There is always, always, more you can learn. And if you’re certified, you can show off what you have learned to the world.
True, there’s no standardized certification for sales professionals, but the best sales certification programs will help you:
- Set up foundational sales skills
- Become a more niche-focused asset
- Improve win rates
- Build better habits
- Enjoy selling again
So, if you want the benefits of a sales certification, which sales certification programs should you look into?
We’ve curated the top 17 certifications for sales professionals—take a look, and pick the right ones for you.
2 Free Certifications for Sales Professionals
If it’s free, it’s better, right?
Here are three free certifications for sales professionals that will truly make a difference in the way you sell:
1. Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills
From: University of Michigan
This online course through Coursera offers beginning sales reps the skills and knowledge to negotiate, engage, pitch, and close new sales leads.
2. Sales and Negotiation Skills
From: Alison
Overcoming sales objections and negotiating a win-win situation are key skills for sales. This sales certification program helps students understand communication strategies and three phases of negotiating.
3. The Language of Sales
From: EdApp
In this course, enrollees will learn about the importance of developing relationships with buyers, how to develop convincing arguments, and how to handle tough sales scenarios with resilience.
Unleash your potential through strategic sales manager training detailed in my article.
11 Online Sales Certification Programs
Online learning or bust! Here are the top sales certification programs you can complete online:
3. SaaS Sales Method Training
From: Winning by Design
Cost: $1500
For sales professionals looking to niche down in the tech world, this course is a great introduction to SaaS sales. If you’re a new AE or an SDR looking to move to the next level, this course will teach you how to bring more impact to your customers, how to do discovery and demos, and how to close more deals.
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4. Value-Based Sales Training: SaaS/Software Sales
From: ValueBased
Cost: Contact for pricing
Coming from a team that has over 40 years of experience combined, students will learn through interactive sessions as well as live online training and coaching before getting their sales certification.
Understanding your customer's needs and tailoring your approach is crucial in sales. To deepen your knowledge in this area, explore the BANT sales methodology, a time-tested approach for qualifying prospects.
5. Virtual Sales Training certification
From: Hoffeld Group
Cost: Contact for pricing
To build a fantastic mix of sales skills, the virtual training from Hoffeld includes 20 individual courses, including:
- Asking High-Value Questions
- Sales Presentations
- Selling With Stories
- Selling & Emotions
- Neutralizing Competitors
After each course, you’ll get a certificate, plus at the end of all 20 courses, you’ll receive a sales certification for the Hoffeld Group’s selling methodology.
6. Develop Your Sales Knowledge and Skills
From: LinkedIn
Cost: Subscription to LinkedIn Learning
This learning path from LinkedIn learning includes sales foundations such as becoming a trusted partner for your customers, developing soft skills, asking great questions, and more. At the end, you’ll have a certification that can be presented on your LinkedIn profile.
7. Essential New Skills Sales
From: LinkedIn
Cost: Subscription to LinkedIn Learning
This learning path is shorter than the last and includes a more basic version of essential sales skills for reps looking to improve. It also includes lessons on virtual selling and showing empathy in sales.
8. B2B Sales Masterclass: People-Focused Selling
From: Kevin Dorsey
Cost: $94.99 (or $13.99 if you wait for a discount)
Kevin Dorsey is here to teach you top-tier methods for discovery, demos, follow-ups, and more without being shady or pushy.
9. JB Sales On Demand
From: JB Sales
Cost: $419 per year
Another legend of sales training, John Barrows, has developed a series of online courses with other big names, like Morgan Ingram, Devin Reed, and more. Here you’ll find two main certification courses: Filling the Funnel and Driving to Close.
10. Action Selling Certification
From: Action Selling
Cost: Contact for pricing
To get certified in the Action Selling process and methodology, this online course teaches you the principles of Action Selling through online video courses and ebooks.
11. SPIN Sales Training
From: Huthwaite International
Cost: Contact for pricing
With a tried and tested methodology for sales, the SPIN sales course is built for anyone who works customer-facing—whether that’s sales management, business development, or account management.
12. High Impact Sales Strategy in a Digital World
From: Northwestern Kellog
Cost: $8,600
This live online program helps develop B2B value proposition strategies, create a modern sales and customer engagement strategy, and drive implementation. Made especially for chief sales officers, VPs of sales, and other company leaders directly involved in the sales process.
13. Advanced MEDDPICC Course
From: MEDDIC Academy
Cost: $597 for 1 year
The MEDDPICC methodology is a well-known qualification strategy. This sales certification program teaches students exactly how to qualify new leads with 15 modules that total over 2 hours of content.
4 Sales Manager Certifications
Sales managers who are excellent at coaching and training their team are the ones who take the time to train themselves.
If you’re looking to move up to a sales management position or simply want to improve your skills as a manager, these sales manager certifications are a great starting point.
14. Sales Management Certificate Program
From: American Management Association
Cost: $2,495 (for members), and $2,795 for non-members
Specially developed with new sales managers in mind, this course will help you make a smooth transition into sales management, recruit new talent, set SMART goals, and develop key principles of leadership.
15. Become a Sales Manager
From: LinkedIn
Cost: Subscription to LinkedIn Learning
If you’re an AE looking to boost your skills for future promotion, this is a great learning path to help your sales career. Learn how to train and retain top talent, manage sales territories, and motivate your team with compensation and quotas.
16. Certified Professional Sales Leader
From: National Association of Sales Professionals
Cost: $895
Made for sales managers, directors, or VPs of sales, this 6-week online course helps students build leadership habits that work, equip their sales teams with skills and tools, and develop a high-performing team.
17. MEDDPICC for Managers
From: MEDDIC Academy
Cost: $1,173 for 1 year
Managers who want to coach their teams in the MEDDIC methodology should look into this course. Instead of simply teaching what the process is, this course is designed to help managers assess and train their own team members in the MEDDIC qualification process.
Get Those Shiny New Sales Certificates on Your Profile
Although you probably won’t do every one of these courses, we hope that a few have stood out to you. When you take the time to go through a structured, informative sales certification program, you’ll develop key skills that will help you advance your career.