Does it feel like you’ve hit a marketing brick wall? We get it. Marketing to schools is hard. Selling to schools is not any easier.
Let’s rework that metaphor. Marketing your business is all about building stone by stone, brick by brick. Start with firm foundations, and build patiently over time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
So, how to market your business to schools? What are some smart ways to advertise to schools to get their attention and stand out in the competition? Here are your building blocks to marketing your products to schools.
#1 Brand awareness
As the famous ad for 1958 McGraw-Hill magazines reads:
“I don’t know who you are. I don’t know your company. I don’t know your company’s product. I don’t know what your company stands for. I don’t know your company’s customers. I don’t know your company’s record. I don’t know your company’s reputation. Now – what was it you wanted to sell me?”
Alongside the text, an ageing, sceptical company exec stares out at the camera.
In short, people buy from people they know, like, and trust. Build your reputation. Nurture relationships of past, present, and potential customers. And if you’re new to the market and looking for your first customers…
#2 Where your buyers are
They’ll be leafing through directories such as:
- The National Register of Education Suppliers
- BESA
- Edu Suppliers
The halo effect dictates that appearing there gives you greater credibility. It also makes it easier for buyers to find you.
They’ll also be at the numerous education trade shows, such as:
- BETT – British Educational Training and Technology Show
- Schools and Academies Show
- Northern, Southern, and Eastern Regional Education Shows
- Nursery and Primary Show
- Childcare and Education Expo
- Higher and Further Education Show
It’s increasingly imperative to build brand awareness with company pages on social media. Marketing to schools begins with conversations – that’s the mantra. Keep customers informed. Listen to their concerns. Contribute to their conversations.
#3 Build bridges
Reach out to key decision-makers for direct marketing opportunities with schools. Not sure who they are?
Take a look at What Schools Look For In A Supplier & How Do Schools Procure Products And Services?
Once you’ve worked out who, you’ll be asking how. Each means of marketing communication has its pros and cons.
Email or paper? Mail is likelier to be opened than email, and it tends to make a longer-lasting impression. Potential customers can hold it in their hand, providing a more memorable encounter. Email, on the other hand, offers analytics and the wealth of marketing information that comes with it.
If you’d like to drill down into the stats (albeit from the US), have a look at 25 Direct Marketing Statistics for 2020. There you’ll read that while only 20-30% of email gets opened, it’s up to a whopping 90% for direct mail.
A good old-fashioned phone call may be another way of reaching out to potential customers. Tread carefully, however. Schools, busy places that they are, don’t generally welcome direct sales calls from people or companies they don’t know. (Read that McGraw-Hill ad once again.)
Then again, we all like free stuff. Promotions such as special offers, free trials, or freebies eliminate the financial risks that come with buying any product or service.
EdTech companies employed this strategy masterfully in those early months of the coronavirus pandemic in March and April 2020, offering their apps for free to help those suddenly struggling with remote schooling.
This was the right thing to do. It was also the perfect way to get their foot in the door. Like puppies, some products sell themselves. Lend a potential owner the cute pooch for the weekend and, come Sunday, they won’t want to part from it.
And this is no different when advertising your products to schools.
#4 Create trust
Be consistent with all the above and, over time, you’ll build trust. Use content marketing – blogs, ebooks, brochures, and suchlike – to show your authority and insight in the field.
Make sure your website is well designed and up to date, using it to answer FAQs and address customers’ objections, common concerns, and pain points. Showcase industry accreditation and testimonials prominently.
#5 Relationships and brand loyalty
These are your cornerstones.
Schools don’t buy. People do.
And procurement doesn’t just reside with the headmaster or his school business manager: it’s spread right through the organisation: from deputy heads to heads of department and classroom teachers, to those who keep the wheels well oiled: those unsung heroes of schools across the land: support staff: secretaries, lab technicians, and maintenance staff.
And once you’ve got a customer, look after them; nurture that relationship. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. For schools, it’s better the devil you know. They’re so busy, they’d rather not chop and change suppliers if they can help it.
Look after them and they’ll reward you with repeat business.
Final thoughts on marketing your business to schools
You can’t build something out of nothing. Devise a strategy and set of tactics, and stick to them. It will pay off in the long term.
For more on this fascinating topic…
Michelle – Mailers
