Supplying educational resources to the international schools market can realise significant revenue benefits for education suppliers. In order to remain competitive for admissions, and to deliver a high standard of learning provision, many international schools seek out the best in global education resources to support all aspects of school life, particularly teaching and learning, and administration. However, education suppliers often allow organic growth of business enquiries to govern their international development, rather than taking a more strategic approach to their international sales and marketing.
What schools want from education suppliers
A recent ISC Research white paper, on the purchasing decisions of international schools, highlighted research identifying the good practice from education suppliers that schools most value when selecting new products and services. These include:
- Clear market knowledge, by a brand manager, of the specific cultural, political, and legal requirements of a country which directly affect the resource needs of an international school.
- The flexibility of a product or service to enable adaptation to meet a school’s specific needs, audience and orientation. 80% of international schools surveyed for the research said they are more likely to make a purchase after a free trial to identify benefits and potential.
- The time and effort invested by a brand manager into building a supportive relationship with school representatives; school decision-makers clearly want to develop a sense of trust in a brand and its team. 62% of the schools surveyed also want the chance to talk directly to existing customers about a product, and to see evidence of impact on current end-users before making a purchase decision.
What education suppliers need for international development
The report highlights the need for education suppliers to develop a strategic approach, including a clearly defined segmentation of the market and audiences, and multiple routes to engagement. These routes will vary depending on the sector and the chosen touchpoint in the engagement journey. School budget cycles and purchase priorities, along with brand engagement and reputation all play a part in strategic success.
Advice and solutions for how to develop a strategic approach to international business development will be presented during an ISC Research webinar at 9am GMT and again at 5pm GMT on Tuesday 22nd February. Register now!
