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2007 EdNET Case Study

Quality Education Data (QED)

EdNet In Their Own Words

For 19 years, EdNET has attracted company presidents, vice-presidents, marketing directors, product managers, sales executives, and top educators from around the country. Attending organizations have the opportunity to sponsor EdNET giving them greater visibility with attendees and a chance to highlight themselves as leaders in the industry. Texas Instruments has been a long-time sponsor of the annual EdNET Industry Awards program for six years. Maggie Sherrod the Director of Content Strategy at Texas Instruments describes why their annual EdNET sponsorship is such a valuable part of her marketing strategy. Maggie has worked in the technology industry for more than 20 years, including more than 15 years assisting educational publishers effectively market and sell their products to U.S. schools. In her current role at TI, Maggie is charged with establishing and growing alliances with publishers to create and adapt their curricular materials for use with TI’s graphing handheld technologies. The TI Publisher Relations program takes TI beyond mathematics and science and offers publishers content development and co-marketing and opportunities. Because of EdNET’s focus on networking and facilitating the development of strategic partnerships, Maggie views an EdNET sponsorship as a key factor in communicating TI’s vision and gaining visibility with potential content partners.

The awards program sponsorship "is a very good way to stand out", states Maggie. "It is a unique program and highlights TI’s commitment to the growth of the industry." Throughout the year TI receives visibility as the Gold Sponsor of the program, which helps them to get their message heard by potential partners in a very noticeable and memorable way long before the EdNET conference commences. In order to make the most of EdNET and this sponsorship, Maggie and her team prepare well in advance. Several people from the company attend to make sure that TI has the bandwidth to meet key attendees and maximize the many networking opportunities offered. They use the EdNET Networking Directory in advance of the event to identify people they would like to meet with and even schedule appointments prior to arriving at EdNET in advance.

Maggie’s advice to someone considering sponsoring EdNET is to plan well and truly take advantage of the opportunity. Find a sponsorship that reflects your organization’s mission and goals. Identify exactly why you are attending EdNET and what you hope to achieve while at the event. Then, use those goals to craft your sponsor profile and 30-second introduction at the opening Business Networking Forum. For Silver and Gold Sponsors, be sure to communicate your objectives in your complimentary NewsAlert ads that reach over 20,000 industry executives. Finally, Maggie suggests sponsors make the most of the exhibit hall table included with all sponsorship levels. This is an amazing opportunity for attendees and future partners to learn about your company, your vision for the future and ways you could work together to achieve your goals.

Maggie’s final advice to potential sponsors is that you "can always find something to fit your budget" and sponsoring is "well worth it". Even for a well-known company like TI, EdNET provides a great opportunity to be able to tell their story and have a "voice above the crowd".

About EdNET:

Each year, EdNET brings together the industry’s leaders, policy makers and educators for the premier business-to-business conference in the industry. Designed to provide a networking and discussion forum, you’ll leave EdNET with actionable insight into the future of the education business and hundreds of profitable contacts to help you achieve your business goals.

Visit www.EdNETconference.com for more information and to register.