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Writer's pictureCole
Jun 29, 20212 min read

Why SCM + GTM

We are taking the nearly unprecedented step of bringing supply chain management (SCM) and go-to-market (GTM) strategies together under one roof. We have been inspired to embark on this new adventure to better serve our product manufacturing partners. The powerhouse Vessel, has been formed by knocking down the walls between SMHeuristics and SMH Health. SMHeuristics is a leading GTM agency and SMH Health an expert SCM provider. From manufacturing your product, to getting it into the hands of your customers, Vessel is uniquely designed to provide manufacturers with a total commercialization solution.


SMHeuristics and SMH Health emerged from business challenges in 2020 with a nimble approach to sourcing that reduces risk. The convergence of existing expertise with customer insight gained from overcoming those challenges has enabled Vessel to form with a unique understanding of the revolutionized buyer mentality.


Vessel is a full service supply chain management and go-to-market agency. We offer our clients top tier off-the-shelf and custom sourcing and manufacturing, design, logistics, compliance, quality control, and warehousing; plus branding and packaging, customer alignment, sales and distribution development and full marketing and advertising services. From ideation through commercialization and sales growth, Vessel is poised to drive success for businesses worldwide.


Prior to Vessel's unique offering, companies would typically need to contract with three or four organizations or spend 2 to 5 years and potentially millions of dollars to internalize the services offered through Vessel. From product manufacturers to government agencies and large institutions, Vessel has the resources to spur growth for organizations of any size. We link vendors and manufacturing resources across the globe with our offices in the U.S. and in Asia.


The ability for Vessel to synchronize supply chain management with go-to-market capabilities will allow our partners to grow market share, maintain reliable revenue streams, and be bolder in their future ventures.











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Writer's pictureCole
Jun 29, 20213 min read

Go-to-Market Strategy vs Marketing Strategy: The Difference in Successful Product Commercialization

Most business owners have heard that 90% of startups fail within 3 years. The failure of startups is due to a wide variety of reasons. But one way emerging product manufacturers can greatly reduce their chance of being a part of that 90% is with a rock solid go-to-market strategy.


We are here to give some insights into what makes a go-to-market strategy unique and how to get started, but if you want large-scale commercialization success, reach out to us at Vessel to get the force of our experts behind your product.


Go-to-Market Strategy vs Traditional Marketing Strategies


Think about your go-to-market (GTM) strategy differently than your general marketing strategy.


While your company's general marketing strategy should focus on growing your brand over a long period of time, a GTM strategy is carefully mapped out to focus on introducing your product to a new market or customer base. Your marketing strategy might be guided by principles or long-term goals and it likely has a level of flexibility built in to respond to changing audiences or platforms. Whereas a GTM strategy is a step-by-step guide intended for quick disruption.


In short, your marketing strategy is the plan of how your brand will keep up with changing times, succeed through new channels, maintain repeat customers and attract a larger audience. Your GTM strategy is hyper-focused on reaching a segmented audience that will be interested in specific products.


Starting a Go-to-Market Strategy


Many product manufacturers bringing a new product to market believe the solution they are proposing is clear to their potential customers. But this is often not the case, just because you can see it, doesn't mean that your buyers can.


This is where a GTM strategy comes into play. Your plan must include a framework for how to expose a need in potential customers and position your product as the ultimate solution. To achieve this successfully, it is important to dedicate time early in the process for researching your prospective customers and understanding how they prefer to be communicated with.


If you have a game-changing B2B product, then investing a great amount of time into an Instagram page might not be the best tactic. On the other hand, direct mail might be incredibly effective at reaching your target audience.


We recommend you start your planning and research process with these few questions:


  1. What problem does your product solve?

  2. What impact does that problem currently have on your target customer?

  3. What will solving this problem allow your target customer to achieve?

  4. Is this problem significant enough that a solution would be appealing?

  5. Is this something that my target customer is asking for?


Once you have answered these questions, you can confidently say that your solution is valuable and assume the market is ready to embrace it. These 5 questions are just the first steps in a long process of research before your official product launch.


Go-to-Market Partnering for Success


We believe the best decision a growing product manufacturing company can make is selecting a GTM partner to position your product for success. A typical marketing agency will not be familiar with the unique challenges and characteristics of launching a new product. Having a partner to lead your product from branding to sales optimization can make a world of difference in your commercialization success.


We set ourselves apart by bringing SCM (supply chain management) and GTM under one roof. We will support your product from sourcing through sales, aligning your entire process to your ideal customer, and providing expertise without the overhead that comes along with internalizing these efforts. Reach out to us at Vessel to learn how we can help with SCM + GTM.




