You know your edtech product is perfect for teachers, the front office, parents, and students. Then an IT director chooses your competition.
Frustrating, right?
School district IT administrators have many challenges. Some have never been teachers, so it can be difficult to understand teachers’ needs. Some IT folks are barraged by so many edtech solutions, on top of keeping everyone’s computers running.
They’re busy people! Here are a few tactics that will gain their attention:
1. A school district IT director will consider the total cost of their decision. This includes installation, training, and ongoing support. What are the edtech product total costs? What’s the proof that there won’t be any surprises?
2. Help them understand how your product protects student privacy. Andrew Wallace, technology director in the South Portland School Department in Maine suggests that IT leaders seek assistance from organizations such as the Student Data Privacy Consortium. This organization has created a privacy framework that guides districts in vetting contracts. This is an excellent resource for edtechs to review their contracts and compare it to these standards.
3. Are teachers, student, and parents actually using this edtech? Then shout it from the rooftops in blogs, social media, on the web site, and everywhere possible. Interview other district IT directors for a blog.
4. Help IT folks understand how you’ll support teachers and staff use your edtech, for example, with training webinars and materials.
These are just a few tactics for gaining school district IT administrators interest. Please let me know if you need help executing a strategy for your edtech’s brand.