what is credentials presentation

Credential Presentation – Five tips for a powerful Company Introduction

Introducing a powerful idea.

A credential presentation gives business owners an opportunity to impress. The credentials PPT is usually the first step when engaging with an audience.

It is the perfect communication tool to start a customer-business relationship. The bigger objective is to sell a product or service. At times, business owners focus on the bigger picture instead of devoting time to improve the equally bigger task of putting out a credentials PPT.

Credential presentations are often neglected, incomplete, and outdated. In such a case, it is best to hire a professional credential presentation design agency . As the credentials PPT is the first line of consumer interaction, it needs to stand out in content, design, and structure.

Let’s look at five tips that can elevate your credentials presentation.

Communicate the vision

Firstly, hire a top presentation design agency . You won’t regret it. Their expertise in creating stunning yet engaging PPTs can help you get the desired credentials presentation.

When presenting a credential presentation, images are everything. The presentation is not designed to blindly shove a product or service to customers.

The goal of a credential presentation is to captivate the audience first and then sell along the way. The credentials presentation needs to communicate the company’s vision to the audience.

The vision must include the purpose and drive for fulfilling the company’s mission . The vision also covers company values. With the company vision set in the background, build the presentation through the company story. Storytelling can cause the company’s vision to resonate in the hearts of customers.

Adapting the slides

Each slide must be memorable. To ensure this, make sure you know the audience well. Identify and profile the credential presentation’s audience.

Refine the content in each slide. Compile, compose, edit, and proofread it before asking a PPT design expert to make it compelling.

The idea is to refine the presentation by removing clutter. This also reduces the size of the presentation. Doing some background research on the audience will help you determine who would be more receptive to visuals, numbers and content.

Focus on the future

Credential PPTs usually talk about a company’s origins. It starts with how the company was formed, its formative years in the industry, the key achievements, the biggest clients, etc.

Although, this is a good way to start a credential presentation , keep in mind this shouldn’t be all that you present. Dedicate only about 30% of your presentation to past and current activities.

Customers or investors want to know about the company’s future plans. Future partnerships, upcoming events, projected revenue, etc. have to be included.

Add visual elements

A credential presentation talks more about vision, goals, plans, and operations. With a deluge of information to be shared, it could become difficult to make the presentation immersive.

This can be fixed by letting a presentation design agency do what they do best. An experienced PPT design agency will come up with innovative ways to make your slide’s content captivating.

With the help of high-quality images, custom fonts, and appropriate animation, your company’s credential presentation will engage its audience with charm.

Call-out instruction

While presenting, make sure you are turning monologues into exchanges. Focus on human interactions.

Dedicate some time to answer questions. Once done, direct the audience to a clearly mentioned call-to-action . This CTA could be a link to the company website, a link to your company’s annual report or just a phone number to call.

Don’t leave the audience hanging. Be crystal clear as to what the purpose of the presentation is and what you expect the audience to do next.

• 5 tips to create an efficient Powerpoint credentials presentation

What makes a good credentials presentation

1. communicate on the vision and values of your business.

2. Adapt the content of your credentials presentation to your present audience

3. Avoid history classes when talking about your business

4. Call out your audience during the meeting

5. Create impactful slides

• By writing what you want to say, you move your audience’s attention on the screen as opposed to looking at you.
• The truth is, no one will really read and absorb the content of your presentation, even if you send it via email. The live meeting is the moment where you need to make a impression of yourself with nicely designed slides to support you in that enterprise.

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Home » Pitching Support » Top ways to make agencies more effective in presenting their credentials

Top ways to make agencies more effective in presenting their credentials

For the past 20 years, I have literally sat through more than a thousand agency credentials presentations . Some were part of a pitch or tender credentials presentation, and others were when I was engaged in providing feedback to help agencies improve their credentials deck and presentation. I can honestly say that initially, less than ten agency credentials examples stood out as memorable.

I remember when this first became apparent after we had spent a day of chemistry meetings with eight back-to-back credentials presentations, where the agencies were asked to provide a maximum 30-minute presentation on “why choose this agency”. In the end, the clients only remembered one of the agencies by name, and the rest were referred to by some other mnemonic, such as the one with the guy with the red spectacles, etc.

So, what is wrong with how many agencies present their credentials? Let me share some common mistakes and solutions to help you hopefully make your credentials presentations more effective.

1. Focus on the purpose of the credentials presentation

Yes, this is like taking a brief about who it is, what they think and feel now, and what we want them to think and feel after seeing the presentation. Usually, it is a new business prospect, and what you want them to think and feel is your agency must either be on their shortlist or appointed at the end of the presentation.

I am not kidding here. In one agency credentials example, the presentation was so powerful that the client was talking about appointing the agency immediately but took them through the process and appointed them in the end. Still, I am sure they had won it at that first meeting.

2. Forget the template and the formula

So many agency credentials appear like a checklist of information. Who we are, what we do, where we are located, how we work, etc, etc, etc. It is predictable and boring and not required. Whoever said there was a checklist, a formula or a format for a credentials presentation?

Remember, I am discussing a presentation here, not a credentials document. Certainly, you need to include the details about you and your company in the document, but the presentation is not simply reading from the document.

3. Make sure you turn features into benefits

This is straight out of Alistair Crompton’s The Craft of Copywriting but applies just as much to agency credentials as to great advertising.

By way of example, I had an agency banging on about their Agency University and how they were committed to the professional development of their employees. It went for about four slides and got into the details of the curriculum and everything – clearly, they were enamoured with it.

The client is sitting there saying that’s all very nice, but “What’s in it for me?” I will tell you, the employees at this agency are training in the latest on business and marketing to advise you on a day-to-day basis better. If the client wants to know more, it is all in the credentials document.

4. Don’t tell them what you do

Tell them what you deliver.

This is an extension of the previous point and one often overlooked. Too often, I find the agency spends too much of the credentials presentation talking about what they do. Have you ever been to a doctor for the first time and had them spend any time telling you what they do? Or an accountant? Or a lawyer? Let’s be honest: most marketers and advertisers broadly know what a media agency does, a creative agency, a public relations firm, or a digital agency. So, telling them what do is potentially the fastest way to commodities yourself because everyone in your category will be saying largely the same thing. Of course, if the audience has no experience or understanding of marketing, you may need to explain what an agency does. But do not waste more than a minute or two on this.

5. If it is too dull or detailed, put it in the ‘leave-behind.’

I am not sure why agencies think they need to answer all of the client’s questions in the presentation. Often, the client may send through a list of questions they want the agency to address in the credentials presentation. Or the agency may invite and elicit questions that the clients are interested in. This is a good strategy. Having been asked, the agency should address these queries, just not necessarily in the presentation.

My favourite is when a client (usually procurement) asks the agency to detail their process. I defy anyone to find a way to present the process in a way that is not sleep-inducing. Remember, the purpose is to build rapport and hopefully get one step closer to getting the business. If something is particularly complex, boring, or potentially confusing, put it in the document the client will take away with them. (Yes, there should always be a document or written follow-up to reference the meeting.) Then, you can reference the details in the leave-behind and move on to more business-winning discussions.

6. Don’t just say it, show it

There is usually a point in the credentials presentation where we get to either the client testimonials, you know, the bit “That’s enough about us, let’s hear what our clients think about us,” or the case studies, which is a chance to show off the work and tell the client prospect how successful you have been.

Unfortunately, these are usually towards the end of the presentation after you have spent the first half talking about how successful you are as an agency and how unique you are. Instead of having a testimonial and case study section, using case studies and testimonials to demonstrate what you are saying is always more powerful.

For example, instead of saying you work collaboratively with other agencies (sure you do), why not have other agencies and your clients talk about your collaboration skills? Or show a case study that could only be achieved through collaboration?

7. What is the outtake of the presentation?

What narrative or story are you telling, and is it memorable and distinctive? Ideally, you want the client to feel that they do not know how they survived to date without you working on their business.

But what makes a marketer think that will depend on his or her own particular needs and circumstances, which is next to impossible to know. But you want to leave them with a powerful impression and a desire to know more. (This is a good measure of a great credentials presentation as it spontaneously has the audience asking you for more information and starting a discussion about how you could or would work together).

But also, when they walk away, what will be their impression of the agency later that day, tomorrow or in a week’s time? And how will they describe you to someone not in the presentation? That is the story or narrative you need to craft.

These are just the top seven most common and perhaps most obvious mistakes I see repeatedly. In 2011, I got so sick of seeing the same formulaic credentials I put together this spoof video of an agency to demonstrate how not to do it. The trouble is I think some agencies have mistaken this as a training video and missed the point.

However, having seen so many agency credentials presentations and how they impact a client looking for a new agency, I am happy to help any agency improve by providing raw and honest feedback. If you are up for it, let us know. Until then, I hope this has helped help you present your agency credentials.

Learn more about how we can help your agency improve its Agency Credentials and Market Positioning  here.

By Darren Woolley

This post is by Darren Woolley, Founder and Global CEO of TrinityP3. With his background as an analytical scientist and creative problem solver, Darren brings unique insights and learnings to the marketing process. He is considered a global thought leader in optimizing marketing productivity and performance across marketing agencies and supplier rosters.

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Ten Tips: Your Company Credentials Presentation

Greg Seminara, Export Solutions

Distributors are flooded with requests for representation of brands from around the world. Normally, these presentations are jammed with pretty photos and long stories about the companies history. Brands will receive better response with a fact based, company credentials presentation focused on “What Distributors and Buyers really want to know”. Export Solutions recommends that brands create two versions of your credentials presentation: Ten page detailed presentation and a one page summary. Recapped below are our ten tips on developing a strong company credentials presentation to attract interest from Distributors and Buyers anywhere.

1. Just the Facts: Page 1 should include basic company facts. Annual sales, ownership, number of employees, and key categories and brands.

2. History Tell the story of when and how was the company founded. This is your chance to seduce the audience with a captivating story. Learn to tell the story in one page with no company video’s or DVD’s (boring!). Provide a longer version of your history and milestones on your company web site for those who want more information.

3. Brand USP This is the place for pretty pictures of your brand and the opportunity to demonstrate your category expertise. Why is your brand different ? How do you compare with current category assortment ? List any awards or recognition for your company.

4. Current Export Markets Share countries where your brand is currently available. Segment between core markets where your brand is strong and others where you maintain niche status. What is the rationale for entering the distributors country ?

5. Distributor and Retailer Partners Highlight well known distributors currently serving as your partners. List retailers who currently sell your brand. Logo’s work well.

6. Success Stories Focus on recent examples of your brand building results. Mention specific retailers or distributors if examples are well known retailers or in adjacent countries.

7. Investment Strategy Distributors and buyers demand critical information on how you plan to generate consumer awareness, trial, and repeat purchase of your product. Their interest will match your level of financial commitment.

8. Team Resources Publish photos of your export team. This includes marketing, finance, customer service, and logistics experts. List years of service for each team member to demonstrate that you have a strong support organization to build the business.

