In this episode of All Things Marketing and Education, Elana sits down with Jacob Hanson, CEO and Storyteller at PRP Group. Jacob had a lot to say about EdTech companies and their interactions with the market they serve, including how they can understand and improve that dynamic for everyone involved. We encourage you to listen to the entire podcast episode, but we’ve summarized some of the highlights for your reference below. Also, make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for links to all of the resources that Jacob and Elana mentioned.
EdTech Companies Succeed Through Curiosity About Their Audience
Jacob explains that like any product- or service-based enterprise, an EdTech company needs to be audience-obsessed if it hopes to succeed; That means, among other things, avoiding the assumption that your skills, instincts, and experiences from other industries will transfer seamlessly. Jacob reminds us that EdTech's audience is unique, and believes that curiosity is essential for innovation, and that constantly gathering fresh data is the only way to support it. He recalls seeing companies build on audience feedback collected during pilots and betas, and then continue to use that data far too long:
"Two years later they’re still acting on that same feedback, still operating as if that’s current. For some, it may be true, but in some cases, two years can be a lot of time."
Jacob explains that getting to know your audience is really about interviewing the educators that your product serves, and building customer profiles based on your awareness of them as real people. Jacob warns about generalizing from small data sets, advising you to dig deep when polling think tanks and potential users in other geographical regions. He says, "That same ideal customer profile, that super in Southern Florida, may not apply to that super in rural Washington State."
Jacob suggests making curiosity central to every customer interaction, even with something as simple as building an answer-optional question into your login page.
Build Credibility By Living The Mission
Jacob can easily spot EdTech companies that don't know their audience as well as they should. All he needs is a glance at their website.
"The vast majority of people that land on your homepage for the first time are not looking to schedule a demo. Where are you guiding them to? Whether these companies are coming to us for help with foundational marketing, or they’re coming for PR, I still have to ask, 'Why are we linking here?' We go through exploratory interviews with different stakeholders. It’s insane sometimes, the differences we hear."
Jacob's team escorts companies on what he calls “buyer journeys” to determine how well they know their buyer. In EdTech, the best way to get real marketing traction is often by living the mission and building a community that trusts the company. He says:
"It’s not for show, and it is a long game. We are an aircraft carrier. Account for the runway. Anything new in education you can probably bank on minimum two, maybe three, and up to five or six years before you’re recording a profit."
Throughout this long game, it helps to build a robust, genuine organic social media presence and to be responsive – and inclusive – with customer questions and concerns.
Educators Can Demand A Seat At The EdTech Table.
For EdTech companies to adequately meet educators' product needs, Jacob encourages those educators to be proactive:
"Learn the channels that you can advocate on so that you can communicate the best possible way. A help ticket won’t get you that long-term, 'Hey, could you do this?' or 'Sure would be cool if these kids looked more like the kids in my classroom.' That’s not always going to get seen if you just go through the regular customer service channels. If you notice an issue or something that is missing, give that company the benefit of the doubt, and see if they’ll do it. That just may earn you a seat at the table, or at least change the product for the better. Be relentless. Make sure that they hear you. You may be surprised by what they’ll do for you if you ask."
Additionally, Jacob urges companies to acknowledge the feedback:
"You’ve got to communicate that 'We heard you, and we did this because we heard you.' Validate the people that are giving you that feedback, so they’ll do it again. I think closing that loop is monumental to keeping the people who are giving you that feedback coming back to the well."
Here's the full transcript of Jacob’s podcast episode.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
PRP Group, where Jacob currently serves as CEO
New Era Superintendents, an association of education leaders focused on K-12 student success, mentioned by Jacob as a driver of student achievement
Lily Jones, an All Things Marketing and Education episode for educators interested in transitioning to EdTech
Serena Robinett, an All Things Marketing and Education episode that speaks with an educator who recently made the lead to join an EdTech company full time.
Rayna (Yaker) Glumac, an All Things Marketing and Education episode about how EdTech companies can navigate procurement, trials, and pilots
High Tech Kids, a Minnesota nonprofit that makes STEM more accessible to kids; Jacob serves on the Board of Directors
Lean Startups, a scientific approach to creating and managing startups; Elana studied this in her MBA program
Nearpod, an EdTech with an extremely loyal community; Jacob's primary example of how an audience-obsessed EdTech could work.
Elana Leoni, Host
Elana Leoni has dedicated the majority of her career to improving K-12 education. Prior to founding LCG, she spent eight years leading the marketing and community strategy for the George Lucas Educational Foundation where she grew Edutopia’s social media presence exponentially to reach over 20 million education change-makers every month.
Jacob Hanson, Guest
Jacob Hanson is the CEO of PRP Group (formerly PR with Panache!), an award-winning Public Relations and Marketing Intelligence firm that he co-founded in 2012 with his mother Sue. Jacob graduated Fort Lewis College cum laude with a B.A. in Modern Language. Spending subsequent years of his career dedicated to sales growth, marketing, and brand awareness, Jacob brings to PRP Group a fierce passion for education and extensive experience in moving high-quality companies and their brands to the forefront of the education marketplace. A skilled communicator with a zest for life, he has the wherewithal to see the big picture, connecting the dots between sales, marketing, and public relations to create dynamic communication and integrated marketing plans that tell your story effectively. PRP has supported nearly 200 companies in education, providing a variety of PR services for 16-24 clients at any given time. Along with running PRP, Jacob currently serves on the Board of Directors for High Tech Kids, a nonprofit that makes STEM more accessible to kids in Minnesota through programs and events that inspire young students in their formative years. Most importantly, he is Daddy to his seven-year-old son Sawyer and five-year-old daughter Bexley, making fresh tracks and hiking with his two hound dogs, Darla and Ivy.
About All Things Marketing and Education
What if marketing was judged solely by the level of value it brings to its audience? Welcome to All Things Marketing and Education, a podcast that lives at the intersection of marketing and you guessed it, education. Each week, Elana Leoni, CEO of Leoni Consulting Group, highlights innovative social media marketing, community-building, and content marketing strategies that can significantly increase reach, relationships, and revenue.
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