Competition in #edtech is unavoidable right?
Well, maybe not. I learned so much about what it takes to make competition irrelevant AND open up new market space in the book,
📘Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne
Here are a few ideas to understand what it takes to leave behind existing demand and the cutthroat competition of bloody red oceans in the edbiz, from one learner to another:
Blue oceans aren't only possible for new products or startups.
Established edtech companies can also reimagine their value and create new demand.
Value innovation > Tech innovation
Edtech that saves teachers time and sparks joy for students creates more value than integrating the latest AI just because.
Don’t overestimate brand loyalty.
Industries are getting overcrowded and edtech is no exception. Educators are looking for low costs and high value. So instead of couching your value in past success, create MORE to keep them.
Unlock new buyers by learning what noncustomers want.
Tap into the unique needs of educators and families you don't serve and consider how to address them in your product.
Tools can be puzzle pieces instead of piranhas.
Game-changing edtech doesn't have to compete head-to-head. Like a math assessment company that can identify instructional resources to pull from a separate digital library solution.
Look across time to reach your end goal.
Imagine that you've achieved your vision: greater teacher satisfaction, more student hours logged, etc. Then, think back through the strategic moves it'll take to get there.
(Learning to work backward may also motivate students to figure out how they'll need to grow to see progress and reach their dreams).
Fair process matters.
Leaders may underestimate or forget how much their frontliners care about the new value they're creating. This is especially important for edtech sales, who are the ones selling the new dream.
"Emotional recognition" inspires employees to tie themselves to your strategy.
It doesn't matter how little experience a frontline worker has learning with, using, or buying edtech. Excellent work can take shape when people know how their work matters.
So...any chance your strategy jumps ship from a red ocean to a blue one?