# Institutional Outreach Action Plan

Based on research into how bar prep companies sell to law schools, who buys, and what works.

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## Who to Email

Your target is the **Director of Bar Support** (or equivalent). This is the person at every ABA-accredited law school who serves as the primary contact for commercial bar prep vendors, tracks passage data, identifies at-risk students, and has discretionary budget for supplemental tools.

### Titles to Search For (in order of likelihood)

1. Director of Bar Support / Bar Success / Bar Passage Programs
2. Director of Academic Success and Bar Support Programs
3. Associate/Assistant Dean for Academic Success
4. Associate/Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
5. Program Director of Bar Success
6. Director of Academic Achievement

Most are listed on the school's website under Academic Support, Student Affairs, or Bar Preparation. Search "[School Name] Director of Bar Support" or check the Academic Success page.

---

## Tiered Target List

Not all 198 schools are equal. Tier by urgency.

### Tier 1: Below 80% Passage Rate (10-15 schools) — Email First Week of May

These schools are under direct ABA Standard 316 pressure. They need to show the ABA they are investing in bar support tools. Your email is evidence of action, not just a product pitch.

**Schools currently below the 75% ABA threshold (March 2026 data):**

| School | Ultimate Pass Rate | Notes |
|--------|-------------------|-------|
| Southern University Law Center | 59.46% | Highest urgency |
| Western Michigan / Cooley | 68.46% | Historically struggling |
| Florida A&M College of Law | 72.45% | Just below threshold |
| University of the District of Columbia | 73.47% | Just below threshold |
| Barry University School of Law | 73.54% | Just below threshold |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico | 74.19% | Just below threshold |

**Schools likely in the 75-80% danger zone (~20-30 schools):**
To build this list, pull the full ABA bar passage data from taxprofblog.aals.org (March 2026 release). Look for schools with ultimate pass rates between 75-80%. These are one bad cycle away from non-compliance.

**Action items for Tier 1:**
- [ ] Pull the full ABA passage rate data and identify all schools below 80%
- [ ] Find the Director of Bar Support (or equivalent) at each school by name and email
- [ ] Write a highly personalized email for each school referencing their specific passage rate
- [ ] Offer a **free retaker pilot** — no cost, no procurement, just give their retaker cohort access for July
- [ ] Goal: 3-5 pilot schools that generate usage data and testimonials by October

### Tier 2: 80-88% Passage Rate (30-40 schools) — Email Weeks 2-3 of May

These schools are not in crisis but are actively investing in bar support. They have budget. They are receptive to supplemental tools that help at the margins.

**Action items for Tier 2:**
- [ ] Semi-personalized emails (school name, contact name, one line about their program)
- [ ] Lead with retaker angle: "Your February retakers studying for July need more essay reps"
- [ ] Offer institutional pricing ($50-75/seat) or distribution partnership (20% discount code, no cost to school)
- [ ] Goal: 5-7 converting schools (mix of site licenses and code distribution)

### Tier 3: Above 88% Passage Rate (140+ schools) — Email Late May or Hold for October

These schools are not under pressure. They may be interested, but they are not urgently seeking supplemental tools. A May email plants the seed; the real conversion happens in October when July results arrive.

**Action items for Tier 3:**
- [ ] Brief, informational email: "We exist, here's what we do, happy to discuss when useful"
- [ ] Save the full push for October when July bar results create urgency
- [ ] Goal: awareness. Get on their radar for the next purchasing cycle.

---

## Data Points to Use in Messaging

These are facts from the research that belong in your emails and one-pager.

### ABA Standard 316 (use with Tier 1 and Tier 2)

> ABA Standard 316 requires 75% of graduates who sit for a bar exam to pass within two years. Schools falling short have two years to demonstrate compliance or face accreditation consequences.

Use this to frame urgency: "Supplemental essay practice tools are one of the actions the ABA considers when evaluating a school's response to bar passage challenges."

### Retaker Statistics (use with all tiers)

> 31% of 2024 bar examinees were retakers. Retakers passed at 31% vs. 75% for first-timers. In February 2026, roughly 71% of examinees were repeat takers. Essay performance is the primary failure mode for retakers.

Use this to frame the problem: "Your retakers' gap is almost always in essay performance. They know the law; they can't get it on the page under timed pressure."

