8 top sales certifications for your team to get noticed in 2024

There's a common belief that the best salespeople are born with a natural talent for sales. Although many top professionals do have innate skills or personality traits that lend well to a career in sales, it doesn't mean that this type of knowledge can't be acquired.

In fact, as the market evolves along with technology, new sales and negotiation strategies emerge constantly. Taking courses and getting certifications is key to staying on top of trends and changes in sales.

A sales certification is also a way to make your sales team stand out, especially if you're a new organization or don't have much experience.

When you lack professional experience, sales certifications are the best way to demonstrate that you have the knowledge and deserve an opportunity.

In this post, we'll explain sales certifications, how they help sales professionals, and which ones are the most accredited.

Let's get to it.

What is a sales certification?

Sales certifications are granted after a course, program, or sales assessment. They work as proof of someone's knowledge or proficiency in a specific sales-related topic or skill.

There are endless sales certifications, from specific skills like negotiation, market research, or sales pipeline management to comprehensive sales strategy courses.

Any sales professional can get a sales certification, no matter their level of experience, as the market is filled with entry-level, intermediate, and advanced courses.

How do sales certifications help sales professionals?

Including sales certifications on your CV or resume is always beneficial.

For those starting out, they demonstrate knowledge despite limited experience. For experienced professionals, certifications offer the opportunity to upskill and advance in their sales career.

Demonstrate your knowledge of the sales process

Resumes are often manipulated to overstate experience and accomplishments, so simply listing qualifications may not be enough - especially if you lack extensive work experience.

Sales certifications are a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. They provide tangible proof that you're trained in specific competencies and capable of fulfilling a role effectively.

Boost your credibility as a sales professional

The more baggage you accumulate throughout your career, the more credibility you develop as a sales professional.

Combining accredited sales certifications from well-known organizations with valuable work experience is a great formula for boosting your value and becoming a trustworthy sales professional.

Create more opportunities for career advancement

Sales certifications can be crucial building blocks for advancing your career.

They signal a commitment to professional growth, helping you stand out to employers and positioning you for promotions or higher-level roles. Certifications also provide updated knowledge and skills, keeping you competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.

If your performance and background experience are similar, your sales certifications may be what sets you apart from colleagues when it comes time for a promotion or career advancement opportunity.

Attract attention from potential employers

A certified sales professional catches the eyes of potential employers. As your sales skills improve, you become more valuable to companies and sales managers.

A sales certification is also an opportunity for networking and self-promoting. For example, whenever you share a new certification on LinkedIn, your profile gets more views, improving your chances of being noticed. Plus, having all those badges on your profile looks nice, doesn't it?

So, getting a sales certification is also a way to attract attention from potential employers (or clients) in the sales industry.

Top 8 sales professional certification courses

With the number of professional sales certifications out there, finding the best one to level up your sales career may not be the easiest task. We've curated eight reputable courses, each aiming at different professional levels and skills.

1. Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP)

The National Association of Sales Professionals (NASP) offers the Certified Professional Sales Person program (CPSP), which uses modern behavior-based methodologies to transform learners into top-performing sales professionals.

At its core, the program focuses on replacing current behaviors and sales habits with new ones that help participants achieve sales goals faster and more consistently.

The lessons dive deep into the client's buying process cycle, strategies to approach their needs more directly, and how to communicate with clients in their preferred style.

Certification process

The CPSP is a flexible and comprehensive six-week online course. Participants can take it at any time but must log in to complete each daily module (20-30 minutes) for 45 consecutive days.

There's some leeway for weekend modules, which are quick check-ins. Then, after 45 days, you must take a final certification exam and get a minimum score of 80% to pass.

Who it's for

Professionals of all levels: entry-level salespeople, sales executives, business owners, and CEOs.

Cost

This 6-week course costs $795 per participant.

2. Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL)

NASP also offers the Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL) certification course to help sales leaders boost their teams' potential and performance.

The course teaches techniques for influencing team behavior to drive higher performance and revenue.

Key lessons include strategies for building a self-directed, empowered sales team, providing the necessary tools, and instilling effective habits for consistent, sustainable results—making it a valuable option for professional sales organizations.

Certification process

The CPSL certification process is the same as the CPSP: a comprehensive and flexible six-week online course that can be taken at any time.

Each daily module (20-30 minutes) must be completed for 45 consecutive days, with leeway on weekend modules, which are quick check-ins. A final certification exam requires a minimum score of 80% to pass.

Who it's for

This course will benefit any sales leader: presidents and VPs of sales, sales managers, directors of sales, and small business owners. It's also valuable for sales professionals looking to take sales leadership roles.

Cost

The 6-week Certified Professional Sales Leader program costs $895 per participant.

3. Certified Master Sales Professional (CMSP)

If you want to kill two birds with one stone, then you should consider getting a CMSP. This certification is also offered by NASP and it gathers the methodologies, strategies, and techniques taught in the CPSP and CPSL programs.

By the end of the course, you'll be able to identify personal habits that are limiting your success, influence others to win a sale, and lead a high-performing sales team.

Once you complete the CMSP, you'll get both CPSP and CPSL certifications.

Certification process

The CMSP program consists of a comprehensive 14-month online course.

In addition to the CPSP and CSL certifications, taking this course grants participants access to the NASP's Advanced Sales Influence program and a 12-month membership to their Sales Mastery group.

