1. Helping to bring technology to life in Further Education

2. Presentation Overview
Demonstrate why FE can be a good sector for new idea in technology
Discuss the sales cycle in FE and look at what some of the challenges are
Look at a new model in EdTech sales that could deliver significant time & cost savings
Provide case studies to show how effective and efficient this new model could be
Discuss why Tech Stories experience could be well placed to play a role in establishing this kind of model
Slide Summary: I will highlight the external and internal challenges with edtech sales today and will go on to suggest a new model and process that could be of significant benefit to the FE college and their suppliers. OH By the way:
Transition:
Purpose of Slide:
Key Primary Point:
Audience Should feel:

3. “No one ever got fired for going with IBM”
About the FE Sector
407 Further Education Colleges
£6.6 Billion Budget
Close knit community -
Allows word of mouth about new
ideas & good suppliers to spread
A £3k service at 200 colleges = £600k
Slide Summary: FE can be a good early market for new tech start ups... After all this is where a small company called Facebook started.
OH By the way: Facebook grew one college at a time
Transition: This sector can be a risk adverse, conservative group.
Purpose of Slide: Educate Audience about possibilities
Key Primary Point: FE could be a good market for start ups
Audience Should feel: What a great opportunity
Other (Props etc):
“No one ever got fired for going with IBM”

4. Technology in FE – Too Much Choice?
Which Area of Education?
Education
Specialists
Main Stream
High Growth
Start Ups
US Institutions
UK Schools
UK Further Ed
UK Universities
Disparity between exhibitors at edu events and the most used tools in the Classroom.
Difference appear to be that services are either free and/or they enjoy growth through word of mouth.
Slide Summary: There are so many new developments in technology that it can be difficult to know what will be successful or which company will be the market leader
OH By the way: According to BIS, there are 270,000 new start ups per annum in the UK (bis.gov.uk) and 6.5 million in the US (Kauffman Index)
Transition: This can lead to some heated debates about the choice & use of technology at the college, but the products that get bought are also the ones that are developed in collaboration with the sector
Purpose of Slide: Demonstrate the # of tech suppliers
Key Primary Point: There are a lot of tech suppliers vying for FE Colleges attention and business
Audience Should feel: Agreement in the variety and complexity of choice .
1,268 edu
Suppliers
42 of Top 100
edu tools
4-5 Years before
SM was adopted
Good products get bought... They don’t need to be sold!

5. Technology in FE – Different Perspectives
Technology in FE – Different Perspectives? Innovators & Visionaries Vs Skeptics & Laggards
When discussing any emerging new technology, there are “early adopter” proponents as well as those that are more cautious about the latest technology.
Moore’s Competitive Positioning Compass
“What difference has all this technology made to teaching, learning or exam results?”
“We’re going to use these tools anyway, we may as well get an understanding of them sooner rather than later”
Slide Summary:
OH By the way:
Transition:
Purpose of Slide:
Key Primary Point: Audience Should feel:
“We can end up spending as much time debating views on technology in general than on the specifics of what the new technology will do once it’s in the classroom” Tech Story

6. Typical FE Sales Cycle Identify/Recruit Edu specialist
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Source College Contacts
Cost/Time: 1 wk
Identify Decision
Makers
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Introduction to
Key influencers
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial Meeting
May include prospects who are:
Making up numbers for quote
Not the decision makers
General interest
Conservative and risk averse
Initial phone
pitch
Cost/Time: 2-4 wks
Total New Customer Acquisition Cost
Time: 35 wks
Cost: £30k
Summary: It can be a 6-12 month cycle to get sales in this sector
OH by the way: Once you have clients they are very loyal... Good opportunity for product innovation/”up selling” and intros to uni & school partners
Transition: While you are trying to engage with this sector... You’re not the only one/alone
Purpose of Slide: Complex Sector
Key Primary Point: This sector requires a costly time investment
Audience should feel: Confused and overwhelmed
Other (Props etc):
Attend FE/Edu
Conferences
Cost/Time: £10k
Follow Up Meeting
Cost/Time: £5k
Internal College Due Diligence
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial Meeting
Cost/Time: £7k

