Maddy Stutz • November 14, 2025 • 0 comments

18 Lessons from 18 Years of EdTech Marketing

This month, we’re celebrating 18 years of Partner in Publishing. What started as a small team passionate about helping education brands grow has evolved into a trusted partner for some of the industry’s most forward-thinking organizations.

We’ve guided clients through print-to-digital transitions, enrollment swings, EdTech booms, and now the rise of AI. Through every shift, we’ve stayed curious, learned alongside our partners, and adapted as the industry transformed. As we celebrate 18 years, we’re reflecting on the lessons, insights, and relationships that have shaped not just our work, but who we are as a team. 

1. Relationships Move the Work Faster Than Any Platform

Projects don’t succeed because of the latest tools…they succeed because of the people behind them. The best results come when teams trust each other enough to be honest, share ideas early, and problem-solve together. When communication is open and respect and reliability runs both ways, decisions get made faster, obstacles shrink, and the work is constantly improving. 

2. Certainty Comes From Research, Not Assumptions

It’s natural to want to fix a stalled campaign from the inside, but the real answers are almost always in the audience. Faculty, administrators, and students will tell you what resonates if you give them the opportunity. Looking outward and conducting thoughtful research will save time, money, and rounds of revision later.

3. Faculty and District Leaders Don’t Want Flash—They Want Clarity

Decision-makers don’t need buzzwords or shiny language, they want to understand the reality. Clear positioning, transparent outcomes, and language that respects their expertise always outperform anything that tries too hard to sound clever.

4. The Best Ideas Come From the People Closest to Learners

Teachers, advisors, and support staff are often the first to see what’s shifting. Their insights consistently inform stronger messaging, smoother rollouts, and programs that actually meet students where they are.

5. A Strong Brief Is Worth Two Rounds of Revisions

Most creative “problems” aren’t creative at all—they’re clarity problems. When strategy, audience, positioning, and goals are aligned from the start, the work lands faster, cleaner, and closer to the mark every time. Make time to plan, and make time to stress-test the weak spots.

6. You Don’t Need More Tools, You Need Better Integration

Tech stacks keep growing, but unless your systems talk to each other, teams end up with more noise and less insight. New tools can be powerful, but only when they build on a foundation that already works together.

7. Launches Live or Die on Cross-Team Alignment

No one succeeds on an island. Even the best product struggles when sales, marketing, product, and operations aren’t moving in sync. Alignment turns a launch from reactive to strategic, and it’s usually where the biggest wins happen.

8. No Product Is Self-Explanatory…Ever

If a product truly explained itself, every user would succeed on day one. It’s easy to get so close to what you’ve built that internal familiarity starts to feel universal. Strong messaging, onboarding, and support aren’t extras—they determine adoption more than features alone.

9. Case Studies Work Best When They Tell the Whole Truth

Success stories resonate most when they include the challenge, not just the win. Authenticity builds trust with educators and institutions far more than polished perfection. It shows that you’re paying attention to what needs improvement, not just celebrating what went right.

10. The Most Successful Partners Think Long-Term

Education moves intentionally, not quickly. The partners who see the greatest results are the ones who invest in relationships, consistency, and adapt their strategy as needs evolve.

11. AI Is a Catalyst, Not a Strategy

AI accelerates workflows and is a successful tool for ideation, but it can’t replace the human mind’s positioning, judgment, or the strategic thinking behind effective campaigns. It’s a powerful tool when guided by human expertise and purpose. 

12. Students and Faculty Can Spot Generic Messaging Instantly

This audience reads with a trained eye. They know when messaging is written for them versus written for anyone. Specificity earns trust while generic language erodes it. Know your audience, pay attention to the details, and stay open to feedback. That’s how good messaging becomes great.

13. Good Marketing Solves Operational Problems

Strong marketing can reveal weak operations. If projects keep stalling, it’s often a sign that workflows, feedback loops, or goals aren’t aligned. Clear creative work depends on clear systems and getting the story straight often helps teams get their process straight, too.

14. If You Can’t Explain the Value in One Sentence, You Don’t Understand It Yet

The classic elevator pitch! The moment a product’s value becomes concise and unmistakable is the moment marketing, sales, and product finally click into place. It’s the clearest signal a launch is ready.

15. The Teams That Win Are the Ones That Debrief Honestly

Every campaign (successful or not) reveals what to do next time. Honest postmortems make future cycles faster, cleaner, and more effective, while strengthening the partnerships behind the work. 

16. Responsive Beats Perfect

With EdTech timelines shifting constantly, don’t wait for perfection. Get it done. Keep it moving. In this field, responsiveness builds stronger partnerships than perfection ever will.

17. Collaboration Is the Ultimate Productivity Tool

We act as an extension of our clients’ teams. When we’re treated like insiders rather than vendors, information flows faster, decisions come easier, and the work becomes more strategic for everyone involved. 

18. People Make the Work

Technology changes fast, but what never changes is the power of people. The teams who care, stay curious, and bring heart to every project are the ones who make this work matter. It’s the people who’ve kept PIP strong for 18 years.

Conclusion Title: A Moment of Gratitude

Eighteen years in, we’re proud of what these lessons represent: a collection of insights shaped by collaboration, curiosity, and a shared belief in the power of education. We’re grateful for the partners who’ve trusted us, the teammates who inspire us to improve everyday, and the industry that keeps us learning. Here’s to 18 years of progress, partnership, and positive impact. To the many more still to come.

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