{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Boyz of Edtech | K–12 Education Insights","title":"Beyond Badge Scans: How to Win the EdTech Conference Season","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2956,"description":"In this episode of The Boyz of EdTech, Rick Fernandez, Matthew Millstein, and Ryan Patenot take a practical look at Q3 and Q4 in the K-12 EdTech market and why these months can be critical for building momentum. With districts settling into the school year and the holiday season approaching, the conversation explores how EdTech companies can use this window to strengthen relationships, create opportunities, and position themselves for pilots and partnerships in the new year.\nThe Boyz dig into one of the biggest investments on the EdTech calendar: conferences. Rather than attending every event or measuring success by badge scans and LinkedIn photos, they discuss how companies can choose conferences based on their ideal customer profile, existing relationships, and business objectives. Rick shares the district and association perspective, explaining why meaningful partnerships are built around mutual value, trust, education, and creative ways for vendors to participate in the community.\nMatthew and Ryan break down what effective conference execution looks like before, during, and after an event. They discuss setting meetings in advance, using conference communities and LinkedIn to identify attendees, following up while conversations are still fresh, and recognizing the difference between genuine opportunities and 'party pipeline.' They also explain why reciprocity, curiosity, and asking for the next step are stronger signals than simply collecting contacts.\nThe conversation closes with tactical advice for both new and experienced EdTech sales professionals. From prioritizing existing CRM opportunities and studying conference agendas to dividing and conquering networking events, clearing calendars, leveraging customer advocates, and staying fully present, the message is clear: conferences deliver value when there is a strategy behind showing up. Success is less about being everywhere and more about knowing who you need to meet, why the relationship matters, and what...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/wkLqTp5mkY2lrJRZTIPFUj-eapGDdxUdGrVrmDFKhCs/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hZTQx/YmRlN2E0ZTQzNTEy/ZmQzNjQxNzQzY2Uz/NjYxYS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}