We asked Natalia Parygina, Leader of the School of Customer Experience at Tochka Bank and former Head of Marketing for Diploma Programs at SKOLKOVO Moscow School of Management, to share her experience on building a trust‑based strategy in education marketing.
Marketing in education is fundamentally different from marketing most other products. In my view, we are not selling a program or a course. People are buying the opportunity to change something – to grow their careers, scale their businesses, shift their professional circles, learn a new trade, or, as it’s often said, undergo a personal transformation.
And that is precisely the main challenge. We are selling a result that cannot be guaranteed and that the buyer will not see immediately. That’s why conventional marketing tools work somewhat differently here.
In my opinion, an educational product has several distinctive features that largely determine how we choose a marketing strategy.
Marketing in education is fundamentally different from marketing most other products. In my view, we are not selling a program or a course. People are buying the opportunity to change something – to grow their careers, scale their businesses, shift their professional circles, learn a new trade, or, as it’s often said, undergo a personal transformation.
And that is precisely the main challenge. We are selling a result that cannot be guaranteed and that the buyer will not see immediately. That’s why conventional marketing tools work somewhat differently here.
In my opinion, an educational product has several distinctive features that largely determine how we choose a marketing strategy.
- You can’t experience the product before buying it
Unlike most physical goods, a person cannot evaluate the quality of what they are purchasing in advance. Moreover, the outcome is often delayed. New knowledge acquired today may translate into career advancement, a new business, or higher income only months – sometimes years – later. Marketing therefore has to make that journey as clear and transparent as possible. It should show how the learning is structured, what the process looks like from the inside, who the program is truly suited for, and who it is not. The clearer the path from point A to point B appears, the easier it is for the prospective student to make a decision.
- The result depends on the client themselves
In education, the outcome always depends on two sides: the program and the student. Even the most powerful training will not deliver value if assignments are not completed and tools are not put into practice. No matter how much a course or program costs, it is not a magic wand or a cure‑all. Therefore, education marketing should not promise quick wins. On the contrary, it is important to be honest about the workload, the requirements for participants, and the volume of work involved. When people understand what they are signing up for, they are more likely to complete the program, actually gain the benefit they came for, and start recommending it to others.
- High distrust and a long decision‑making cycle
When buying education, a person risks not only money but also time. Purchase decisions are rarely impulsive. People read reviews, analyse case studies, attend open events, talk to alumni, and compare different programs for a long time. That is why real‑life graduate stories work far better than discounts, advertising slogans, or grand promises of life‑changing outcomes.
So, what works in education marketing and what doesn’t?
Since potential students cannot evaluate the product itself in advance, they evaluate the expertise of the team behind it. The best education marketing, therefore, is to demonstrate value before the purchase. Useful expert content builds trust. Open webinars, trial lessons, demo versions, the opportunity to sit in on a module, or to speak with the course creators – all of these help people get acquainted with the product, verify its quality, ask questions, and lower the barrier to buying.
Graduate success stories work particularly well – but only when they are specific. Not a vague “things got better,” but a clear narrative: what challenge the person came with, what they changed, and what result they actually achieved. The audience recognises themselves in these stories and maps the projected outcome onto their own situation or business.
Price is one element of positioning. Both discounts and price increases should be part of an overall strategy, not a quick way to boost sales. It is essential that every pricing change feels logical to the audience and aligns with the perceived value of the program.
Since potential students cannot evaluate the product itself in advance, they evaluate the expertise of the team behind it. The best education marketing, therefore, is to demonstrate value before the purchase. Useful expert content builds trust. Open webinars, trial lessons, demo versions, the opportunity to sit in on a module, or to speak with the course creators – all of these help people get acquainted with the product, verify its quality, ask questions, and lower the barrier to buying.
Graduate success stories work particularly well – but only when they are specific. Not a vague “things got better,” but a clear narrative: what challenge the person came with, what they changed, and what result they actually achieved. The audience recognises themselves in these stories and maps the projected outcome onto their own situation or business.
Price is one element of positioning. Both discounts and price increases should be part of an overall strategy, not a quick way to boost sales. It is essential that every pricing change feels logical to the audience and aligns with the perceived value of the program.
What business education really offers: community and network
Community starts working only when people can be useful to each other. For that, it is important that participants are roughly at the same level and face similar challenges. Entrepreneurs with comparable business scales, managers dealing with like‑for‑like issues, or specialists at a similar career stage find common ground faster, share relevant experience, and help each other find solutions.
At the same time, the value of community evolves with the participants’ experience. The more seasoned the audience, the more important the network becomes – the ability to discuss their own challenges with people who operate in a similar context. At some point, people join a program not only for the knowledge but also for the community.
Community starts working only when people can be useful to each other. For that, it is important that participants are roughly at the same level and face similar challenges. Entrepreneurs with comparable business scales, managers dealing with like‑for‑like issues, or specialists at a similar career stage find common ground faster, share relevant experience, and help each other find solutions.
At the same time, the value of community evolves with the participants’ experience. The more seasoned the audience, the more important the network becomes – the ability to discuss their own challenges with people who operate in a similar context. At some point, people join a program not only for the knowledge but also for the community.
Marketing must be deeply embedded in the product
This is perhaps the main difference between education marketing and most other industries. A marketer needs more than marketing expertise – they need a deep understanding of the product itself. They have to know how the learning is structured, what difficulties students encounter, why some achieve results and others do not.
That is why marketing in education always sits at the intersection of product, customer, and sales. You need to understand the methodology, listen to the real needs of the audience, and be aware of the key barriers that arise along the path to purchase.
Ideally, the marketer should go through the program themselves, or at least live a significant part of that experience alongside the students. Only then do you start to truly grasp what matters to people, when they hesitate, what motivates them, and what changes they undergo throughout the learning process.
This is perhaps the main difference between education marketing and most other industries. A marketer needs more than marketing expertise – they need a deep understanding of the product itself. They have to know how the learning is structured, what difficulties students encounter, why some achieve results and others do not.
That is why marketing in education always sits at the intersection of product, customer, and sales. You need to understand the methodology, listen to the real needs of the audience, and be aware of the key barriers that arise along the path to purchase.
Ideally, the marketer should go through the program themselves, or at least live a significant part of that experience alongside the students. Only then do you start to truly grasp what matters to people, when they hesitate, what motivates them, and what changes they undergo throughout the learning process.
Marketing does not end with the purchase
In most markets, marketing stops at the moment of sale. In education, that is where it all begins. The best source of new clients is graduates who have achieved results and are willing to recommend the program to others. That is why education marketing is responsible not only for acquisition but also for building and nurturing a strong community.
In most markets, marketing stops at the moment of sale. In education, that is where it all begins. The best source of new clients is graduates who have achieved results and are willing to recommend the program to others. That is why education marketing is responsible not only for acquisition but also for building and nurturing a strong community.
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