Hosts Todd Kirk and Casey Trujillo welcome Debbie Smith, president of CEdMA, to discuss the evolving landscape of customer education and the importance of certifications. Debbie shares insights on how customer education can drive business outcomes, the role of certifications in enhancing partner success, and the legal implications surrounding certification programs.

This conversation also touches on the balance between building an academy, community, and certification programs, emphasizing the need for cross-functional relationships within organizations.

Takeaways

Customer education is shifting to encompass the full customer experience.

Building cross-functional relationships is crucial for customer education professionals.

Certification programs can significantly impact business metrics like ARR and churn.

Certification should not be tied to training; it must assess knowledge and skills.

The importance of certification is growing in a job market shifting towards micro-credentials.

AI is influencing the need for certifications in various fields.

Building an academy should be prioritized when resources are limited.

Sales reps need product knowledge to avoid selling 'vaporware'.

Building a community of certified users can drive product advocacy.

Inspirational use cases are essential for effective training.

Identifying leaks in the education funnel is crucial for engagement.

Regularly updating training is necessary due to high turnover rates.

A jobs to be done framework is key for effective education.

Contents

00:00 Intro

02:10 Exploring CEdMA and Customer Education

05:40 The Landscape of Customer Education

08:33 Understanding Certifications in Customer Education

12:14 The Value of Certification for Partners

16:42 The Importance of Certification in a Changing Job Market

19:32 Legal Implications and Risks of Certification

21:26 Balancing Academy, Community, and Certification

25:54 Building Internal Expertise and Certification

27:15 Identifying Leaks in the Education Funnel

30:32 Creating Engaging and Inspirational Training

35:08 Timing and Targeting Certification Discussions

38:02 Innovative Approaches to Certification

40:05 Changing Perspectives on Certification

42:20 Actionable Insights for Customer Education

Resources

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