9. Sync with Web Site Your credentials presentation should sync with information on your web site. In reality, your web site is the first place that a potential distributor will visit. Modern web sites, with crisp graphics, minimal text, and no music will receive attention. Do you have a page dedicated to international export? When was the last time you updated your web site ?

10. Why is your Company a Good Partner ? This represents a one page summary of your company credentials. What value does your company bring to the partnership ? What is the “size of the prize” ? How will your brand make more money for the distributor or buyer ?

Export Solutions can help ! Export Solutions has participated in more than 300 Distributor identification projects and reviewed web sites of more than 10,000 Distributors and Brand Owners. We are available to review your company presentation or web site to provide timely ideas and suggestions to improve your visibility. Contact us in the USA at (001)-404-255-8387 for more information.

Free: 15 Export Guides and 50 Scorecards. Export Express monthly newsletter dedicated to Best Practices for international development through food distributor networks.

Home Blog Presentation Ideas How To Make a Company Profile Presentation with Examples and Templates

How To Make a Company Profile Presentation with Examples and Templates

Imagine a presenter who can resonate with their target audience so effectively that they inspire the required trust and confidence to get new relationships started. That’s the primary goal of a successful company profile presentation. 

As Nancy Duarte has said in her book Resonate , “Presenting ideas can either evoke puzzled stares or frenzied enthusiasm, which is determined by how well the message is delivered and how well it resonates with the audience.” Precisely because we know how vital this is to any business, we’re revising how to write a productive company profile in this article. 

We’ve included company profile examples in this article to learn from others on how to best present your company. In this article, we’re strictly referring to company profile presentations.

What is a company profile?

As we’ve described before in our company profile templates category, a company profile is a resource organizations can use for creating presentations that describe the essential aspects of a company.

Company profile uses

A company profile is meant to assist in presenting a company to an audience. With that understanding, it can help with topics ranging from sales to internal company presentations, for example: 

Introducing the company to its new employees

If we understand this resource as a polished portfolio or dossier, it’s easier to conceive how it can back up almost any pitch for diverse collaborations. The tool is suitable for showing a company’s philosophy, intentions, and plans to an audience. 

Acquiring new investors

Promote your brand with it, or use the resource to persuade investors during fundraising for your company. You can also rely on it to present your company to prospects by crafting a professional company presentation.

Marketing presentations

Another aspect to consider is that company profiles are great for media presentations, back up any sponsorship opportunities, and get new collaborators to pitch in with our global company vision and plans.

How to create a company profile presentation: step-by-step instructions

Putting a company profile presentation together helps to focus on each slide at a time. Focus on the meaningful content of your company profile and use slides to complement your message. 

Here is a run-down of each slide, one by one, to help put your company profile together. Alternatively, you can create your company profile presentation deck using SlideModel’s AI Presentation Maker tool and prepare your presentation for final PowerPoint edits. 

Step 1 – Company Profile Cover Page

Your first slide can include your company logo , a title that typically reads “Company Profile”, and a sub-title. A quick one-liner description can be entered here or a meaningful short text with a motto or phrase.

Step 2 – Mission & Vision

In general, you’re seeking to include the vision and mission slides in these first part of a company presentation. The classic piece of advice here is to state a company’s mission to give out what you’re looking to achieve. If you have doubts on what to include in a mission and vision slide, learn here how to prepare a successful vision statement .

Very much tied to the above, start by seeking a compelling introductory section for a company presentation. 

Step 3 – What we do

Next, introduce your services or products in a medium-sized slide text. Nancy Duarte again guides us with valuable wisdom on this aspect as she recalls how “communicating only the detailed specifications or functional overviews of a product isn’t enough.” Look for an emotional rapport in your product introduction as much as possible. Ideally, you’ll address consumers’ or your audience’s pain points in a way that compels them to hear more. 

On this last note about your audience, go deeply into their ways of thought, desires, interests, and needs to determine the problems and challenges they’re facing. Clearly defining what your proposed solution of value will be throughout your company pitch is a great way to present your company profile. 

Far from overdoing it, focus on your main business areas to present your top three to six. Use images or icons for visual support. Include a supporting text on a service description, and the benefits of these for your target audience. 

Step 4 – About the Company

And enter your company description in the next slide. This is usually presented with the header “About Us.” If your growth is at the point where it makes an impact once the story is told, include it. The same applies to any awards or key certifications you may have in your name. If you’ve made it to the news or media in great light, or if there’s any vital history that can be an impressive point for your company’s reputation, it may be worth adding those here. 

If you don’t want to start from scratch, you can use the About Us slide templates for PowerPoint.

In a nutshell, use all of your relevant bragging rights as you see fit. Stress any significant milestones your company could have achieved by the time you present. And narrow down your niche and any location-specific expertise you may have working to your advantage. 

Step 5 – Present the Team

Follow with your team slide through a Meet the Team slide design. Show a few images of your leading talent. As usual with a team slide, consider the most common recommendations on who to highlight and what to include. You’re looking for the most reputable milestones of your team members’ careers as a highlight of their background to make a shining difference. If a particular person or group makes a stellar difference by being an experienced part of your team, include the following slide with just those party’s credentials and best references. 

Step 6 – Company major milestones

Then move to portray the company’s significant milestones in a timeline visually . The idea is to make your roadmap visually clear. For that, title each part of the process, give it a brief description, and extend timeline indications onto a separate slide, if you prefer. 

Step 7 – Relevant Data

If you need to add PowerPoint chart templates , the next few slides would be a proper section to include these. Give descriptions of the data you’re presenting. Include a mix between pie charts, line and bar graphs, and other formats as you move along. 

Our Company profile PowerPoint template , for example, includes a world map that allows users to pinpoint company locations around the globe. The idea is to make the company’s global reach a lot more visible. 

All of the above coincides with a total of 15 slides we put together as part of this company PowerPoint-friendly material. Edit its background, move data around, and customize it as you see fit.

From here on, we suggest adding positive reviews via client testimonials. You can even add a client portfolio if you already have a great, solid base. Any good words about you from relevant parties will reinforce your credibility as the final touch and your conclusion slide.

Why use company profile templates?

Using PowerPoint presentation templates for company profiles is the first step toward a professional job. The primary justification for this choice is how much easier it is to edit, add, remove, or re-write a slide compared to other formats. Depending on how often you’ll need to customize this resource to pitch an audience, making quick changes can be easy and convenient.

Also, consider how quickly a company is going to face alterations in terms of products, finances, milestones, and diverse goals. Adding or removing a slide is very easy!

While we’re touching upon edits, keep your texts short and relevant descriptions. Avoid long blocks of content or jam-packed illustrations, even using graphs, tables, or others. As with any slide for any purpose, keep your presentation as lean as possible. 

Alternatively, you can access our free company profile template to create an excellent company presentation.

Recommendations on company profiles

Speaking of purpose, define what the company profile is set out to achieve. An investment plan or trade portfolio can be a part of why a company profile is needed. Align objectives in this sense with the overall content. 

If it isn’t evident, add the company logo to the company profile presentation. If you’re using pictures, make sure they’re of the highest quality, as this speaks professionalism. Some logo maker tools offer preset presentation sizes which makes the process easier.

As for contact details, seek to include email, phone, corporate address, and even a website mention. Adding these details is a way to let potential clients quickly learn more about your company. Social media accounts are also a must in terms of outreach and potential customers checking the company’s trajectory. To make it convenient and for a streamlined access to your contact information, add a digital business card with relevant contact details including website link and social media handles.

Company profiles might not be the best place to include financial reports or any corporate problems you’re dealing. On the contrary, they’re intended to draw people to your business and make them fall in love with a brand, its mission, and its vision. 

That’s why it’s so important to seek to appeal to your audience’s emotions. How you can call upon an emotional connection with what you’re presenting is a great guiding principle as you build your next company profile presentation material, script, setting, and performance. Every aspect counts! Control what happens rather than leaving it to chance. 

Examples of successful company profiles

Study cases for eco-friendly companies.

From a two-page company profile for a food waste management solution company to an 88-page document of the exact nature of one of Australia’s Equity Trustee companies, we’re detailing various company profile examples for a clearer idea of what these can include. 

MAEKO made a clear statement in just a couple of slides, clearly defining its mission & vision, its niche, the offered solution for a world-class problem, and displaying its products’ end purpose.

The annual report from Equity Holdings Ltd. instead presents data in a consolidated way that both shareholders and potential business partners can quickly appreciate. Though lengthy, the main goal behind this approach is to provide complete insights into each aspect of the trust’s management, profits & losses.

We hope this has helped, and, of course, let us know if you’d like to see more or different. We’re here to help you excel every step of the way. Also, check out our step-by-step guide on how to make a PowerPoint Presentation .

1. Company Profile PowerPoint Template - The Basic Structure

For business executives, sales teams, and entrepreneurs, the Company Profile PowerPoint Template proves to be a powerful tool for kicking off a quick and impactful presentation. As described in the article, it contains the basic structure for a powerful Company introduction covered in 15 slides.

Blue & light gray themed, it’s fully compatible with all versions of PowerPoint, Keynote, and also Google Slides. Pie chart graphs, linear graphs, and bar graphs slides included to create detailed data reports.

Use This Template

2. Company Profile PowerPoint Template with SWOT Analysis & Pricing

This template will give you the tools for a fully-detailed company introduction. Listing slides to showcase scenarios such as “problem vs solution”, SWOT analysis, global market solutions, pricing lists, and way more, it’s a compendium of 20 slides intended for business success.

In a dashing white and teal color combination, with gray accents, this template is the perfect asset to present data in a visually appealing way. Fully compatible with all versions of PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides.

3. Professional Company Profile PowerPoint Template

Present your company in a stellar fashion thanks to this Company Profile template. With subtle gradients and a clean layout, this template’s design moves far from the classy-styled presentation into a carefully crafted design with vivid tones. Dark purple, red, and orange tones make up this template in striking combinations to gather the public’s interest.

100% compatible with all PowerPoint versions, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides.

4. Executive Styled Company Profile Template

Make a memorable introduction for your company with the help of this Company Profile template for PowerPoint. This template can boost your pitch in a steel gray tone with terracotta and teal accents. Featuring slides for organigrams, goals and milestones, core values, timelines, and more, 22 slides are ready to edit and rearrange as fits your company the best.

Compatible with all PowerPoint versions, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides.

5. Flyer One-Pager Company Profile Template

Easy to distribute, even easier to create. A vividly toned one-pager company profile template is a practical solution for conferences, meetups, and any kind of large business exhibition. Quickly deliver the vital data that makes your company a profitable place to invest. Get hold of potential new clients, or just attract potential employees with the help of this flyer format of a company profile.

Fully editable in all versions of PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides

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Business PowerPoint Templates, Company Introduction, Company Profile, Company Profile Presentation Filed under Presentation Ideas

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Credentials Documents: Why Every Sales-Driven Business Should Have One

So, What Could a Credentials Document do for You?

