How to sell software to schools
Selling EdTech To Schools - Know Your Value Proposition
What are you bringing to school today?
Did you remember your elevator pitch?
When you come into a school situation
you have to bring that value proposition,
your elevator pitch
with you. I'm Will McCoy,
CEO EdTech Authority,
where we bridge the technology for schools.
When thinking about your value proposition,
what are you bringing?
You should be able to describe to your product
in about three sentences.
It's called an elevator pitch.
Whatever you want to call it,
it's what people will identify
your product
and you together.
That's how they will know you.
You need to be able to clearly state
what it is that your product does
for schools and districts
in about three sentences.
Because, sometimes,
for example at a conference,
that's all the time you're going to have.
Make sure you memorize it.
Make sure you understand it, you agree on it.
That your sales people aren't telling each other
and other people different things.
What's your company about?
Write it in three sentences
and then try it on five of your friends.
One, make sure you're consistent
and two, if they truly see if they understand
what it is that you're trying to convey about your company.
I had a client that
really had crafted this beautiful
language.
But, by the time they had wordsmith this thing
to death,
it really didn't match what the product did anymore.
They tried to throw in all sorts of beautiful language
and they got away from the sole purpose
of what their product was about.
Make sure that your value proposition.
What are you bringing?
What's the value you're bringing to schools is
incredibly clear
and can be delivered in about a
minute. Like I said,
sometimes that's all you have.
When you're crafting your message,
when you're crafting your elevator
pitch, or your value proposition.
What are some things that you need to include?
Remember the perspective of the administrator,
the person that's going to be authorizing
this purchase.
They care about kids
and they care about staff members
and they care about everyone doing
well at school.
So, your message about your
product should have
kids, staff,
schools in it.
If you are truly an edtech company,
you need dimensioned education in your value
proposition.
Don't forget that.
You are not a
bookkeeping software
anymore. You are a
school business office
product.
It's important that you frame it for
them so that they can see it in a familiar way.
You need your product
to be instantly networked
into their paradigm.
So, you are not a
intranet company,
you're a school district communications system.
I know it's word smithing
and it's wordplay,
but you need to frame your product
for schools.
And, you need to be able to do it within three sentences.
It's a lot of challenge,
it's a lot of napkin writing,
it's a lot of scribbling
and it's a lot of typing.
But, when you get that core concept
about your product.
It makes everything much easier
and people will genuinely understand what
it is you're talking about
and what product you have to
offer their school.
Remember they care about their
schools.
Make sure that your product matches what they
need for their schools.
We've talked in other videos about
the importance of listening
and being genuine.
This value proposition all ties to that.
You have to stick to your core
and listen to your client.
What are they looking for
and how are you going to match them?
Remember to keep that elevator pitch clear
and concise
and carry it with you to every school
and every meeting that you have.
If you have any questions
or comments please leave them below.
I'm Will McCoy, CEO of EdTech Authority,
have a great day.
