How you’d get it
How you’d get this certificate
- Zavmo teaches you. You learn the units one-to-one with an AI tutor, on your own work.
- You register with an approved centre. That is a college, training provider or employer Institute of Sales Professionals has approved to offer this qualification. Zavmo is not an approved centre, so you register with them, not with us.
- The centre assesses, and Institute of Sales Professionals awards. A qualified assessor at the centre judges your evidence, and the certificate comes from Institute of Sales Professionals.
01What it is
AWARDING & QUALIFICATIONSSales Qualifications We offer vocational-related qualifications that cover a wide range of sales roles, from entry-level to
These are the units Institute of Sales Professionals registers against this qualification. It is a catalogue, not a syllabus. Which of them you take depends on the combination the qualification requires, and that is set by the awarding body rather than by us. Every unit here is regulated. Zavmo teaches towards them on your own work, and work done here is recognised as prior learning under the agreements we hold.
Zavmo is not an awarding body, is not an approved centre, and is not affiliated with Institute of Sales Professionals. It does the teaching and the mapping. Institute of Sales Professionals sets this qualification and awards it, and a qualified human assessor makes the assessment decision.
Free first step
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02The units
What each unit actually teaches you to do
Account Relationship Management Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit focuses on building and maintaining key account relationships through strategic sales networking and consultative selling. You'll understand methods to build trust, identify customer needs, and monitor customer relationships for continuous improvement.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the methods used to build strong and lasting relationships with key accounts
- Understand the principles of strategic sales networking and its importance in account relationship management
- Implement a consultative selling approach to understand customer needs and provide tailored solutions
- Monitor customer relationships to identify potential issues and opportunities for improvement
- Improve customer relationships through proactive communication, problem-solving, and value-added services
Analyse Financial Performance Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
It teaches you to use financial tools and ratios to analyse customer account performance. You'll follow organisational accounting procedures, evaluate financial risks, and estimate future financial performance for customer accounts.
What you'll be able to do
- Utilise financial tools to analyse customer accounts effectively
- Adhere to organisational management accounting procedures in all relevant activities
- Evaluate financial risks associated with customer accounts and sales activities
- Estimate future financial performance for customer accounts, considering various factors
Coach and Mentor Sales Professionals Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll understand the purpose and processes of coaching and mentoring within sales contexts. The unit equips learners to plan and deliver coaching or mentoring activities that support sales professionals' continuing professional development.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the purpose of sales coaching and mentoring in improving performance and developing sales professionals.
- Understand the processes that support sales coaching and mentoring, including planning, delivery, and evaluation.
- Plan coaching and mentoring activities with sales professionals, setting clear objectives and agreeing on development plans.
- Coach and/or mentor sales professionals to support their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and career progression.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll explore the purpose and benefits of continuing professional development (CPD). The unit teaches you to assess their own development needs, plan CPD activities, and reflect on learning to maintain professional competence.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the purpose and benefits of continuing professional development (CPD).
- Understand different approaches to continuing professional development (CPD).
- Assess own development needs and learning styles.
- Plan own continuing professional development (CPD) activities to meet identified needs.
- Document and reflect on own continuing professional development (CPD) activities.
Contributing to Organisational Innovation Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit explores the concept of innovation within organisations, emphasising its role in achieving competitive advantage. You'll understand strategies to support innovation and develop skills to contribute to exploiting emerging opportunities effectively.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the concept of innovation in organisations and its importance for competitive advantage.
- Understand how to support organisational innovation through various strategies and initiatives.
- Contribute to exploiting emerging opportunities by identifying and developing innovative solutions.
Customer Buying Processes and Practices Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll understand customer buying processes and the factors influencing decisions. The unit develops skills to differentiate offers to maximise customer value and plan the development of current and potential customer accounts.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the various stages and influences within customer buying processes and practices
- Understand how to differentiate an offer to maximise value for customers, considering their specific needs and preferences
- Plan the development of current customer accounts to foster long-term relationships and increase sales
- Plan the development of potential customer accounts to expand the customer base and market reach
Customer Focus Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll explore the importance of customer focus in building relationships and achieving business goals. The unit develops skills to prepare and conduct business reviews that add value and demonstrate commitment to customer needs.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the importance of customer focus in building strong relationships and achieving business objectives.
