Are you struggling to track down and connect with the education industry decision-makers for your B2B business?
We understand how important it is to contact primary decision-makers if you want to market your amazing products or services to educational institutions successfully.
They hold the keys to unlock incredible opportunities for your business, and we’re here to help you navigate through this exciting maze of connections!
We have developed this comprehensive guide to assist you with just that. It will outline a simple 8-step process – enabling you to find and contact education industry decision-makers
Research projects the education industry to reach a whopping $4480 billion by 2027!
That's a lot of money invested in education. So, to tap into this growing market, you MUST know its key decision-makers.
This guide will give you an overview of 8 simple steps to connect with the decision-makers in education.
Identifying these individuals can make your business successful. After all, it is one of the first steps when you start designing your strategies for higher education lead generation.
And with Revnew, this job gets done in a jiffy! For instance, our team helped a course creation company promptly start discussions with relevant contacts.
To dive into the details, you can check out the entire case study on how Revnew’s 5-step approach enabled Pointful Education to set up 80 appointments in just four months!
So, are you ready to learn? Then, let’s get started.
Start by researching the sector itself. Commence by gaining a broad understanding of the educational landscape, including:
Look at industry reports, news articles, and academic research on the education industry. It can help you identify key market developments, such as:
For example, when we researched the global state of the education sector, we found the following key drivers impacting its growth:
You should also stay up-to-date on industry news and events. It can help you identify new opportunities and know about changes that may impact the business.
For instance, you can attend education industry conferences or join relevant industry associations. You’ll gain valuable insights into the latest news about the sector.
Next up. Understand your ideal customer profile (ICP) in the education sector. It involves defining the firmographic and behavioral characteristics of your target customers.
Firmographic characteristics include attributes such as:
Behavioral characteristics include factors such as:
Nailing down your ICP allows you to focus your marketing efforts and resources on the most promising prospects. Identifying the key characteristics of your ideal customer enables you to tailor your messaging and outreach efforts – to resonate with their needs and priorities.
An illustration of ICP identification in education might involve creating a matrix or table that lists the following attributes:
It can help you visualize and prioritize your outreach efforts and refine your ICP over time based on your results.
For your better understanding, here’s a possible tabular format for developing an ICP:
| Criteria | Description |
| Educational institution size |
It includes factors such as the number of students, faculty size, and geographic location. For example, you might target small-to-medium-sized private colleges in the Northeastern United States. |
| Educational institution type |
It includes factors such as whether the institution is a K-12 school, community college, or university. For example, you might target K-12 schools focusing on STEM education. |
| Academic programs/initiatives |
Include identifying specific academic areas or initiatives your product or service can support. For example, you might target schools offering coding programs or transitioning to blended learning environments. |
| Budgetary constraints |
It includes understanding the typical budget constraints for educational products or services. For example, you may target institutions with a budget of $50,000 or more for educational technology purchases. |
| Decision-making processes |
It includes understanding who makes the purchasing decisions for products or services and what factors influence their choices. For example, you might target institutions where the IT department is responsible for educational purchasing decisions. |
After identifying your ICP, create your account list. In other words, design a targeted list of educational institutions and decision-makers that fit your ICP criteria. Here's how:
Use tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator or Crunchbase to create a list of schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions that match your ICP.
This information will help you prioritize your outreach efforts and tailor your messaging to each account.
Check out this illustration of an account list for your better understanding:
| Institution | Institution Type | Budget | Decision Maker | Pain Point |
| Oak Ridge High School | K-12 School | $100,000 | Director of Technology | Outdated software |
| San Francisco State University | University | $250,000 | Chief Information Officer | Difficulty managing student data |
| Harvard University | Ivy League University | $500,000 | Dean of Instructional Technology | Need for more engaging online learning tools |
| Khan Academy | Online Learning Platform | $50,000 | CEO | Need to improve user engagement |
| Miami Dade College | Community College | $150,000 | Chief Academic Officer | Lack of resources for students in underprivileged areas |
To find and connect with key decision-makers, use LinkedIn. It’s a powerful tool for B2B outreach, allowing you to target and engage with specific individuals who fit your ICP.
Here are the key steps to follow while using LinkedIn:
1. Search for Educational Institutions that Fit Your ICP: Use the search filters on LinkedIn to narrow down your results by location, industry, and size.
3. Use LinkedIn's Messaging and Connection Features: Utilize these functionalities to reach out to decision-makers and introduce your product or service.
Personalize your message to reflect the specific needs and priorities of the educational institution. Additionally, highlight how your product or service can address their challenges.
4. Engage with Decision-makers: Comment on and share their posts and relevant industry news and content. It can help build credibility and establish a relationship with decision-makers over time.
Education industry associations and networks can provide valuable insights and connections. As such, they help you identify decision-makers, build relationships with them, and refine your lead generation tactics for higher education.
Here are some tried-and-tested tips:
Such events also offer valuable networking opportunities and insights into key stakeholder priorities.
Use technology to streamline the identification and outreach process. These tools can help you:
Here are some examples of technology tools that help you pinpoint education industry decision-makers:
However, when using the above tools, you should follow best practices to maximize your chances of success. Here are some tips to remember:
Note: Technology can be a powerful tool for streamlining the identification and outreach process. However, personal connections and relationships ultimately drive success in the education industry.
For further reading: How to generate education leads?
The penultimate step is to reach out to your decision-makers with a targeted and personalized message. It involves the following sub-steps:
Here’s an explanation of the above elements in further detail:
Use the information you've gathered through your research to craft messaging that speaks directly to their needs. Plus, ensure your communication demonstrates the value of your product or service.
Using multiple channels enables you to increase the visibility of your message and improve your chances of success.
It might involve the following:
Personalizing your message demonstrates that you understand their needs and are committed to finding a solution that works for them.
Identifying education industry decision-makers is vital for any business looking to succeed in this dynamic market. The education sector is constantly evolving. Factors such as digitization, budgetary constraints, and changing consumer demands shape its growth trajectory.
However, with the right approach to education industry lead generation, you can stay ahead of the competition and unlock new opportunities for success. That's where Revnew comes in as your partner of choice for education lead generation.
Our proprietary process ensures your academic product/service reaches the right decision-makers – to influence even more potential customers and achieve your goals. So don't wait any longer to skyrocket your educational solutions. Contact us today!
Read more: Ways to Generate Education Leads Through Outbound Marketing