What is SIX HABITS CERTIFICATION?

Six Habits Certification is a program that certifies sales engineers and their leadership on their understanding, ability to practice, and ability to coach the knowledge and soft skills encapsulated in The Six Habits of Highly Effective Sales Engineers. 

It is a system that allows individuals to demonstrate their understanding and competence in the soft skills necessary to be an effective sales engineer. Being certified means more than just participating in a training class. It requires that the certified sales engineer demonstrates their understanding through an exam and their ability to apply that understanding through real-world experience. In addition, it requires that they continue to demonstrate their commitment to the program by participating in ongoing learning and continuous validation.

Why Certification?

While the sales engineer role has been part of technical selling for decades, there is no industry standard program or body that determines what it means to be an effective sales engineer and then certifies the individuals in the role meet those standards. While the technical expertise required to succeed varies based on the company and the market that company operates in, there are a core set of soft skills – behaviours and attitudes – that are critical for effectiveness and universal across all companies and markets. The Six Habits best codifies those soft skills. Sales engineers who understand and practice them represent the best in their profession.

How do Sales Engineers benefit?

• Expertise and Credibility: The Six Habits Certification helps sales engineers  demonstrate their expertise and commitment to professional development, enhancing their credibility and reputation among clients, employers, and peers.

• Industry Recognition: SEs that are Six Habits Certified are recognized and respected within the technical sales community. 

• Networking and Community: The program offers opportunities to connect with a community of like-minded professionals; leading to valuable collaborations and mentorships.

• Increased Earning Potential: Technical Sales leadership highly values sales engineers with proven soft skills and salesmanship.

How does SE Management benefit?

• Leverage a proven program to not only provide critical soft skill enablement but ensure its effectiveness. Soft skills continue to be a significant deficiency for sales engineers, especially newer ones. With all that an SE must learn to become enabled to perform in their role, these skills tend to take a lower priority then technical and product knowledge.  
• Greatly reduce the time to onboard new SEs by having a ready made and standard program available that could be delivered either inhouse or outsourced depending on available resources.
• Position the sales engineer team as true partners in the selling process by strengthening their ability to build relationships with prospects and provide value in the sales cycle. 
• Provide confidence when considering and hiring an out-of-industry candidate. Candidates with proven soft skills make the transition to a new industry easier, quicker, and more successfully.