Finding the right EdTech solution for your school can be challenging. EdTech vendors are all over the internet, and it is hard to know where to look or who to trust. When looking for a new EdTech vendor, it’s essential to ensure they’re the right fit for your school. There are plenty of vendors who promise to be everything you need, but the reality is that not all vendors are created equal. Here are f ways to identify EdTech vendors.
1. Use Cold Calls to Learn
Answering cold calls and cold emails can be annoying, but you can use them to learn by asking about different challenges. If you need help finding the right EdTech vendor, ask them questions about their products and who they compete with. This can be a great way to learn more about an EdTech category before investing time in meetings or demos.
2. Ask Neighboring Districts/Colleagues
If you want to find the right EdTech vendor for your needs, you can ask neighboring districts or colleagues. They may have already worked with these EdTech vendors so that they can provide unbiased advice about their experiences with them. Their input is invaluable and should be considered before making a final decision.
Often, neighboring districts will have similar needs and concerns as yours. A vendor they’ve chosen could be a good fit for you. Be careful of this, though as not all districts are the same. They may have a different budget, student information system, or skill set in that district. You can also ask your colleagues if they would be willing to share any information.
You can also ask your colleagues if they would be willing to share any information.
- How easy it is to work with the vendor?
- Whether they’re able to meet their needs and requirements?
- Whether they’re open to feedback and suggestions?
- What is their training and support process like?
3. Interview Sales Reps at Conferences
Conferences allow you to meet with many different vendors at once. You can get a good sense of what each company offers and compare them. Conferences are also great for meeting new vendors that may not have been on your radar before. You may find some new companies that could help with your technology needs but aren’t yet popular enough to appear on your radar.
Sales reps will have a lot of time to chat at conferences, and this is an excellent way to get answers about specific features, competitors, or new companies that may be important for your district.
4. Searching The Internet is Difficult
This one is tricky and frustrating, but it can be a good fit if you know what you’re looking for.
Everyone is on Google, but finding vendors may prove a challenge. If you know what type of vendor or product you need, try searching for that keyword and see what comes up. You may get lucky and find some vendors right away! But that doesn’t mean that you’ll find all the available vendors.
5. Use the Once-Over Evaluation Process
Once-Over is a free service to help you find the right EdTech vendor. It uses micro demos, saving you and your school district time!
Briefly explain your problem; a couple of sentences are enough. Once-Over’s team of expert EdTech researchers identify solutions that match your needs. You can anonymously sit back and enjoy a single meeting, where you quickly review multiple vendors. Once-Over provides a proposal from each vendor to help you evaluate the various options. And when you are ready, pick who to follow up with. We don’t charge schools anything for our services; it’s 100% free.
Finding the right EdTech vendor is very time-consuming. Now you’ve read about the available options, it might be time to try something new.
Contact Once-Over today to learn more!