### Cost Comparison (use in pricing conversations)

| What | Cost |
|------|------|
| BARBRI Premium (retail) | $3,995-$5,999 |
| Themis (retail) | $2,995 |
| JD Advising On-Demand (10 graded essays) | $1,799 |
| Helix (nonprofit full course) | $1,199 |
| Kaplan Bar Essay Grader (standalone) | $349 |
| **SHEP Bar Prep (per seat, institutional)** | **$50-$75** |
| Private essay tutoring (per hour) | $150-$300 |

Position: "SHEP institutional access costs less per student than a single hour of private tutoring."

### How Schools Currently Buy

Schools are used to these deal structures. Mirror them in your pitch:

| Structure | How to Mirror |
|-----------|--------------|
| Preferred provider discount (student pays, school negotiates rate) | Distribution partnership: school shares 20% discount code, students pay $103 |
| School-funded access (school absorbs cost) | Site license: school pays $50-75/seat, students get free access |
| Free pilot (vendor provides at no cost) | Tier 1 retaker pilot: free access for retaker cohort, school gets usage reports |

---

## Proposed Outreach Pricing

### For Tier 1 (Free Retaker Pilot)

| What | Price | Why |
|------|-------|-----|
| Retaker cohort access (10-50 students) | Free | Eliminates procurement friction. Builds social proof. Usage data becomes your October sales asset. |
| Admin usage dashboard | Included | Shows which students are practicing, score trends. This is what admins care about. |
| Kickoff session | Included | 25-minute walkthrough for students. |

**The ask:** "No cost, no procurement. Just give your retakers access and I'll send you a usage report. If it helps, we'll discuss institutional pricing for your 3L class."

### For Tier 2 (Paid, Two Options)

**Option A: Site License (school pays)**

| Tier | Seats | Per-Seat | Example |
|------|-------|----------|---------|
| Pilot | Up to 25 | $2,500 flat | Small retaker cohort |
| Standard | 26-75 | $75/seat | $3,750 for 50 students |
| Program | 76-150 | $60/seat | $6,000 for 100 students |
| University | 150+ | $50/seat | $10,000 for 200 students |

All include: school-specific signup page, admin usage dashboard, kickoff session, retaker/alumni cohort option, repair drill access.

**Option B: Distribution Partnership (no cost to school)**

| What | Details |
|------|---------|
| School distributes 20% discount code | Students pay $103 (vs. $129 individual) |
| School receives | Usage reports showing student activity and score trends |
| School pays | Nothing |

Lower commitment, faster to close. Converts to site license when school sees engagement.

### For Tier 3 (Informational, No Hard Pitch)

No pricing in the initial email. "Happy to share institutional pricing details if this is relevant for your program." Plant the seed, follow up in October.

---

## Email Sequence by Tier

### Tier 1 Email (Personalized, Free Pilot)

**Subject:** Free essay practice pilot for [School] retakers

Hi [Name],

I built SHEP Bar Prep after graduating from Fordham Law and passing the February 2026 bar. My co-founder is a software engineer at Google.

I'm reaching out because [School]'s bar passage data shows room for improvement, and I think we can help your retakers preparing for July.

SHEP is an AI essay grading platform. Students write a full MEE-style response, get scored across four dimensions (issue spotting, rule statements, application, organization), and see exactly where their analysis breaks down. They can also upload any practice question they already have.

I'd like to offer your retaker cohort free access for the July cycle. No cost, no procurement, no commitment. I'll provide a usage report showing who's practicing and how they're progressing.

If it moves the needle, we can discuss institutional pricing for your broader student body. If it doesn't, you'll know — and so will I.

Would 15 minutes work to set this up?

Best,
Sanoj Allen
Fordham Law '25 | February 2026 UBE | Co-founder, SHEP

---

### Tier 2 Email (Semi-Personalized, Retaker-Focused)

**Subject:** Retaker essay practice for [School] July bar takers

Hi [Name],

31% of bar examinees nationally are retakers. Their pass rate is 31%, and the gap is almost always in essay performance.

I built SHEP Bar Prep to address this. Students write full essay responses to MEE-style prompts, get scored on four dimensions, and work through repair drills on rules they missed. They can also upload any authorized practice question for the same structured feedback.

