I had a conversation with a certification organization recently that reminded me of the basics…..you have to know your customer base and know what makes them tick. A certification program will typically have early adopters in the first few years. These are champions that have a deep commitment to the industry your program serves. These individuals will quickly give their time and energy to advance the industry and see the public benefits of your certification program before personal ones.
Certification Professionals love this audience and it is easy to forget that this group, while vocal, is small. These are your first test takers and a group that is relatively easy to attract. Consequently, the first year or two of your program has great participation and your parent organization applauds your marketing program. Then, the numbers drop off and you are caught off guard. You wonder what has happened and where you have gone off course. This is when I typically get the first call for help.
To capture the attention of early adopters, you simply have to open your doors and let them know what you are doing and, how it will benefit the industry. Okay, this may be a little oversimplified, but just a little. To capture the attention of the majority of professionals in your target industry, you have to know what makes them tick. You have to know how they will personally benefit from your certification program. And, you have to package your program’s message to target those benefits. Each certification program has at least five different audiences/customer bases and you need a marketing program that is unique for each customer base.
-Anna
