Marketing has some generalizations but it’s definitely not a profession or a skill set that can be shoehorned into every niche or vertical.
In this post I’ll outline some ways that I feel being able to market Cybersecurity is different – or perhaps better said: unique – when compared to other industries.
From my experience, marketing to Cybersecurity Companies can be done successfully as long as several “respectful” considerations are baked into your outreach strategies (more on that below).
What Makes Me The Expert?
I’ve been in the Cybersecurity space since 2012, which, as we all know is almost like saying that I was around in the late neolithic period.
We used to run InfoSec courses and training programs, and that business evolved into Concise AC – the organization behind this website.
Long-story-short: I’ve been marketing Cybersecurity for nearly a decade and I can certainly attest to some significant challenges that we “security marketers” face.
Let me list them out:
- The “suspicious” mindset;
- The “haven’t I seen this before” mindset;
- Having to target more niche-related channels
Marketing Cybersecurity is of course, in most ways, identical to marketing any other verticals, but if we address what I’ve written above I can try to explain what tends to work the best.
Also! If you’re interested, we also have a resource that lists a bunch of Cybersecurity Marketing Ideas.
The “Suspicious Mindset”
With so much scamming going on at the moment (that exploded during COVID), it’s no wonder that as Cybersecurity marketers we are constantly under the gun when trying to market our security services and products.
However, here’s the kicker with our industry: inherently a security professional is more “aware” of the scams that are out there and as a result, they’ll be less likely to “click that link” or “engage in a conversation” with someone they don’t know. Phishing and ROOT admin via malicious downloads are what scares away a lot of our potential clients.
Possible solutions include:
- Don’t send URL’s that need interaction
- Speak a language they’ll understand (niches within Cybersecurity have very specific jargon)
What Works & What Doesn’t
What I am going to say next is not strictly reserved for Cybersecurity, but here goes: always respect your cold outreach.
What I mean is this: research who you are targeting and when you reach out to them reference what it is that they do and why you think that’s a good thing, and ideally express how you see the value in the solution that they are providing.
Now, this will sound self-explanatory, but increasingly with time (and the influx of scams, growth marketing automation, bots, etc.,), we are being bombarded with generic marketing messages that make us turn off.
By expressing genuine interest and demonstrating that you understand their business will vastly increase your open rate and engagement.
Don’t Sell! Introduce Yourself and Offer Value
Really – this comes down mostly to this: WIIFM.
Cybersecurity marketers should always ask themselves, “if I were receiving this email” – what would be in it for me?
“What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM) is – in my opinion – perhaps one of the most important aspects of being successful with regards to marketing, and the Cybersecurity industry is no exception.
Good luck with your marketing efforts in 2021 – and let me know what you think. I intend on adding to this post throughout the year as more thoughts come into my head.