A credentials document is an essential part of marketing your business, especially if you work in a highly competitive, business-to-business industry.

Targeting a specific audience, a credentials document will demonstrate the capabilities of your business, the services you provide, the impact your work can and does have, and why your audience should choose to work with you.

What Should a Credentials Document Include?

A credentials document is almost like a CV for your business. It is a document that will be tailored for and sent to your business prospects in the hopes of bringing them on board as a client, demonstrating your past work and expertise.

A significant aspect of the credentials document’s structure is to include examples of your best work – hero pieces you are proud of! The work you’ll want to display should be relevant to the prospect you are approaching, demonstrating how you helped clients in the same industry or those with similar goals achieve their aims.

A great way to further support this is by adding client testimonials taken directly from those you work closest with. This way, prospects can understand the benefits of your services from a proven, external source rather than just from your existing marketing material. They will then be more likely to engage with you – there’s nothing better for business than a good review!

EDGE Creative can help you choose projects that were most successful and display them with clear objectives and results explained,  just like our projects page.

Our personalised credentials documents outline who you are and what you do as well as feature case studies of successful projects, testimonials, and an attention-grabbing call to action. We can guide you on what your clients really want to see and piece together the perfect proposal tailored to your target audience.

How Should a Credentials Document Look?

First impressions are crucial, so your credential document needs to be well presented, on-brand, and relevant to your audience. Put yourself in your clients’ shoes for a moment: if you wanted to outsource a service, would you go for the provider with a clean, nicely designed credential document or the one who emailed over some attachments?

There are no rules on exactly how your document should be laid out or presented, but it is always best to ensure it stays true to your brand and expresses all the information clearly and without clutter.

EDGE will work with you to ensure your brand is represented correctly and make you and your company really stand out – it’s what we do best!

How Can We Help You?

At EDGE, we provide a fully integrated marketing service, offering an initial consultation and strategic advice on what approach would work best for your clients, through to on-brand design, copywriting and personalisation to create a unique piece just for you.

Our talented design team can craft your credentials document to suit various marketing channels such as on-screen, printed, digital download and page turning software.

Your credentials document can be edited and personalised for every client individually, so you can be sure that your credentials document has longevity and can evolve as you do, meaning it’s a marketing investment you can’t afford to be without. If you’re still not sure why you need one,  check out our case study   to see how we have helped Fidelis Group grow their business!

If you’d like to speak to us about starting your credentials document today, please reach us on  0121 355 0892  or email  [email protected].

Alternatively, browse our  range of services  and see how we can help your brand or business with  brand development ,  search engine optimisation ,  social media marketing  and more.

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What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)

Presentation skills are essential for your personal and professional life. Learn about effective presentations and how to boost your presenting techniques.

At least seven out of 10 Americans agree that presentation skills are essential for a successful career [ 1 ]. Although it might be tempting to think that these are skills reserved for people interested in public speaking roles, they're critical in a diverse range of jobs. For example, you might need to brief your supervisor on research results.

Presentation skills are also essential in other scenarios, including working with a team and explaining your thought process, walking clients through project ideas and timelines, and highlighting your strengths and achievements to your manager during performance reviews.

Whatever the scenario, you have very little time to capture your audience’s attention and get your point across when presenting information—about three seconds, according to research [ 2 ]. Effective presentation skills help you get your point across and connect with the people you’re communicating with, which is why nearly every employer requires them.

Understanding what presentation skills are is only half the battle. Honing your presenting techniques is essential for mastering presentations of all kinds and in all settings.

What are presentation skills?

Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images.

You'll make presentations at various times in your life. Examples include:

Making speeches at a wedding, conference, or another event

Making a toast at a dinner or event

Explaining projects to a team 

Delivering results and findings to management teams

Teaching people specific methods or information

Proposing a vote at community group meetings

Pitching a new idea or business to potential partners or investors

Why are presentation skills important? 

Delivering effective presentations is critical in your professional and personal life. You’ll need to hone your presentation skills in various areas, such as when giving a speech, convincing your partner to make a substantial purchase, and talking to friends and family about an important situation.

No matter if you’re using them in a personal or professional setting, these are the skills that make it easier and more effective to convey your ideas, convince or persuade others, and experience success. A few of the benefits that often accompany improving your presentation skills include:

Enriched written and verbal communication skills

Enhanced confidence and self-image

Boosted critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities

Better motivational techniques

Increased leadership skills

Expanded time management, negotiation, and creativity

The better your presenting techniques, the more engaging your presentations will be. You could also have greater opportunities to make positive impacts in business and other areas of your life.

Effective presentation skills

Imagine yourself in the audience at a TED Talk or sitting with your coworkers at a big meeting held by your employer. What would you be looking for in how they deliver their message? What would make you feel engaged?

These are a few questions to ask yourself as you review this list of some of the most effective presentation skills.

Verbal communication

How you use language and deliver messages play essential roles in how your audience will receive your presentation. Speak clearly and confidently, projecting your voice enough to ensure everyone can hear. Think before you speak, pausing when necessary and tailoring the way you talk to resonate with your particular audience.

Body language

Body language combines various critical elements, including posture, gestures, eye contact, expressions, and position in front of the audience. Body language is one of the elements that can instantly transform a presentation that would otherwise be dull into one that's dynamic and interesting.

Voice projection

The ability to project your voice improves your presentation by allowing your audience to hear what you're saying. It also increases your confidence to help settle any lingering nerves while also making your message more engaging. To project your voice, stand comfortably with your shoulders back. Take deep breaths to power your speaking voice and ensure you enunciate every syllable you speak.

How you present yourself plays a role in your body language and ability to project your voice. It also sets the tone for the presentation. Avoid slouching or looking overly tense. Instead, remain open, upright, and adaptable while taking the formality of the occasion into account.

Storytelling

Incorporating storytelling into a presentation is an effective strategy used by many powerful public speakers. It has the power to bring your subject to life and pique the audience’s curiosity. Don’t be afraid to tell a personal story, slowly building up suspense or adding a dramatic moment. And, of course, be sure to end with a positive takeaway to drive your point home.

Active listening

Active listening is a valuable skill all on its own. When you understand and thoughtfully respond to what you hear—whether it's in a conversation or during a presentation—you’ll likely deepen your personal relationships and actively engage audiences during a presentation. As part of your presentation skill set, it helps catch and maintain the audience’s attention, helping them remain focused while minimizing passive response, ensuring the message is delivered correctly, and encouraging a call to action.

Stage presence

During a presentation, projecting confidence can help keep your audience engaged. Stage presence can help you connect with your audience and encourage them to want to watch you. To improve your presence, try amping up your normal demeanor by infusing it with a bit of enthusiasm. Project confidence and keep your information interesting.

Watch your audience as you’re presenting. If you’re holding their attention, it likely means you’re connecting well with them.

Self-awareness

Monitoring your own emotions and reactions will allow you to react well in various situations. It helps you remain personable throughout your presentation and handle feedback well. Self-awareness can help soothe nervousness during presentations, allowing you to perform more effectively.

Writing skills

Writing is a form of presentation. Sharp writing skills can help you master your presentation’s outline to ensure you stay on message and remain clear about your objectives from the beginning until the end. It’s also helpful to have strong writing abilities for creating compelling slides and other visual aids.

Understanding an audience

When you understand your audience's needs and interests, you can design your presentation around them. In turn, you'll deliver maximum value to them and enhance your ability to make your message easy to understand.

Learn more about presentation skills from industry experts at SAP:

How to improve presentation skills

There’s an art to public speaking. Just like any other type of art, this is one that requires practice. Improving your presentation skills will help reduce miscommunications, enhance your time management capabilities, and boost your leadership skills. Here are some ways you can improve these skills:

Work on self-confidence.

When you’re confident, you naturally speak more clearly and with more authority. Taking the time to prepare your presentation with a strong opening and compelling visual aids can help you feel more confident. Other ways to improve your self-confidence include practicing positive self-talk, surrounding yourself with positive people, and avoiding comparing yourself (or your presentation) to others.

Develop strategies for overcoming fear.

Many people are nervous or fearful before giving a presentation. A bad memory of a past performance or insufficient self-confidence can contribute to fear and anxiety. Having a few go-to strategies like deep breathing, practicing your presentation, and grounding can help you transform that fear into extra energy to put into your stage presence.

Learn grounding techniques.

Grounding is any type of technique that helps you steer your focus away from distressing thoughts and keeps you connected with your present self. To ground yourself, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and imagine you’re a large, mature tree with roots extending deep into the earth—like the tree, you can become unshakable.

Learn how to use presentation tools.

Visual aids and other technical support can transform an otherwise good presentation into a wow-worthy one. A few popular presentation tools include:

Canva: Provides easy-to-design templates you can customize

Powtoon: Animation software that makes video creation fast and easy

PowerPoint: Microsoft's iconic program popular for dynamic marketing and sales presentations

Practice breathing techniques.

Breathing techniques can help quell anxiety, making it easier to shake off pre-presentation jitters and nerves. It also helps relax your muscles and get more oxygen to your brain.  For some pre-presentation calmness, you can take deep breaths, slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

While presenting, breathe in through your mouth with the back of your tongue relaxed so your audience doesn't hear a gasping sound. Speak on your exhalation, maintaining a smooth voice.

Gain experience.

The more you practice, the better you’ll become. The more you doanything, the more comfortable you’ll feel engaging in that activity. Presentations are no different. Repeatedly practicing your own presentation also offers the opportunity to get feedback from other people and tweak your style and content as needed.

Tips to help you ace your presentation

Your presentation isn’t about you; it’s about the material you’re presenting. Sometimes, reminding yourself of this ahead of taking center stage can help take you out of your head, allowing you to connect effectively with your audience. The following are some of the many actions you can take on the day of your presentation.

Arrive early.

Since you may have a bit of presentation-related anxiety, it’s important to avoid adding travel stress. Give yourself an abundance of time to arrive at your destination, and take into account heavy traffic and other unforeseen events. By arriving early, you also give yourself time to meet with any on-site technicians, test your equipment, and connect with people ahead of the presentation.

Become familiar with the layout of the room.

Arriving early also gives you time to assess the room and figure out where you want to stand. Experiment with the acoustics to determine how loudly you need to project your voice, and test your equipment to make sure everything connects and appears properly with the available setup. This is an excellent opportunity to work out any last-minute concerns and move around to familiarize yourself with the setting for improved stage presence.

Listen to presenters ahead of you.

When you watch others present, you'll get a feel for the room's acoustics and lighting. You can also listen for any data that’s relevant to your presentation and revisit it during your presentation—this can make the presentation more interactive and engaging.

Use note cards.

Writing yourself a script could provide you with more comfort. To prevent sounding too robotic or disengaged, only include talking points in your note cards in case you get off track. Using note cards can help keep your presentation organized while sounding more authentic to your audience.

