October Priorities: How to Balance Adoption, Budgets, and List-Building

Marketing and Education

What happens when districts set budgets, educators finally breathe after back-to-school, and conferences flood the calendar—all at once? You get October, the single most important month in the education marketing cycle.

In this special solo episode, Elana shares why October is such a pivotal moment for vendors, partners, and school leaders. She breaks down how to support current users, align with budget planning, build your list, and show up at conferences with real value—not just swag. Along the way, she reflects on lessons learned from colleagues like Allison Modlin (on why success is a square, not a line) and Matt Stinson (on why most vendors should stop chasing cold RFPs).

Whether you’re leading sales, marketing, or customer success, this episode will help you focus on what actually matters before the year slips away.

What You’ll Learn

• Why October is the only “full” month left in the calendar year and how to make the most of it
• How to double down on customer success and PD to boost adoption and renewals
• Why aligning sales, marketing, product, and customer success as a “square” matters more than ever
• How budget-setting cycles give you a chance to position your product for 2026 (and beyond)
• Smart ways to use conferences for list-building and relationship-building
• The right (and wrong) way to jump on seasonal or cultural trends
• Why it’s time to prioritize ethical list-building through lead magnets, webinars, and email

Why It Matters

In education, timing is everything. October is when educators are ready to deepen usage, district leaders are finalizing budgets, and conferences create endless opportunities for connection. If you miss this window, you risk falling behind on renewals, losing visibility in the budget cycle, and scrambling to catch up in the new year.

Mentioned in this episode:

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