Selling education technology outside the UK – globalise, glocalise or both?

When it comes to expanding your international footprint it is not as simple as selling product in a new country.

There are many problems that you will encounter and many nuances of business protocol that you can miss which could be the difference between success and your products being left on the shelf.

This is particularly true of the education technology field where understanding local curriculum drivers and outcomes and expectations are key to the implementation of any new system.

For example numeracy may take precedence over literacy in some regions and vice versa in others depending on your location.

There is also the distinction between private schools, public schools and international schools, their funding systems and alignment to the national curriculum of a given country.

The solutions presented in one type of school might be more complex than in another.

Many international governments are focusing on improving educational technology in schools following the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and these are often overlooked by international companies as there is an incorrect assumption that budgets are only available in private and international schools. Local education systems are often overlooked.

Globalisation of an edtech product can mean selling abroad but without tailoring the product to local needs or language and this is, in fact, the route of least resistance for most edtech companies in the UK, relying on the desire of other countries to educate their students in the English language to sell abroad which does avoid localisation costs. 

A company who seriously wants to grow cannot avoid localisation which opens up large markets. Undertaking a glocalisation project where the product is adapted to local needs encompasses translation, local cultural practices, legislation, curriculums and religious questions and these hurdles can be daunting for companies without a foothold in the country and companies can sometimes be at a loss to know where to start.

Information is key as well as gathering the right team around you to fulfil the project. Be prepared to make changes in your software to allow for different languages. You will also need  to have it translated by machine or otherwise. Factor in testing in the target language and adapting to the local culture. Also be prepared to review this process regularly.

When you are ready to sell into your new destination market ensure your sales and marketing strategy is culturally relevant and that straplines are not poor translations but mean something in the target language. Consult a local internationalisation consultancy to discuss local business practises and perhaps contract their services to open doors with new distributors/customers and to help you make the right connections to local authorities and associations.

Being both global and glocal is key to long term sustainable growth.

If you are interested in opening your business to new markets How2Go can help you find local distributors or partners: contacto@h2gconsulting.com

Article written by Louisa Criscenti-Brown