Learn to deliver clear and confident presentations with Dynamic Public Speaking from the University of Washington. Build confidence, develop new delivery techniques, and practice strategies for crafting compelling presentations for different purposes, occasions, and audiences.

Article sources

Forbes. “ New Survey: 70% Say Presentation Skills are Critical for Career Success , https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/09/25/new-survey-70-percent-say-presentation-skills-critical-for-career-success/?sh=619f3ff78890.” Accessed December 7, 2022.

Beautiful.ai. “ 15 Presentation and Public Speaking Stats You Need to Know , https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/15-presentation-and-public-speaking-stats-you-need-to-know. Accessed December 7, 2022.

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9 tips to create a creds deck that connects with potential clients.

A creds deck has the power to back up your bold claims and show potential new clients that you’ve got what it takes to turn their dreams into reality. In just a few short slides, you can prove that your business has been there, done that, and knows exactly how to tackle any challenge that may come your way. So, why do most creds decks suck?

You’ve spent years crafting your skills and sharpening your ideas but now you’re tasked with an entirely different challenge: selling them. You’re not short of leads. The prospects are there and they’re yearning for a solution to their problems. But they’re anxious about making the right decision. There’s so much to consider and vast amounts of information available. And they’ve probably got a lot of options.

So, how do you get them to listen to  you?  How do you convince them that  you  are the right partner to take them forward? Cue the creds deck. Creds decks are so much more than a list of previous successes. Done right, they establish credibility and expertise, inspire trust, differentiate you from competitors, and paint an honest picture of your business.

Unfortunately, most creds decks aren’t done right. We’re going to show you how to create a compelling creds deck that truly connects with your audience, shifts their beliefs and makes them wonder why it took them this long to find you.

What is a creds deck?

A creds deck is essentially your company portfolio. It’s a collection of your very best work, presented in the most flattering way. Typically, the messaging of a creds deck focuses on two main areas. Firstly, it needs to showcase your products and services, the difference you make, and the evidence to back it up. These are your demonstrable successes – case studies, results, the impact, previous projects, etc. Second, and just as important, every component, from the visuals to the story, should accurately capture who you are as a business: your personality, your values and your mission. The audience should get a feel for your business identity through every slide. How you present this information depends on who you are and who your audience is, but creds decks need to do both if they’re to successfully persuade someone to invest.

Here comes the tricky bit. While the purpose of a creds deck is to show off your skills, the worst thing you can do is use this opportunity as an excuse to indulge in your success. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your work, but there’s pride and then there’s outright bragging. No one wants to work with a narcissist. The focus needs to shift from you to your audience. Naturally, you’ll still talk about yourself, but in a client-centric way. So, the emphasis switches from reeling off your successes to how your successes make you qualified to help the person you’re talking to. Fail to make this switch and you risk total audience disconnect.

Westminster House

The problem with most cred decks.

Speaking of narcissism, most companies try to cram everything into their creds deck, so instead of being a greatest hits album, they become a playlist of everything you’ve ever made. The songs don’t follow on from each other. There’s no harmony. No continuity. No order. This won’t resonate with the listener. They want to hear about how you can address their specific needs and help them attain their personal goals. Clients are smart. If they get a whiff of irrelevance, they’ll lose interest. And if you use generic, nonspecific messaging, they’ll see right through it. Plus, I’m sure you’ll agree that your future clients are worth the effort of a tailored experience.

The home advantage

Creds decks also have the advantage of flexibility: they can be delivered remotely, from the convenience of your home. If for any reason, you can’t present in a face-to-face setting, there’s no reason why you can’t replicate the experience via a video call. You never know when a worldwide contagion’s going to sweep the nation, right? Creds decks give you that flexibility to sell your services in the online and offline spheres, without compromising on impact.

Building a creds deck in 9 steps

1. audience first.

The best way to approach your creds deck is to treat it like any other presentation. And what comes first in any other presentation? The audience. Like we said, too many companies focus on themselves. Before you start detailing how many offices you have and how many employees you’ve got, think about whether your audience even cares.

Companies with a focus on scaling up, for example, will likely see the benefit in your global locations. Others won’t give a toss about how many offices you have, but they may be enticed by the philanthropic string to your bow, seeing an opportunity to boost their CSR credentials. And this is exactly the point, the creds deck needs to be tailored to different audiences.

Think about who you’re  pitching  to through the lens of “What do they care about?”. Pinpoint their needs, motivations, challenges and expectations, and then use this information to draw parallels between their current reality and your solutions.

2. Personalise that page

Once you’ve thought about your audience, you can begin to piece the creds deck together. Starting unconventionally with… page one. This initial page needs to propose an idea so tempting they can’t click x.

In order to be compelling, your proposal has to resonate with them from the very first page. There’s no shortcut here, the only way to do this is to do your research. Get to know who you’re talking to so you can describe a situation they will identify with. Address a familiar scenario, reference some of their key challenges and set yourself up as the organisation with the keys to unlock their success. Personalise it to fit their situation, while introducing your own overarching value proposition.

Empathy is the driving force of a creds deck. The first page should prove to them that you get it. You understand where they want to go, you understand what’s holding them back and you know how to take them there. It should give them an inviting snapshot of what’s to come and a reason to keep listening.

3. Let the audience dictate their experience

Nothing creates an audience-centric presentation quite like a self-directed experience. Instead of building a linear deck, where audiences have no choice but to sit through every slide politely, give them the option to choose what they want to look at.

If you’d like to keep it simple, opt for a two-route menu system that enables them to jump to a particular slide, and back to the main menu. If you want to create a more dynamic experience, design a navigation system around their challenges. Create a menu that lists a set of pain points, with each one linking to your solution. This way, you can show that you already understand their challenges, and you’ve solved similar challenges before.

If case studies, rather than challenges, are the driving force of your messaging, you could even add layers of navigation for different verticals, or the brands that are most aligned to what they do. Ask them if there’s a company they aspire to be like and show them something similar you’ve worked on, or the real deal if you’ve got that connection under your belt. Navigation in presentation software can be as flexible as you want it to be, just remember to give your audience the power to choose where the conversation goes.

4. Show off what goes on behind the scenes

Your audience aren’t just interested in the final product, they’re keen to know how you got there. Odds are, you’re not the only company offering a solution to their problems, but what will distinguish you is the story you have to tell and the people behind your success.

The human element doesn’t come across in finished products, but in the struggle, the creativity and the development from the original ideas. Be transparent about the process – the highs, the lows, the time pressure, the deadlines, those late nights you spent trying to fix a software malfunction. Show them the mood boards and initial drafts that came before the polished piece. Explain how you overcame what seemed like an insurmountable challenge. In being transparent about the reality of the journey, flaws and all, you’ll evidence just how much passion goes in, from inception to final delivery.

Being honest about the challenges you faced gives you authenticity and shows grit. This will inspire confidence that no matter what, you’ll find an answer and get the job done.

5. Turn features into benefits

Features mean nothing without material business benefits. You should be applauded for devising a solution to their problems, but even if you’ve come up with a revolutionary idea with seven patents and first-of-their-kind features, so what? Features can be read on a specification list.  Benefits need to be demonstrated.

Perhaps you’re saving them time, making their processes more efficient, cutting costs or reducing the possibility of downtime. Whatever it is that will change their lives, transpose it into a language that your audience understands, and don’t presume they’ll immediately grasp what these benefits mean for them. Explain the benefits in the context of their working environment, or better yet, show them an angle they may not have considered before. Don’t just say it will solve their challenges, demonstrate how it will and why you can do it better than anybody else.

People buy based on their emotions, but justify their purchases with logic. The features give them the logic, but the benefits stir an emotional response, and it’s this that will feed that motivation to purchase.

6. Let your clients do the selling for you

The purpose of a creds deck is to sell. We know it, you know it, and your potential clients know it. But that doesn’t mean they deserve to sit through soulless marketing spiel and slide after slide of humble brag. And don’t assume they’ll simply take your word for it.

The vast majority of people won’t part with their hard-earned money without some evidence of the tangible successes you’ve had with other companies. And for those who are on the fence, the right testimonial could be the push that lands you a new client. The herd effect is a powerful force. People feel safer making riskier business decisions if others have done it before them. Demonstrating a proven track record of success, with quotes from other people, will reassure prospects of your authenticity and credibility.

The best creds decks give enough evidence to satiate everyone’s appetite. Some are swayed by the human impact; others may be numbers people. A glowing review from a happy customer, placed next to some high-impact data visualisation, could be all it takes to cement your success.

Software presentation

“This might sound cheesy but do believe the Hype! We contacted them with a really urgent requirement and they delivered an amazing presentation and ultra fast. Knowing what we wanted and having the copy already drafted obviously helped but their team got our vision and brought it to life, and better than we expected. We will definitely work with them again and are already thinking about the next idea.”

Colin Brimson

CEO, d-flo Limited

Conference presentation

“Our conference presentation stood out as the best part, and presentation, of the day! The Rockstar section was the talk of the conference, with everyone asking our contact where they’d gone to produce that. Making noise at these events is how the individual brands cut through to the group heads and get more support and confidence where they need it.”

Gordon Donald

Senior Sponsorship and Promotions Manager, AG Barr

Sales presentation

“I highly recommend the team to anyone looking to elevate their communications and take their sales presentations to the next level.”

Stephanie Malham

Chief Operating Officer, Outright Games

CPD presentation

“The team guided us through the step-by-step process with ease, providing great insight and fresh new ideas, to create a more modern and engaging CPD for our audience.”

Andrew Hamilton

UK Specification and Marketing Director, FAAC

Investor deck

“The team helped us to create a first-class investor deck, which was instrumental to the success of our investment round. We ended up securing £585,000, which exceeded our expectations by 30%.”

Kirstine Newton

Co-founder, Altitude Gin

7. Keep it short

It’s good to be passionate about what you do, but try not to let that passion cloud your judgement about audience engagement. You may want to showcase every asset from your highly-successful marketing campaign or every page of a brochure you created, but your prospect probably has other things to be doing. You need to learn to edit. Only show the aspects of your offering that solve a problem for your audience.

Some slides will deserve more attention than others, but that’s your call. Dedicate more time to the topics that matter most for the audience, and to explain the most meaningful components of your overarching argument. Follow a pace that you’re comfortable with, but keep it snappy and stick to the point.

8. Leave the ‘About Us’ section until the end

Out of the hundreds of presentations we’ve seen, one of the most common slipups is talking about yourselves upfront. Imagine you’re a potential client with a niggling pain point. You accept a meeting invitation with a company claiming to have an answer to your problems. The meeting commences and the first thing they do is tell you about their history, awards and company culture, and this ends up eating into most of the meeting time.

Establishing your credibility is vital, but the quality of your ideas and previous successes will do this for you. Leave the ‘ About Us ’ section to the very end and make it optional in your navigation system. Most prospects should be sold on you before you reach this part.

9. You are the driving force of the creds deck

Don’t forget that your slides are there to support you. Think of them as tools that’ll help you get your message across. You, as the presenter, are always the focal point of the presentation.

