I’ve seen certification programs come and go, and the most common reason I hear from folks who shut down a certification is this:
“The folks we were certifying weren’t doing a good enough job. They aren’t representing our work and brand well.”
If the folks you are certifying aren’t doing good work on the other end it is a huge issue. It affects your brand and reputation.
I don’t blame someone for shutting down a program that isn’t effective, but I certainly hate to see it happen as chances are it’s fixable.
How do you make sure that your certification sets folks up for success, so that they are able to do great work, represent your brand well and achieve the ROI they are looking for?
These are the 3 main reasons I will see certification programs fail.
1 – Letting the wrong folks into the program
You want to be crystal clear on your ideal student avatar and who you let into the program. The challenge with a great certification program is that there will be folks who may want to join, but aren’t actually a great fit. As I lovingly like to say “Just because they want it, doesn’t mean they get it.”
It doesn’t matter how great your training is or how motivated they are to do well, there are certain things that can’t be taught. Be picky about who you allow into your program.
2 – Your training is not based on adult learning best practices
Watching a series of online videos and coming to a Q&A call is not an effective learning experience (even though many of us – myself included! – were taught to do it this way.) It’s important that your training provides the opportunity for integration and application throughout the journey, so your folks come out the other end not just “knowing” stuff but having applied it.
3 – Your testing process isn’t deep enough
I had this conversation with a client just yesterday. For the most part, an online, multiple choice quiz is not a strong enough testing process. All that it proves is that they know enough to answer the questions (or to look it up quickly) but it doesn’t show you that they actually know how to do the work. A solid testing process demonstrates their abilities, it doesn’t just test their knowledge.
These are exactly what I work on with my clients as we design their certification programs from scratch or as we work to improve an existing program.
One of my favorite certification model strategies is what I call the ‘no launching required strategy’. (yes please!)
Here’s how it works:
You build your certification in as ‘a next level’ in your existing offer suite.
Folks come into your initial program where they’re learning your ‘stuff’ and applying it to their own business. They see results. They have a great experience.
This leads to an interesting opportunity on both sides:
Your clients want more from you – because they’ve had a good experience.
And you would like to have a ‘next level’ for them to continue their journey with you.
Certification can be that next level.
When folks have a great experience in your programs, they often want to take what has worked so well for them and help others with it too. This is where certification kicks in.
There are 2 main benefits to this model:
People will already be familiar with your methodology because they’ve already done a program with you and proven that it works.
It’s much easier to invite existing clients into a ‘next level’ program than it is to keep launching to new prospects. Your certification marketing can be as simple as reaching out to existing clients who meet certain criteria and inviting them to join. No big fancy launches needed.
I have a client who restructured her existing programs into different levels with certification as the advanced option. She messaged me to say it’s working beautifully!
Another client is keeping certification on the backend as a ‘by invite only’ offer for those who do the work and qualify. She’s excited by not having to do big launches!
Certification does not have to be “another program that I need to launch again and again – ooof”
What if – instead – it fit naturally into the flow of what you are offering already?
“Tina, do I really need to wait 3 years? Is it ever OK to create a certification around something that I haven’t been doing yet for that long?”
Believe me I get it… we ALL want things to happen quickly. I am one of the least patient people I know
But here’s how I look at it:
It is out of integrity to certify others in something that you haven’t yet proven over a period of at least 3 years.
Put yourself in the shoes of the person who may want to be certified by you. Would they prefer to be certified in something that has been proven over a period of time? By working directly with clients and seeing consistent and repeatable results?
Or something that may be pretty darn cool but isn’t proven yet at that level?
I daresay most would choose the first option.
Not to mention, a premature certification is one of the riskiest things you can do for your brand. What if it turns out that your IP isn’t as effective as you promised? That can cause problems and could irreparably affect your reputation.
I’m fully aware that if I ‘broke’ this rule it would open up the door for so many more people to come into my Ready, Set, Certify program now. There is money I’m leaving on the table by enforcing my ‘at least 3 years’ rule.
And I’m 100% fine with that… because I know I’ll still be here down the road when they are ready. When they have passed that 3 year mark and it’s time to bring their certification to life.
Integrity is everything.
If you’ve passed that 3-year mark with your proven methodology and certification is calling to you, let’s talk.
My touchstone for building a good certification program is this:
âTheir success is your successâ
Yes, part of this is about ensuring they know how to do good work and uphold the standards of your brand.
But there is another aspect to their success which is the part often missed.
Are the folks coming out of your certification program able to create the success they are expecting?
If your certification is promising increased revenue – a new service they can offer – then that becomes part of the measure of success.
What I will see often with certifications is that they are all about teaching the skills – the how-to of your IP – but light on the how to be successful with it.
I learned this lesson the very first time I ran my Certified OBMÂź training back in 2009. I checked in with our newly certified students about a month after graduation to see how they were doing.
âTina, this is all great but I donât know how to get clientsâ
Doh! We had spent all of our time teaching them how to be great OBMs but didnât talk at all about how to get clients. How to prospect. How to lead a successful sales call.
They were stuck with all these amazing skills to offer but not sure how to connect with the clients who needed them.
It didnât even occur to me to include that at the time, but many of them were newer to business or not used to selling a higher level service. Moving forward we changed our program to include training and support for this (including ongoing support via our Association.)
