FIND THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
SMARTER
Make Your School
Our Mission is to help K-12 schools build quality education
with smarter technology. We're dedicated to two high-impact
areas: E-rate Funding and Self-Assessment Tools.
The Smart School Project
About E-Rate Funding Case Studies Clients Contact
K-12 EXPERIENCE
ENGINEERS
We understand your challenges.
Read about our proven track record of
working with clients to meet, and even surpass their goals.
Early E-rate Funding
Your technology plans don't have to be scary and overwhelming. We'll walk you through the basics!
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Technology Demystified
We collaborate with K-12 schools to build customized self-assessment applications. Ready to boost your school's performance?
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Performance Boost
The Smart School Project
Our dream is to enable all students to access quality education. We've made it our life's work to put the power of technology into K-12 schools
The Smart School Project
Julio Marana is a one-man tech consultancy for K-12 schools. He wanted to refocus his business to help schools win grants for technology plans (known as 'E-Rate' funding). Technology plans include providing internet access, building telecom systems and determining equipment purchases. The application process for E-Rate funding is extremely complex, and the planning and execution of technology plans require intense amounts of time and expertise.
A lot of market understanding was needed on my part, so we worked through the communication strategy worksheet that I try to use on every project. In the client interviews, we learned that K-12 teachers found their schools' technology intimidating. What we learned specifically about Julio, was that teachers felt relieved when he was involved. Because of his experience managing IT within K-12 schools, he understood how to plan and implement systems to meet learning goals. His expertise helped schools shape their tech plans, assign proper budgets, hire vetted vendors and build out effective systems.
Julio's first impulse was to "look big" like the competing firms. While the big firms focused on managing the bureaucracy of E-Rate funding, Julio offered engineering knowledge and K-12 experience that his competition didn't.
With this insight, the messaging and branding became clear — speak to educators in a way that was reassuring and familiar. Rather than look corporate, Julio needed to communicate with them as another passionate and committed educator. The home page below represents a complete rebranding of his company: This included a new name, messaging that emphasized his mission and strengths, and a playful and inviting visual personality.
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When you streamline your technology plan, you have the opportunity to get approved faster. Earlier funding means more runway.
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