EdTech Marketing: Back-to-School Resources & Pipeline Movement

It’s the time of year EdTechs run to push new toolkits, calendars, templates, and tips to educators.

They look engaging and beautiful, and educators do download them.

But the problem is:

They’re useful, but…

They don’t attract the right audience.

Brands want to be seen as helpful by schools, districts, and universities.

But when your team is stretched thin and you have revenue goals to reach, publishing

… toolkits

… templates

… lesson plans

… prompts

costs your team your most scarce asset: Time.

On top of time, you also commit budget to advertise the resources.

This also jeopardizes defending marketing budgets in September.

Follow this

11-POINT FRAMEWORK

to create assets that surface buying intent that moves the pipeline

1. It must connect a Problem to the Product Category

Help the prospect recognize a problem the vendor is equipped to solve.

2. It must have institutional-level relevance

EdTech purchases normally depend on institutional issues like Adoption, Integrations, Consistency, Compliance, Staffing capacity, Student outcomes, Implementation risk

3. It must cause Self-diagnosis

Help prospects determine whether they have a problem, how serious it is, where the gap exists, what is causing it, whether their current approach is sufficient

4. It must identify Consequences

A strong asset connects the issue to consequences like Lower adoption, Delayed implementation, Missed enrollment, Course bottlenecks, Teacher workload, Student attrition, Compliance exposure, Budget waste

5. It must create Urgency

Pipeline-moving assets identify a decision window, like a Rollout before XYZ, a Contract that must be replaced, a Compliance deadline, a Funding window, an Enrollment shortfall, a System limitation.

6. It must connect to an Active Initiative

Intent-surfacing assets determine whether the institution is currently: Evaluating vendors, Replacing a system, Expanding a program, Preparing a pilot, Addressing a performance gap, Building next year’s budget, Responding to a new requirement

7. It must raise Buying-group participation

Resources must make it easy to distinguish an interested individual from an emerging buying group.

8. It must connect to Decision criteria

Help the prospect evaluate possible solutions with Required capabilities, Integration requirements, Implementation effort, Data and reporting needs, Stakeholder responsibilities, Accessibility or compliance standards, Vendor-selection requirements

9. It must provide a Product-Relevant Next Step

Not demos or trials. A great next step continues the diagnosis: Review your results, Compare your institution with peers, Build an implementation plan, Discuss the gaps identified, Map requirements with your team, Receive a customized recommendation

10. It must build a bridge between the Insight and the Vendor’s Offer

A thought-leadership asset that moves the pipeline makes a clear progression in demonstrating how the vendor’s solution meets the necessary capability.

11. It must have Sales follow-up usability

A great resource produces not just a contact, but a reason for Sales to start a conversation.

Would you like me to review your current resources?

Drop a reply, and we'll go from there.

Cheers,
Rod