How Should Cybersecurity Marketing And Sales Professionals Contact Relevant CISOs?

It can be a daunting task for Cybersecurity vendors to contact relevant CISOs. Not anymore!. Here is the ultimate guide to build a profitable rapport with CISOs.

If you're a cybersecurity marketing or sales professional, you already know how difficult it can be to get your emails read and your calls returned by chief information security officers (CISOs). You don't have the time for a trial and error method, so here's a quick guide on how to contact relevant CISOs for the best chance of getting heard.

Stand in CISOs Shoes

“Talk business. Let them know how their organization will be better off in the future in terms of ROI.”

Most cybersecurity marketers do not understand the job role of a CISO. A CISO does possess a technical background but as an inherent job requirement, he is also responsible for calculating the ROI of investing in a cybersecurity system. He tries to balance the company budget with acceptable risk. So, what is the right approach to have them interested in your product?

• Don’t overemphasize the technical aspects of your product.
• Talk business. Let them know how their organization will be better off in the future in terms of ROI.
• Incorporate cybersecurity into broader enterprise risk management strategy. Top-level executives have familiarity with understanding probabilities and risk and making plans for risk mitigation. Using the same approach and terminology will help C-suite understand that cybersecurity is not just an IT issue.

Transactional vs Relational

As in any B2B business, rapport building has the utmost priority. Most probably, your competitor has already pitched their services to CISOs you are emailing. So, what will make you stand out from other cybersecurity providers?

• Being relationship-oriented means you understand your target customer before telling them about your services. You let them speak and understand the problem they are facing.
• Never turn down questions from a client even when you are sure that they won’t hire your services.
• Make them speak. The more your customer speaks, the better are your chances of cutting the deal.
• Building a relationship with CISOs not only increases the chances of selling products but also helps you get new clients via reference.

Contact Relevant CISOs: The “Right Way” of making the First Contact

“Establishing the engagement for the first time is perhaps the most difficult one to achieve. You must be already on the CISO’s radar when he decides to hire someone for his organization's cybersecurity.”

Establishing the engagement for the first time is perhaps the most difficult one to achieve. You must be already on the CISO’s radar when he decides to hire someone for his organization's cybersecurity. So how do you go about doing that? Cold emails? A big NO! Consider following the steps given below to contact relevant CISOs for the first time:

Get Inspired

1. Find a reliable source

Most of the CISOs will tell you that they get to know their vendors from colleagues and industry investors. Finding a reliable source who can introduce you to the CISOs is a huge advantage. It is because business personnel often need a reason to trust someone before they hire him for services. A recommendation from a person with whom they have a good relationship will help them overcome trust issues. You can dig into their connections on LinkedIn or other social media platforms to find a suitable person who can put a word for you.

** 2. Industry Events**

Attending, organizing, and sponsoring industry events is another effective way to to contact relevant CISOs. This is a great way to show that you value the community. Attending these events will also help you establish new connections and if you manage to build a relationship with the right person, you will be his first choice if he ends up needing what you are selling.

3. Go Prepared

Spend time researching your target customers. If you want organizations to consider your services, first you have to show you understand their business and care about them. Find the problems they are facing and discuss the possible solutions with them. Keep an eye on current industry trends to find openings for discussion.

4. Ask Questions

People are more likely to listen and respond to questions than to a sales pitch (Read more about making sales to CISOs). “I had a couple of questions for you” vs “Have you got a minute to listen to my offer?”. You would agree that the former has a higher chance of evoking interest in the addressee. So when you are trying to contact relevant CISOs and you get a chance, make sure you ask questions and let them speak.

5. Give Before You Take

Offer something your customers value for free. This is perhaps the most productive investment you can make. What can you offer to a CISO? Well! You can share a vulnerability report with them. Just don’t ruin it by asking for a meeting (even of 15 minutes) in return. Just let them read it and add a couple of sentences about how you can be of service to the problem.

6. Value Feedback

Even if CISOs don't want your services after you have approached them, they will be willing to give feedback on your offer. You can ask them politely and professionally to give their take on the promotional message. Make it clear to them that you are not following up for closing the sale but to solicit a response for improvement. It can help you get some genuine feedback that you can use to refine your product and sales pitch

Contact the relevant CISOs on Execweb!

From contacting relevant CISOs for the first time to selling them your services, you can expedite the whole process using our platform. Execweb will put you in touch with C-level executives right away who are interested in your cybersecurity services. With Execweb you get a network of authentic people who have joined our platform due to our founder's personal relationship in the industry and our class-leading service quality. You will have access to their professional profiles and areas of expertise. Furthermore, you can easily set up one-on-one or roundtable virtual meetings with them at an extremely affordable price. Fill out the contact form and one of our team members will reach you back. You can also call us at (516) 703-1311 to get started right away.