Understanding certifications in Customer Education with Debbie Smith, President of CEdMA

Описание: 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

Credits
Show direction: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Debra Wilson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Show design: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kensie Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Show manager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Angela Allred