5 Strategies to Find the Right Pharma Distributor

1. Expand Your Search Most export managers only know 3-5 distributors per country, but up to 50-100 potential partners exist. Don't stick with an underperforming distributor assuming no better options exist. (Contact our team at Emerging Pharma Tech for comprehensive distributor lists).

2. Target Small and Medium Distributors Large distributors juggling 20+ brands rarely focus on new, unproven products. Small and medium-sized distributors are more agile, active, and better equipped to grow your brand from the ground up.

3. Pick Up the Phone Emails get buried; executives receive over 100 daily. Call them instead. The best times to call are Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 2 PM and 5 PM local time. Introduce yourself and follow up on your initial email.

4. Rethink Trade Shows Passively waiting at a booth is outdated. Save money by downloading visitor lists from the event website and reaching out directly. If you must attend, pre-schedule meetings with highly targeted distributors.

5. Ground Your Expectations Promising deals often fall through—this is normal. Before negotiating, do ground-level research: visit local pharmacies, check competitor pricing, and assess actual sales volumes. This ensures realistic discussions and significantly boosts your success rate.