Yes, it takes effort. But it pays you back, in trust, pipeline, and positioning.
Introduction
Ask any AWS Partner who’s earned an AWS Competency badge, and they’ll tell you the same thing:
“It was a lot of documentation. But totally worth it.”
Competency isn’t just another badge; it’s one of the strongest trust signals in the AWS ecosystem. It opens doors to enterprise deals, deeper Co-Sell alignment, and priority access to AWS GTM programs.
In this blog, we unpack the real ROI of earning your AWS Competency, especially if you accelerate the process with the right content, structure, and support.
What Is an AWS Competency?
An AWS Competency is an advanced level designation that recognizes partners with demonstrated technical expertise and proven customer success in a specific domain.
Examples include:
- Security Competency
- SaaS Competency
- Data & Analytics Competency
- Healthcare, Financial Services, ML, DevOps, and more
Each one requires:
- Validated customer case studies
- Architecture documentation
- Security and deployment best practices
- Business outcomes tied to AWS services
- A pre-approved audit process via AWS Partner programs
The Real ROI of Getting Your Competency Faster
| ROI Area | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Increased Co-Sell Opportunities | AWS sellers prioritize partners with Competency badges |
| Trust Acceleration | Reduces technical due diligence time for enterprise customers |
| Higher Lead Conversion | Competency listing in AWS Partner Finder drives more qualified pipeline |
| Better Field GTM Support | Eligible for joint campaigns, seller enablement decks, and AWS-funded POCs |
| Vertical Trust | Competency shows you understand specific industry needs and compliance requirements |
| Marketing Exposure | AWS often promotes Competency partners in blogs, webinars, events, and PR |
Think of Competency like getting AWS’s stamp of GTM and technical trust.
The Hidden Cost of Delaying It
Every month you delay Competency:
- You miss out on Co-Sell-ready RFPs
- You’re less likely to be looped into AWS seller motions
- You fall behind competitors in your vertical
- Your current Marketplace listing loses conversion power
Getting to Competency faster = faster access to pipeline, positioning, and partnership credibility.
How to Get There Faster (Without Burning Your Team)
To qualify, you’ll need:
- 4–5 detailed AWS-aligned case studies
- A reference architecture diagram
- Security & operations documentation
- Solution overviews and AWS service mappings
- Business outcome metrics for each customer engagement
Doing this in-house takes weeks (or months) of internal time across product, engineering, sales, and marketing.
Content packs built for AWS Competency cut that time in half and ensure you pass the first time, not the third.
Bonus: Everything You Build for Competency Is Reusable
Once created, you can repurpose:
- Case studies → blog posts, sales win stories, seller guides
- Architecture → sales decks, solution pages, demos
- Overview docs → Co-Sell briefings, onboarding materials
- Security posture → RFPs, compliance audits, enterprise onboarding
The content you create to earn the badge becomes your entire GTM toolkit.
Conclusion
The AWS Competency program isn’t a checkbox.
It’s a fast lane to:
- Trust
- Co-Sell priority
- Enterprise confidence
- And market differentiation
Getting there faster doesn’t just help you win faster—it keeps you ahead of every competitor still “thinking about it.”
Want to fast-track your AWS Competency with a ready-to-submit content pack?
Contact us for more details.
