Certification Programs
The Sales Management Association provides two professional designations: the Certified Sales Management Professional (CSMP) and the Certified Sales Operations Professional (CSOP). The CSMP and CSOP certifications are earned through a series of SMA-endorsed training courses, exams, and in-role requirements.
CSMP and CSOP certification focuses on the organizational competencies in the Sales Management Association’s Sales Force Effectiveness Competency Framework. SMA’s endorsed training partners provide training through in-person workshops and online e-learning modules that are specifically developed to address these competencies.
Certification Requirements
- Eight credits are required for certification for either designation, CSMP or CSOP. In addition, each candidate for certification is expected to have a minimum of 18 months of in-role experience prior to certification.
- Each “credit” is the approximate equivalent of one day’s instruction. Credits are earned by attending training courses or completing online e-learning modules. Courses are divided into core (required) and elective topics.
- For a list of scheduled courses and available e-learning modules, see our training schedule and course rollout roadmap.
The Certification Process
- Candidates earn credits by attending training or completing online e-learning modules
- Upon completion of eight credit candidates may apply for certification through the SMA
- The SMA awards certification to eligible candidates
Calendar of Events
Leading Sales Force Transformation | Atlanta | October 17, 2011
Offered on the first day of the Sales Management Association's 2011 Sales Productivity and Performance Management Conference
1 course credit, completes course 6.2
Instructor: ZS Associates
Advanced Sales Management | Atlanta | October 17, 2011
Offered on the first day of the Sales Management Association's 2011 Sales Productivity and Performance Management Conference
1 course credit, completes courses 2.1 and 2.2
Instructor: Vantage Point Performance
Go To Market Strategy: Practical Approaches to Assessment, Design, and Optimization | Atlanta | October 18, 2011
Offered on the second day of the Sales Management Association's 2011 Sales Productivity and Performance Management Conference
.5 course credit, completes course 1.2
Instructor: Axtria
Advanced Sales Management | San Francisco | November 15-17, 2011
2 course credits, completes courses 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, and 3.4
Instructor: Vantage Point Performance
SMA Education Summit | Location TBD | February 2012 (three days, dates TBD)
Multiple course offerings will allow attendees to earn up to four credits
Course Development and Certification Roadmap
The Sales Management is currently developing additional course content with a number of educational partners. Please visit our course schedule to stay updated on new additions to our lineup of available courses. Key milestones in our content development and course offerings:
- SMA Annual Conference offering the first courses eligible for certification credit October 2011
- Online course offerings launch November 2011.
- Three day education summit offering multiple courses February 2012
- Summer 2012 education summit
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to earn certification?
SMA's eight-credit certification requirement corresponds to approximately eight days of training. In addition to the course offerings listed above, we expect to have two three-day education events in 2012, at which candidates may earn up to four course credits. Combined with available online course offerings, we expect candidates will be able to earn the requisite eight credits in as little as four months, and in an average of 12 months.
How much does it cost to earn certification?
Course pricing has not yet been determined. In planning course offerings with our education partners, we've communicated our objective of maintaining a total certification cost of US$6,000.00 or less per candidate. Ultimately, total certification costs will be a function of course selection.
What is “sales operations?”
Sales operations is the term given a portfolio of support responsibilities that are essential to sales force productivity. These usually include two or more of the following: sales planning, sales resource deployment, sales process optimization, performance reporting and analytics, sales compensation design, and management of sales-enabling technology platforms, including CRM.
What is the difference between the sales management (CSMP) and sales operations (CSOP) designations?
SMA observes that the emerging field of sales operations is closely aligned with the long practiced profession of sales management. We see this happening in a number of ways. Executive sales leadership requires that sales operations support mirror the strategic priorities of the sales management corps; furthermore, sales operations is often called upon to direct sales management’s adoption of a new focus on process discipline, analytical rigor, and technology enablement. Additionally, we find that managers with a professional interest in sales force effectiveness often move between the two fields.
Accordingly, our sales operations and sales management training is organized around a consistent set of organizational competencies essential to sales force effectiveness. Both certifications require education in the core organizational competency categories of Sales Process Management and Sales Performance Management
