36
  five
• 8:36
  distributors
• 8:37
  that
• 8:37
  you've
• 8:37
  shortlisted
• 8:38
  as
• 8:39
  potential
• 8:39
  partners.
• 8:40
  So
• 8:40
  three
• 8:40
  of
• 8:40
  them
• 8:41
  are
• 8:41
  very
• 8:42
  vague,
• 8:43
  but
• 8:44
  they're
• 8:44
  also
• 8:44
  very
• 8:44
  enthusiastic.
• 8:45
  One
• 8:46
  is
• 8:46
  very
• 8:47
  keen,
• 8:47
  but
• 8:48
  clearly
• 8:48
  not
• 8:48
  well
• 8:49
  aligned
• 8:50
  to
• 8:50
  what
• 8:50
  you're
• 8:50
  trying
• 8:50
  to
• 8:50
  achieve.
• 8:51
  One
• 8:52
  is
• 8:52
  quiet,
• 8:53
  but
• 8:53
  asking
• 8:54
  the
• 8:54
  right
• 8:54
  questions.
• 8:55
  Now,
• 8:56
  obviously
• 8:56
  as
• 8:56
  always,
• 8:57
  you've
• 8:57
  got
• 8:57
  limited
• 8:57
  time
• 8:58
  and
• 8:58
  limited
• 8:58
  bandwidth.
• 8:59
  So
• 8:59
  where
• 8:59
  would
• 9:00
  you
• 9:00
  put
• 9:00
  your
• 9:00
  time?
• 9:02
  In
• 9:02
  the
• 9:02
  next
• 9:02
  30
• 9:03
  days
• 9:04
  and
• 9:04
  what
• 9:04
  are
• 9:04
  you
• 9:05
  actually
• 9:05
  using
• 9:06
  to
• 9:06
  make
• 9:07
  that
• 9:07
  decision
• 9:08
  now?
• 9:08
  I
• 9:08
  want
• 9:09
  you
• 9:09
  to
• 9:09
  review
• 9:10
  that
• 9:10
  scenario
• 9:11
  and
• 9:11
  send
• 9:11
  me
• 9:11
  your
• 9:11
  answers.
• 9:12
  And
• 9:12
  then
• 9:12
  in
• 9:13
  the
• 9:13
  next
• 9:13
  episode,
• 9:14
  I'm
• 9:14
  gonna
• 9:14
  walk
• 9:15
  through
• 9:15
  the
• 9:15
  different
• 9:15
  way
• 9:16
  founders
• 9:16
  have
• 9:16
  answered
• 9:17
  this,
• 9:17
  coupled
• 9:18
  with
• 9:18
  my
• 9:18
  thoughts
• 9:19
  and
• 9:19
  suggestions.
• 9:20
  So
• 9:20
  if
• 9:20
  today's
• 9:21
  episode
• 9:21
  has
• 9:21
  made
• 9:22
  you
• 9:22
  realize
• 9:23
  that
• 9:23
  your
• 9:23
  distributor
• 9:23
  or
• 9:24
  export
• 9:24
  approach
• 9:24
  isn't
• 9:25
  as
• 9:25
  clear
• 9:25
  as
• 9:25
  it
• 9:25
  needs
• 9:26
  to
• 9:26
  be.
• 9:26
  Then
• 9:26
  the
• 9:27
  next
• 9:27
  step
• 9:27
  is
• 9:28
  getting
• 9:28
  that
• 9:28
  clarity,
• 9:29
  And
• 9:30
  if
• 9:30
  this
• 9:30
  episode
• 9:31
  has
• 9:31
  made
• 9:31
  you
• 9:31
  rethink
• 9:32
  how
• 9:32
  you
• 9:32
  approach
• 9:32
  conferences,
• 9:33
  then
• 9:33
  I've
• 9:33
  put
• 9:33
  together
• 9:34
  a
• 9:34
  simple
• 9:35
  guide
• 9:35
  on
• 9:36
  five
• 9:36
  do's
• 9:37
  and
• 9:37
  don'ts
• 9:37
  of
• 9:37
  conferences.
• 9:38
  It's
• 9:39
  designed
• 9:39
  to
• 9:39
  help
• 9:40
  you
• 9:40
  avoid
• 9:40
  the
• 9:40
  most
• 9:41
  common
• 9:41
  mistakes
• 9:42
  that
• 9:42
  teams
• 9:42
  make
• 9:43
  when
• 9:43
  they're
• 9:43
  trying
• 9:43
  to
• 9:43
  use
• 9:44
  conferences
• 9:44
  to
• 9:45
  drive
• 9:45
  commercial
• 9:46
  outcomes.
• 9:47
  And
• 9:47
  you'll
• 9:47
  find
• 9:47
  a
• 9:47
  link
• 9:47
  to
• 9:48
  this
• 9:48
  in
• 9:49
  the
• 9:49
  show
• 9:49
  notes.
• 9:50
  So
• 9:50
  thanks
• 9:50
  for
• 9:50
  listening.
• 9:51
  Keep
• 9:52
  listening
• 9:52
  and
• 9:53
  keep
• 9:53
  growing.