Last Updated: 2/22/2024
As a consulting professional, your customers rely on your expert council to guide them through professional and personal growing pains. This can include branding guidance, food safety, image consulting, and more. You know your clients, and you know what they need. However, if you’re looking to increase your client base, add to your consulting services, or improve your consulting knowledge and become more competitive in the consulting industry, then it would be beneficial to consider consulting certifications.
These business consulting certifications include different costs, lengths, and areas of expertise. Let’s dive in and learn more about how certifications can increase your professionalism. While these certifications aren’t a requirement to be a consultant, these certifications can certainly benefit your consulting business.
5 Consulting Certifications for Your Business
Earning your Project Management Professional (PMP) can open many doors for your consulting career. If you help your clients manage their projects and employees, this is a great certification to add to your resume. The PMP certification includes topics on managing conflict, negotiating project agreements, supporting and empowering team members and team performance, collaborating with stakeholders, and more.
To be eligible for the PMP certification, you must have:
- A 4-year degree
- 36 months of experience leading projects
- 35 hours of project management education or training
- High school diploma or Associates Degree
- 60 months of project-leading experience
2. Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Certified Management Accountant (CMA) program is a great way to become more fluent at consulting your client in financial planning and management. This program can take between 12 and 18 months to complete. This program allows you as a consultant to boost your knowledge of accounting and finance. This certification includes topics on financial reporting, making investment decisions, understanding corporate finance, creating financial statements, and planning a company budget. With a CMA membership, the entrance fee is $210, the exam fee is $345, and the IMA membership fee is $45-$135
You can apply to the CMA program in 3 easy steps
- Enroll in the CMA program
- Register for the CMA exams
- Plan to complete certification requirements – With this program, you must meet the education and work experience requirements.
3. Certified Performance Consultant (CPC)
There are several programs where you can acquire your Certified Performance Consultant (CPC) certification. Obtaining this certification can help you improve your knowledge of problem-solving skills, performance issues, and management skills. This can help you better counsel your clients on how they can improve their problem-solving skills, employee and company-wide performance, and how to manage better. The price and requirements for your CPC certification vary depending on which program you choose.
Expand your knowledge about management consulting and the tools, techniques, and procedures your clients may need to know as they manage their own clients. Courses can vary, but some programs are around 37 hours. Certified Management Consultant (CMC) goes over creating customer value, increasing customer engagement, delivering effective solutions, developing interpersonal skills, and managing change. These topics can help you gain a better understanding of how to help your clients better their specific management skills.
As a consultant, your clients will come to you to improve their talent management and skills. Talent Optimization Consultant can help you stay up to date with the latest talent acquisition and management trends and help you provide your clients with a reliable consultation experience. The programs can vary but are usually self-paced. Subjects that you will learn about in this consulting certification can include identifying business problems, creating company best practices, developing a people strategy, building effective teams, and creating unique solutions.
Benefits of Consulting Certifications
As mentioned previously, the benefits of consulting certifications are numerous and can help your consulting business in more ways than one.
Increased Client Base
When you add a business consulting certification to your business resume, you can enjoy an increase in your client base. When your business boasts a certification that can help your clients even more, you tap into a new potential for success. Clients feel more comfortable knowing you are educated and certified in providing the best consultation for their business.
Add To Your Consulting Services
Broaden your consulting services with a consultation certificate. This can help you create a more personalized experience for your customers and provide them with the information and counsel they need.
Improve Your Consulting Knowledge
When you complete your business consulting certificates, you add to your knowledge about consulting. This can be brand management, performance management, business and company management, and more. This knowledge can be extremely helpful in consulting your clients and giving them the guidance they need.
Become More Competitive In The Consulting Industry
Consultant certification can help give you that competitive edge over your competition, giving you the client over another consultant. When you’re competitive in the industry, you can expect more clients and higher revenues. Consultant certifications can pay off when it comes to the money side of it.
One More Certification…
Now that you know more about the consulting certifications available to you and how they can benefit your consulting business, there’s one more certification that you should know about. Consulting insurance. Okay, okay, we know that consulting insurance isn’t technically a certification, however, it is a “must-have” for your business.
Consultants insurance can help protect your business from third-party bodily injury and property damage claims. These claims can often get expensive, costing your business thousands of dollars in attorney fees, medical fees, and property replacement costs.
Don’t Just Get Certified, Get Covered!
With consulting insurance, you can go about your regular business operations without worry, knowing your business is protected. Your consulting insurance policy can include general liability, professional liability, errors & omissions, cyber liability, and tools & equipment insurance, also known as inland marine coverage.
Get started today with consultants insurance policy with Insurance Canopy that starts at just $21.08 per month.
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