Ultimately, you’ll convince prospects with your authenticity, knowledge, tone, body language, confidence, and aura. All of this is really important because, together, they’ll shape your prospect’s judgement of you.

Even through a video call, your passion should shine through. This is why practicing is so important. You can use the slides as visual aids or reference points, but when it comes to the moment of delivery, it’s you who’ll be centre stage, with your slides playing a supporting role.

Optional, but recommended, extras

It’s easy for busy companies to dismiss an opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with you by asking you to send creds deck instead. This is convenient for them, but not so opportune for you, because you run the risk of the deck being lost in a busy inbox. Always try to push for a meeting. Your creds deck alone won’t be enough to persuade your audience. Without an in-person delivery, much of the passion that manifests through tone, gestures and unscripted answers to questions, will be lost.

If there’s no in-person meeting on the horizon, you can still use this to your advantage. Find out as much as you can about them via email, Linkedin or whatever their preferred communication platform is. Ask questions about what they’re currently working on, what’s filling up their time and what would relieve their pressure. Doing this is another way of evidencing that you genuinely care about helping them, and equips you with valuable information that you can use to personalise your creds deck, in preparation for the face-to-face meeting. Building this relationship online could be what charms them into setting up a video call, or making the time to give you that meeting in person.

At times, creating a creds deck may not feel like one of the most enjoyable aspects of self-promotion. Some people worry that a presentation won’t capture the brilliance of what they do, but with our tips, you can make sure every slide does your work justice. Or better yet, give the responsibility to someone else. As a full-service  presentation agency , we’re fully equipped to take care of your creds deck for you. There’s no time like the present. Get your creds deck ready now, that next big prospect might be looking for your company as we speak.

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A Gentle Introduction to Verifiable Credentials

What are verifiable credentials.

The tangible credentials we all use—driver’s licenses, passports, birth certificates, car titles, and plane tickets, for example—are now being re-imagined as digital files. We can carry these digital credentials on smartphones, index and search them, back them up, and make perfect copies of them on demand.

But while digital records are nothing new, today’s credentials come with certain ‘cryptographic superpowers’ that make them tamperproof , secure , and verifiable . Whereas a simple digital copy of a car title can easily be edited, a digital verifiable credential is one that has been issued by a trusted authority for, and only for, its holder.

With these superpowers comes an array of benefits for businesses, governments, and individuals alike. For consumers , they make it easier to interact with the digital world, offering a sort of universally trusted digital passport for verifying our identities online. For governments , they unlock opportunities for new economic growth through creating an underlying framework of trust between businesses and consumers. And for businesses , they can be used to automate workflows that are cumbersome today, improve trust and accountability, improve security, reduce fraud, and drive administrative efficiencies.

These advantages are compelling, and they make digital credentials an obvious component of a multidimensional , self-sovereign identity .

How Verifiable Credentials Work

When digital credentials conform to the W3C’s Verifiable Credentials Data Model , they are called verifiable credentials ( VCs ). They facilitate interactions using a pattern called the triangle of trust :

Issuers create credentials, holders store them, and verifiers ask for proof based upon them. Verifiable presentations are packages of evidence—either credentials, or data derived from one or more credentials—built by holders to satisfy a verifier’s requirements. Verifiers learn with certainty which issuers have attested something by checking digital signatures against a verifiable data registry (typically, a blockchain). 

So what does all of this mean? Well, it upgrades how we manage digital identity today:

• No more tedious back-and-forth between verifiers and issuers. With verifiable claims, the verifier no longer has to contact the issuer to confirm the credential. This can save admin-heavy industries like healthcare and insurance hundreds of billions each year in data verification costs. (Note: Verifiers still reserve the right to determine if an issuer is trustworthy or not.)
• The holder keeps control and ownership over her identity . Holders choose what they want to disclose, and to whom they want to disclose it. They can share only the required information, and nothing more. For example, they can prove they are a registered voter who hasn’t yet cast a ballot, without revealing their name or government ID number.

This all provides decentralization , flexibility , and freedom .

(Note: Icons at each corner of the triangle are arbitrary; institutions, individuals, and IoT things can each play any role in the triangle of trust.)

Vital Issues With Verifiable Credentials

Not all approaches to digital credentials are equally safe or powerful. Digital credentials must address important concerns before they achieve their promise:

• They need a standard, open format , so software that handles them can interoperate.
• They need a secure, vetted verification process , so they can’t be shared or used to commit fraud.
• They need a robust privacy strategy , so they can comply with regulatory requirements across legal jurisdictions, and so they avoid abuse in the surveillance economy .

The W3C standard for verifiable credentials begins to address these issues. Verifiable credentials are structured in an interoperable way. The attestations that they make are backed by another standards-track technology, Decentralized Identifiers ( DIDs ). They use industrial-strength, peer-reviewed cryptography, and the digital signatures that endorse them have documented algorithms for verification. A test suite and reference implementations in open source provide additional confidence.

Other approaches to digital credentials do exist. The airline industry has a standard for bar-coded boarding passes; ISO is working on global conventions for driver’s licenses; various technologies publish digitally signed documents to or with blockchains. However, only the W3C verifiable credentials spec combines the gravitas of a global standards organization, a scope that includes all types of credentials, and full compatibility with recent innovations in blockchain-oriented, decentralized identity. Thus, momentum on verifiable credentials is strong. Deployments are underway around the world for financial services , healthcare , travel , IoT , government , education , and refugee and vulnerable population use cases.

More Information

Verifiable credentials are a young technology. Those of us who work on the spec and its implementations as a full-time job know that the W3C standard is just a beginning—not a last word—on the important issues identified above. It specifies a data model, but not the actual format of digital files. Because it permits divergence on some pivotal questions, interoperability is not as good as it should be, yet. Verification processes need to go beyond digital signatures to complex criteria. Rich schemas for credentials need elaboration. A full threat model for credentials is under discussion , and different approaches to privacy are competing for mindshare.

In coming posts, I’ll explore these issues in greater depth. I hope you’ll end up with a clear idea how to navigate the complex, rapidly changing landscape of verifiable credentials, harvesting their goodness for yourself.

More in this series:

• Categorizing Verifiable Credentials : An exploration of the different types of credentials that exist today and the architectural choices driving these differences
• The Dangerous Half-Truth of “We’ll Be Correlated Anyway” : An argument for choosing non-correlating credentials over correlating credentials despite the oft-cited belief that some level of identity correlation is inevitable in today’s surveillance economy
• Evernym Webinar: Verifiable Credentials What we can learn from how credentials are managed in the physical world

Recent Posts

• Our Analysis of the EU Digital Identity Architecture and Reference Framework
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• January 2022 Release Notes

Protocol and NGO Liaison Office

Presentation of credentials - guidelines

The letter of credentials.

The letter of credentials of permanent representatives to the United Nations Office at Vienna are issued either by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the sending country and are addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by name and presented to the Director General of UNOV/ Executive Director of UNODC, who represents the Secretary-General and receives credentials on his or her behalf. Separate credentials should not be issued for the funds and programs and subsidiary entities affiliated with the United Nations Office at Vienna.

For a standard form of letters of credentials, please consult the example given.

Download | Standard letter of credentials

The presentation of credentials

When a new permanent representative assumes office, the mission should request the UNOV Protocol Service to make arrangements for the presentation of credentials.

Once a time and date for the presentation of credentials has been arranged, the Chief of Protocol welcomes the newly appointed permanent representative to the Vienna International Centre Rotunda (C-building). The permanent representative will then be escorted to the office of the Director-General/ Executive-Director by the Chief of Protocol and a courtesy Security Officer. The permanent representative may be accompanied by one or two members of his or her delegation as well as an interpreter provided by the mission, if necessary.

The presentation of credentials usually takes place in the office of the Director-General/ Executive Director. During the presentation, photographs of the Director-General/ Executive Director with the newly appointed permanent representative are taken by a photographer. Electronic copies of the photographs will be sent to the mission concerned.Then, less formally, the Director-General/ Executive-Director briefs the new permanent representative on present and forthcoming activities of the organisation with the represented country.

According to established practice, the meeting will usually not take longer than 30 minutes. Permanent representatives are not expected to make formal speeches during the presentation ceremony.

• Fraud Alert
• Legal Notice

• Gateway Protocol

Verifiable Credentials: The Future of Digital Identity

• Verifiable Credentials: The Future of…

Author:  Phillip Shoemaker

Table of Contents

• 1 Key Takeaways:
• 2 What Are Credentials?
• 3 The Need for Reliable Digital Credential Verification
• 4 What Are Verifiable Credentials?
• 5 How Do Verifiable Credentials Work?
• 6 What Is a Verifiable Presentation?
• 7 Understanding Digital Signatures
• 8 Digital Wallet vs. Digital ID Wallet
• 9 The Verifiable Credentials Ecosystem
• 10 How Are Verifiable Credentials Verified? 
• 11 The Verifiable Credentials Trust Model: A Trustless System
• 12 What Are the Key Components of Verifiable Credentials?
• 13 The Benefits of Verifiable Credentials
• 14 The Role of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) in Verifiable Credentials 
• 15 Conclusion
• 16 Identity.com

Key Takeaways:

• Verifiable credentials are digital credentials that are cryptographically verified. They can be used to represent things like diplomas, driver’s licenses, or even ownership of digital assets, all while ensuring authenticity and privacy.
• Individuals hold their verifiable credentials in digital wallets, giving them control over what information they share with verifiers.
• Verifiable credentials adhere to common standards, such as those set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), enabling them to be used across different platforms and organizations.

In the age of Web 2.0 , most internet users have a unique connection with each online service they use. Platforms like Amazon, Netflix, Facebook, Upwork, Airbnb, and others require new user registrations. This unique connection, established through email addresses and passwords, grants users the flexibility to present varying identities and credentials as the need arises.

Many service providers, especially those offering financial services requiring KYC , have fully integrated the internet into their operations. These providers often use e-KYC , the digital version of KYC, to reduce bureaucracy. As a result, users upload digital copies of their credentials, such as social security cards, driver’s licenses, passports, etc.

In this changing digital landscape, verifiable credentials emerge as a solution to improve trust and security in digital identity management. This guide will explore the concept of verifiable credentials, their functionality, and potential benefits.

What Are Credentials?

Credentials serve as evidence of an individual’s accomplishments, qualifications, experiences, or other significant aspects of their identity. Common elements found in credentials include:

• Personal Identification : Typically Includes the owner’s name, photo, and ID number.
• Issuing Authority’s Details : Features symbols or logos of the issuing body (e.g., state government symbols).
• Specific Information : Contains details like health insurance information, passport data, driver’s license specifics, etc.
• Method of Acquisition : Indicates how the credential was earned.
• Grades or Ratings : May include academic classifications (e.g., first class honors) or professional awards (e.g., “Top Performer” in a field).
• Constraints or Limitations : Often have validity periods or specific usage terms.

