This is a continuation of recommendations on go-to-market strategies for EdTech companies.
- Wow factor. One way to demonstrate value quickly is to have a UI/UX that is easy to use with little or no training and is fun. This will likely involve consulting with a game designer rather than a web developer. If the product looks like an LMS (text fields, lists, buttons, etc.), then you’ve lost an opportunity to excite students to use the product when not explicitly assigned by their teacher. And with more usage, you’ll gain insights into UIU/UX changes and missing features.
- Ambassadors & Influencers. It is very difficult to precisely locate and target teachers for a bottom-up sales approach. It is even more difficult to market to school or district administrators. Teachers often use EdTech tools that they see being used in their school. More importantly, teachers use social media as a source of pedagogical advice and product reviews. It is critical to create a buzz about your product. After an initial sale to a school work to convert the early adopter to be an internal champion (aka ambassador) for your product. This person has the potential to ease sales through product training and integration into the curriculum for other teachers. See list here
- What is the real problem? Don’t get too focused on your feature set that you miss opportunities to tap into deeper concerns by teachers. Everyone has fears and dreams and marrying your product to these more emotional needs is the way many successful products position themselves. Sell an experience.