7. Tech Stories Potential FE Sales Cycle
1,200 Edu Suppliers
Main Stream Suppliers
Other Start Ups
Identify/Recruit
Edu specialist
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Source College Contacts
Cost/Time: 1 wk
College Costs
Supplier Costs
Identify Decision
Makers
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Sales Calls
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Introduction to
Key influencers
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial Meeting
May include prospects who are:
Making up numbers for quote
Not the decision makers
General interest
Conservative and risk averse
Follow Up Enquiries
Cost/Time: 2-4 wks
Initial phone
pitch
Cost/Time: 2-4 wks
Cost of sales calls
to the college
Time: 35 wks
Cost: £30k
Cost of sales calls
to the college
Time Saved: 35 wks
Cost Savings: £30k
Total New Customer Acquisition Cost
Time Saved: 35 wks
Cost Savings: £30k
Total New Customer Acquisition Cost
Time: 35 wks
Cost: £30k
Summary: It can be a 6-12 month cycle to get sales in this sector
OH by the way: Once you have clients they are very loyal... Good opportunity for product innovation/”up selling” and intros to uni & school partners
Transition: While you are trying to engage with this sector... You’re not the only one/alone
Purpose of Slide: Complex Sector
Key Primary Point: This sector requires a costly time investment
Audience should feel: Confused and overwhelmed
Other (Props etc):
Attend FE/Edu
Conferences
Cost/Time: £10k
Conference Enquiries
Cost/Time: 1 wk
Follow Up Meeting
Supplier: £5k
College: 1 wk
Internal College Due Diligence
Cost/Time: 4 wks
Internal College Due Diligence
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial Meeting
Cost/Time: 1 wk
Initial Meeting
Cost/Time: £7k

8. Technology Adoption Life Cycle
Supporters
Product
Visionaries
Laggards – Whole
Product Support
Crossing the Chasm
Specialist
Generalist
Slide Summary: The various viewpoints on technology in education are all valid and have value, but suppliers need to be careful in who they partner with when starting out in a new sector
OH By the way: Neither group seems to like sales people... I find the examples of Netscape and Xerox Parc useful with this. Both companies have great products but suffered as result of not valuing the role that sales evangelists can have
Transition: Let’s take a look at the impact that each group has had with with new technology in FE
Purpose of Slide: To demonstrate the role different groups play in the development of technology
Key Primary Point: There is a process to technology sales which, when understood, could benefit the sector
Audience Should feel:
Innovators & Visionaries Vs Skeptics & laggards
Innovators – The first people to adopt new technology because the appreciate technology for its own sake
Visionaries – Have the insight to match an emerging technology to a strategic opportunity, driven by a business goal...
not a technology one
Early Majority (Pragmatists) – Learned the hard way that the “leading edge” is often the “bleeding edge” want to see
incremental, measurable and predictable progress... Not big risk taking strategies
Conservatives (Late majority) – are against discontinous innovations, they beleive in tradition (often fear high tech a little bit)
Laggards (Skeptics) – Of the billions invested in tech it has not really improved exam results. Primary function of tech
marketing is to neutralise their influence so they don’t block the sale. If marketers don’t take responsibility of the “whole
product solution”, they give the skeptic an opening to block the sale
Technology
Enthusiasts
Pragmatist
Skeptic

9. Examples of Technology Adoption in FE
Date Established: Feb Feb March 2006
At least 368 Colleges use these sites today
At least 232 Colleges have links to them on the college homepage
Initially most colleges blocked these sites
Slide Summary: Social Media provides a good example of the technology adoption cycle in FE. It took 4-6 years to get rolled out across the sector.
OH By the way: I wonder how long it will take for colleges to use new resources like Edmondo
Transition: Twitter has been around since 2006 but the first UK College account that we could find was opened in 2008 (?), the latest was in And we can imagine the debates that took place as colleges carried out their due diligence
Purpose of Slide: To show consequences/results of innovative & conservative discussions
Key Primary Point: To demonstrate the technology adoption life cycle in context of FE
Audience Should feel:

10. A New Tech Sales Model for FE
We believe there is a model that could reward the early adopters and, at the same
time, aid the decision making process of colleges that prefer “whole product solutions”
We aim to make it easier for suppliers to connect with the early adopters in a more
welcome and efficient way.
Supporters
Revenues & Profits
Strategic Partners
Top Tier Customers
Full Product Line
Business Press Coverage
Financial Analyst Endorsements
Benchmarks
Product Reviews
Design Wins
Initial Sales Volume
Visionary Endorsements
Product
Company
Slide Summary: We will help suppliers identify that tech enthusiasts & innovators quicker to enable huge cost savings and allow the sector to assess any new services.
OH By the way:
Transition: By understanding the “Technology Adoption Life Cycle” we can help identify new services that would be suitable for FE as well as to help new suppliers to “Cross the Chasm”
Purpose of Slide: Demonstrate the benefit of Tech Market segmentation
Key Primary Point: To highlight the most effective process for technology sales and the initial group to target
Audience Should feel: Educated?
Specialist
Generalist
Technology
Market
Market Share
Third Party Support
Standards Certification
Application Proliferation
Vertical Press Coverage
Industry Analyst Endorsements
Architecture
Schematics
Demos
Trial
Technology Press Coverage
Guru Endorsements
Skeptic