The Need for Reliable Digital Credential Verification

In today’s digital era, organizations from various fields, including healthcare, social media, and employment platforms, are dealing with the challenge of authenticating digital credentials. This task has become increasingly challenging due to the presence of fake credentials, which can lead to significant security issues and fraudulent activities. A 2019 Greenhouse Treatment Center survey underscores this reality, revealing that a considerable number of Americans have either used or own counterfeit identification.

While digitizing credentials has streamlined many organizational processes and reduced the need for manual verification, it also brought about its own set of challenges, notably the rise in counterfeit digital identities. This shift to digital has opened up critical questions around the verification process: How can organizations verify a user’s credentials confidently and accurately? Is there a way to authenticate credentials quickly and directly from the issuer, bypassing traditional, slower methods?

Consider the cases where it’s necessary to confirm a person’s educational background, like a Harvard Business School degree, or health status, such as COVID-19 vaccination. Traditionally, such verifications could involve lengthy and inefficient processes, including phone or email communications with the issuing institutions. This is where the concept of verifiable credentials comes into play. But the question remains: Can verifiable credentials provide a more effective, quick, and reliable means of verifying credentials directly from the issuer? This article aims to dive into the world of verifiable credentials, examining how they work and their potential to transform the landscape of digital credential verification.

What Are Verifiable Credentials?

Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are secure, tamper-proof credentials cryptographically verified for authenticity. Unlike physical credentials, VCs are stored digitally, eliminating the need for physical documents and streamlining the verification process. This allows individuals to easily share their credentials with organizations (verifiers) who need to confirm their identity, qualifications, or other details. VCs offer a faster, more secure way to manage and verify digital identities.

How Do Verifiable Credentials Work?

Verifiable credentials enable the instant generation and issuance of new credentials, which can then be presented for verification to various organizations or individuals. One of the key benefits of VCs over traditional credential formats is their enhanced privacy features. Users have the option to selectively disclose only the necessary information or claims, thus maintaining control over their personal details.

For instance, in scenarios where proof of educational qualifications is required, instead of submitting a physical or scanned copy of a graduation certificate, users with VCs can provide a simple, verified response – a “Yes” or “No” – to the inquiry. The verifying party, such as an employer or educational institution, can then immediately authenticate this response directly with the issuing entity, like Harvard University, using public key cryptography. This process not only streamlines verification but also upholds the privacy of the individual’s personal information .

What Is a Verifiable Presentation?

Verifiable Presentations are a key component in the world of verifiable credentials, primarily facilitating user interaction with various entities or organizations. They enable users to consolidate data from diverse credentials into a single, secure format while ensuring that the source or origin of these credentials is verifiable. This functionality is beneficial when users need to meet specific information requests from organizations.

The most significant benefit of Verifiable Presentations lies in their capacity for selective information sharing. Consider a scenario where an organization requires certain personal details like name, nationality, education, employment history, and insurance information. Traditionally, providing this information would mean handing over multiple documents, potentially exposing more personal details than necessary. Verifiable Presentations tackle this issue by allowing individuals to handpick only the relevant pieces of information from their various credentials. These selected data points are then compiled into a single, well-structured presentation, digitally signed to maintain both their authenticity and the user’s privacy.

Understanding Digital Signatures

Digital signatures serve as electronic equivalents of handwritten signatures or stamped seals. They enhance transparency, integrity, and the tamper-evident nature of credentials, making them an integral component of verifiable credentials (VCs). Digital signatures are essential to the trust model of the verifiable credential ecosystem. They provide assurance to the verifier that the shared credential or verifiable presentation indeed belongs to the claimed sender.

For instance, when a user combines data from their credentials in a digital wallet to create a verifiable presentation and submits it to an employer, they use two keys: the private key and the public key. The private key, known only to the issuer, is used to encrypt the credential. Meanwhile, the public key enables the verifier or the public to decrypt and verify the issuance of the credentials.

Digital Wallet vs. Digital ID Wallet

A digital wallet serves as a secure electronic tool that allows users to store payment methods like credit cards, bank account details, and even digital currency. It simplifies online purchases and transactions by quickly providing payment information without the need for manual entry.

On the other hand, a Digital ID Wallet is designed primarily to securely store and manage a user’s digital identity credentials. This can include digital versions of driver’s licenses, insurance cards, membership cards, and other personal identification documents. Enhanced by blockchain technology , digital ID wallets offer a secure means for users to present digital identification during interactions that require identity verification. Issuers can also utilize digital ID wallets to present verifiable credentials. They leverage cryptography and their public keys to ensure authenticity and security.

The Verifiable Credentials Ecosystem

The verifiable credentials ecosystem consists of three crucial parties: the issuer, the holder, and the verifier. Each play an essential roles in the validation and verification of credentials.

Here’s a detailed look at the responsibilities of these entities:

The issuer is an entity like a school, healthcare center, bank, company, government agency, or even an individual that grants credentials to users. For instance, a university that provides graduation certificates to its students acts as the issuer. Issuers utilize various techniques to establish their credibility and authority to issue credentials.

The holder is the individual or entity that receives credentials from the issuer. In the example above, each student awarded a certificate by the university is a holder. Holders possess the control to decide who has access to their credentials and can withdraw previously granted access. They can keep their credentials in a digital wallet on their device, or store them online or in cloud-based storage for ease of access and sharing.

3. Verifier

The verifier completes the communication circle within the VC ecosystem. When a holder presents their credentials to a verifier who requests verification, the verifier confirms the authenticity of the credentials through cryptographic communication with the issuer. Public-key cryptography enables the verifier to detect alterations, verify validity, or check expiration dates within seconds.

How Are Verifiable Credentials Verified? 

Verifiable credentials are verified through a three-step process: issuance, possession, and verification.

For example, a university (the issuer) digitally signs a diploma and awards it to a graduating student (the holder). The student can then present this diploma to a potential employer (the verifier) as part of their job application.

In the verification stage, the employer refers to a decentralized blockchain database to confirm the diploma’s authenticity. Importantly, the blockchain does not store the verifiable credentials directly. Instead, it records the necessary verification data and keys. The employer authenticates the diploma by matching the public key associated with the certificate to that of the university’s public key. This method allows the employer to:

• Confirm the university’s authority to issue the diploma.
• Ensure the diploma’s integrity by verifying it has not been altered.
• Ascertain that the credential meets specific criteria, such as verifying that the diploma is from a recognized institution like Harvard University.

The Verifiable Credentials Trust Model: A Trustless System

The trust model for verifiable credentials operates on a principle that simplifies and streamlines the establishment of trust. It eliminates the need for extensive communication or permissions. In this model, the issuer trusts the holder as a credible recipient of the credential, and the verifier trusts the issuer as a competent authority. This framework simulates a trustless environment, allowing various parties to agree on the validity and authenticity of credentials without needing extensive validation steps.

This model’s adaptability allows any entity, be it an organization or an Internet of Things (IoT) device, to assume the roles of issuer, holder, or verifier within the verifiable credentials ecosystem. The incorporation of IoT devices into the development of Web 3.0 further enhances the utility of the verifiable credentials data model, offering additional flexibility and integration capabilities.

Within this ecosystem, verifiers have the discretion to establish specific criteria for verifying credentials. They tailor their requirements to their unique needs. For example, a law firm seeking only Harvard Law School graduates can set verification criteria to accept credentials exclusively from Harvard, excluding those from other institutions

Key Criteria for Verifiers

Here are some additional specifications that a verifier can request to assess the issuer’s competence, authority, or define the required dataset from the holder:

• The type of credential
• The format type of the credential
• The use of specific cryptography
• The holder’s names (excluding sensitive information like date of birth or address)
• The holder’s proof of education (excluding specific grades)
• The holder’s age without additional personal details
• Credentials issued by a specific U.S. state
• Credentials issued by a specific country, etc.

What Are the Key Components of Verifiable Credentials?

Verifiable credentials have three key components:

• Credential Metadata: This includes the credential identifier and any conditional information like terms of use and expiration dates. The issuer encrypts and cryptographically signs this metadata.
• Claim(s): This tamper-proof component of verifiable credentials contains details about the individual who received the credential. It may include claims, awards, achievements, job titles, employee numbers, courses of study, graduation grades, date of birth, nationality, and other relevant information related to the purpose of the credential.
• Proof(s): This section encodes information about the issuer of the VC, including proof of authenticity. It shows if the conveyed claims have been tampered with.

The Benefits of Verifiable Credentials

The traditional procedure for issuing and presenting credentials has its flaws. One of these flaws is the purchase and use of fake credentials, as covered by BBC News . Thousands of UK professionals were found in 2018 to have patronized globally unrecognized fake institutions for certificates. For these reasons and many more, verifiable credentials have developed and continue to grow.

Verifiable credentials have emerged as a solution to address the limitations of traditional credential systems. They offer a range of benefits that enhance the efficiency, security, and privacy of credential transfer and verification processes. Let’s explore these advantages:

1. Instant Verification 

Verifiable credentials enable the instant verification of authenticity. Unlike traditional processes that can take hours, days, or even weeks, verifiable credentials allow for quick verification within seconds. This eliminates the delays and uncertainties associated with manual verification methods. The verification process is facilitated through existing digital signature protocols, utilizing public key cryptography.

2. Secure and Tamper-proof

Verifiable credentials employ digital signatures and cryptographic techniques to ensure the security and integrity of the data. The use of public key cryptography makes credentials tamper-evident, protecting them from unauthorized modifications. This provides a high level of assurance that the credentials being presented are genuine and have not been altered.

3. Limited Access and Privacy Protection

Verifiable credentials offer individuals greater control over their personal information. With digital signatures, users can selectively disclose specific facts or claims without revealing additional personal details. This limits access to sensitive information, providing privacy protection. Ultimately, users have the autonomy to decide which information they share. This ensures their privacy while still meeting the requirements of verifiers.

4. Full Ownership and Control 

Verifiable credentials empower individuals with full ownership and control over their credentials. They can securely store their credentials in a digital wallet and choose when and with whom to share them. Additionally, users can also revoke access to their credentials if needed, granting them complete control over their personal information.

6. Ease of Use

Because verifiable credentials are open standards, they are easy to implement by developers and easy to use by end users. The standardized approach allows for seamless integration into various systems and platforms. Users can combine data from multiple credentials to create a verifiable presentation tailored to the specific requirements of verifiers.

7. Interoperability and Compatibility

As previously mentioned, one can easily merge data from VCs for presentation and use in different contexts. When confirming age for a service, an individual can utilize a VC to provide proof of age. Furthermore, combining information from multiple VCs can verify age, nationality, and employment status concurrently. Combining a single VC with another credential can establish an individual’s eligibility for medical services and other purposes. The digital wallet allows you to share only the necessary data. This helps protect sensitive information and restricts access to authorized parties.

To read more about how interoperability is important in digital identity, click here .

