A differentiated brand position helps organizations stand out, but it only works when aligned to the right customers. That positioning must connect to outcomes that matter to both users and executive buyers.
This is the perspective of Mandy Groen, SVP of Marketing at VenturEd Solutions, which provides admissions, enrollment, and financial aid solutions to private and faith-based schools. Mandy emphasizes that no two buyer journeys look the same. Buying committees and the definition of value differ between schools with small and large populations as well as single-location or multi-school organizations.
It is not just size that matters. Each school, whether independent, Catholic, or other faith-based organization, defines priorities differently. To succeed, VenturEd Solutions must multi-thread the journey and version stories for each segment.
Mandy highlights three practices that are critical to building a multi-threaded buyer journey in K12.
1️⃣ Connecting Product and Business Value
Product features such as ease of use, seamless integrations, or automation speak directly to enrollment, admissions, and financial aid staff. These attributes reduce manual effort and simplify daily work. But the conversation must extend beyond product to business outcomes.
Heads of school and the business office care about measurable results. Does the solution help grow enrollment without adding staff? Does it improve yield? Does it improve tuition collection?
VenturEd positions its solutions as key drivers of business outcomes, using specific metrics to connect the dots between product value and institutional impact.
2️⃣ Multiple Buyer Journeys in Parallel
For most solutions, the decision maker is the Head of Admissions/Enrollment, and marketing, admissions personnel, finance, and the head of school can all be part of the committee that should be nurtured through the buying process.
For this reason, VenturEd Solutions runs multiple buyer journeys in parallel, tailoring messages to each stakeholder. Sales and marketing teams then connect those threads into a unified story that reflects the full value proposition.
3️⃣ Verticalizing Value by Segment
VenturEd Solutions is building targeted messaging and content for faith-based schools segmented by size and type. Each group wants to hear success stories from peers who look like them.
By versioning its language and customer stories across verticals, VenturEd Solutions is building credibility, trust, and stronger resonance with each market segment.
The Path Forward
Differentiation in K12 requires more than a brand story. It requires a multi-threaded buyer journey that connects product to business value, runs parallel buyer journeys across the committee, and verticalizes messaging by segment.
As Mandy notes, this approach enables VenturEd Solutions to deepen engagement, build trust, and convert more of its ideal customers.