Follett Software

Background

For over 150 years, Follett School Solutions operated as part of Follett Corporation, a family-owned company that included K-12 and higher-education offerings. When the business was acquired by Francisco Partners in 2021, FSS was carved out and split into two discrete businesses: a content company (selling books to K-12 libraries) and a technology company with a larger vision for supporting K-12 education beyond the library.

Challenge

With such a long, proud history, Follett was synonymous with the Library—and with books. To such an extent that the technology offerings were originally developed as enablement tools to sell more books—not as standalone products with unique value propositions. Separating the technology business from the content business presented a series of challenges:

How do you capitalize on the substantial equity of the Follett name, while signaling something new and differentiated?
How do you turn a portfolio of value-added technology offerings into a sophisticated suite of ed-tech software?
How do you build a flexible product portfolio that accommodates product and service offerings for multiple customer segments, while allowing room for future acquisitions?
And, of course, how do you build a brand that honors its legacy while poising it for innovation?

Work

Follett Software launched in summer 2024. The launch was more than a new name—it also included new positioning as an innovative technology leader, a reimagined software portfolio and platform, new visual and verbal identities, new website, and all new product positioning and sales enablement.

Education Technology

NAMING | PRODUCT PORTFOLIO | POSITIONING | MESSAGING | WEBSITE | PRODUCT MARKETING | SALES ENABLEMENT

NAMING

A study in conserving brand equity while positioning for product-led growth.

Follett Software

Changing the name of a 150 year old company is not a decision that should be taken lightly. We conducted a large quantitative research study and qualitative stakeholder interviews to weigh the benefits of a name change (creating separation from the content business, reducing confusion for consumers, signaling innovation) against the cons (loss of brand equity, trust, and leadership in the category), and ultimately determined that Follett Software was the strategically sound decision: retaining "Follett" preserved the substantial brand equity, while the addition of "Software" created distinction and conveyed innovation.

In the course of our research, we learned that one product in the portfolio, Destiny Library Manager, had the highest awareness and positive sentiment of all names in the portfolio. We capitalized on that learning and the brand's evocative name—elevating "Destiny" to become the lead brand for the entire Follett Software offering. "Educator Platform" gave us license to expand beyond the library and opportunity to grow across the complete K-12 technology space.

Destiny Educator Platform

BRAND POSITIONING

With every task, educators move their schools and districts forward. At Follett Software, we’re helping to drive the future of education by empowering the people who put in the effort every day: from administrators and librarians to IT leaders and beyond. Their passion motivates us to build systems that support educators around the globe.

For over 150 years, we’ve helped educators make a difference. With a unique understanding of their needs, we build powerful solutions that streamline processes, offer insights, and reveal new opportunities.

Everything we do is for educators. We partner with them to advance a bold vision for education that boosts district performance and student success.

We Elevate Impact

We recognize the hard work that happens behind the scenes to make districts run smoothly and build solutions that maximize the impact educators make every day.

We Empower Educators

We Push Potential

PLATFORM POSITIONING

A Complete Ecosystem

The Destiny Educator Platform delivers unified, consistent experiences across all product lines, bringing all your schools’ resources and information together, eliminating headaches and empowering new possibilities to save money and time, and deliver better school days for all students.

PRODUCT BRANDING & POSITIONING

It takes every department running smoothly to make a district truly hum. The Destiny Educator Platform offers suites uniquely tailored to every department and connects educators across roles. With a single, intuitive interface that spans the platform, onboarding and training your entire staff is simple. And with unified dashboards, educators can make decisions informed by insights that encompass the whole district, from every school to every student.

Manage libraries across schools to track where materials are, update resources that are outdated, enrich curriculum, and inspire a lifelong love of reading.

Spend Less Time Cataloging and More Time Captivating

Maximize Your Investment in Student Success

Streamline help desk operations, make sure devices and software are updated, and track inventory so staff and students can always access the technology they need.

Make the Most of Every Resource

Keep every resource organized across your district with robust tracking, and manage related maintenance expenses.

Break Down the Barriers to Giving

Build effective fundraising campaigns and make confident financial decisions with robust reports and forecasting.

Boost Student and District Success

Track individual attendance and grades, manage enrollment and class schedules, connect with your students, and monitor school- or district-wide performance.