The Role of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) in Verifiable Credentials 

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) play a crucial role in verifiable credentials. DIDs leverage digital signatures and other web 3.0 components to publicly identify and verify users or entities in a decentralized manner. Decentralized identifiers are unique global identifiers built on decentralized blockchain technology , in contrast to the centralized registries commonly used today.

DIDs serve as a means to establish and prove the identity of entities involved in verifiable credentials. Entities utilize private keys to cryptographically bind their identity to each credential they issue or hold. DIDs provide a unique technology that verifies the identity claims of any entity, whether it’s the issuer, holder, or verifier. Moreover, the verifier can utilize the public key during verification to attest to the authenticity of the verifiable credentials submitted by the holder.

Please click here to learn more about the importance of decentralized identifiers (DIDs) within the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) .

Verifiable credentials offer a range of benefits that enhance the trust, security, and efficiency of credential transfer and verification processes. By leveraging digital signatures, cryptography, and decentralized technologies, they address the limitations of traditional credential systems. Verifiable credentials empower individuals with greater control over their personal information while facilitating seamless and secure verification for organizations. As adoption of verifiable credentials accelerates, they are poised to fundamentally transform identity management and many other sectors.

Identity.com

In the 21st century, verifying a user’s identity and the authenticity of their credentials has become increasingly urgent and crucial. Building on the decentralized ecosystem framework, VCs and DIDs are revolutionizing existing structures and offering new solutions. It’s exciting to see Identity.com playing a role in shaping this desired future as a member of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) , the standards body for the World Wide Web.

The work of Identity.com as a future-oriented company is helping many businesses by giving their customers a hassle-free identity verification process. Identity.com is an open-source ecosystem providing access to on-chain and secure identity verification. Our solutions improve the user experience and reduce onboarding friction through reusable and interoperable Gateway Passes. Please refer to our FAQs page for more info about Identity.com and how we can help you with identity verification and general KYC processes.

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• Verifiable Credentials Explained

Credentials - driving licenses, college degrees, passports, etc. - are such an ordinary part of everyday life that people often do not think about the established features that make their usage so simple and secure. However, these features are important as otherwise credentials would not be able to fill their purpose. These features are as follows:

• Each credential has a definite format that allows others to quickly recognize the credential type (a verifier knows what a passport looks like and how it differs from a driving license).
• The credential contains relevant information about the subject to identify her and assert additional claims, like the classes of cars she is allowed to drive or her nationality.
• The credential contains relevant information used to prove the holder's right of possession. Usually, there is a picture of the subject that can be used to verify that the person that presents the credential is the rightful owner.
• The credential contains security features that allow others to verify its authenticity, e.g., watermarks, holographic elements, stamps, or even seals. It allows the verifier to check the authenticity of the document without the need of contacting the issuer directly.

This set of features makes physical credentials secure, easy to use, and privacy-preserving [1] . The same features need to be mapped in the digital world so that the digital versions of credentials can be used in the same manner as the physical ones. This is the role of Verifiable Credentials. As one of the specifications that describe Verifiable Credentials states, they are "a mechanism to express [...] credentials on the Web in a way that is cryptographically secure, privacy respecting, and machine-verifiable."

The "verifiable" part in the name means that the party that receives such credentials (the verifier) can check the integrity of the credential, that it was issued by a trusted issuer, and that it was presented by the rightful holder. The verifier can do all that without the need of contacting the issuer directly, exactly as is the case with physical credentials. As for the data contained in the credential itself (name, age, nationality, etc.), the verifier must trust the issuer that it has fulfilled all the due diligence to gather the correct information about the subject.

Verifiable Credentials are one part of the Digital Identities environment. If you are new to the concept and want to start with a broad overview, then have a look at our Overview of Decentralized Identities article.

Verifiable Credentials Data Formats

The data format makes a credential usable in the physical world, e.g., countries know which citizen data they have to put in a passport so that other countries recognize the document. The same goes for digital credentials. A data format makes Verifiable Credentials machine-readable and interoperable as it describes what fields are included in the document, what is the meaning of the fields, how the document is serialized, etc. Thanks to standardized data formats, applications know how to issue and consume an instance of Verifiable Credentials.

Different standards describe Verifiable Credentials data formats, among which the following are popular choices:

• Hyperledger AnonCreds (Anonymous Credentials)
• ISO/IEC 18013-5:2021 mobile Driving License (mDL)
• W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model

W3C Verifiable Credential Data Format

The W3C Data Model is fast gaining traction as a much simpler implementation of the concept. This is why this article focuses on the W3C model as an example of Verifiable Credentials.

A Verifiable Credential document consists of three main parts.

• Metadata describes the document itself: who is the issuer, when was the document issued, how long it is valid for, what is the schema of the data, etc.
• Claims carry information about the subject. This is the main payload of the Verifiable Credential. E.g., in the case of a university degree, this might be the name of the titleholder, the name of the degree, the title of the thesis, the overall note, etc.
• Proofs contain relevant information that makes the credential verifiable. This data allows for a cryptographic verification of the document's integrity and the issuer's identity.

The specification describes the canonical structure of the Verifiable Credential and does not impose any serialization. Implementers are free to choose any serialization like XML, YAML, etc. However, JSON-LD (JSON-based serialization for Linked Data) is used as the base media type.

The specification also does not impose any concrete format for the proof, and any valid cryptographic method can be used. Currently, the two most popular methods for creating proofs for the W3C data format are: using Data Integrity and signed JWTs (JWS).

Example of a W3C Verifiable Credential

Below is a simple example of a Verifiable Credential secured with a JWS:

The JWT payload contains the actual Verifiable Credential object. It consists of fields that are necessary for the Verifiable Credential to serve its purpose. These are explained below.

The @context property allows applications to properly understand the properties of the credential. It's essentially a namespace for the property names and some values. The context contains a list of URIs that point to documents that describe the context. For a W3C Verifiable Credential of version 2, it always uses https://www.w3.org/ns/credentials/v2 as the first value.

The id is an optional property, that, if present, contains a URL identifier of the credential. The id property can be used in different parts of the Verifiable Credential document and is used to uniquely identify the concrete element. For example, it can be used to identify a proof, the subject, the issuer, etc. It is recommended that the ID can be dereferenced to a machine-readable document with information about the identifier, thus it is common to use DIDs as identifiers in Verifiable Credentials.

The type property contains a list of types that the document represents. In case of Verifiable Credentials, the VerifiableCredential type is used together with application-specific types that allow to properly verify the document. E.g., the ExampleDegreeCredential type defines that the credential will contain a degree claim with the type of degree and a descriptive name . It is recommended that the type value is a URI that points to a machine-readable description of the type. Usually, the value is a reference to a URI defined in the context.

Other types of documents and objects like a proof or a VerifiablePresentation also have a type . A Verifiable Presentation is a document that contains data derived from one or more credentials. In addition, it typically includes one or more proofs of the holder. The holder presents the Verifiable Presentation and not the Verifiable Credential to other parties. The type allows implementations to distinguish between various documents and differentiations of.

A Verifiable Credential must contain an issuer field that uniquely identifies the issuer. It contains either a URL or an object with at least the id field:

This field is later used by verifiers to check the validity of any proofs (e.g., whether keys used to sign the credentials belong to the issuer).

Validity Period

validFrom and validUntil properties can be used to inform verifiers about the validity period of the credential. Verifies should check whether the credential is in their acceptable time range. E.g., that its validFrom date is not in the future.

These fields are optional and neither of them might appear in the Verifiable Credential document, which essentially creates a Verifiable Credential with indefinite lifetime. It is worth noting, that the validity period is not connected to the time when the concrete credentials documented was created by the issuer. E.g., in a credential representing a university degree the validFrom date will most probably point to the date when the user finished all her exams and made a successful defence of her thesis. The Verifiable Credential document saved in the user's wallet could be issued months or years later.

Credential Subject

The credentialsSubject property contains all the data about the subject of the credential. A Verifiable Credential must contain this property, as it must describe some subject. The property contains a set of objects with claims about the subject. What concrete claims are eventually inserted here depends on the concrete type of the credential.

It is worth noting that the credential contains information about a subject — an entity, and the credential is issued to a holder. Very often the holder and the subject will be the same entity, e.g., a person getting her passport as a Verifiable Credential. In other cases, these entities might be different. For example, a dog owner might get a vaccination certificate for her dog, in which case the dog will be the subject of the credential while the owner is the holder. A Verifiable Credential can even contain information about more than one subject, e.g., a marriage certificate would list both spouses as the two subjects.

Privacy-Preserving Features

Issuers can create Verifiable Credentials using features that can further preserve the holder's privacy. Selective-Disclosure JWTs (described in the context of Verifiable Credentials in this early draft specification ) and Zero-Knowledge Proofs are example of such features.

With SD-JWTs holders are able to present to verifiers only some claims received in the Verifiable Credential. The verifiers are still able to check the integrity of the presented claim values, even though they do not have access to all the data from the Verifiable Credential. This is achieved by issuing the credential with hashed values and sending the holder these values outside the credential document. Upon verification, the verifier first checks the integrity of the origin Verifiable Credentials document, then creates hashes of the claim values presented by the holder and checks if these hashes are present in the Verifiable Credential.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs allow holders, apart from selectively disclosing claims, deriving claim values from the data they possess. A common example is transforming a birthdate into a claim that confirms that the holder is above certain age. Using ZKP solutions, the holder can prove that she is above certain age without actually disclosing any information about herself. The claim is cryptographically prepared in such a way that the verifier is able to check its correctness without access to any actual data from the holder. It is worth noting, that issuers must support these features as the Verifiable Credential document must be issued in a way that supports using Zero-Knowledge Proofs.

Verifiable Credential Protocols

Adhering to a concrete, standardized data format is only one part of the Verifiable Credential experience. Additional specifications are needed so that holders can perform operations on credentials:

• obtaining credentials from issuers,
• creating Verifiable Presentations based on the credentials they possess.

These specifications describe the flows that happen between wallet applications, issuers, and verifiers so that they can obtain and manage credentials in a safe way. Such standards allow all parties to operate together without the need of implementing bespoke flows for every issuer, wallet, or verifier available on the market. As with data formats, there are different standards that describe Verifiable Credential flows. Notable examples include:

• The Aries framework developed by the Heyperledger Foundation,
• OpenID for Verifiable Credentials developed by the OpenID Foundation.

The latter group of specifications is based on the well-established OAuth 2.0 protocol and makes working with Verifiable Credentials easier than is the case with the Aries framework. That is one of the reasons why the European Union regulators chose the OpenID specifications and the W3C Data Model for use in the Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation.

Revoking Verifiable Credentials

Verifiable Credentials are meant to be used as long-lived documents, at least in scenarios where they represent long-lived physical credentials. Driving Licenses, Passports and University Degrees do not expire often and are rarely revoked. Still, to cover all situations, there is a need to support Verifiable Credential revocation. The problem of VC revocation is pretty much the same as with physical credentials. If someone presents their passport to a verifier, the verifier has to contact the issuer to check whether the document was revoked. The verifier loses the advantage of not having to maintain direct connection to the issuer.