My co-founder is a software engineer at Google. I graduated from Fordham Law and passed the February 2026 bar.

For [School], I can offer:
- Institutional access from $50/seat (less than one hour of private tutoring per student)
- A school-specific access code and admin usage dashboard
- A 25-minute kickoff session for students
- Or, if simpler: a 20% discount code to distribute to your bar takers at no cost to the school

Would it be worth a 15-minute call?

Best,
Sanoj Allen
Fordham Law '25 | February 2026 UBE | Co-founder, SHEP

---

### Tier 3 Email (Brief, Plant the Seed)

**Subject:** Essay practice supplement for [School] bar takers

Hi [Name],

Quick note to introduce SHEP Bar Prep, an AI essay grading platform for MEE practice. Students write, get scored on four dimensions, and work through targeted repair drills. They can also upload their own practice questions.

Built by a Fordham Law graduate (February 2026 UBE) and a software engineer at Google. Institutional pricing available.

Happy to share more details whenever it's useful for your program.

Best,
Sanoj Allen
Fordham Law '25 | February 2026 UBE | Co-founder, SHEP

---

## Follow-Up Sequence

| When | Action | Target |
|------|--------|--------|
| Day 0 | Send initial email | All tiers |
| Day 5-7 | Follow-up #1 to non-responders | Tier 1 and Tier 2 |
| Day 12-14 | Follow-up #2, offer the alternative model (if pitched site license, offer code distribution; if pitched code, offer free pilot) | Tier 1 and Tier 2 |
| October 2026 | "July bar results are in" mass follow-up | All tiers, especially Tier 3 |

### Follow-Up #1 (5-7 days after initial)

**Subject:** Re: [Original subject]

Hi [Name],

Following up on my note last week. I know this is a busy time with bar prep ramping up.

If a full pilot isn't the right fit now, I'm also happy to share a discount code you can pass along to your July bar takers. No cost to the school, and I can still provide a usage summary.

Happy to send a one-page overview if easier than a call.

Best,
Sanoj Allen

### Follow-Up #2 (12-14 days after initial, Tier 1 only)

**Subject:** Re: [Original subject]

Hi [Name],

Last note on this. I know [School] is focused on bar passage outcomes, and I want to make sure this lands on your radar before July prep is in full swing.

The offer: free retaker access, usage reports for your office, and a 25-minute student kickoff. Zero cost, zero procurement. If it helps even a few students, it's worth the 15 minutes to set up.

I'm at strategy@sheplegal.com if it's easier to reply directly.

Best,
Sanoj Allen

---

## Outreach Calendar

| Date | Action |
|------|--------|
| **April 25-30** | Build tiered target list. Pull ABA passage data. Research Director of Bar Support at each Tier 1 school by name and email. Finalize one-pager PDF. Set up mail merge tool. |
| **May 1-3** | Send Tier 1 emails (10-15 schools, fully personalized). |
| **May 4-7** | Send Tier 2 emails (30-40 schools, semi-personalized). |
| **May 8-10** | Send Tier 3 emails (remaining schools, brief/templated). |
| **May 7-9** | Follow-up #1 to Tier 1 non-responders. |
| **May 11-14** | Follow-up #1 to Tier 2 non-responders. |
| **May 14-17** | Follow-up #2 to Tier 1 (free pilot, last push). |
| **May 15-31** | Schedule calls, close deals, onboard pilot schools. |
| **June-July** | Support active pilots. Collect usage data. |
| **October 2026** | July results arrive. Mass follow-up to all 198 schools with pilot data. This is the big push. |

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## What You Need Before May 1

- [ ] Full ABA passage rate data — identify every school below 80%
- [ ] Director of Bar Support name and email for each Tier 1 school (10-15 contacts)
- [ ] One-pager PDF for admins (see Institutional Sales Playbook for content)
- [ ] Mail merge tool set up (Instantly, Lemlist, or Mailchimp)
- [ ] CRM table in Notion: school, tier, contact name, email, date sent, response, status, deal size
- [ ] Calendly or Cal.com link for 15-minute calls
- [ ] Admin usage dashboard ready (even if basic) for pilot schools
- [ ] Confirm with Will: Google credential reference OK per employer policies