I had more than one conversation with SBS consultants who shared with me that passing an exam and becoming Small Business Specialist Certified won’t make or break their business. They state that studying for a test takes too much time away from their business and that their small business customers don’t care about certifications.

Baloney! Keep in mind that you are in a profession with virtually no barrier to entry, and everyone claims to be an expert. A certification and logo can set you greatly apart from the competition, especially in the small and medium business (SMB) space. Especially if you don't have a niche business yet, carrying the SBSC logo would probably be a good place to start and it's the one Microsoft certification that is blatantly obvious in letting the customer know that you are keenly focused on the SMB space.

SMBs increasingly recognize that using information technology adds value to their business. The hard part is having the ability to distinguish consultants with the proper experience and credentials from the not-so-qualified crowd. 

Consider what could possibly go through a customer’s mind when dealing with an IT consultant who may be soon making strategic technical recommendations for their business.  Business success or failure could depend heavily on the right or wrong technical decision. Displaying a certified logo or pointing out a special certification will provide the customer with reassurance and immediately perceived benefits such as:  

·         Quality Assurance

·         Trust

·         Value

Quality assurance comes with the knowledge that the consultant has been trained, meticulously tested, and has achieved certified status by a governing body.  Trust is built on quality assurance, knowing that performance will meet or exceed expectations. Value is a combination of quality assurance and trust, promising a good return on the investment in the IT consultant. In particular, the Small Business Specialist certification tells your customer that you are tuned in to the inner workings of a small business.

Being certified has another effect on the customer’s perception and the consultant is instantly credited with:

·         Specialized Knowledge

·         Demonstrated technical expertise

·         Credibility

This in turn translates in the customer’s mind to operational efficiency, decreased service cycles and overall better satisfaction. That is customer perception. When customers are sold to, they really only care about how well you are prepared to help them. Here, customer perception becomes your reality. If you market your IT consultancy as a trustworthy, reliable technology company that provides a quality service, being certified is a must.

The Small Business Specialist certification is a great initial approach to promoting yourself in the SMB space and should be measured as a stepping stone. Don’t stop here. Consider adding further specialized product- or vendor-specific certifications based on your business orientation. We expect our customers to budget for IT, customers expect us to keep up with technology. Updating technical skill sets goes right along with keeping a competitive advantage.

Do you really think that having a certification won’t make or break your business? Take another look from your customer’s perspective. This is not about you; it is about how you are perceived. Having a certification is akin to having a driver’s or pilot's license. Certainly anyone can claim knowing how to fly an airplane and speak the terminology (after spending lots of hours on Flight Simulator X ), but would you really let them pilot you without seeing a license first?