If You Want Contracts Next School Year, You Should Be Doing This Right Now

What Education Consultants Should Be Doing Right Now to Secure Contracts for Next School Year

If your goal is to secure contracts for next school year, what you do in the next 60–90 days matters more than anything else you do all year.

Because here’s the reality:
Schools don’t start making decisions in July. That’s when money becomes available.

Decisions are being shaped right now.

If you’re not part of those conversations, you are not top of mind when budgets open.

Let’s walk through exactly what you should be doing right now to position yourself for contracts—no fluff, just strategy.

What’s Happening on Campuses Right Now

At this point in the school year, campuses are:

• Reviewing data
• Identifying gaps
• Discussing priorities for next year

Administrators are asking:

• What didn’t work this year?
• Where do we need support?
• What are we going to invest in next year?

If you are not visible during this phase, you are not part of the decision-making process.

What Most Consultants Are Doing (And Why It’s Not Working)

Right now, most consultants are:

• Tweaking their website
• Creating more content
• Building trainings
• Thinking about their offer
• Waiting until summer to start selling

It feels productive—but none of it gets you into conversations with decision-makers.

And if you’re not in conversations, you’re not getting contracts.

Step 1: Get Clear on the Problem You Solve

You need to be able to clearly answer:

What problem do you solve on a campus—and what changes because of your work?

Especially if you want higher-ticket contracts, you should be able to answer:

Why would a school pay you $20,000?

Avoid vague statements like:

• “I help teachers grow”
• “I support student success”

Instead, be specific:

• Students are not using academic language
• Instruction is inconsistent across classrooms
• Teachers rely on procedures instead of conceptual understanding

Then define the transformation:

• Students explain their thinking, increasing retention
• Teachers implement consistent strategies that build language
• Classrooms shift to student-centered learning, increasing outcomes

If this isn’t clear, everything else breaks down.

Step 2: Package Your Work Into a Solution (Not a Training)

If your offer is:

“I can come do a PD day…”

You are positioned as a workshop provider.

Instead, create a named framework that outlines a clear process:

• 1–2 PD days (the what and why)
• 2–3 coaching cycles (the how and implementation)

You are not selling a presentation—you are selling a solution over time.

You should be able to say:

“This is exactly how this work unfolds on your campus.”

Step 3: Create a Simple Landing Page

You do not need a full website overhaul.

You need one place where an administrator can:

• Recognize the problem
• Understand the impact
• See your framework
• Understand how you partner

This can be a simple landing page.

When someone says, “Tell me more,” you need somewhere to send them.

Step 4: Start Conversations With Administrators (This Week)

This is the most important step.

Start with your warm network:

• Principals
• Instructional coaches
• District contacts

Reach out with something simple:

“I’ve been doing some work around [problem]. I’d love to get your perspective—do you have 15 minutes to share what you’re seeing on your campus right now?”

Then ask:

• What are your biggest challenges right now?
• What’s causing that problem?
• What do teachers need to move forward?

Listen first. This is not a pitch—it’s a conversation.

Step 5: Position Yourself as the Solution

After listening, respond with:

• Empathy: “You’re not alone—we’re seeing this across many campuses.”
• Alignment: “What you described is exactly why this work matters.”

Then introduce your framework:

• Walk through your process
• Explain how it supports teachers
• Show the student impact

You are not offering options.
You are offering a clear, aligned solution.

Step 6: Get in Front of More Decision-Makers

Focus your visibility where it actually matters:

• Direct outreach
• Email
• LinkedIn
• Conferences

Not random content.

Everything should point back to:

• The problem you solve
• Your framework
• Your solution

The Cost of Waiting

If you wait until summer to start this process, you miss the window.

By July:

• Decisions are already made
• Vendors are already selected
• Budgets move quickly

And you’re left trying to piece together one-off workshops again.

You don’t miss the opportunity in July.
You miss it now by staying invisible.

If You’re Ready to Get This Right

If you want a clear plan for what to do over the next 90 days—and support actually implementing it—the Education Consultant Accelerator: Momentum Track walks you through:

• Building and refining your framework
• Packaging your offer into something schools say yes to
• Strengthening your messaging for administrators
• Getting in front of decision-makers with intention

This is where strategy meets execution—so you’re not guessing your way through this process.

Your Next Move

Now is your window.

Not next month.
Not this summer.

Right now is when next year’s contracts are decided.

If you’re ready for structure and momentum, you can join us inside ECA: Momentum Track.

https://www.jennkleiber.com/momentum-track