This is not a point I make lightly. The companies that do know the answer to this one question, normally do far better than those that don’t.

The question in question (as it were) is delivered to teachers and is…

in two parts.

Part one says, “When you are teaching topic x what resources do you currently use?” Part two says, “Can you tell me briefly the major benefits and draw backs of this product?”

OK, you are saying to yourself (if you are the sort of person who says things to yourself), what is so magical about these questions?

The point is you get to ask a random sample of teachers to give their opinions on the rival products avaialble when teaching a particular topic or subject. They tell you the positive and negatives of using those products in the classroom.

Then…

You create adverts which focus on the failings of your competitors’ products and the way in which you overcome those issues. I am not saying you mention your competitors by name or denigrate what they do. Rather your knowledge of how your potential customers see the products in this area becomes the most important factor there is in creating successful advertisements.

There’s one final point. Sometimes I’ve heard people say, “we don’t have any competition – no one does it like us,” and I am sure that is true. But that’s not quite the point here. The key issue is not what you think – but what the teacher thinks – and that is often quite a different issue.

Tony Attwood

PS: We undertake research to find out what teachers think about products avaialble to schools. The average cost is around £450, which in terms of the marketing benefit you can derive is rather a tiny amount. Call me before I put the price up.