The 5 reasons to issue digital certificates for B2B Software Companies

Providing B2B software. A field of unlimited opportunities and results. Quantify your customer results and communicate the benefits in a concise way and acquiring new customers will become a no-brainer, right?  

Well, as we all know it doesn’t work this way. B2B software providers from all sizes, ranging from Microsoft to uprising start-ups and SMEs have one challenge in common:  

The solutions offered are very demanding of explanation, and establishing the necessary competencies to operate the software and create the appraised results can prove to be a major challenge.

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A traditional approach to this problem has been workshops for the clients, the creation of super-users within the client’s organization, and even the establishment of an online academy (for example academy.hubspot.com).

For these educational contents, certificates for software companies came on the scene for the first time.

In this article, you will learn how you can not only save time with the digitization of your certification process but also benefit from a great word-of-mouth marketing and branding potential with the correct setup of your digital certificates.

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Automatize your standard process to cut costs and save time

Processes are the gold veins of your company. Transform your value-driving and tested workflows into an automatized process and your path to success is certain – sure! that is what software is all about right?  

Your certification process is no different.

Automatizing certificates is one of these easily to automatize workflows and a quick win regarding saving valuable time. This is a standard feature of all basic certificate software solutions on the market and included in most LMS (Learning Management Systems).

Usually, you define one template certificate and add the recipient variables (user, issuing date, grade, …) and then your certificate will be generated automatically for each recipient. Standard solutions should integrate into the whole process from automatic generation to the distribution of the certificate to the right recipient – leaving you with a “setup and forget”-tool.

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Gain relevant exposure and visibility on LinkedIn to reach new customers

Certificates are a visual container of skills. They are designed to testify a skill of the recipient. Issued by the respected domain authority it bears a lot of value for the recipient who needs to present the certificate to at least one third party (employer, client, professional network, educational institute, etc.).

Per definition as a software company, you are always the domain authority of your specific software solution – no matter the head count, amount of press releases or podcast guest appearances.  

This creates a potential synergy that software companies need to exploit to gain a decisive competitive advantage. The intrinsic motivation of your recipient to present the certificate to his/her network can be accelerated and measured with the right features.

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Have a professional appearance with an on-brand certification experience

Knowing that certificates are being shared on social media and with various third parties, it is important to mention that this visibility can and must be combined with your brand.

Having a digital certificate with your logo on it, a professional and great visual appearance ensures that the organic reach on social media (e.g., LinkedIn) will contribute positively to your reputation and create more trust with your recipients and whoever gets to see the certificates.

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Reconnect with your certificate recipients when the certificate expires

Your software evolves. New features are released, changes in the User Interface are implemented or you may redesign certain parts of it. This dynamic environment demands a re-engagement possibility. An expiration outreach process.  

What does that mean?  

With advanced digital certificate solutions, you can define expiration dates for your certificates and automatize a process once the expiration date is reached. Simply re-engage with these recipients and follow-up with a reminder to renew their certificate with your company.

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Increase the perceived value of your certificates with a copy-proof technology

Simple PDFs are easily created. Not only for you but also for any other person on this planet. There is no easier nor better way to create a perception of value and quality for your training than to make it copy-proof. This doesn’t necessarily mean to put it on the blockchain. With a QR code validation you achieve the same effect.

Some tools even allow you to add this validation process to your website. This way you can drive more traffic and further establish your brand on the market.  

Example screenshots of virtualbadge.io

In conclusion, automating the certification process with digital certificates saves time and money at the most basic level. For software companies that certify their training there are some aspects that have a significantly higher importance than solely educational certificate solutions will provide while other aspects are less important.  

To ensure that the added benefits of the digital certification process aren't outweighed by a poor experience on the recipient's end, it's important to set up certificates properly.

Moreover, with a variety of advanced features ranging from a great visual experience to a copy-proof certificate design with built-in validation, you can leverage tremendous potential value leading to the creation of a word-of-mouth marketing machine.

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