2. WHAT IS
PROFESSIONAL
CERTIFICATION?
• Professionalism -- Certification indicates a high level of
professionalism to both coworkers and customers,
increasing your value in the market place.
• Leadership -- Certification signifies you are dedicated to
continuous improvement of yourself and your staff.
• Recognition -- Only the top sales and marketing
professionals seek certification, indicating that you are a
leading sales and marketing professional.
• Knowledge -- Certification improves your
understanding of the most current sales and marketing
processes and trends.
1
3. BENEFITS TO
THE ORGANIZATION
Professional certification has many distinct benefits to
organizations, including businesses, governmental
entities and non-profits . These benefits include:
• Provides a globally recognized glossary of sales and
marketing terms to help align sellers and buyers in a way
that streamlines the sales cycle.
• Creates a synergy between management and
sales/marketing staff that improves effectiveness and
efficiency of internal communications.
• Demonstrates a high standard of professionalism that
aids in recruitment and retention of the best candidates
available.
• Creates a loyalty factor that helps retain top talent.
• Sets your company apart from industry peers.
• Gives your customers more confidence to purchase your
products and services, knowing that.
• They are purchasing from sales/marketing personnel who
are highly professional and have signed a code of conduct
that protects the customer .
2
4. BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL
Professional certification has many benefits for the individual.
These benefits include:
â—Ź Validation of knowledge in the area of sales and marketing giving you possible preference
over non-certified competitors.
â—Ź An additional credential on your resume for promotion or job transfer.
â—Ź An educational opportunity which is less expensive and tedious than a degree program.
â—Ź SMEI certified individuals can proudly display the designation achieved on business
communication as a visible indication of this significant professional achievement.
3
WHAT PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
ARE AVAILABLE?
● Certified Marketing Executive® (CME®)
For marketing managers and top level executives.
● Certified Sales Executive® (CSE®)
For sales managers and top level executives.
● SMEI Certified Professional Salesperson™ (SCPS™)
For sales representatives and professionals
● SMEI Certified Professional Marketing™ (SCPM™)
For marketing professionals
5. 4
GETTING CERTIFIED
SMEI professional certification can be obtained through a
methodical step-by-step process:
1. Select the certification that is best for you
2. Apply online and pay the application fee
3. Take a preparatory course to get ready for the exam
4. Register to take the certification exam
5. Take the exam at an SMEI-approved testing center
6. Pass the exam and get your designation
PREPARING FOR YOUR
CERTIFICATION EXAM
1. Self-Study – The candidate uses SMEI’s proprietary textbook and Online Learning Management System
(LMS) to for the exam through self-study.
2. Register for a University Accredited Program
3. Enroll with a Licensed Training Organization
The SMEI certification program is not a training program. Professional certification is obtained by
successfully meeting prerequisites and passing a test for competency. However, most individuals prefer to
have some preparatory assistance before sitting for their certification exam. There are several paths
available to candidates:
7. 6
SCPM™ – SMEI CERTIFIED
PROFESSIONAL MARKETERT™
• Employed in a marketing role within a company
• Marketing consultant
â—Ź Evaluate the primary components of a marketing plan from strategic, functional, and operational perspectives
â—Ź Analyze how the characteristics of the business environment can impact marketing decisions
â—Ź Understand the possible impacts of marketing research on a business plan
â—Ź Evaluate how consumer characteristics and behavior affect marketing strategies
â—Ź Differentiate business-to-business and consumer markets
â—Ź Compare various considerations in product and services marketing
â—Ź Analyze how integrated marketing communications (IMC) are developed and implemented
â—Ź Critique the considerations and process of creating a pricing strategy
â—Ź Distinguish marketing channel options, considerations, and interactions
COURSE OUTCOMES
Study online sales and marketing courses at your
own pace. At the end of this course, you will be able
to confidently sit for the SCPM™ exam and:
8. 7
CSE®
CERTIFIED SALES EXECUTIVE®
• Sales manager, regional sales manager, sales director,
Vice President of sales, Chief Sales Officer
• Company owner responsible for sales management
and who has direct reports.
• Sales Educators and Sales Consultants who specialize
in sales management
At the end of this course you will be able to confidently sit for the CSE® exam and:
COURSE OUTCOMES
● Define the strategy hierarchy and understand how a firm’s sales and
marketing strategies affect its overall strategy.
â—Ź Describe the sales management process , including the responsibilities
and activities of sales managers.