11. The Chasm New FE Tech 138 Colleges 138 Colleges 10 55 Colleges
Learned the hard way that the “leading edge” is often the “bleeding edge”
Against discontinuous innovations, believe in traditional methods
Match emerging technology with strategic business opportunity
How has technology improved exam results? Need to neutralise their influence so they don’t block the sale.
Adopt new technology because they appreciate technology for its own sake
Summary: There are a lot of other companies in FE who are trying to engage the early adopters and the laggards
Oh by the Way: Most of the companies that attend the education conferences are not the ones that are most used in the classroom
Transition: Most companies that end up in the chasm are ones that operate in other sectors.
Within the college if early adopters are discouraged from exploring emerging technology can be as frustrating as the late majority/laggard group spending money on tech too early.
Purpose of Slide: Demonstrate sector knowledge
Key primary point: There is a process and effective way to engage this group
Audience should feel: Reassured by expertise
Other (Props etc):
Slide Summary: This is how emerging technology gains traction in any given sector and the make up of each group
OH By the way: Given the cost of textbooks, E-readers should be an ideal cost saving solution to education and have been around since years...and counting...
Transition: It can take 12 months+ for a new supplier to find the early market in FE, which has direct and indirect cost implications to FE
Purpose of Slide: To highlight the tech sales process
Key Primary Point: That there is a process to tech sales
Audience Should feel: “Ah ha, that makes sense (and is very clever!)”
The Chasm
138 Colleges
138 Colleges 10
55 Colleges
65 Colleges
Laggards (16%)
Innovators (2.5%)
Early Majority (34%)
Late Majority (34%)
Early Adopters (13.5%)

12. Tech Stories Potential FE Sales Cycle
Identify/Recruit
Edu specialist
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Source College Contacts
Cost/Time: 1 wk
1,200 Suppliers with a £3k service
would be £3.6m at 1 college.
1,200 suppliers at 407 colleges = £1.5bn
65 £3,000 = £195k
200 £2,000 = £400k
Working with early adopters
in this sector would make solutions
more bespoke and facilitate growth
Identify Decision
Makers
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Introduction to
Key influencers
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial phone
pitch
Cost/Time: 2-4 wks
Total New Customer Acquisition Cost
Time: 35 wks
Cost: £30k
Total New Customer Acquisition Cost
Time Saved: 35 wks
Cost Savings: £30k
Summary: It can be a 6-12 month cycle to get sales in this sector
OH by the way: Once you have clients they are very loyal... Good opportunity for product innovation/”up selling” and intros to uni & school partners
Transition: While you are trying to engage with this sector... You’re not the only one/alone
Purpose of Slide: Complex Sector
Key Primary Point: This sector requires a costly time investment
Audience should feel: Confused and overwhelmed
Other (Props etc):
Attend FE/Edu
Conferences
Cost/Time: £10k
Follow Up Meeting
Cost/Time: £5k
Internal College Due Diligence
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial Meeting
Cost/Time: £7k

13. Market Research – Pilot Project
A result of Twitter in FE Report was that I was if I’d like
to contribute to a Social Media Risk Report that
CrowdControlHQ was putting together for Further Education
Sent this report out to FE contacts
Asked if colleges would like to be involved with a pilot
55 Colleges expressed an interest
Time & cost savings enabled CrowdControlHQ to offer a
75% discount to “Innovators and early adopters”
Summary:
Oh by the way:
Transition:
Purpose of slide:
Key Primary point:
Audience should feel: Other (Props etc):

14. Market Research - Customer Validation
Given that the Further Education is a small tight knit community, customer validation is key
to engaging with the sector
Yes
A survey was sent out to people who
had requested my reports
46 Colleges provided some input
The feedback was extremely positive
Yes
Yes
Summary: Customer validation is absolutely key to finding win-win situations and ROI for all stakeholders. This is something that we are 100% committed to.
Oh by the way: I will only work with companies that I can see the value in.
Transition: Results like the ones from the CrowdControlHQ pilot took me 12 months to acheive!!
Purpose of slide: Tech Stories are results orientated
Key Primary point: This is an approach that all parties could benefit from
Audience should feel: Impressed
Other (Props etc): Summary of survey
Yes
Yes

