Selling To School Districts: The Unhittable Piñata?

By Glen McCandless

Glen is an expert on selling and marketing products to schools. For over 25 years, he has provided the best sales advice and business development services to the education industry.

The Unhittable Piñata

Someone once said that selling to schools was like trying to hit a piñata. You may have seen the video on America’s Funniest Home Videos of the Unhittable Piñata, which I found is a good metaphor for selling to the school market.

Are You Hitting The Mark With School Leaders?

The “ultimate candy” is wrapped inside the high enrollment school districts for K-12 sales. So how do you make an impact in this market?

Are You Hitting The Mark With School Leaders?

• The reality is: schools adopt new things very slowly.

• Engagement takes so long that you may get worn out or worried that you’ve missed the mark.

• School districts may seem impenetrable, but they are not unhittable piñatas!

The School Market: Slow, But Not Sealed Off

• Everyone who has ever been a part of the K-12 industry feels the harsh reality of a public sector market.

• Imagine how it would feel to be able to have predictable and meaningful conversations with district decision makers who control million dollar budgets!

• Start with the Selling To Schools website for advice, tips and tricks on how to reach decision makers.

It’s Time To Hone Your K-12 Sales Skills!

• First, study the environment and understand where, when and how you can make your first swing.

• Timing is everything in the school market, and miscalculating your efforts will yield poor results.

It’s Time To Hone Your K-12 Sales Skills!

Second, be mindful that it usually takes a few tries to succeed, but know that with a solid strategy and persistence, you can break into the K-12 market.

It’s Time To Hone Your K-12 Sales Skills!

• Today’s education market is changing rapidly, so what worked a month ago may not work today.

• Making more successful hits at the piñata requires constant adjustment to your swing; this can include rewards to customers that drive referrals and recognition for those who are making it happen.

It’s Time To Hone Your K-12 Sales Skills!

• Finally, be mindful that every school is different.

• Following the first success, there is a temptation to implement an identical strategy at another school, but you may not get the same results.

Stay Passionate and Seek Help To Be Successful

• We know that you are passionate about your product.

• Keep your passion, but also get the help you need to be successful with sales to school districts.

• Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy!

Let’s hit that Piñata!

Additional Resources

• For the full article of “Selling To School Districts: the Unhittable Piñata”, click here.

• For more free sales and marketing advice, click here.

• For a free 30-minute expert consultation, click here.