9. 8
â—Ź Explain what the sales function consists of and how salespeople affect a firm's
supply chain
â—Ź Identify the various channels in which the sales function can be carried out
â—Ź Explain how effective sales management efforts can align a firm's sales strategy in a
multi-channel environment
â—Ź Recognize the contributions made by contemporary leadership approaches
â—Ź Identify issues today's sales leaders face
â—Ź Identify typical ethical dilemmas that face salespeople, sales managers, and sales
executives and develop appropriate actions when faced with ethical issues
â—Ź Comprehend how buyer-seller relationships are established and maintained
â—Ź Know how to leverage information technologies
â—Ź Effectively design and organize a sales force
â—Ź Recruit and select the right salespeople
â—Ź Identify factors that determine what types of training are needed by salespeople and
implement effective training programs to develop the sales force
â—Ź Understand the elements of teamwork and how to successfully develop and work
with teams, including those that are virtual
â—Ź Learn to set goals and manage the sales force's performance
â—Ź Plan how to motivate and reward salespeople
â—Ź Effectively turn customer information into sales knowledge
â—Ź Asses the performance of the sales force and the people who comprise it
â—Ź Understand cultural forces and how a diverse sales force is important to an
organization's success
10. 9
According to standards set by the International Institute for Credentialing Excellence1
Organization, the governance of professional certification must be independent from the
administration and marketing of the programs.
To that end, SMEI has complied by acknowledging the Certified Marketing & Sales
Professional Association (CMSP)2 as the governing body for its professional certification
programs. This governing body is responsible for development and maintenance of the body
of knowledge, standards, audit of compliance and other facets of certification governance.
SMEI provides the administration and marketing of the programs.
HOW SMEI’S CERTIFICATION
PROGRAMS ARE GOVERNED
Key Strategies that should be considered:
HOW TO IMPLEMENT CERTIFICATION
IN YOUR ORGANIZATION
â—Ź Setup a pilot project.
â—Ź Enroll all the salespeople and sales managers in SCPSTM
● Encourage the marketing personnel and marketing managers enroll in the SCPM™
Certification Program.
â—Ź Conduct pre- and post-certification assessments
â—Ź Conduct a follow-up coaching program
â—Ź Utilize a 3rd party SMEI Licensed training organization where available
1 More information about the Institute for Credentialing Excellence is available at http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/
2 More information about CMSP is available at http://www.smei.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=439
For the credibility of the profession, it is important to recognize marketing and sales professionals who have met and surpassed high standards of education, experience, knowledge, and ethical conduct. Sales & Marketing Executives International, Inc. (SMEI) has established sales certification and marketing certification programs for qualified individuals to complete in order to be able to use its professional designations. These sales certification and marketing certification programs involve part-time self-study, enrolling in a study group, or a formal classroom program and an examination process.
SMEI sales certification or marketing certification designati on shows to the world that you are a sales and marketing professional. Sales certification and marketing certification announce your professional competence to your clients, employer, peers, and customers. Your CSE®, CME®, or SCPStm designation certifies that you abide by the highest ethics and principles, and have demonstrated knowledge and experience in sales and marketing.
SMEI professional certification is a career-long commitment that demonstrates to current and potential employers, peers and clients that you have mastered core sales and marketing knowledge and principles. It also shows your dedication to staying current in the sales and marketing professions and upholding the highest professional standards.
Certificate programs offered by colleges, universities and training centers teach new information.
SMEI’s professional certification programs measure an individual’s knowledge and application of the skills needed for professional practice.
SMEI professional certification programs are open to SMEI members and nonmembers. If you’re not a member, we encourage you to join and take advantage of all of the membership privileges including a generous discount on your certification application and renewal fees. SMEI’s certification programs are designed to ensure that those completing the program have successfully demonstrated proficiency and understanding of the core competencies required to master the profession. Recognized authorities in sales and marketing were involved in prescribing these competencies, which were in turn approved and adopted by the Certified Marketing & Sales Professionals Association, the international governing body for sales and marketing certification.
Use the online Learning Management System (LMS) to prepare for your exam
Register to take the certification exam.
Take the exam at an SMEI-approved testing center. The closed book exam is online and consists of 180 true/false and multiple-choice questions. SMEI exams are scheduled on specific dates each month.Candidates who achieve a passing grade of 75% or higher on the exam will be provided with their applicable certification designation by SMEI
The SMEI certification program is not a training program. Professional certification is obtained by successfully meeting prerequisites and passing a test for competency. However, most individuals prefer to have some preparatory assistance before sitting for their certification exam. There are several paths available to candidates:
1. Self-Study – The candidate uses SMEI’s proprietary textbook and Online Learning Management System (LMS) to prepare for the exam through self-study.
