Marketing Cyber Credentials
This article looks at the benefits of investing in cyber security, and how leading and embedding cyber security credentials within your marketing communications can, not only, help protect your business, but sell it too.
Why you should celebrate cyber security
Credentials to your business are an investment, and will take time and thought to achieve. Don’t hide them, lead with them. We urge you to think about your cyber security credentials from a marketing perspective right from the start, to celebrate your success, integrate them into your marketing communications, and let them work for you to promote your business.
As well as the practical cyber security benefits from the accreditation, they also enhance your value-proposition to your customers. Credentials can help your business by adding legitimacy, increasing trust in your business, re-assuring clients, helping them to start and develop relationships with you, encouraging them to buy your products and services. Use them to differentiate your business from your competitors. Accreditations communicate your commitment to quality as a measure of excellence, and open doors to contracts you would not otherwise be able to gain, for example, many Government contracts now require Cyber Essentials certification in the tendering process.
Review your credentials
Bring your marketing staff together with your cyber security staff. Look at your credentials -why did you invest in it? What are the benefits? Understand the drives to getting the accreditation and adapt that messaging to relate to your business. Think about what value-add each accreditation has for each of your stakeholders.
Do a gap analysis -what could you say about your business if you got another credential? What new business could you win? What about your competitors-what credentials do they have? How do they communicate those? What do you like and dislike about that?
Maximise messaging
Ensure the messaging is right for your business around each credential-what does it mean to each target market, what does it add to your business? Develop some simple messaging that communicates what credentials you have and the value they bring for each of your stakeholders.
Get social
Do you engage with any cyber security related organisations to show your customers you care about protecting your organisation and their data? Develop assets of social media cyber content that can be scheduled, and updated as required.
Wear your credentials with pride
Integrate certification logos and messaging into your marketing communications templates. Having these visible will help deter hackers, and re-assures your customers and staff, increasing trust in your business. Make sure you have your accreditations listed on your website.
Equip your salesforce
Make sure your salesforce knows what credentials you have and are able to translate them to benefits to your target customers.
Celebrate your staff
When staff gain cyber qualifications, include that in your marketing communications. Use them to promote your biggest business assets, your team, and use a personal approach to your marketing to engage with your clients. Each celebration is another way to re-in force, or even re-define your brand values.
Find Out More
If you enjoyed this briefing paper, check out our other digital resources which cover a wide range of topics, including quantum computing, social media, and 3D printing.
The Lancashire Cyber Foundry runs a series of business strategy and cyber workshops specifically designed for SMEs in Lancashire. We’re passionate about seeing Lancashire business become more cyber-aware and innovative and so offer funded places for companies to come and learn how to defend, innovate and grow their business. Additionally, we have an experienced technical team ready to help you with your business innovation ideas, particularly around cyber and digital innovation.
Interested? Email us
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