Who it's for

Sales professionals, executives, CEOs, business owners, or anyone looking to become a master sales professional.

Cost

This all-in-one 14-month course costs $3,395 per participant.

4. Master Sales Leadership by Emblaze

The American Association of Inside Sales Professionals (AA-ISP) is now Emblaze. Becoming a member of Emblaze grants you access to the Master Sales Leadership, a course that teaches leadership skills, techniques, and processes to amplify sales teams' performance and results.

This certification helps sales leaders to increase return on sales, adopt coaching strategies, and optimize revenue management.

Certification process

To earn the certification, participants must implement the coaching strategies learned and record a coaching session.

Who it's for

Sales managers and leaders.

Cost

An Emblaze membership is required, which costs $1,595.

5. Certified Sales Executive (CSE)

The CSE is a sales management certification offered by Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI). This course covers everything from the fundamentals of sales management to advanced team-building strategies.

It also provides a theoretical foundation to help sales professionals understand sales and marketing strategies while adapting to the constantly changing economy.

Certification process

The Certified Sales Executive (CSE) program is an online, self-paced course that must be completed within one year. It consists of three modules: Leading as a Salesperson, Leading as a Sales Manager, and Leading as a Sales Executive, along with an e-textbook, videos, and quizzes.

To earn the CSE designation, you must complete all modules and pass a proctored, timed certification exam with at least a 75% score.

Once you've obtained certification, there is an annual renewal fee to maintain your designation.

Who it's for

A CSE certification would most benefit sales managers and leaders, executives, company owners, and account managers.

Cost

• Each module (three total): $300
• E-book: $89.70
• Final certification exam: $150 (not included in course fee)
• Certification renewal (annually): $95

Total cost (excluding renewal): $1,139.70

6. HubSpot Inbound Sales Certification

The Inbound Sales Certification is a thorough guide to inbound selling. The course is based on the fundamentals of inbound sales and covers topics like personalized sales presentations, buyer persona prioritization, and context.

Certification process

The program is short and only takes 2 hours and 12 minutes to complete. It consists of five lessons, each 20 to 30 minutes long, with quizzes at the end of each section. Once completed, you can add your Inbound Sales Certification to your LinkedIn profile.

Who it's for

Any professional in the sales field can take this course, whether they use HubSpot software or not.

Cost

This is a free course.

7. SPIN selling

Neil Rackham, founder of the Huthwaite corporation, developed the SPIN selling strategy around the idea that sales representatives should forget traditional sales techniques and focus on building value as trustworthy advisors. His book continues to be a popular sales resource decades later.

The acronym SPIN stands for Situation, Problems, Implications, and Needs. This well-known sales strategy involves asking questions to discover a customer's needs.

Huthwaite International offers a SPIN selling training program for sales professionals wanting to learn and apply the SPIN selling strategies.

Certification process

The SPIN selling course offers options to enroll in an in-person classroom setting or virtually.

Classroom training is led by facilitators over the course of two focused days. The virtual training option is better suited for people who don't want to travel or need to fit the course into their schedules. This consists of four 3.5 hour sessions over the course of two weeks.

Who it's for

Sales representatives, managers, and leaders who want to learn all about the SPIN selling strategy.

Cost

Pricing available upon request.

8. Challenger certified trainer

The Challenger Certified Trainer program, offered by Challenger Inc., is designed for those looking to master the Challenger sales model and obtain a license to deliver its workshops.

Developed by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson, the Challenger sales model emphasizes that with the right training and tools, sales professionals can effectively lead customer conversations.

This certification enables organizations to train in-house Challenger trainers, eliminating the need to outsource sales training for new employees.

Certification process

The program consists of a seven-module online course, an eight-hour workshop, and a one-hour final assessment.

Who it's for

Organizations, agencies, or anyone who wants to become a facilitator of the Challenger methodology.

Cost

Price available upon request.

Are professional certifications worth it?

Getting sales certifications isn't just worth it; they're vital to advancing your career or growing your company. Even though assessing results is critical in sales, acquiring knowledge should be a continuous process.

However, simply completing a course isn't enough. To truly benefit, you need to put the learnings into practice. Be prepared to experiment with and test the concepts you've just learned in real-world scenarios to see how they perform and adapt them to fit your specific context.

When you invest in expanding your knowledge, you make yourself more valuable to your organization. Completing a course requires time, effort, discipline, and dedication, but the value you gain in return is unmeasurable.

Ultimately, getting certifications is key to staying current with new methodologies, trends, and concepts constantly emerging in today's fast-paced sales industry.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Are certifications worth more than a professional sales degree?

Although both certifications and degrees add value to your professional credentials, it isn't necessarily true that one is worth more than the other. Each can be valuable, depending on the situation.

For instance, let's say an employer is looking for professionals skilled in a specific area. In this case, those with a certification in that particular skill are more likely to meet the job's requirements than those with only a professional degree.

Which course is best for a sales professional?

The best course for a sales professional is the one that is offered by a reputable company and meets the person's specific goals.

The training programs should match your budget, schedule, and professional level according to your experience.

Can sales certifications help improve your sales skills?

Yes, sales certifications help you improve your sales skills and are crucial to advancing your career.

A reliable course can enhance your knowledge, elevate your proficiency level in a specific area, and open doors to new opportunities.