University Accredited Program – SMEI partners with several universities to offer a certification designation as an outcome of successfully completing a university level program. Universities with sales and marketing degree programs or continuing education programs can apply to SMEI for accreditation or can adopt SMEI’s syllabus.
Licensed Training Organization – 3rd Party Training Organizations can apply for a license from SMEI to use SMEI’s proprietary training materials to conduct exam preparatory courses.
COURSE OUTCOMESAt the end of this course you will be able to confidently sit for the CME® exam and:
â—Ź Â Understand the fundamentals of implementing the marketing function in organizations
â—Ź Â Evaluate the social, legal, political and ethical concerns in marketing
â—Ź Â Understand the function of marketing in a competitive, dynamic global organization
â—Ź Â Develop effective strategic and analytic marketing
The Certified Marketing Executive program is ideal for professionals who are employed as a marketing officer, marketing manager, marketing director, sales or any individual or company owner responsible for marketing management and who has direct reports. Marketing Educators and Consultants who specialize in marketing management may also apply.
CME® Online Exam Preparatory Course
This online self-study course will provide an understanding of the application of marketing theories, concepts, and practices as they relate to the management of the marketing function in a complex organization. Emphasis will be on the managerial aspects of marketing plans, including analysis of the external environment. A key element of the course will include the relationship of the "marketing mix" to strategic planning.
SCPM™ Online Preparatory Course
This self-study course provides applicants with a view of the principle areas of marketing. It explores the factors influencing how marketing decisions are made, including the impact of marketing decisions on an organization and its customers. Applicants gain a working knowledge of practical marketing and business vocabulary. Additionally, applicants analyze today's global, highly competitive marketplace and evaluate how the actions of competitors influence marketing decisions.
NOTES FIELD
CSE® Online Preparatory Course
This self-study course prepares you for the exciting challenges related to leading sales organizations in today's hyper-competitive global economy. You will learn basic theoretical foundations that will enable you to adapt to the economy as it continues to evolve, balanced with practical applications you need to know in order to lead performing sales teams.
SCPS™ Online Preparatory Course
This self study course provides applicants with a view of the principle areas of sales under the theme "Partnering to Create Value". It explores the factors influencing how buying decisions are made, including the impact of buying decisions on an organization. Applicants gain a working knowledge of practical sales and business vocabulary. In today's competitive market a "partnering style of selling" creates a competitive advantage for sales organizations that transcends to increased customer value. This course is ideally suited for those wishing to achieve high performance selling.
COURSE OUTCOMES
Study online sales and marketing courses at your own pace.
At the end of this course, you will be able to confidently sit for the SCPSTM exam and:
â—Ź Â Understand relationship selling opportunities in the information economy
â—Ź Â Know the importance of discovering customer needs and configuring value-added product solutions to meet those needs
â—Ź Â Explain how the marketing concept has produced the new personal selling models and strategies used by high-performing salespeople
â—Ź Â Create your own personal selling philosophy and a professional communication style
â—Ź Â Design a product strategy that adds value
â—Ź Â Initiate a customer strategy through understanding the buying process and buyer behavior
â—Ź Â Develop a sales presentation strategy using adaptive selling and consultative question techniques
â—Ź Â Negotiate buyer concerns
â—Ź Â Learn key concepts for the management of self and others
ď‚· Setup a pilot project. Identify key persons in your organization to enter the Professional Certification Program and become role models.
â—Ź Â Strive to enroll the salespeople and sales managers employed by your organization in the SCPSTM Certification Program. By having both managers and sales staff participate, the glossary of terms becomes standardized and improves efficiency and effectiveness in your organization.
â—Ź Â Encourage the marketing personnel and marketing managers employed by your organization to enroll in the SCPMTM Certification Program. By having both managers and staff participate, the glossary of terms becomes standardized and improves efficiency and effectiveness in your organization.
â—Ź Â Conduct pre- and post-certification assessments to gauge the gaps, areas for improvement and to track progress.
â—Ź Â Conduct a follow-up coaching program to ensure that key knowledge domains are enforced and practiced.
â—Ź Â Utilize a 3rd party SMEI Licensed training organization to conduct the exam preparatory courses or set up a formal in-house study group led by a qualified trainer.