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June 3, 2023
 The academy is
dedicated to the encouragement and support of educators who invest time, energy, and capital to create,
develop, and market programs, products, services, or technologies designed to enhance and improve education
while simultaneously working with schools and colleges to insure the learning, practical application and
appreciation of the skills and values of the entrepreneur by students they serve.
Dr. Don Leisey and Charles Lavaroni, founders of the
academy, have written a book titled The Educational Entrepreneur: Making a
Difference that chronicles the lives of twenty-two educators who have built successful
businesses to improve learning. These former teachers and school administrators all took personal risks to
enhance education. Each one of their stories is profoundly inspiring.
Please click on Tribute to Charles "Chuck" Lavaroni - 12/28/26 to 4/21/15
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School Market Research Institute, Inc.
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Don't Panic - Stay Focused
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We are in uncharted territory. The world-wide pandemic of coronavirus has completely altered virtually every aspect of our lives, including the education market. Circumstances change daily, sometimes even hourly.
Schools across the country were one of the first institutions to shut their doors in March. While officials optimistically hoped to reopen in 2-4 weeks, that now seems unlikely. It's even possible that schools will not reopen this academic year, at least in some areas.
So what can one do to survive this period of waiting for educators to return to school, manage their funding, and make their purchase decisions?
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There is a growing market for educational products that can be accessed remotely both by teachers so they can continue instruction during school closures and parents hoping to keep their children from falling behind. This offers opportunities for companies that have appropriate products and services to lend a helping hand.
Offering these products and services at greater discounts than normal, at cost, or free of charge can build long-term goodwill and brand loyalty. Promoting these offers to your house file via email is the most efficient way to quickly reach your customers. Like so many of us, teachers are working from home and checking their school emails. While these efforts may not generate significant sales, they will let your customers know that you are supporting them during this crisis.
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THE EDUCATION MARKET WILL BOUNCE BACK
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Educators have followed a spending cycle that has not changed significantly in 40 years. Purchase options are considered throughout the school year and in the spring educators commit to their purchases. Unfortunately, schools began closing just as these purchase decisions were coming to fruition. Instead, administrators and teachers turned their attention to the emergency at hand - educating America's children remotely during a pandemic.
However, those funds did not disappear, they just have yet to be committed. It's very likely that the budgets educators typically spend by the end of June will be extended and possibly augmented by stimulus funds. The last time there was a stimulus package for education was during the second term of the Obama administration during the Great Recession. Most school marketers had strong sales that year as a result.
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Given the current circumstances, there is gaining interest by schools to create cyber systems to accommodate learning from home should schools be forced to close for extended periods of time in the future. There is no short-term solution for creating this capability. Decisions about which application is best, what the content should include, and the equipment students would need will all take time. While these systems are being developed, some of these funds will find their way into teachers' salaries as well as instructional materials, equipment, and supplies.
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Our office is closed during this crisis, but we continue to work remotely for you, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you would like more counsel regarding developing an email campaign to your house file or any other school marketing issue, we are available at no charge.
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Bob Stimolo
School Market Research
139 Mill Rock Road East
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
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