Mastering the art of selling EdTech to academic professionals

Education is one of the most traditional industries in the world, if not the most traditional of them all. Over the decades, education has successfully guided many generations of students through their respective academic systems. This has been an approach that has worked seamlessly for years, but now the modern world is changing, effectively becoming a more digitally-inclined iteration of its former self. Bringing technology into such a traditionally-inclined industry has not been without its challenges, but over time many people have realised the scope of potential and hope that education technology (EdTech) can and does bring to the world of academics. So, here we are. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to sell EdTech to educators, for a few reasons. It pays to know your strategy and understand it from their angle too. Only then can you successfully sell EdTech to them. But how to get there? What must you know?

photo/ Michael Jarmoluk via pixabay.com

Understanding the traditional inclinations

While many academics are familiar with the concept of EdTech, there are many others who have not so much as read any technology blogs in their lifetime, much less understand education technology and what it genuinely contributes to education. So, selling to them can be a bit of a challenge. First and foremost, understand that while you are approaching from a place of understanding technological innovation, they are often not nearly as fluent in tech-savvy discussion as you are (if at all). So, simplify your pitch so that it successfully straddles that bridge between academic intellect and the teaching of a new concept.

Having ways to show how EdTech works, rather than explaining it

While explaining something to someone is often effective, there is something far more influential about physically seeing how something works. Having access to visual understanding often (if not always) gives people a stronger idea of not only how something works, but why it works so well, and what it can offer them. Bringing some examples of EdTech with you to your pitch meeting will give them something tangible to place their judgement on, rather than coming in with nothing but a strong description. This is very important, and not to be taken lightly. They need something in front of them, to believe.

Impressing the fact that EdTech is not a replacement, but a contributing strength

Many educators have the misconception that technology is designed to effectively take over much of their work. This is obviously not the truth, but given the unfamiliarity of it, it makes perfect sense that this is the approach they initially take towards education technology. Before launching into your pitch and pulling out your examples of EdTech in motion, first make sure to emphasise that while it is understandable to assume EdTech is a replacement innovation, this is not the case. Make sure to explain that EdTech is designed to work in collaboration with traditional education, and help improve education overall. This is the way you start off the meeting, and this sets the tone for how they receive EdTech during and after, so make sure that you nail it.

Author: Ulyati Jaya