The main question in IT academy marketing is whether to get cheap leads or leads close to a sale. Both are possible, but they need different ads and a different sales process.
For UIC IT Academy, leads came in from $0.14. When the course price was written in the ad, the lead cost rose to $1.79. Which is better? The answer depends on your sales team.
In short:
- Ads without a price — cheap, many leads.
- Ads with a price — more expensive, but pre-qualified leads.
- The choice depends on your sales team's capacity.
Should you show the price in the ad?
If the price is not shown, more people are interested: the lead is cheap. But many of them leave when they hear the price. Operators make a lot of calls.
If the price is shown, fewer people leave a request: the lead is more expensive. But they came knowing the price and are readier to pay.
If your sales team is large and fast, cheap leads are good. If the team is small, pre-qualified leads are more useful.
Pre-selling an educational product
With MySchool, $1,115 of ads brought 215 leads. Before the product was even ready, 10 customers joined the waitlist, and there were 22 sales in total. In education too, the "sell first, build later" principle works.
What content works?
- Graduate results — stories of students who got jobs or built projects.
- A free lesson or master class — as a tripwire.
- The teacher's face — who teaches and what experience they have.
- Information about the profession — salary, demand, roadmap.
Parents can also be decision-makers — they need separate content about trust and results.
Where do most people go wrong?
The mistake is promises like "learn IT and earn $1,000 a month". This breaks trust and brings the wrong audience.
The right way is real graduates, a real program and a clear process. And in sales, introduce people through a free lesson or consultation.
Conclusion
In short, in edtech there is a trade-off between lead cost and lead quality.
- Test ads with and without a price.
- Choose based on your sales team's capacity.
- Turn graduate results into content.
- Introduce people with a free lesson.
We will build a strategy for your training center — book a consultation.
About the author. Safarmurod Abduroziqov is the founder and CEO of AURA Digital: 6 years in marketing, 50+ IT projects, ~$1M in managed ad budget. Telegram · LinkedIn
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lead cost for an IT academy?
It depends on the offer and the ad. For UIC IT Academy it was $0.14 in ads without a price and $1.79 when the price was shown.
Should you write the course price in the ad?
Test it. With a price, leads get more expensive but closer to a sale; this helps if your sales team is small.
Can you pre-sell an educational product?
Yes. MySchool collected 10 customers on the waitlist before the product was ready and made 22 sales in total.
What content works for edtech?
Graduate results, free lessons, the teacher's experience and clear information about the profession.