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Hey, Marketing Pals!
Greetings from towny central. My son, a third grader, now attends the same school I went to. Weird the way life works. So much has changed! When I was there 35+ years ago (!) there was no such thing as edtech. Chalkboards were still a thing. Assessments required a pen and paper. The idea of bringing a phone to school would be laughable.
But a lot is also the same, and that is comforting and nostalgic. Pizza day is still on Fridays, the media center still smells like musty books, and recess is still a wild free for all.
Here’s the thing about change: it’s rarely just good or just bad. It’s both. Presenting both progress and challenges, sometimes all at once. Scary and exciting, if you ask me.
Anyhow, fellow parents—here’s hoping the first few weeks are smooth sailing. And for those of you who are actively reaching out to school and district leaders this September, tread lightly; they have a lot on their hands. Show your value in unique ways—don’t just follow a standard playbook; standing out is what gets you remembered. Keep reading and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
Enjoy this edition.
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Your WirED Marketer,
—Melissa, Senior Director, Marketing at Education Week
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✨ In this edition you’ll find:
- The most searched terms on Edweek.org in June 2026
- THE event of the year for EdMarketers
- Lessons from a former CTO: How to blow a sale in 3 emails
✨ What’s Trending: ✨
Curious what people are searching for on edweek.org? Here’s a list of the most commonly searched content-related terms in June of 2026.
- AI
- Special Education
- AI policy
- Science of Reading
- Math
- Early Childhood Education
- Child Care
- High School Diploma
- Reading
- CTE
DO THIS 👇
Your “Most Popular Feature” is probably wrong.
Most vendors market the feature they’re proudest of or the one that recently launched, not necessarily the one districts actually rely on day-to-day.
✨ DO THIS:
- Pull your product usage data. Look closely at what feature gets used most.
- Build your next campaign around that, even if it’s the “boring” one.
- If you don’t have this data yet, that’s your Monday morning to-do.
Quick Poll 📊
In the last edition I asked if I should continue creating buyer persona quizzes. Just over half of you said yes. So, for the time being my team will develop new quizzes occasionally. If there is a particular topic for an upcoming quiz that you’d like to see, let me know.
This edition’s poll:
Which best describes your read on the K-12 market right now?
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| CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISITC |
| CHAOS |
| NOT SURE |
What We’re Reading 📚
[Article] With Email Open Rates Falling, Is Texting K-12 Officials A Viable Option?
My colleague, Emma Kate Fittes, interviewed several SMEs including Jeremy Cesarec, a partner of integrated marketing strategy for FINN Partners. In this except Fittes states, “For cold outreach via SMS, Cesarec recommends treading lightly and having a “really compelling reason” for reaching out, like sharing that the company is working with a neighboring district with similar challenges and seeing a lot of success with the product. It’d be ideal to mention the administrators in the nearby district who are championing the product as a soft introduction to the neighboring system.”
Read the full article here.
Events on Our Radar 🎯
Are you a self-proclaimed procrastinator?
Did you forget to sign up for the free EdWeek Market Brief webinar happening today?
No judgement here. But here’s your not-so-gentle reminder to DO IT NOW. Your future self will be very happy you did. If you can’t make it live today, that’s ok—sign up and watch on-demand.
Register here: The K-12 Market Futurecast: What Will School Districts Need in 2036?
An In-Person Event You Don’t Want to Miss: The EdWeek Market Brief Summit
November 11-13 | Nashville, TN
Marketing events are a dime a dozen. But it’s not every day that a conference comes along that is for marketers that work for companies that serve K-12 education. That there is a niche. And chances are, if you read this newsletter, you’re likely the target audience for the upcoming EdWeek Market Brief Summit.
The Summit’s agenda is now live. I’ve included a few highlights here 👇🏼
✨View From the Superintendent’s Chair
What’s it like to be the leader of a K-12 district right now? During this session, we will talk 1:1 with a leader who is ready to offer an unvarnished look at the biggest challenges confronting schools and what they need from industry partners.
✨New Rules of Ed-Tech Marketing
In this flash briefing, we’ll explore how shifting buying behaviors, tighter budgets, AI-powered search and content, and increasing demands for credibility are reshaping K-12 marketing.
And in case you’ve been living under a rock, this year we have tracks. Pick from these 3:
- Revenue Generation
- Strategy & Leadership
- Product & Technology
Join me in Nashville! Buy your ticket here.
Meet an EdMarketer👋
Amanda Lanicek, former CTO, is known on LinkedIn for her candor and authenticity. She doesn’t mince words—which frankly, I think is refreshing. Here’s a snippet from an article she’s featured in titled Lessons from a Former CTO: How to Blow a Sale in 3 Emails.
What are the top do’s and don’ts for vendor companies selling technology products to school districts?
“…Build a relationship and be human. [Know] what other salespeople are doing [so] that you can stand out. I once had someone send me, at the beginning of the year, a bottle of Advil and some cookies. She knew that the beginning of the school year was complete chaos.
They might have a headache, and they definitely need some sugar. That made the relationship more than if she would have called me and said, “Hey, I know the beginning of the school year is hard. I’m thinking about you.” If you can budget for little things that stand out and set you apart, do it.”
There’s been a trend lately of large ed-tech providers seeking to expand their platforms to be more all-inclusive. Is that what school districts want?
“It depends on what the provider is offering. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. If there is a vendor selling a tool that does it all, question it. I always keep the saying “jack of all trades, master of none” at the forefront of vendor discussions. My advice to vendors is make something truly meaningful for your customers—it will sell itself.”
Read the full article here.
Say What?! 🦜
What we’ve heard at the watercooler, on social, out and about…
“It is easier to build strong children, than to repair broken men.”
— Frederick Douglas
That’s all folks. Thanks for reading.
Your WirED Marketer,
Melissa AND team, because every marketer knows, it takes a village.
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We can help you develop a successful campaign tailored to your unique marketing goals. To learn more, contact Advertising & Marketing Solutions Director Mike Bell at mbell@educationweek.org.