TVG Editorial Team 
Most vendors think of credentialing as a cost. The smart ones see it as an investment with a clear return. Here’s the math that most people miss.
The Cost of Being Unknown
Every time a prospective client lands on your website, opens your proposal, or reviews your profile, they’re making a snap judgment about whether you’re worth their time and money. Without an independent trust signal, you’re relying entirely on your own marketing to make that case. And so is every other vendor in your space.
The result? Longer sales cycles, more price negotiations, and lost deals to competitors who may not be better but who appear more credible.
What Changes with a Credential
When you display an independently earned credential, you shortcut the trust-building process. The credential does work that would otherwise require multiple meetings, reference checks, and proposal revisions. Specifically:
Reduced customer hesitation. Prospects move faster when they see you’ve already been vetted by a neutral party. The trust gap between “interested” and “ready to hire” shrinks considerably.
Less price shopping. When clients trust your credibility, they’re less likely to treat your service as a commodity. The conversation shifts from “how much do you charge?” to “how can we work together?”
Higher close rates. Vendors who can demonstrate independent recognition consistently report that proposals including their credential convert at higher rates than those without it.
Compounding reputation. A credential isn’t a one-time benefit. Every client interaction, every proposal, every marketing touchpoint reinforces your position as a verified, trusted vendor. Over time, this compounds into a reputation that generates referrals organically.
The Numbers
Consider a vendor who spends $295 on a Professional Award credential. If that credential helps close even one additional deal per quarter, the ROI isn’t marginal. It’s exponential. Now factor in the deals that close faster, the proposals that don’t get shopped around, and the referrals that come from clients who chose you specifically because you were credentialed.
The Bottom Line
Vendor credentialing is one of the few business investments where the downside is capped and the upside is compounding. The question isn’t whether you can afford it. It’s whether you can afford not to have it.