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Writer's pictureCole
Jun 29, 20214 min read

2021 Supply Chain Management

As a product manufacturer, scaling is far from simple. There are plenty of supply chain challenges that remain a constant hurdle and shift continuously.


We have compiled our view of the greatest challenges for growing product manufacturers in 2021. Recognizing, understanding, and meeting these obstacles is essential for the successful commercialization of any product.


Top Supply Chain Challenges of 2021


1. Taxes & Tariffs

Tariffs are a big cost that many growing product manufacturers do not consider until it is too late. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced it will extend tariff exclusions on certain imports from China until Sept. 30th, 2021. Once the extension ends, many manufacturers may be hit with new importation costs. Without an expert team in place, navigating the HTS codes is incredibly time-consuming and bears the risk of additional costs if any mistakes are made.


When it comes to taxes, scaling product manufacturers must keep in mind that each U.S. state has a different tax rate that they are held responsible for. However, changes in tax do not happen as often as changes in tariffs.


2. Increasing Resiliency

Most product manufacturers have focused on lean sourcing over the last decade. An unintended result is that many are operating with less safety stock, striving for just-in-time inventory replenishment. With the prevalence of single sourcing, one disruption can easily lead to a product missing from the shelves.


3. Superficial Supply Chain Understanding

Last year revealed that many product manufacturers have only a surface-level understanding of their sourcing, shipping, importation, warehousing, and distribution channels. With continued supply chain disruptions in 2021, from the Suez Canal to component shortages, it is becoming increasingly important that product manufacturers have a comprehensive understanding of their product’s journey from sourcing to sales. Otherwise, the next disruption could cripple their supply chain in unexpected ways.


4. Need To Expand Sources

While focusing on creating as lean of a supply chain as possible, many companies have practiced single sourcing for materials or complete products. One way for companies to build resiliency is by expanding their supply chain sources to mitigate the risk of interruptions.


Being able to manage the cost of expanding sourcing to strengthen the supply chain is a challenge for many product manufacturers and relies on cultivating the right partnerships.


5. Understanding and Meeting Customer Expectations

We have already reached a point where many customers consider paying for shipping as a thing of the past. Even next-day or same-day shipping is considered a given rather than a unique benefit.


Understanding what your customers consider “standard” within your field is essential to being competitive in the marketplace. Having an established line of communication from your company to your customer is the best way to have a reliable understanding of expectations.


6. Decentralized Shipping

In 2020, three-quarters of domestic freight was transported by truck. Because the trucking industry remains vastly decentralized, product manufacturers need to have optimized strategies for working with multiple independent trucking firms. Having the ability to collect, compile and analyze data from multiple partners is a major challenge facing product manufacturers.


7. Transportation Capacity

There is no denying that the United States currently has a shortage of truck drivers. Right now, over 55% of drivers are over the age of 45 and the number of new workers joining the field cannot meet the rate of those retiring.


Adding to the transportation congestion, ports are backed-up (see graphic for current wait times at port) and cargo is trapped in factories without containers or vessels to ship overseas. These issues are expected to continue throughout 2021.




8. Continued Disruptions

The pandemic winding down does not signal the end of disruption to international supply chain. National disasters persist as a major risk. In 2020, 3 million acres of forest burned in the California Wildfires, a record number of named storms hit the Gulf of Mexico, and Southeast Asia experienced an unusually long monsoon season. Manufacturers should expect and prepare for weather disruptions globally in 2021.


Currently, a shortage of semiconductors has crippled some auto manufacturers. This shortage is a prime example of how a disruption with just one component can affect an entire industry. The number and variety of disruptions in 2021 has already been incredible and product manufacturers should prepare for continued strains on their supply chain.


Successful Commercialization


Successful commercialization and distribution in 2021 will require tackling all of the above challenges. Each case can cripple the chance for growing product manufacturer to achieve scale. Starting the process of commercialization without having a plan to overcome these hurdles will likely lead to vast challenges.


The key to meeting these obstacles is having the right people in place at the right time. Growing manufacturers will rely on the expertise of their supply chain management team more than ever this year. But with labor shortages, the inherent cost of building such a team, and the time commitment needed to train a highly-skilled team, partnering with a company such as ourselves is the best option for most product manufacturers.

Working with Vessel is the success factor for many scaling product manufacturers. Schedule a meeting with our team to see how easy commercialization can be with the right team in place.


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