There's a worrying trend creeping into the education sector.

More and more education companies are quietly deciding that they don't actually want to speak to schools anymore unless they're close to the point of purchase.

No calls.

No conversations.

No questions.

No demos.

Just "Here's what we offer. Buy now!"

In a sector where budgets are tight, decision-making is slow, and trust matters more than ever, this mindset isn't just naïve, it's wishful thinking disguised as strategy.

What's worse? Some education brands are becoming actively irritated when schools want to talk, ask questions, or take time before entering into a sales conversation.

Let's be very clear:

If you are annoyed that a school wants to engage with you before buying, you are not ready to sell to schools.

Selling to schools has never been "touch-free"

Schools do not buy like consumers, they do not buy like start-ups, and they certainly do not buy like e-commerce customers at midnight with a credit card.

A school purchase is rarely a single decision made by a single person. It is a process, often stretched over weeks or months, involving multiple stakeholders and internal checks.

The reality: the stages a school goes through before buying

Here's what a typical journey looks like when a school is considering a new supplier:

1. Problem recognition

A teacher, leader, or department realises something isn’t working or a new requirement has emerged.

2. Initial research

They Google.

They ask colleagues.

They skim emails and websites.

They download resources.

They stop by their stand at BETT or the Schools & Academies Show to grab a brochure.

3. Shortlisting

Two to five potential providers make it onto a mental (or literal) list.

4. Internal discussion

Conversations happen in the staffroom, department meetings, SLT meetings, or trust-wide discussions.

5. Questions and clarification

"Will this work in our setting?"

"Is this suitable for our pupils?"

"What does implementation actually look like?"

6. Demonstration or walkthrough

Very often essential, especially for software, platforms, programmes, or anything that impacts staff workload.

7. Budget checks

Frustratingly, schools will often work through steps 1-6 before confirming whether budget is actually available. At this point, the conversation may pause or stop altogether, which can leave you feeling like your time has been wasted.

It hasn't.

By this stage, you've already done valuable work. You've built familiarity with the school, gained insight into their priorities, and gathered critical intelligence - who the decision-makers are, what their core needs look like, and which challenges matter most to them.

This is where playing the long game matters.

Use the moment to strengthen the relationship rather than abandon it. Ask the right questions:

• When is budget likely to be available?
• Are there grants or funding streams they could explore?
• Is price genuinely the blocker, or simply the safest reason to pause?

In many cases, budget isn't the real reason for the "no thank you". And the suppliers who stay engaged, supportive, and visible are often the ones schools return to when the money does appear.

8. Procurement and approval

Quotes, comparisons, compliance checks, sometimes governors.

9. Final sign-off and order

This process takes time, it takes reassurance, and yes, it takes human interaction.

Expecting a school to jump from first contact to purchase without friction is fantasy.

A real world (and painful) example

One of our clients recently generated 49 new sales enquiries in just 8 weeks through our Sprint IQ.

For context, Sprint IQ is our fully-managed, always-on lead generation service. It is built to start conversations with schools, not just broadcast marketing content at them.

Out of those 49 enquiries, 1 converted into a sale.

The client was disappointed, that was partly understandable, although not much time had passed for these opportunities to convert to sales.

What came next was not. They said:

"Schools should be buying from us on their very first point of contact. They don't need to see a demo."

It was one of those moments that makes you realise how far expectations have drifted.

When I asked to see their sales process, templates, and sales enablement strategy, the answer was:

"We have one email template that we send to all enquiries."

That email? A bland, unthoughtful message along the lines of:

"Thanks for your enquiry. Here is a link to watch a demo of our system. Let me know if you'd like to sign up."

And that was it.

No follow-up.

No nurturing.

No qualification.

No attempt to understand the school's context.

1 sale.

48 wasted opportunities.

Not because the leads were bad. But because it had been decided that selling to schools should be effortless.

The brands winning school budgets do the opposite

The education brands quietly hoovering up school budget are not hoping for magic.

They are systematic, methodical, and relentless.

When a school replies, they don't see it as "job done", they see it as the spark and they work hard to turn that spark into a fire.

Typical sales enablement traits I notice in these companies are that they:

• Respond quickly and thoughtfully
• Ask smart questions
• Share relevant case studies
• Offer demos without pressure
• Follow up (politely, persistently, professionally)
• Educate schools at every step

They understand something crucial:

An enquiry is not a sale. It is an invitation to do the work.

We've been here before (and somehow forgotten)

Ten years ago, even five years ago, most education companies understood this.

They didn't assume sales would fall into their lap. They knew they had to fight for attention, fight for trust, and fight for budget.

They built sales processes, trained teams, followed up properly. Today, too many brands seem to expect sales to still roll in with:

• Fewer touchpoints
• Faster decisions
• Instant commitment

All while schools are under more pressure, more scrutiny, and tighter budgets than ever before.

You can't opt out of the hard work and still expect the rewards.

If you want to sell to schools, you must earn it

Marketing to schools is not easy, selling to schools is hard. That doesn't mean you disengage. It means you lean in.

If a school wants to talk to you, that is not friction, or an inconvenience, it's an opportunity.

The brands that win will be the ones who:

• Welcome questions
• Respect the buying process
• Build proper sales journeys
• Treat every enquiry like gold dust

Because in the education sector, every enquiry is like gold dust!

Every enquiry represents a school that has taken time out of an overloaded day to raise their hand. A teacher, leader, or trust decision-maker has noticed you, remembered you, and decided you were worth responding to. That is not something to rush, minimise, or automate into oblivion.

The education brands that will survive, and thrive, over the next few years will not be the ones chasing "touch-free" sales and instant gratification. They will be the ones willing to engage, to explain, to reassure, and to follow up properly. The ones who accept that selling to schools is a process, not a transaction.

If you and your team can show up consistently, communicate clearly, and treat every conversation as the start of a relationship rather than "hard work", schools will buy.

Not instantly.

Not effortlessly.

But sustainably, repeatedly, and with trust.

FAQs: Selling and marketing to schools

Why do schools take so long to make buying decisions?

Schools involve multiple stakeholders, budget holders, and approval stages. Decisions are rarely made by one person and often span weeks or months.

How many touchpoints does it take to sell to schools?

There is no fixed number, but successful education brands expect multiple touchpoints across email, calls, demos, and follow-ups before a school commits.

Is it realistic to expect schools to buy on first contact?

In most cases, no. First contact usually signals interest, not readiness to buy. Nurturing is essential.

What should happen after a school enquiry comes in?

A structured follow-up process: timely response, questions to understand context, relevant information, and ongoing communication.

What is the biggest mistake education companies make when selling to schools?

Assuming interest equals intent, and failing to do the work required to convert enquiries into sales.

Tags
How to Sell to Schools

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