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Where to Find Higher Ed Data

By: Glen McCandless

1/1/2009

Market Data Is Imperfect

While I am a big advocate of using data to drive focused sales, I know there is a tendency for some sales-people to fall into the "paralysis by analysis" trap. They believe if they continue to study reports and crunch numbers that a magic formula for sales will appear. Spending too much time to study data at the expense of time with prospects is also out of whack. The truth is, little data is fact. Market research is imperfect and our market is dynamic. I've yet to find just the report or the data-point that has driven me to the doorstep of the big customer.

On the other hand, imperfect data is not an excuse for skipping sales planning and data analysis. Many of us have tried to short-cut this process because, let's face it: Planning is time consuming and for many sales professionals, crunching numbers and studying reports is akin to having a root canal. But thinking you can bypass this tough work is foolhardy. Having the right information and the right planning process is required for successful selling in higher education. My advice? Advocate for someone who has great analytic skills to provide this service to the sales organization-- even if you hire an outside consultant to do the work.

Are you on you own out there as a field rep? Plan to spend about 20 percent of your time in the planning and data analysis mode so you are making calculated moves in the direction of high-opportunity prospects. Use your own observations and gut to give you insight into which data and sources to lean on. Finally, find a balance between planning time and field time that works for you and your own selling style.


Glen McCandless is principal of Focus Marketing, Inc., which provides strategic sales, marketing, and business development services to K-20 companies. He is also manager of SellingToSchools.com, a free online community for exchange of best practices, products, and resources in education sales and marketing.