S
S

smpviolet

Partnerships

Good Citizen

Selling year round product and services into higher ed

Anyone here have experience selling year round into higher education? We work in student success strategies that have typically been tied to the academic program year, but sales team being asked to sell year-round, and not be tied down to the academic program year.


Not clear how this is going to work but thinking time to value equation is key for partners among other things. Have a great sales team and a new Sales VP just getting their footing. Anyone have any key advice of tactics, strategies, or solutions that have worked for them if you have ever done this?

๐Ÿ‘‘ Sales Strategy
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BmajoR
Arsonist
3
Account Executive
I currently sell to higher ed year round and the only thing that will tie you down is their fiscal year. Typically FY for schools starts July 1 and their budgeting convos run through spring but usually they have to have their budgets submitted months in advance.
Essentially, you have to be very aware of their budget cycle. I have prospects that are going on 18 months because the timing wasn't right.
Ideal timing is start talking a year before then around the holidays make a plan for the new year, then January hits and you start talking budget planning and execution so that you can close it for that upcoming FY. If not, you're stuck waiting for the next year to roll around.
This isn't ALWAYS the case as schools will often create open ended "technology" budgets that give them some wiggle room on spending but your best chance is to align yourself to their FY and sell around that.
smpviolet
Good Citizen
1
Partnerships
Thanks BMajor
TennisandSales
Politicker
2
Head Of Sales
Is there any benefit to the customer to make the purchase outside of the typical academic year?

If there isnโ€™t then they wonโ€™t do it.

But i would try to figure out what the benefit to the customer would be and leverage that.
smpviolet
Good Citizen
1
Partnerships
Yup that is what we are putting heads together on
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Be very in tune with budget cycles. Institutions often have use or lose money and/or grants they will either need to obtain or use for certain purposes. You do definitely want to be top of mind for purchases, but when they buy may or may not be tied to the academic year specifically. Evaluations are also often done during the least busy times. The first thing to understand from your target institutions is how and when they buy. That should in turn inform your quota structure and expectations.
smpviolet
Good Citizen
1
Partnerships
Thanks Sunbunny1
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Best of luck to you! I hope the others with more recent experience chime in here as well.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
๐ŸฆŠ
@BmajoRtypically has excellent advice.

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