- Prepare and conduct a business review to provide value add to a customer, demonstrating a commitment to their needs and goals.
Develop Critical Thinking Skills Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit develops learners' critical thinking skills, including analysis, evaluation, and problem-solving. You'll understand the influence of beliefs, attitudes, and values on decision-making and apply critical analysis to make informed decisions.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the skills and characteristics required for critical thinking, including analysis, evaluation, and problem-solving.
- Understand the differences between beliefs, attitudes, and values, and how they can influence decision-making.
- Make decisions based on critical analysis of information and evidence.
Develop Value Propositions Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll study the factors involved in creating compelling value propositions. The unit teaches you to prepare and agree value propositions that align with client needs and differentiate products or services from competitors.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the various factors that contribute to creating a compelling value proposition for a product or service
- Prepare and agree on value propositions with clients, ensuring alignment with their specific needs and objectives
Differentiate in a Competitive Market Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit focuses on the importance of differentiation in competitive markets. You'll analyse competitors' strengths, weaknesses, strategies, and market presence to develop and apply effective differentiation strategies for products or services.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the importance of differentiation in a competitive market
- Understand the strengths, weaknesses, strategies, tactics and market presence of key competitors
- Differentiate products and/or services effectively against competitors
Finding and Qualifying New Prospects Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll understand how to identify and qualify new prospects through discovery processes. The unit develops skills to research markets, assess prospect needs, and qualify prospects to support business growth effectively.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the processes involved in identifying new prospects within a given market or industry
- Conduct a thorough discovery process to gather relevant information about a prospect's needs and challenges
- Qualify a prospect based on pre-defined criteria, such as budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT)
Lead Continuous Improvement Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll study factors contributing to continuous improvement within organisations, focusing on leadership and employee engagement. The unit develops skills to analyse sales performance data and implement continuous improvement initiatives in the sales function.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the factors that contribute to continuous improvement within an organisation
- Analyse information related to continuous improvement initiatives
- Implement continuous improvement strategies within the sales function, based on the findings of analysis
Lead an Inclusive, Ethical Culture Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll explore policies, procedures, and practices that support inclusion and ethical leadership. The unit teaches you to role model ethical behaviours and promote an inclusive and ethical organisational culture.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the policies, procedures, and practices that support inclusion within an organisation.
- Understand the principles of inclusive and ethical leadership, including fairness, respect, and transparency.
- Role model ethical behaviours in all interactions and activities.
- Promote an inclusive and ethical culture within a team or organisation.
Leadership in Context Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit explores different leadership styles within organisational cultures and their impact on performance. You'll assess their own leadership competence and potential, and manage their continuing professional development accordingly.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand different leadership styles and their application within an organisational culture.
- Assess personal competence and leadership potential, identifying strengths and areas for development.
- Manage personal continuing professional development to enhance leadership skills and knowledge.
Manage Ethical, Legal and Professional Requirements Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll gain an understanding of ethical, legal, and professional requirements in sales. The unit includes implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance and taking appropriate action in response to non-compliance.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand ethical and legal requirements related to the sales function, including data protection and consumer rights.
- Understand professional requirements related to the sales function, including codes of conduct and industry best practices.
- Implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with ethical and legal requirements within the sales function.
- Take action to respond to non-compliance with ethical, legal, and professional requirements in a sales environment.
Manage Recruitment Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit provides learners with knowledge of human resource planning and recruitment processes within a sales context. You'll plan and implement recruitment activities that meet legal and organisational requirements.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand organisational human resource planning processes within a sales context.
- Understand the processes and people involved in sales professional recruitment, including their roles and responsibilities.
- Plan recruitment for a sales role, ensuring that the plan meets all relevant legal and organisational requirements.
- Implement the recruitment process for a sales role, adhering to best practices and organisational policies.