I had this come up on a call this week with someone who is looking to launch their certification next year.
âDo I need to teach people how to get clients too?â
My answer was âyes, because their success is your success. If people come out of your program not sure how to get clients then they may not be successful with everything theyâve learned.â
Learning the skills and âhow toâsâ is one part of the journey.
Learning how to be successful with applying those skills is the other, equally important, part.
Iâve had folks say to me âTina, I donât want to teach them how to get clients as part of my certificationâ
I get it. You may not be excited by this part of your curriculum. You may not even be sure how to teach it (yet).
But if I may be so bold as to say it:
If the promise of your certification is to make money with their newly acquired skills and you arenât going to include how to get clients⊠then I would rather you didnât offer a certification at all.
You are only doing half the job and are not setting your folks up for success.
The good news is there are a lots of ways to include this in your certification journey – even if you donât like the idea of having to teach marketing and sales. Itâs one of my favorite things to work on with my clients and may not be as ick as you think.
Itâs also worth noting that Iâm not talking about being 100% responsible for their success and whether or not they get clients.
We will often have folks who are considering the Certified OBM training ask us âare you going to guarantee me clients when I graduate?â
We are very clear with them in setting the expectation âNo, we are not going to find clients for you. But we will teach you how to find your own clients and are available to support you along the wayâ.
This isnât about guaranteeing their success. Itâs about doing our part in giving them the tools, strategy and support to be successful. They still need to do their part too.
âIâd love to create a certification program but Iâm worried about protecting my IPâ
This is a common concern folks have when considering the certification model – and rightly so! It feels deeply risky to let other people use your IP.
But when done correctly – a certification is one of the best ways to protect your IP. And your brand.
I dare say without certification your IP is more at risk. Even when youâve taken legal measures to protect it. (Say what?)
When youâve created IP that works – people want to use it.
Be it in the form of a book youâve written to share your methodology. Or a coaching program that follows a curriculum based on your signature system. You may be delivering speaking or training on your hard earned years of experience and expertise.
If you donât give folks a way to use your IP legitimately – they may start using it in ways that you donât approve of or that arenât accurate to your work.
I had a colleague come to me recently who was feeling frustrated with some of the folks who had read her book.
âPeople are taking the concepts from my book and using it in their own programs. Not only am I frustrated by the fact Iâm not getting paid for this, but they arenât doing it right either.â
âGreatâ I said to her, âthis is shining a light on a big opportunity for youâ
That opportunity being certification.
When you offer certification alongside your IP – your methodologies, frameworks and signature systems – you are giving folks a container in which to use it correctly and legitimately. And you get to set clear agreements and terms.
So when they read your book and think âwow, I love this so much I want to share it with my clientsâ or take your program and say âthis has worked so well for me – so many more people need thisâ there is a legit path for them to do so.
Vs them going rogue and doing who knows what with your stuff, which can lead into some sticky situations and potential legal action.
The certification model gives you control over how people use your IP. In a way that benefits both you and them.
To be clear, I am all for getting the necessary legal protections in place as well. Copyrights, trademarks and such are essential parts of your IP protection plan.
And you certainly may decide to keep your IP to yourself. Certification is not the path for everyone, and hey – itâs our stuff so we get to decide.
But if you find yourself in a position where people are asking to use your stuff – or are maybe doing so already without your permission – then harnessing that desire into a certification can be one of the best protective measures you can take.
It honors your IP and all the hard work you put into creating it.
I believe the certification model has the power to change the world.
âWoah Tina – thatâs a pretty big statement!â
Yes, it is. And if you know me you know that Iâm not just trying to be hypey or blow smoke up the ole wazoo. That isnât my style.
The world is a challenging place right now. Doesnât matter what part of the world you are in. Doesnât matter what your political affiliation is.
We are ALL feeling it. Spiritually. Emotionally. Financially.
I believe that entrepreneurs and small businesses can change the world. Itâs one of the few places where we truly have sovereignty over our lives. Our impact. Our income. Where we have freedom of choice as to what we do, who we serve and how we do it.
This is where the certification and licensing model kicks in.
Certification gives others access to your brilliance – your frameworks, IP, methodologies and âhow you do what you do – so that they can fast track and leverage it into their own success.
Their own sovereignty. Their own impact. Their own freedom.
Every time you certify someone, you are giving them an opportunity that might have taken them years to get to on their own.
Because letâs be real – the traditional path of business is a long play. It can take years for folks to figure out a business model that gets them to sustainable income.
And frankly – we donât have time for that right now.
I am not an alarmist but I am a realist. We need to help as many people as possible step into their sovereignty so they have the freedom to create their own livelihood.
So, my dear fellow entrepreneurs who have been in business for a long time already. Who have created frameworks, IP and methodologies that you know work because you lived them. Youâve proven them through your existing offers and programs.
Allow me to extend an invitation to consider certification and licensing as your next step.
As an exponential way to increase not just your income but your impact. To perhaps make a difference that goes beyond the important work you are doing already.
This is my vision for the future.
That we leverage the hard work weâve already done to help others step into the success and sovereignty weâve created for ourselves.
And make it as quick and simple as possible for them to do so.
Itâs my mission in 2025 to bring as many legit certification programs to life as I can. Will yours be one of them?