15. Tech Stories – Background
12 Years experience in Higher & Further Education
Achieved 50% market share in 3 years
Helped get project recognised & recommended by
Association of FE Student Services
Healthy College Scheme
Learning Skills Improvement Service
Tied our solution into government policy – ECM, NI Healthy Colleges, Ofsted
Established on of the first UK pilots based on “social norms”
Successful handover by training team of 6 in newly established London office
Generated over £2 million over 3 years for a company with annual turnover of £1 million.
Summary: I’ve spent 12 years liaising between techs and educators to find ways to make sure our solutions are fit for purpose.
OH by the way: The longest period from meeting to booking was...
Transition: When I was wrapping this project up in 2009 I realised that sales methods were changing
Purpose of Slide: To demonstrate experience
Key Primary Point: Tech Stories know how to get results in this sector
Audience should feel: Impressed? In safe hands?
Other (Props etc):

16. Tech Stories – In-Bound, Permission Based
In 2009 understood there was a shift from out bound sales calls to in-bound marketing
Explored social media and concepts
of in bound marketing
Collaborated with industry experts to
share my findings with the FE sector
Twitter in Further Education
Tech Story
Business Development Ideas for FE
“i-Don’t Smoke” Intro to Social Norms
Culture in Education
Summary: Through exploring inbound marketing I have become a trusted voice in the sector
OH by the way: My next report will be based on Tech Sales in FE/Mobile/You Tube/Facebook
Transition: These reports have helped to grow the # of followers I have across a number of platforms
Purpose of slide: To highlight ethical sales
Key Primary point: A trusted voice in this sector
Audience should feel: Other (Props etc):

17. Tech Stories – Social Media Followers
Job Title #
Principals
375
SMT PA’s
139
Marketing
284
Bus Dev 98
Vice Principals
184 IT 78
Student Services
183
Other
178
Summary: Here is a summary of the kind of people in FE who follow us in some way and some screen grabs from our social media channels.
OH by the way: We don’t believe in opening a channel until we have a good understanding of it
Transition: It’s one thing to have lots of followers... Its another thing for people to be engaged with what you are saying (Joel Comm comment)
Purpose of slide: To show the strong following we have within the FE sector Key Primary point: To add weight to our in bound marketing credentials
Audience should feel: Other (Props etc):

18. Summary
FE Colleges can be a good sector for start ups with a strong value proposition
However internal and external factors it can make it a complex and time consuming sales process
Working with Tech Stories could help identify the crucial early adopter market and reduce the sales cycle
Tech Stories is committed to in-bound, permission based sales & marketing practices

19. The Chasm New FE Tech 138 Colleges 138 Colleges 10 55 Colleges
Learned the hard way that the “leading edge” is often the “bleeding edge”
Against discontinuous innovations, believe in traditional methods
Match emerging technology with strategic business opportunity
How has technology improved exam results? Need to neutralise their influence so they don’t block the sale.
Adopt new technology because they appreciate technology for its own sake
The Chasm
138 Colleges
138 Colleges 10
55 Colleges
65 Colleges
Laggards (16%)
Innovators (2.5%)
Early Majority (34%)
Late Majority (34%)
Early Adopters (13.5%)

20. The Competition
Inefficencies Economies of Scale Internal employees Employee churn The Chasm Waste Cost free Larger Markets Help small tech companies to apply the kind of sales principles and approaches that Microsoft, Google & Apple use

21. Tech Stories Potential FE Sales Cycle
Identify/Recruit
Edu specialist
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
1,200 Edu Suppliers
Main Stream Suppliers
Other Start Ups
Source College Contacts
Cost/Time: 1 wk
Supplier Costs
College Costs
Identify Decision
Makers
Cost/Time: 4-6 wks
Introduction to
Key influencers
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Sales Calls
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Initial phone
pitch
Cost/Time: 2-4 wks
Follow Up Enquiries
Cost/Time: 2-4 wks
Total New Customer Acquisition Cost
Time Saved: 35 wks
Cost Savings: £30k
Cost of sales calls
to the college
Time Saved: 35 wks
Cost Savings: £30k
Cost of sales calls
to the college
Time: 35 wks
Cost: £30k
Summary: It can be a 6-12 month cycle to get sales in this sector
OH by the way: Once you have clients they are very loyal... Good opportunity for product innovation/”up selling” and intros to uni & school partners
Transition: While you are trying to engage with this sector... You’re not the only one/alone
Purpose of Slide: Complex Sector
Key Primary Point: This sector requires a costly time investment
Audience should feel: Confused and overwhelmed
Other (Props etc):
Attend FE/Edu
Conferences
Cost/Time: £10k
Conference Enquiries
Cost/Time: 1 wk
Follow Up Meeting
Supplier: £5k
College: 1 wk
Internal College Due Diligence
Cost/Time: 12 wks
Internal College Due Diligence
Cost/Time: 4 wks
Initial Meeting
Cost/Time: £7k
Initial Meeting
Cost/Time: 1 wk