Manage Sales Technology Systems Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll explore the functional requirements of sales technology systems and how these systems support sales activities. The unit includes developing training materials, providing user support, monitoring system effectiveness, and ensuring effective usage of sales technology.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the functional requirements of sales technology systems and their role in supporting sales activities
- Understand how to train and support system users to ensure effective adoption and utilisation
- Monitor sales technology system effectiveness and identify areas for improvement
- Ensure the effective usage of sales technology systems to optimise sales performance
Manage Team Performance Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll explore leadership styles, flexible working practices, and relationship building within sales teams. The unit develops skills to communicate sales vision and manage team members to achieve objectives effectively.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand different leadership styles and practices and their impact on team performance
- Understand the benefits and challenges of flexible working practices within a sales team
- Understand how to build positive and productive relationships with colleagues
- Communicate the sales vision and objectives clearly and effectively to the team
- Manage sales team members to achieve their individual and collective objectives through effective coaching, mentoring, and performance management
Managing Change Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit covers various change management models and approaches within organisational contexts. You'll learn to initiate, plan, implement, and manage change initiatives while addressing resistance and evaluating outcomes.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand different change management approaches and their application in various organisational contexts.
- Understand the factors that contribute to successful change management.
- Initiate a change process within an organisation.
- Plan and implement an organisational change initiative.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of an organisational change initiative.
- Manage resistance to change effectively.
Market Research for Sales Strategy Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit examines the role of market research in the sales function and its impact on performance. You'll use market research data to identify customer needs and develop sales strategies that enhance sales outcomes.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the role of market research within the sales function and its impact on sales performance
- Utilise market research data and insights to develop effective sales strategies
Matrix Management Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit introduces the principles and practices of matrix management, including leadership, communication, and collabouration strategies. You'll develop and apply performance management and motivational techniques within a matrix sales team environment.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles and practices of matrix management, including its benefits and challenges.
- Develop leadership, communication and collaboration strategies in a matrix environment to enhance team performance.
- Implement performance management and motivational techniques within a matrix sales team to drive results.
Motivate Sales Professionals Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll study motivation theories relevant to sales leadership and various compensation approaches for sales professionals. The unit teaches you to analyse motivation applications and establish compensation systems that motivate sales teams in alignment with organisational goals.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how motivation theories relate to sales leadership and the performance of sales professionals.
- Understand a range of compensation approaches for sales professionals, including their advantages and disadvantages.
- Establish motivating compensation systems that align with organisational goals and individual performance.
Organisational Sales Planning Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit covers the relationship between sales forecasting and planning, organisational approaches to target setting, and techniques for forecasting and monitoring sales at an organisational level. You'll learn to create and evaluate sales plans and monitor sales targets effectively.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the relationship between sales forecasting and sales planning within an organisation
- Understand different organisational approaches to target setting and their implications
- Forecast sales at an organisational level, using appropriate techniques and data
- Monitor sales targets and identify any deviations from the planned performance
Partnering and Collaborative Selling Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll understand how partnering relationships contribute to sales success and the benefits of collabourative selling. The unit covers effective communication and collabouration with colleagues to respond to sales opportunities and achieve targets.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how partnering relationships contribute to sales success
- Understand how to collaborate effectively with colleagues to achieve sales targets
- Collaborate with colleagues to respond effectively to sales opportunities
Pipeline Management and Forecasting Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit covers managing a sales pipeline, including its key stages and performance indicators. You'll use pipeline management techniques to prioritise opportunities and accurately forecast future sales performance.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how to manage a sales pipeline effectively, including the different stages and key performance indicators.
- Use a sales pipeline to accurately forecast future sales performance and identify potential opportunities or risks.
