How to Sell Education Without Being Salesy: Cambridge Coaching

The education industry is many things, but being associated as a slimy, sleezy, and money hungry is not one of them.

And, that's why I love it so much.

This world is filled with passion chasers, change makers, and driven people who want to make a difference in this world.

So, when I stumbled on Cambridge Coaching's about us page. I immediately fell in love.

Discovering Cambridge Coaching

"We have never been a large corporation. Rather, we are a cooperative of physicists, historians, economists, literary critics, business scholars, chemists, sociologists, lawyers, linguists, biologists, and mathematicians. [...] We do not advertise heavily and most of our business still comes by word of mouth."

Is what it read in big Brixton Bold font.

This was a company that epitomizes the virtues of true educators. They put their students first, prioritizes their students' growth, and they meant it! The teacher in me felt proud.

But the copywriter and marketing maverick inside of me?

She was torn.

Balancing Education and Marketing

As a copywriter and marketing enthusiast, I struggle with balancing logic vs. emotions. The education industry is all about empathy and care, yet businesses cannot thrive without effective marketing and sales strategies. What felt like two opposing sides led me to question...

How do you sell an education business that doesn't believe in selling?

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Case Study: Cambridge Coaching's Email Sequence

Who Is Cambridge Coaching?

Founded in 2005, Cambridge Coaching offers personalized tutoring and academic services ranging from high school to medical school. They recruit tutors from top universities, ensuring that students receive guidance from highly qualified educators.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Cambridge Coaching's tutors rank in the 99th percentile and attend the highest ranked universities in the world. Each syllabus is personalized to meet the unique learning styles and academic needs of each student, setting them apart in the competitive market.

The Problem

Cambridge Coaching does not use aggressive sales tactics when marketing their services. Instead, they rely on word-of-mouth advertising. Despite this, I still wanted to implement email marketing that allowed for a direct two-way conversation. The challenge was to implement an email marketing strategy that would enhance engagement without compromising their ethos.

Goal

The goal is to develop an email sequence that reflects Cambridge Coaching's commitment to academic mentorship and personalized learning while avoiding the tactics used in corporate sales.

Solution

Education businesses are not always about selling, and neither are emails. Instead of pushing for sales and moving the students through a funnel, this email sequence focuses on "right place, right time" emails.

This includes creating transactional, nurturing, and content/ educational emails. By focusing on these strategic, value-driven communications, Cambridge Coaching can increase engagement and conversions without compromising their core values.

Conclusion

Marketing an education business like Cambridge Coaching requires a delicate balance between promoting services and maintaining authenticity. By implementing a thoughtful email sequence, we can still implement email marketing and drive growth without sacrificing the companies values.

Want access to the full 7-part email sequence? You can find it here.

If you're looking for someone to create a email sequence that stays true to your values whilst also achieving your goals, then contact me here.

I was not contracted to write these assets. I created them as part of my portfolio. All graphics, information, and inspiration are taken from Cambridge Coaching