5 Strategies for Marketing to Teachers Successfully
Teachers are more than just educators; they’re influential decision-makers who shape countless students’ learning experiences and long-term success throughout their careers. Marketing to these pivotal educators requires a nuanced approach beyond conventional B2B strategies.
We’re exploring the top strategies businesses in the education space are leveraging to market to educators and administrators successfully, offering valuable insights, and looking at the role data plays in boosting results.
The Value of Marketing to Teachers
Educators make up a large consumer group, with SheerID reporting there are approximately seven million teachers in the U.S., comprised of:
- Four million K-12 teachers.
- Almost two million post-secondary educators.
- More than one million administrators.
Teachers are the unsung heroes of the education world, but they’re often an overlooked segment of consumers. According to a survey from the National Education Association, more than 90% of educators use their own money to cover the cost of school supplies. What’s more, an analysis from My eLearning World revealed that educators spent an average of $820.14 on classroom supplies for the 2022-2023 school year.
Businesses operating in the education sector must recognize the considerable influence that an educator has over the products, services, and resources used in their classrooms. From textbooks to educational technology, they’re critical decision-makers who impact purchasing choices within their educational institutions.
Keep in mind that marketing to teachers is not a one-time event: To boost marketing efforts and effectively engage these influencers, education solution providers need to acknowledge the immense value of teachers in the educational ecosystem and introduce a year-round marketing plan for the best results.
How to Market to Educators Effectively
Adopting a comprehensive marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience is key to reaching the right teaching professionals at the right time. Here’s a closer look at the core strategies helping businesses successfully connect with educators:
1. Leverage social channels
It’s common for the modern teacher to use social media as a way to look for classroom ideas, connect to one another, and shop for tools. In fact, a recent report from ZipDo reveals that a staggering 70% of K-12 teachers are harnessing the power of social media for both personal and professional purposes. With educators most active on social channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, organizations can successfully introduce social media marketing by:
- Sharing valuable content that addresses an educator’s unique needs and challenges (e.g., blog posts, teaching tips, lesson plans, or free resources).
- Establish your brand as a helpful organization by participating in relevant education-related discussions. This might include answering questions, offering solutions, or contributing positively to the online education community.
- Customize your presence on each social media platform to align with your target educators’ interests.
2. Avoid buzzwords
It’s common for teachers and administrators alike to be bombarded with educational buzzwords in digital marketing. Educators value authenticity as a way to create genuine connections. This underscores the importance of speaking their language and avoiding technical jargon that might alienate them—focusing, instead, on how your product or service directly benefits them and their students.
Using concrete examples and testimonials from other educational professionals is an effective way to clearly communicate how your solutions address their unique needs and enhance the learning experience.
3. Take advantage of data-driven insights
Because teacher demographics, preferences, and purchasing behaviors are increasingly nuanced, data is your best ally in educational marketing. Robust, actionable data allows teams to craft solutions and targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with the right audience.
Agile Education Marketing emerges as a trusted partner in this regard, equipping organizations with comprehensive data services that provide valuable education insights. With the help of Agile’s expertise and reliable, real-time data, you can refine your marketing strategies and ensure they hit the mark every time.
4. Consider budgets and financial constraints
Teaching professionals, particularly those in public education, have limited budgets. This makes affordability or potential deals an important consideration for educators in their decision-making process. Organizations can drive the success of their marketing campaigns by offering:
- Clear and transparent pricing information, so teachers know exactly what they’re getting with their money.
5. Know your target audience
Because teachers work across grade levels and subject areas and often have unique instructional styles, a one-size-fits-all education marketing strategy doesn’t work. The most successful marketing efforts are personalized, segmenting materials that resonate with pre-determined teacher subdivisions and tailoring communications along the way.
Fortunately, robust data services like those from Agile Education Marketing are a highly effective strategy to identify the right audience and their specific needs before getting started on an educational marketing campaign.
What Are Educators Looking For?
At the end of the day, these educators—with limited budgets and an unwavering commitment to student success—are in search of promotions that enable them to make the most of their resources. A survey from Agile Education Data and SheerID found that 62% of teachers find free perks to be the most appealing offer, followed by periodic opportunities to receive a 20% discount off their purchase (45%), 10% off every purchase (40%), and Buy One, Get One Free deals (37%).
Moreover, the best marketing efforts for modern educators are personalized. Understanding their unique needs and providing tailored solutions can foster long-term relationships and trust—ultimately benefiting both teaching professionals and their students.
Leverage Comprehensive Data Services to Improve Results
To successfully navigate the complex landscape of educational marketing and effectively reach teachers, teams need actionable education data—and Agile Education Marketing can help.
Agile provides comprehensive data services designed to empower your team with insights into teacher demographics, preferences, and purchasing behaviors. By arming your organization with this information, you’re better prepared to make improved marketing decisions and tailor campaigns to align with the specific needs of educators.
It’s important to remember that marketing to teachers isn’t solely about selling products or services; it’s also about forging meaningful connections with influential individuals in the education sector who have a large role in shaping the future of education. If you’re ready to partner with Agile and unlock the full potential of your educational marketing, reach out today to get started.