Relationship Management Mapping Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll study strategies for multi-disciplinary supplier and customer relationship mapping. The unit teaches you to implement relationship management mapping for key accounts and monitor engagement activities.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how to develop strategies for effective multi-disciplinary supplier and customer relationship mapping
- Understand how to develop strategies for effective relationship mapping
- Implement relationship management mapping engagement for a key account, considering all relevant stakeholders
- Monitor relationship management activities for continuous improvement and enhanced relationship quality
Sales Territory Management Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll study the design and management of sales territories, analysing geographical and demographic factors. The unit develops skills to review and improve sales territories and organise resources to enhance sales performance.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the key considerations in sales territory design, including geographical factors, customer demographics, and market potential
- Analyse the factors that can impact the effectiveness of sales territory management, such as resource allocation, sales strategies, and competitor activity
- Review existing organisational sales territories to identify areas for improvement and optimisation
- Improve organisational sales territories through effective planning and implementation of changes
- Organise resources, including personnel, budget, and technology, to effectively manage sales territories
Segmentation in Consumer and Business Markets Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit covers the principles and techniques of market segmentation for both consumer and business markets. You'll gain the ability to analyse market data and target specific segments within a territory to support marketing strategies.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles and techniques of market segmentation
- Understand the different approaches to segmenting consumer and business markets
- Target specific market segments for a given territory based on segmentation analysis
Support Customer Innovation Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit focuses on understanding customers' pain points, goals, and aspirations related to innovation. You'll learn methods to encourage customer innovation and partner with customers to support product or service innovation for long-term success.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand customers' pain points, goals, and aspirations in relation to product and service innovation.
- Understand how to encourage customers to innovate in order to address their unique challenges and opportunities.
- Partner with customers to support their product or service innovation to achieve long-term success.
Tender Management Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit covers the identification of tender opportunities and the principles of tender management. You'll learn to prepare, write, and submit tender documents in compliance with legal, ethical, and organisational requirements.
What you'll be able to do
- Identify tender opportunities within a specified market or industry
- Understand the core principles of effective tender management
- Prepare the necessary documentation and resources for tendering
- Write a compelling tender document that clearly articulates the value proposition of the products or services offered
- Submit the completed tender document according to the specified guidelines and deadlines
Understanding and Building Agility Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
You'll examine organisational and personal agility, focusing on flexibility and adaptation to change. The unit teaches you to develop personal agility skills to respond effectively in dynamic and volatile environments.
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of organisational agility and its importance in a dynamic environment.
- Understand the principles of personal agility and its importance in a dynamic environment.
- Understand the importance of flexibility in responding to changing circumstances.
- Understand the importance of adapting to change to maintain effectiveness.
- Develop and implement strategies to build personal agility.
- Adapt to change effectively in a professional context.
Using Legal, Regulatory and Ethical Frameworks Real unit · Institute of Sales Professionals
This unit equips learners with knowledge of legal, regulatory, and ethical frameworks relevant to sales. You'll demonstrate compliance with organisational policies and procedures in sales activities to ensure adherence to these frameworks.
What you'll be able to do
- Describe the key aspects of legal, regulatory, and ethical frameworks relevant to the sales function
- Demonstrate compliance with organisational legal, regulatory, and ethical policies and procedures in sales activities
03The standards
The national standards these units are built against
What the job actually needs, in the words employers and awarding bodies already use for the work itself.
- Standard
Build productive relationships with advertising sales clients or agencies
- Standard
Create propositions that connect market opportunity, investor goals and available capabilities
- Standard
Develop sales tenders, proposals and quotations
- Standard
Identify Market Segments
- Standard
Identify Market Segments
- Standard
Identify and resource your continuing professional development
- Standard
Manage Advertising Sales Territories
- Standard
Manage operations in line with values, ethics and legal obligations
- Standard
Manage sales technology systems
- Standard
Manage sales territories or portfolios
- Standard
Manage sales territories or portfolios
- Standard
Manage sales tools and technology systems
- Standard
Monitor the financial performance of customer accounts
- Standard
Research, identify and resource your continuing professional development
- Standard
Review the ongoing financial performance of customer accounts
- Standard
Tender writing: identify opportunities, complete and submit tender documents
- Standard
Use Sales Technology Systems for Sales Activities
- Standard
Use Sales Tools and Technology Systems
04Where it leads
The jobs these credits are mapped to
A qualification is never a dead end here. Each of these is a job record this qualification is a mapped route into.
