How to Sell Your Product to Schools

 

EdTech Sales: How To Sell Your Product to Schools

Selling directly to schools is a popular strategy in the EdTech industry, striking a balance between targeting individual teachers or administrators and engaging entire districts.

Marketing your products or services to school decision-makers at K-12 institutions allows you to reach a wider audience than by focusing solely on teachers. It also helps you avoid the lengthy timelines often associated with the district-level sales pipeline.

So, how can you make your approach as effective as possible? Use this practical guidance to refine your marketing strategy and maximize your impact when selling educational technology to schools.

Should Your EdTech Company Sell to Teachers, Schools, or Districts?

Many EdTech companies find a productive sweet spot for targeting their sales efforts, while others choose to work with teachers, educational institutions, and districts. What should your business do?

If your product is designed for a particular grade level—or a range of levels—selling directly to schools as a potential client may be the best approach. Rather than convincing district-level K-12 administrators about the value of reading software for grades 6-8, you can connect directly with principals and other leaders responsible for educating students in that age group.

On the other hand, if you focus on a broader district-wide solution or offer products with a wider scope, targeting district administrators may be the more effective route. This allows you to reach multiple schools at once, potentially creating a larger-scale impact with fewer sales efforts.

Key Factors in Choosing Your Sales Targets

• Define your product scope and audience: Identify whether your EdTech solution serves K-12, higher ed, or administrators, and tailor your messaging accordingly. A clear focus helps you connect with the right decision-makers faster.

• Understand decision-making and budget authority: Determine who controls purchases and what funding sources are available to streamline your approach. Schools often have strict budgets, so aligning with available grants or district funding is key.

• Navigate the sales cycle and approval process: Factor in pilot programs, stakeholder buy-in, and school purchasing cycles to avoid delays and help smooth the approval process.

• Evaluate scalability and long-term growth: Ensure your product can expand across districts, integrate with existing systems, and adapt to evolving educational needs. A future-proof solution is far more appealing to schools investing in long-term success.

4 Strategies for Selling Apps and EdTech to Schools

1. Start With Email Outreach

EdSurge recommends starting with email marketing as the first step in the contact process. Cold calling, whether in person or over the phone, can be disruptive for busy professionals and may create a negative first impression. 

By using email as the foundation of your marketing plan—and ensuring your target audience’s contact information is accurate—you can share a concise description of your offering and its benefits, along with links to more detailed information. This gives a potential client the flexibility to review the material at their convenience. From there, you can follow up with a phone call and move on to a more in-depth presentation.

2. Get on the Approved Vendor List

The Tech Edvocate emphasized the importance of being placed on the approved vendor list. Without this placement, your company may struggle to gain access to potential customers within certain educational institutions. 

To ensure compliance with laws, policies, and other regulations, your company will likely need to reach out to the purchasing department or a similar decision-maker. Becoming an approved school vendor not only helps you meet necessary requirements but also opens the door to long-term partnerships with schools and districts.

3. Leverage Research and Data To Support Your Pitch

Schools operate on tight budgets and need to see clear evidence that your product delivers value. Demonstrating how your education technology improves student outcomes, saves teachers time, or cuts costs makes your pitch more compelling and credible. 

Prioritize gathering this data by reviewing information from past EdTech sales jobs or investing in independent research before you begin your outreach efforts. You can use case studies, testimonials, and data to build a compelling narrative around your solution’s impact, or offer trial periods or pilot programs to let schools experience firsthand how your product benefits them. 

4. Maximize the Use of Digital Marketing 

In today’s digital-first world, leveraging online platforms and digital marketing is a must for EdTech sales. Use channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to share insightful content, success stories, and product updates that resonate with educators and school leaders. Tailoring your ads and posts to address their unique challenges positions your product as a more valuable solution. You can also invest in SEO and webinars to boost your visibility and build trust. 

How Startups Can Sell to School Boards via Teachers

Teachers and school leaders are valuable partners and allies in your EdTech sales strategy. By including them in your marketing efforts, you can build grassroots support for your product while still targeting decision-makers at the institutional level. When educators see the benefits firsthand, they can become strong advocates for your solution, helping to sway school boards in your favor.

Consider offering pilot programs to teachers to get your product into classrooms and gather real-world data on its impact. This firsthand experience allows educators to see its value, making them more likely to champion your solution to administrators. Plus, sharing case studies or testimonials from pilot programs can strengthen your credibility and provide school boards with tangible proof of success. 

As your company nears a sale, combining broad outreach with personal connections can make a big impact. For example, territory and route planning tools help your team efficiently reach both administrators and teachers, ensuring your product gets in front of key decision-makers. At the same time, prioritizing face-to-face meetings, attending conferences, and tapping into local educator networks can further build trust and drive sales performance.

Overcoming Engagement Challenges in EdTech Sales 

Struggling to move forward? Consider the following strategies for overcoming challenges in the EdTech sales process:

• Tackle resistance to new technology: Educators and administrators may hesitate to adopt new tools due to unfamiliarity or fear of disrupting existing systems. Combat this by offering engaging product demos and transparent communication to clearly showcase the real-world value of your solution.
• Navigate tight budgets: Because schools are working with limited funds, pricing can be a major hurdle. Make your product more enticing by offering flexible pricing models, grant opportunities, or emphasizing how your solution can save money and improve efficiency in the long run.
• Understand school purchasing cycles: Schools operate on unique purchasing cycles that often differ from typical sales timelines. Take the time to understand these cycles and tailor your outreach efforts to fit—remaining consistent as you nurture relationships and move toward a sale.
• Ensure compliance with evolving regulations: With data privacy and security regulations tightening, schools are highly focused on compliance. Position your product as a trusted solution by ensuring it meets all relevant standards and educating potential customers on how your product keeps them compliant.

Targeted Support From a Trusted Partner 

EdTech sales require a thoughtful approach that acknowledges each school’s unique needs and adapts your strategy accordingly. By strategically leveraging partnerships and data-driven insights, you can boost engagement and increase your chances of success.

Agile Education Marketing provides invaluable support, offering detailed education data and expert marketing strategies to help your EdTech sales team connect more effectively with target schools. From creating accurate educator and administrator contact lists to supporting route and territory planning for your sales reps, you’ll be well-equipped to make a lasting impact in the education sector.

Ready to optimize your EdTech sales strategy and connect with key decision-makers? Explore Education Data Products from Agile Education Marketing, or reach out to connect.