It depends on the verifier whether it needs to check for credential revocation or not. For example, if the verifier only needs to know the holder's age, it might not care if the Verifiable Credential representing the holder's passport is revoked or not. In other cases, for example, when the holder wants to rent a car, it might be important for the verifier to make sure if the holder's driving license was revoked. Another issue are credentials revoked because of technical reasons (compromised certificates or private keys) or because of procedural errors (someone lied about her name or age). Again, it is up to the verifier to decide whether it should be concerned with such revocations or not.

One way of checking credentials for revocation is to query verifiable data registries for revocation entries. This mechanism is simple to implement, but raises some privacy issues. For example, once the verifier has some information from the holder, they can query the registry to gain additional information about them. Imagine this scenario — a celebrity uses electronic driving license to rent a car, then the rental company is able to periodically check the registry and instantly know if the celebrity lost their driving license.

Another solution might involve adding information about the date of issuance of the Verifiable Credential document, either to the document itself or to another, linked document. This will allow verifiers to decide whether the Verifiable Credential is fresh enough and ask the holder to refresh the credential otherwise. This way the verifier can assure freshness of the credential and the holder have her privacy protected. Such a solution also does not require any connection between the verifier and issuer (or a party that exposes the revocation registry). Here is a proposed standard for a solution with linked documents.

While revocation is an important part of the Verifiable Credentials lifecycle, there are no well-established standards that describe it. Implementers have to choose a method that fits their use-case and weigh the benefits against the drawbacks of different revocation solutions.

Use Cases For Verifiable Credentials

Verifiable Credentials are a generic concept that can be used in a variety of use cases . They are designed to mimic credentials that are used in the physical world, so that they can be utilized with at least the same level of security and usability in the digital one. In some cases, the security of digital identities will be even stronger than that of the physical ones, thanks to automated checks and strong cryptography. Of course, the document itself does not provide much functionality, it's how and where the credential is used. Here are some common scenarios when thinking about decentralized identities and Verifiable Credentials:

• Electronic passports can be used in place of physical ones. This will allow the holder to prove her identity without the need of keeping the physical document with herself. The electronic passport can be kept in a cloud wallet, so that it is not tied to one concrete physical device. This will allow to access the passport even if the device is lost. What is more interesting, electronic passports or ID cards can be used to prove certain traits about the user without having to present the whole document. E.g., the user can prove her age or nationality when registering at a lottery website (or even only being above certain age, without presenting the actual age). The website will be able to securely verify this information and will not have to rely solely on the user declaration.
• Electronic driving license can be used to rent a car or present to authorities abroad. Thanks to a standardized format of the document, verifiers are able to automatically translate field names so that they know what data they're dealing with (e.g., verifiers will not confuse the holder's name with her city of residence, etc.)
• A university degree issued as a Verifiable Credential can be used in different applications (e.g., job application, grant application, etc.). The verifier will be able to ensure that the applicant is indeed an alumni of a given college, without performing complicated checks at the alma mater.
• Boarding passes can be issued as Verifiable Credentials. Even though the main verifier is the same as the issuer (the airline company), the boarding pass can be used with other verifiers. E.g., it can be used in a duty-free shop to prove eligibility to tax-free shopping, and it can be done without revealing any information to the shop, apart from the destination (or even the simple fact of being eligible for tax-free shopping).

Verifiable Credentials are an important element of the digital identities landscape. They provide secure, machine-readable credentials that preserve features known from the physical world. Standards defining formats and protocols for managing Verifiable Credentials allow applications to securely work with these types of documents in a robust manner. Implementers should be aware that there are different standards as they will have to decide which they want to support in order to achieve the highest levels of interoperability in their applications. Digital identities are rapidly evolving, with standards being fleshed out and new ones emerging. However, this should not deter companies from engaging with these solutions, as at Curity we believe that digital identities will have a crucial role in the future of authentication and authorization.

1 Physical credentials are privacy-preserving in the sense that there is no direct link between the issuer and verifier. Whenever a holder presents her credential to the verifier, the issuer does not know that the credential is being used. ↩

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Credential Harvesting 101: How It Works and Mitigation Tips

November 27, 2023

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Credential harvesting is the immediate goal of most cybercrime in which attackers seek users’ login information. The strategy is to build a large enough cache of credentials so that they can sell them or exert pressure on the individuals or companies impacted by their loss.

Let’s dive into credential harvesting in more depth, walk through some of the context and implications surrounding it, and provide some solutions for mitigating its harmful impacts.

What is credential harvesting?

Credential harvesting refers to collecting user credentials en masse , by whatever means necessary, to drive other cybercrime activity. Often, when individual threat actors or organizations set out to defraud users of their credentials, they are not targeting a single individual’s credentials. Instead, they aim to gather—or harvest—as many as possible.

Simply put, credential harvesting is precisely what it sounds like: a high-quantity illicit collection of credentials.

The goal of credential harvesting points to the practical impacts it can have on a business. Namely, cybercriminals aim to collect credentials in great volumes because there’s a market for them on the dark web. 

Individual user credentials fetch specific per-unit rates , per a PC Mag report. The highest prices are reserved for LinkedIn logins ($45 each in 2022), but the real value comes from selling huge batches of credentials.

Credential harvesting on the rise

One of the most concerning things about credential harvesting is its prevalence. An AT&T cybersecurity briefing on the threat vector reports that over 24 billion credentials have been amassed on the dark web as cybercriminals seek to sell them in bulk to other attackers.

Once credentials have been stolen or otherwise acquired, they can be used for:

Account takeover

Credential stuffing  

Lateral movement and escalation of privilege

Other forms of broken authentication

That’s why most phishing attacks each year are dedicated to credential harvesting (71.5% in 2020, per AT&T).

Additionally, credential harvesting has an outsized impact on certain industries. Per one study, credential harvesting was the biggest threat to the retail industry in 2022. It comprised 63% of reported cyber threat indicators within the sector, while the second-highest share (suspicious domains) came in at 16%. 

Not surprisingly, credential harvesting was also the threat that survey participants were most concerned about moving into the future.

Common techniques used for credential harvesting

Credential harvesting is not in itself a method of attack but an underlying purpose. Attackers can use many different methods to achieve that goal.

Anything attackers do to guess, crack, or steal credentials can lead to harvesting, but the most common threats are:

Phishing and social engineering : These fraudulent emails trick victims into providing their credentials or engaging with a link / attachment that steals them. In a 2022 phishing campaign targeting financial firms in the real estate sector, thousands of Microsoft 365 credentials were harvested on dark web servers.

Keystroke logging (keylogging) : These are programs that attackers place on victims’ computers to track every keyboard input. Then, they analyze the results to reveal credentials.

Man-in-the-middle (MITM) : These are complex schemes in which attackers intercept or manipulate communication between two parties and decrypt it without being noticed.

To mitigate the impact of these attacks, it’s critical to be cognizant of negative online behaviors like password sharing and password recycling. It’s also important to set up defenses against the gaps these attacks exploit, as well as deploy technologies for responding to incidents in real-time.

Consequences of credential harvesting

The most immediate impact of credential harvesting is compromised account security.

On the individual level, all impacted employees or end users could have their sensitive information leaked and face consequences in their professional and personal lives. 

At the company level, sensitive data may be leaked or held ransom by attackers.

There are also potential legal and compliance consequences to these attacks. If the leaked or compromised data is subject to industry or governmental regulations, then the organization could lose its certification or face monetary and other noncompliance penalties.

An additional burden that comes due to harvested credentials is reputational damage. Current and potential clients, both individual consumers and businesses, may be wary of trusting a firm targeted by credential harvesting. The same goes for potential and current employees, who may be harder to recruit and retain.

How to prevent and mitigate the threat of credential harvesting

Given the potential impacts of credential harvesting on personnel, clientele, and other stakeholders, it’s imperative to take active steps toward preventing and mitigating the threat. This means taking steps that: 

Make cybercriminals less likely to attempt an attack 

Ensure attacks are less likely to cause harm if they’re successful

The first line of defense comes from standard cyberdefense practices, including:

User awareness , established through training, to make falling for phishing less likely.

Encryption across all credentials so that even stolen assets are unintelligible to attackers.

Regular security updates and patch management , minimizing exploitable vulnerabilities.

Monitoring infrastructure to identify threat indicators and potentially fraudulent logins.

Incident response protocols to detect and respond to an attack as swiftly as possible.

However, some of the best and most efficient protections against credential harvesting happen at the point of authentication itself. Secure login makes these attacks less frequent and impactful.

Phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an improvement on baseline single-factor systems such as traditional password-based authentication. Rather than requiring a single set of stealable or guessable assets, such as a username and password, MFA requires at least one additional factor. 

The best MFA systems require a possession factor or inherence factor—something the individual owns, such as a device, or something the user is, such as a biometric scan of their iris, face, fingerprint, etc.

MFA makes it harder for cybercriminals to use stolen or defrauded credentials to access user accounts and sensitive data. With MFA, a harvested password is not enough to break auth.

While some MFA deployments remain vulnerable to social engineering, phishing-resistant MFA deployments leverage advanced techniques like behavioral analysis, biometric authentication , and risk-based auth to monitor for and address fraudulent account access. It accounts for vulnerabilities baked into more simple, traditional MFA and is better suited to defend against credential harvesting – while also giving legitimate users a more seamless experience.

Passwordless authentication methods

Finally, organizations worried about credential theft and harvesting can also look to take (most) credentials off the table altogether. Passwordless authentication systems utilize other methods to validate users’ identities, beyond usernames and passwords, so there’s nothing to harvest.

Some of the most common and effective passwordless auth methods include:

Biometric auth , used on its own rather than along with a knowledge factor in MFA

One-time passwords (OTP) or codes sent to users’ devices to enable a login session

Timed-based one-time passwords (TOTP) , or codes that expire within a short window

Magic links or URLs embedded with access tokens sent securely to users’ devices 

Social logins that let users sign in to apps using pre-existing trust with another identity provider

Going passwordless renders credential harvesting moot, while also providing people with a much more user-friendly experience sans the need to create, remember, and manage an endless number of passwords.

Safeguard against credential harvesting with Descope

It’s clear that credential harvesting – and credential-based attacks in general – are one of the main priorities for organizations to guard against in the years ahead. Descope helps organizations either completely eliminate credential harvesting, or greatly raise the bar for cybercriminals and make it much tougher for them to exploit credentials.

For organizations committed to going passwordless, Descope’s no / low code CIAM platform makes it easy to add a variety of passwordless authentication methods to their apps using drag-and-drop workflows. For organizations deciding to stick with passwords, Descope simplifies the addition of password-based authentication to their apps along with breached password detection through Have I Been Pwned .

Sign up for a Free Forever account to get started with Descope, or schedule a consultation with our authentication experts to learn more.

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