If you’ve been in the EDU space for any amount of time, you’ve probably had at least one deal that felt like a sure thing… and then it just didn’t go anywhere. Good conversations, strong interest, the right solution, and then somehow, it stalls.

I’ve been seeing more of this lately, and in most cases, it’s not because the product isn’t right, or the need isn’t there. It usually comes down to a few things that get missed along the way.

Here are some of the patterns that tend to slow deals down and where a little extra support can help.

 

No Clear Owner on the End User Side
 

One of the biggest things I’ve notices is when there are multiple stakeholders involved, but no one is actually owning the decision.

You might be talking to Curriculum and Instruction, looping in IT, or getting feedback from Administration, but if no one is really driving things forward, the deal tends to lose momentum. Everyone is interested but no one is responsible for getting it across the finish line.

From a distribution side, this is where getting aligned early can make a big difference. Making sure the right people are involved from the start helps avoid the stall later on.

 

IT Gets Involved Too Late
 

A solution can check every box from an instructional standpoint, but if IT isn’t brought in early, things can slow down quickly once technical questions start coming up. Compatibility, security and network requirements all tend to surface later and by that point, it can feel like you’re starting over.

This is where we often see deals benefit from pulling in technical services and support earlier in the process, just to get ahead of those questions before they block the deal down the road.

 

Pricing Becomes a Surprise
 

If expectations aren’t aligned early, or if numbers change drastically late in the process, it can create hesitation, especially right now. A lot of the time, it’s not even the price itself, it’s the surprise of it.

Having clear visibility into pricing, programs, and options upfront usually helps keep things moving and avoids the slow down at the last minute.

 

“We Love This, But…”
 

This one always sounds good at first.

“We love this, but we need more internal alignment.”
“We love this, but we need to revisit next quarter.”
“We love this, but we’re waiting on funding.”

Sometimes that’s real, but sometimes it means something isn’t fully clicking behind the scenes.

That’s where having another perspective can help, whether that’s for checking over the bill of materials to see what may be missing or just to sanity check the opportunity overall.

 

Priorities Shift
 

Even when everything lines up, things can change at the 11th hour. Budgets get moved. New initiatives come up. Leadership shifts focus. Suddenly, something that felt urgent… isn’t so much anymore.

You can’t always control that, but staying close to the deal and keeping visibility into what is going on makes it easier to re-engage when the timing is right.

 

The Bottom Line
 

Most opportunities don’t stall because of product, they stall because of timing, alignment, or something small that got missed early on.

From the distribution side, we get to see these patterns play out across a lot of different partners and opportunities. More often than not, it’s the small adjustments, such as getting the right people involved sooner, aligning on pricing earlier, or bringing in technical support that helps keeps things moving.

 

Ready to keep your EdTech deals moving? Reach out to Kati and our dedicated education team at [email protected] for the technical support and strategic alignment you need to close more EDU business.

 

 

About Kati Thompson:

With almost 10 years of experience across edtech manufacturing and distribution, Kati Thompson offers a unique perspective on the full channel ecosystem. In her role at Midwich, she partners closely with vendors and resellers to align strategy, enable sales teams, and navigate the evolving needs of the education market.