Hi everyone, I’m Jen, one of the specialist education copywriters at Buzz Education. I’m going to run you through the 5 common mistakes we see organisations make when marketing to teachers, so you’ll know what NOT to do in your campaigns.

These insights will help you to create content that drives up teacher engagement and helps you secure new business in schools. Let’s take a look.

Mistake number 1: Not emphasising the benefits for schools

Too many organisations focus on the features of their products instead of the direct benefits for schools. Teachers want to know what value you can add, for example, can you help them to:

• Boost their pupils’ exam results,
• Improve staff wellbeing,
• Streamline administrative tasks?

Make the benefits explicitly obvious in your marketing. Ideally, the benefits should jump out within a 3 second glance of your content.     

Mistake number 2: Including too much fluff and filler text!

This is copy that doesn’t add anything to your marketing campaigns, for example a detailed backstory of your organisation.

Remember, teachers have seconds to decide whether to engage with your content, so every sentence has an important role to play in converting them.

Step into teachers’ shoes and ask yourself, ‘so what?’ after each sentence. If you can’t answer it, and it doesn’t encourage teachers to contact you, take it out!

Mistake number 3: Using inaccurate schools data

We see lots of companies using out of date education data to run their marketing to schools.

This means they’re potentially marketing to teachers who no longer work at the school, or teachers who’ve changed year groups or job roles.

Our 2023 Schools Survey revealed that 69% of teachers are put off reading emails that are irrelevant to them.

So accurate, live data is a MUST to creating a targeted and effective mailing list.

Mistake number 4: Pushing for sales too quickly when marketing to teachers

A lot of marketing to education suppliers make the fatal error of creating marketing content that’s too sales-focused.

But we know from our School Surveys that 52% of teachers are put off by email campaigns with an obvious sales agenda.

So be patient, give teachers the option to ‘find out more’ before encouraging them to book and remember, impulsive purchases aren’t really a thing in the education sector as some investments require sign off from senior members of staff.

You wouldn’t dive into making a purchase without first doing your research, and teachers are the same!

Mistake number 5: Poorly designed marketing content

We see lots of marketing to schools campaigns with uninspiring designs and blurry, low-resolution images.

To stand out from the crowd and capture teachers’ attention, use powerful visuals that position your brand as a trustworthy and established education provider.

And make sure your visuals are consistent across all of your marketing platforms.

Remember, first impressions matter. You wouldn’t buy in to a shabbily-presented product, and teachers won’t either!