Where Most EdTech Startups Get Stuck in Marketing (and How to Move Forward)

Written by Gil Rogers | Apr 1, 2025 3:06:17 PM

Introducing the EdTech Marketing Maturity Model

If you’re leading an edtech startup trying to break into higher education, chances are you’ve felt the pain of marketing that doesn’t quite connect.

You send emails. Run webinars. Maybe even hire a contractor or two.
But traction feels slow. Pipeline is spotty. And higher ed buyers aren’t responding the way you hoped.

You’re not alone.

The challenge isn’t that your product isn’t valuable.
It’s that most edtech teams are running marketing strategies that don’t match the way higher ed actually works.

That’s why I built this:
👇

The EdTech Marketing Maturity Model

This model helps you figure out where you are today—and what it’ll take to grow into a marketing engine that actually builds trust and drives demand in higher ed.

Here’s the full breakdown:

Stage	Stage Name	Description
1	Reactive	Marketing is ad hoc or nonexistent. Founder-led outreach is doing all the work.
2	Tactical	Some marketing exists, but it’s disconnected. Messaging sounds like every other SaaS company.
3	Strategic	Marketing is aligned with higher ed cycles. Content supports pipeline. Sales and marketing are collaborating.
4	Trusted	Marketing builds credibility before sales ever reaches out. You’re helping, not just selling.
5	Influential	You’re leading conversations in the space. Buyers come in educated, and sales cycles shorten.

Why This Model Matters

Higher ed doesn’t respond to flashy product pitches or generic content.
They respond to trust. Relevance. Timing. And peer validation.

This model gives you a way to assess:

Are we just doing activities, or do we have a real strategy?
Are we mapping to the enrollment and budget cycle—or just pushing when we want to sell?
Are we building trust before we ask for a meeting?

If you’re still in the Reactive or Tactical stage, that’s okay. Most early-stage edtech teams are.

But if you want to consistently break through with enrollment leaders, the work starts with getting strategic—and staying consistent.

What to Do Next

I’ll be building out more resources in the coming weeks to help founders and marketing leads move from one stage to the next.

But if you're looking to start now, here are a few quick questions to ask:

Are we creating content that reflects this moment in the higher ed cycle?
Are our emails and campaigns rooted in real language and challenges from enrollment leaders?
Are we seen as a helpful voice—or just another vendor?

If you’re not sure where you land, I’m happy to walk you through the model and help you apply it to your current strategy.

Just reach out.

Want this in a downloadable format? Let me know and I’ll send over a one-pager.

Or, follow along—more coming soon.

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