I’ve recently noticed a surge of salespeople reaching out. With a high profile on LinkedIn, the approaches come thick and fast — some from simple AI bots, others from real people offering genuine products. The question for those of us working in education is the same: how do we ensure we secure the best value for our schools?
Salespeople are trained in persuasion. From building rapport to creating urgency, their aim is to guide you towards a “yes.” While this can make conversations efficient, it also risks decisions being made on emotion rather than objective value. For tech directors responsible for safeguarding budgets and making strategic choices, the challenge is to balance openness to good solutions with protection against being oversold.
Recognise the Playbook
Modern sales training, such as Jordan Belfort’s “Straight Line Persuasion,” relies on steering conversations in a straight line towards a close. Key tactics include:
- Rapport building: creating trust and personal connection to soften resistance.
- Objection handling: looping back to benefits whenever concerns are raised.
- Urgency: highlighting the cost of inaction or offering time-limited deals.
Awareness is the first defence. When you recognise these techniques, you can slow the process down and focus on facts.
Set Your Own Framework
Before engaging with any vendor, define your school or organisation’s needs. Clarify:
- The core problems you are solving.
- Your budget and maximum stretch.
- The essential requirements (integration, security, compliance).
This framework acts as a filter. Instead of reacting to persuasion, you can test whether the offer matches pre-agreed criteria.
Control the Conversation
To keep the process evidence-based:
- Ask structured, specific questions: “What is the total cost of ownership over three years?”
- Demand transparency: request demos, trials, and references.
- Take notes to allow comparison with other options after the meeting.
This ensures you collect information rather than just impressions.
Counter the “Action Threshold”
Salespeople aim to push you over the threshold where you feel certain enough to commit. To resist premature decisions:
- Make it policy never to buy in the room.
- Run all proposals through a formal review or decision matrix.
- Challenge artificial urgency: “If the product has real value, it will still have value tomorrow.”
These steps remove pressure and buy time for rational assessment.
Involve Stakeholders
Involving finance teams, IT staff, and end-users strengthens the decision. A limited pilot or trial allows you to test the solution in practice and gather feedback. This reduces reliance on sales claims alone.
Secure Best Value
If the product proves to be a fit, negotiation begins. Seek value not only in price but also in support, training, and contract terms. Ensure that Service Level Agreements (SLAs) cover uptime, data security, and response times. Always consider total cost of ownership, not just the initial price.
Conclusion
Salespeople are experts at increasing certainty and urgency. Tech directors must be equally expert at slowing down decisions, widening the frame, and testing proposals against real needs. By setting clear frameworks, asking tough questions, and involving multiple stakeholders, you can turn a persuasive sales pitch into a structured evaluation that delivers genuine long-term value.
