Business Planning for a Successful Certification Program
“If you don’t have a plan, you will become part of someone else’s plan”

Chicago Certification Networking Group Q1 Meeting
Thursday, January 21, 2010 at O’Hare Plaza

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Watch the webinar by clicking here. (windows media format)

Is this the year you are ready for a breakthrough with your certification program? It takes more than grit, vision and money. All of that goes nowhere or is lost forever without a business plan. Yes, certification is a business and if you are in charge of setting bold goals and hitting the numbers, this CNG meeting is a high priority for your January schedule.

New certification programs must have a great plan.

Existing programs depend on them to grow.

Both kinds of plans are different and you’ll benefit from hearing about the elements of each. Absolutely, you will want to compare it with your plan. If you have none, then here is the help and motivation you need to get back to finalizing your plan for 2010.

During this presentation, you will hear the story of a large, well-known, highly respected certification program that dominates a diverse professional field because they work the plan they create each year, down to the most specific and accountable detail. The more successful you are, the more attractive you are to competition and the more you have to keep your plan relevant and working. They have been successful for years and business planning is their secret; a secret known to all.

Just a few great things you will learn:

  1. The use of metrics and ways to keep your program accountable and measurable;
  2. The value of market research to understand your target audience and your customer environment;
  3. Customer motivations. Why do they buy at all? Why do they buy from you?
  4. Customer fears. What’s really going on behind the excuses?
  5. Value of a credential – employee, employer or government (licensure)
  6. The actions that should be taken if administration numbers are declining;
  7. Why regular evaluations of the program are important;
  8. What do you do when a competing program is introduced, especially when your program is accredited (or at least following accreditation guidelines) and the new, competing credential is not.

 

 

No registration fee.  RSVP required for your name badge and to gauge how much food to prepare.

 

About the Presenters

 

Steven Schoolcraft - Examination Director, Board of Certified Safety Professionals: For 8 years as the Examination Director for the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Steven is responsible for coordinating and implementing staff operations to be consistent with the Board’s strategic goals and related business planning objectives. Bilateral engagement between the Board and the staff is essential to the organization’s success; the staff must communicate effectively the capabilities of the staff and its infrastructure, and the Board must communicate effectively its vision for the future and its criteria for measuring success. Success is not assured, but reaching success is a meal best shared.


Robert H. Pedigo - V.P. For Client Services, Castle Worldwide, Inc. : As Vice President for Client Services, Robert Pedigo manages Castle's psychometric, test development, and education management consulting practices. Rob has advised private industry leaders and government agencies on the creation, development, and improvement of certification and measurement programs for over 15 years.  Prior to joining Castle in 2005, he was a founding partner of Caveon Test Security and the Executive Director of ITCSC, an industry trade group dedicated to the protection of its members' testing related intellectual property.  Earlier, he worked extensively in North America, Asia, and Europe creating record breaking program growth as the General Manager of Sun Microsystems' Global Certification Program; as the founding Director of Oracle Corporation's worldwide Certified Professional Program; and as founding manager of Adobe Systems' Certification Program.  Rob holds a BA from the University of Washington in Political Economy and an MBA with an emphasis in Organizational Development from City University in Seattle, Washington.

 

This is not a session for sitting on your hands! If you have your own success story (or horror story), best practice or real-life example, please come ready to share, listen and contribute. Remember, we follow the two-foot rule: If you are not learning or contributing to the meeting, stand up and use your two feet to move out of the room, re-focus and come back re-energized and ready to become engaged again.

 

Time: 9:30 a.m. – Noon 
Date: Thursday January 21, 2010
Place: O’Hare Plaza
Higgins & Dee/East River Road
8725 West Higgins Road
Chicago, IL

O'Hare Plaza is a five building office complex that sits at the corner of Higgins and East River / Dee Roads in Chicago.  Enter O'Hare Plaza off Higgins at a traffic light that is ½ block east of East River Road / Dee Road.  Please park anywhere in the 7-story garage or on the 2nd floor of the 2-story garage. PARKING IS FREE.

Public Transportation: Take the Blue Line "L" to Cumberland.  Use the pedestrian bridge to the Marriott Hotel parking lot.  Turn left (northwest) and walk one block through the Marriott parking lot.  You are able to see O'Hare Plaza's seven story parking garage from the "L" station.
Once inside O'Hare Plaza go to the 8725 Building, which is at the far south end of the complex (furthest from Higgins). We will be on the first floor – follow the signs.

 

Webinar: If you could not attend the meeting, you can view a replay of the webinar here.

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