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How to Sell to District Administrators

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Welcome!

Selling to District Administrators…Why is getting better at this so important now to you and to Premier Agenda?

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A convergence• Rapid changes in school market

– Administrators are seeking fewer, more meaningful relationships and value-added partnerships

– Pressure for fundamental reform

• Premier’s expanding product portfolio– McREL offering is less “transactional” with appeal to district leaders– Wellness product hits at a burning issue of strategic importance

• Demanding, highly competitive sales environment– Products and product features blurred– Information overload: decision makers swamped with sales calls

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Workshop Agenda

• Part 1: Understanding Selling at the “C” level: School-building level vs. district level

• Part 2: Unpacking the District Buying and Decision Making Process

20 min. break and Room Change (~xx:00AM)

• Part 3: Preparing for Success

• Part 4: Wrap-Up and Next Step

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Module One: Where you’ve been, and where you are (going)• The sales environment: school vs. district

office

• Leadership: School principal vs. district superintendent

• The buying process: what’s the same? what’s different?

• Decision drivers for district buyers

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The School Answering Machine

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School Building District Office

Leadership Principal Superintendent

Focus Implementation Strategy

Audience Students+Parents Administrators

Reporting Superintendent School Board

Funding Sources District+Parents State, County, Federal

School Building vs. District Office

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Job Description: School Principal

• Manage of the operations of the school

• Facilitate interaction with parents & community

• Ensure safe environment

• Build teaching and learning capacity

• Raise money

• Support, coach and engage teachers

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Job Description: District Superintendent

• Educational leadership & vision: CEO

• Evaluate and refine subject-area strategies

• Work with school board for long-range planning, to set priorities and to formulate operating budget

• Talent management/HR/personnel

• Facilities planning

• Communications/PR/Politics

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School Building Sales vs. District Office Sales

• What’s the same?

• What’s different?

Group Discussion

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Decision Drivers: School District

External

Internal

Operations

Budget

Regulations

Job Market

Operations

Suppliers

Government

Partners

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Module 1: Recap

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Module Two: The Buying Process for District Administrators

• Anticipated process for:– “Planning that Works”

– “Personal Wellness Planner”

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Buying Process Context: Textbook Adoption Process

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Sales process for “research based” products and programs

• Long sales cycle to reach full potential

• Really, it is not a product buying decision… it is a commitment to implement a new behavior.

• Multi-year, multi-step process to fully develop the account

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Definitions• Research-based programs: Organized, multi-

faceted interventions based on a clearly articulated theory of change; designed to address complex problems.

• Implementation: A set of activities designed to put into practice a program of known dimensions. Implementation is purposeful and the program being implemented is used in such a way that independent observers can see and understand its value.

Source: The National Implementation Research Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

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Exploring: Investigating the alignment of the tools and approach with the prospective customer’s philosophy of teaching and learning.

Developing: Learning how to use the tools and developing the skills to benefit from the new approach.

Applying: Using the new tools and approach in classes with support (e.g., participating in additional learning opportunities and networking with the user community)

Integrating: Adopting the new approach into the philosophy of teaching and learning

Sustaining & Advancing: Impacting the learning environments through use new processes and tools

Implementation Process for Research-Based Programs in School Districts

Any individual or group of individuals may be at different stages of the process!

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EvaluateDiscover Analyze Verify Decide Implement

District Buying Process(for research-based practices and programs)

Barriers may stall or block each step of the buying process

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District Selling ProcessPreparation, Tools, and Resources are Key to “Nailing It”

PresentQualify Prove Refer Close Develop

Prepare the right tools to remove barriers along the wayX

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Overcoming Obstacles

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Decision Roles for District Sales

User Owner

Gatekeeper Ratifier

Influencers Decision Makers

HighInvolvement

LowInvolvement

Interested in “looking good” and may have strong biases or opinion

Interested in “big picture” and usually has veto power

Interested in cost / benefit details and compliance – can’t say yes but can say no

Interested in how the decision will affect his work– often subjective

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What is a Relationship Sale?”

Group Discussion

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People Buy – Not Organizations!

It’s all about the relationships you build

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Levels of Relationship Selling

Partner

Contributor

Consultant

Preferred Supplier

Vendor

Establish and elevate your relationships by understanding your customers, as people and the workings of the district they manage

TACTICAL

RELATIONAL

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Your Skills and Abilities

Partner

Contributor

Consultant

Preferred Supplier

Vendor

Know how to act as a trusted “joint venture” partner, with deep understanding of the needs and conflicts, issues and opportunities of the school district.

Understand the education market, trends and patterns. Able to discuss futures and be seen as a participant in long term planning for the district.

Use technical knowledge to help people see problems a new way; your questions show understanding of the district’s situation & needs.

Able to differentiate product from competitive offerings; listens and responds based on customer needs

Present and demonstrate products, explain pricing and delivery options, provide product literature.

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Module Two: Recap

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Module Three: Preparing for Success

• Prioritizing your prep time

• Your homework assignment

• How to decide who to call on first

• What questions to ask

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Preparing for Success

Strategy

Analysis

Research

Sell

Return on Investment

Your time invested at the top of the sales planning pyramid will have the greatest impact on sales

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District Sales Preparation

Decision Maker

District

U.S. Public Education

Importance of your research

Knowing about the potential customer, especially the people involved in the decision, is critical to your success.

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Do your homework.You can’t bluff your way through!

• Research state’s education agenda and initiatives, political context, and issues

• Research district’s status, history, initiatives, news, organizational structure, leadership

• Research the people: so you know who to approach first. Identify “movers and shakers”

• Formulate your strategy; plan your meeting

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District Selling Research

Group Exercise

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Whoya gonna call?Begin the sales process with an administrator who…

• Is involved in the buying decision

• Has a personal interest in its outcome

• Has adequate rank to affect the decision

• Has sufficient influence to affect the informal decision-making process

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Whoya gonna call?Clues to look for during research phase:

• Track record: Was instrumental in the success of strategic initiatives and programs implemented in the district during the past several years.

• Current value: Their name is linked to a new initiative or important program for the district now.

• Network: Their name is linked to multiple initiatives and programs now, and has been.

• Inner circle: Regardless of their title, they enjoy high respect and connection to the formal decision makers

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The Questioning FrameworkUse questions to establish your credibility and trust

• The questions you ask during a district sales call are formulated based on the research you’ve done – they give you “credit” for having done your homework.

• “Question layering” results from careful listening and developing your ability to unpack issues and dig deep into the challenges that the district leader faces.

• Conduct an interview with questions that allow the administrator to reveal problems that you may be able to help solve

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Building Trust

• Integrity: follow through on commitments

• Share information

• Seek first to understand, then be understood.

• Listen carefully

• Act consistently

• Prioritize mutual needs