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 3 records
Showing 6 roles, drawn from 245 job records mapped to this qualification. Near-identical records are folded together, and each row says how many it stands for.
Where this can lead
Tender Manager
A tender manager role can lead to work as a lead tender strategist, a head of bids and proposals, or a director of strategic pursuits.
See the whole journey05The credits
The credits, and who awards them
Level 5 credits are regulated, and they are awarded by Institute of Sales Professionals rather than by Zavmo. They don’t vanish when a subscription ends or a website closes. They travel to any employer, and Zavmo keeps the map of what you have covered and what is next.
What you would be collecting
Account Relationship ManagementAnalyse Financial PerformanceCoach and Mentor Sales ProfessionalsContinuing Professional Development (CPD)Contributing to Organisational InnovationCustomer Buying Processes and PracticesCustomer FocusDevelop Critical Thinking Skills
Each one is a real unit registered against this qualification.
How you’d practise it
You don’t watch this. You do it.
You are not assessed on remembering this. You are assessed on applying it, analysing it, evaluating it and producing something. So that is what the practice is: projects, role play and your own live cases, with a tutor in the room.
The Coach · your practice partner Illustration The Coach Make the case from “Coach and Mentor Sales Professionals” to me in thirty seconds. I am the person who signs it off and I am already late.
You It would improve engagement and bring us in line with best practice.
The Coach Neither of those costs me anything to say no to. Open with the number that changes if I do nothing.
- Pitch it Evaluate
“Coach and Mentor Sales Professionals” gets practised as a pitch. You make the case out loud, Zavmo asks the question the room would ask, and you make it again.
- Bring your own plan Create
For “Lead Continuous Improvement” you bring the plan you are actually working on, not a case study. Zavmo pulls on the assumptions in it until the weak one shows.
- Draft the real one Create
You do “Account Relationship Management” on a real document of your own. Zavmo works on the draft you have to send anyway, so the coursework and the job are the same piece of work.
- Map a live decision Analyse
“Analyse Financial Performance” runs on a decision you are facing now. Zavmo maps it with you and shows what the second-order effect looks like before you find out the slow way.
What you leave holding
The standards this credential builds, in the shape the product keeps them
Nothing here is marked learned. There is no learner on a public page, so the map shows what the qualification covers rather than what anybody has done.
Level 5 Diploma in Professional Sales
- Build productive relationships with advertising sales clients or agencies
- Create propositions that connect market opportunity, investor goals and available capabilities
- Develop sales tenders, proposals and quotations
- Identify Market Segments
- Identify and resource your continuing professional development
- Manage Advertising Sales Territories
- Manage operations in line with values, ethics and legal obligations
- Manage sales technology systems
How you would learn this
One to one, on the work you already do
A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.
A lesson from Account Relationship Management, one of this qualification's own units.
Applied to your work in any of these jobs
Which job do you mean?
This unit focuses on building and maintaining key account relationships through strategic sales networking and consultative selling. Learners will understand methods to build trust, identify customer needs, and monitor customer relationships for continuous improvement.
How the thinking builds
- 1 Remember
- 2 Understand
- 3 Apply
- 4 Analyse
- 5 Evaluate
- 6 Create
It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time. Teaching towards this qualification begins when you subscribe.
Built for Level 5 Diploma in Professional Sales
32 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by Institute of Sales Professionals.
- Account Relationship Management
- Analyse Financial Performance
- Coach and Mentor Sales Professionals
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Contributing to Organisational Innovation
- Customer Buying Processes and Practices
and 26 more in the full unit list below.
Free tools
Want a read on where you stand?
Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.
Learned on your own work, taught one-to-one.
Everything you just read, learned one-to-one on the job you already do. Your free first module is Future Fluency, so you can see how the teaching works before you pay for anything.
Build my plan, freeNo card. See how this qualification maps onto your role and meet the tutors who’d teach it, free. The learning begins when you subscribe. It’s £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.
The title, level, credits, guided learning hours and unit learning outcomes on this page are taken from the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Where this data comes from.