Sales leadership training is clearly important to effective sales leadership; but is it just as important to earn sales leadership training certification? Are there real benefits (and real return on investment) from sales leadership certification programs? And are there risks associated with neglecting sales leadership accreditation? From my perspective, the answers are yes, yes, and yes! Read on to see why – and to learn what you should demand from a sales leadership certification program:
First, a Question: How Strong is Your Sales Leadership?
Before you can assess whether your organization would benefit from sales leadership training certification, it helps to understand if your internal sales leadership needs improvement (hint: most companies can also benefit from stronger sales leadership).
To see if your organization is weak in key areas, our new Sales Leadership Assessment can help. This 10-question online self-assessment is designed to evaluate your sales leadership aptitude and help spotlight gaps in essential management skills. To see how your sales leadership skills stack up, click here to take this free Sales Leadership Assessment.
Best Certifications for Sales Leader Professionals Begin with Benefits
Any effective sales leadership certification program must begin with an appreciation of its value and purpose –how it can, should, and must benefit sales professionals, managers, and leaders.
What are the big-picture benefits of properly designed and administered sales leadership accreditation programs? The best programs equip sales managers and other sales leaders with advanced methods and skills to manage sales teams to ensure goals and objectives are met. They empower the certified sales leader to create a unifying and progressive vision for the sales organization. They instill the certified sales leader with confidence to develop and manage sales strategies and processes. And they accentuate the skills necessary to motivate, inspire, coach, and lead sales team members to individual and group sales success.
Risks of Neglecting Sales Leadership Accreditation
Naturally, settling for sales leadership training without these benefits carries risks. And understanding these risks begins with this fact: Sales managers and sales leaders are created, not born. Sure, essential selling skills may be learned through experience, coaching, mentoring, onboarding, and focused training. But what about sales leadership training? Too often, organizations ignore next-level skills development. That’s where an effective, certified sales leadership program comes in place. So, what are the risks of neglecting sales leadership accreditation?
Subpar Sales
Untrained and uncertified sales leaders don’t have the necessary tools and skills to truly inspire superior sales results. Certified sales leaders, on the other hand, know how to equip sales team members to achieve next-level sales success.
Weak Morale
Uncertified sales leaders don’t always recognize or know how to cope with weak morale at the individual or team levels. A certified sales leader, however, can identify warning signs and take timely corrective action to keep the sales culture from becoming toxic.
Sales Team Instability
Certified sales leaders know the importance of a functional, productive, supportive, and loyal sales team. Naturally, through sales leadership accreditation, they also become adept at ensuring their teams don’t become dysfunctional and unstable, leading to constant turnover.
Overall Business Success and Viability
Sales success is vital to the very survival of the business. Weak sales, poor morale, and frequent turnover can, over time, doom any business. Effective sales leadership training certification can help ensure this doesn’t happen.
The Sales Xceleration CSL Difference
What alternatives do you have for sales leadership training certification? Several. But of the seven leading sales leadership industry certification programs, only Sales Xceleration’s Certified Sales Leader (CSL) program offers this comprehensive slate of benefits:
- National designation
- Classroom-based (not computer-based) sales management training
- Training conducted by an experienced sales leader
- A one-on-one training component
- Essential sales tools
- A comprehensive certification exam (with no separate exam fee)
- Free continuing education
Our CSL program is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses benefit from superior sales leadership to optimize revenue performance and business growth. Learn more about its benefits and class schedules here.
The Bottom Line:
As beneficial an investment as sales leadership training accreditation can be, too many sales organizations ignore this opportunity and suffer the consequences. But no matter how large your business or your sales team, certified sales leadership training can ultimately be the difference between business success and failure. To learn more, click here or contact us today at 844.874.7253.
