Prospecting in the EdTech Space: The 1st 45 Seconds
By Daniel O’Reilly
CEO of Fuel Sales Academy, LLC
One of the most difficult things to do when prospecting is to engage with the decision maker and get that person to continue the conversation. Their plates are full and you are just another disruption to their schedule. So, how do you get them to stop what they are doing and talk to you… a total stranger who is looking to sell them something?
The absolute first thing you need to do is make sure your mentality is correct. The main goal of every prospecting call is NOT to sell your solution or offering. The goal is to connect with the decision maker or someone with access to power, determine if they have a need for your solution, and set an appointment. With that in mind, your function during that moment in time is not selling but researching and learning. Your mindset should align with this and position you as a consultant and not a pushy salesperson.
Access to power means that the person you are speaking with has the ability to directly influence the decision maker and connect you with them. This is very important when working in the K12 market. As with any industry or market, the decision makers in K12 are hard to reach. They seldom answer their phones, they have gatekeepers who block your access, and they rarely respond to emails. When you do get them on the phone, you have a very short window to build trust and make an impact. The big difference however is that the gatekeepers often are a huge source of information. They know what is going on in the district/school and they are open to sharing.
So if you are not able to reach the decision maker right away, you need to be talking with the gatekeeper. Who is the gatekeeper? It could be the assistant to the decision maker or just about anyone that works in the department you are trying to reach who is willing to talk. If you reach a voicemail, don’t leave a message right away. Get out and ask to speak to anyone who is available in that department.
The secondary goal of every prospecting call is to learn something that will give you the ability to communicate more effectively. Learn about the district/school and their specific needs or issues relevant to your solution and then use that information to leave a more focused and personal voicemail or email to the main decision maker.
While I am not a big fan of scripted conversations, I do think it is important to craft a script in this opening section of the call to ensure you are following a strong structure and hitting the correct points at the right time. When putting together your cold calling script, structure and psychology are keys to making sure the script is a success and generates the maximum results…