Data security is a concern common to every business, so it’s easy to understand why so many channel partners take a one size fits all approach when selling security solutions. Just like any other solution, security should be personalized to fit the unique needs of your customer. Here are 5 strategies that will help you start the conversation and suggest the right solution to benefit you both.
- Be knowledgeable about your customer’s industry. Verticals like healthcare and law have compliance regulations (and challenges!) unique to their industry, which go well beyond simply securing their network. By arriving at your sales meeting armed with an understanding of the requirements unique to your customer’s industry and geography, you will position yourself as a knowledgeable and valuable resource. You’ll also be able ready to talk on the spot about solutions tailored to those needs, like the Xerox® Healthcare MFP Solution.
Share, Don’t Scare. We’ve written before about how uninformed most small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are about data security, and it’s true. The statistics are alarming. A 2016 study carried out by Cyber Streetwise and KPMG revealed that less than 25% of small businesses perceived cybercrime as a threat, and only 37% have a security plan in place. This presents an excellent opportunity for you to inform and educate your customers on the importance of data security, and on spotting the most common threats. The next step is showing them that protecting against those threats can be much easier than they think. SMBs want easy, reliable solutions that work for their business. They also want to know that they’re keeping up with industry standards – and what their competition is doing.
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Ask the Right Questions. A truly secure work environment means protecting against more than just the headline grabbing threats. For example, helping customers manage BYOD is a hot topic, but jumping on a topic simply because it’s trending can easily backfire. Focus on understanding your customers’ unique business challenges and workflows is key to making a sale. It’s important to take the time to find out just how prevalent devices really are in your customer’s office, how they’re used, and what protocols are already in place.
- Emphasize how to integrate, not just add. Many customers are intimidated by the idea of implementing security solutions, fearing them to be expensive, complicated to implement, or difficult to use. Many worry that these solutions will disrupt their workflows or be a burden to their employees. In reality, the right security solution should enable their business, not hinder it. By highlighting the simple and efficient ways that security can be integrated into their existing infrastructure and processes, you’ll put them in a mindset of possibilities rather than challenges.
- Build trust. Security can be a touchy subject, one that can leave your customers feeling vulnerable in their business. By taking care to understand their needs, what drives their business, and why they’re passionate about what you do, you can establish a trust relationship that will ensure that your clients will rely on you when it counts – like when they’re facing security threats that can harm their business and their employees.
Listening and helping are the key to selling in today’s market. By balancing your product knowledge and experience with a comprehensive understanding of your customer’s challenges and concerns, you can protect them from data threats and position yourself as a trusted advisor and industry expert they will rely on for years to come.
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