Learn how to stack and sell SaaS security solutions.
When it comes to the threat of cyberattacks on a business, it’s no longer “if” but “when.” In fact, 64% of companies worldwide experienced at least one attack in the past year and the costs are adding up – cybercrime is predicted to cause $6 trillion USD in damages globally in 2021.
As the threats continue to grow, cybersecurity has become an essential cost of doing business, and the tech industry is racing to keep up. Spending on cybersecurity products and services is projected to exceed $1 trillion USD by the end of 2021.
This creates a massive opportunity for agents to enlarge their role as a trusted tech advisor and help clients identify and deploy the right SaaS security solutions to defend themselves. So, what’s the right approach?
The Layered Security Stack
No single cybersecurity solution can protect everything. That’s why layering solutions to provide full coverage across a range of attack vectors is an industry-recommended approach. However, with hundreds of security solutions out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.
Agents should standardize on a foundational security stack with leading SaaS solutions that provide a solid base of protection for clients. A security stack that the Pax8 team has found to be successful for agents includes:
Endpoint security
70% of breaches originate at the endpoint, but 42% of all endpoints are unprotected at any given time!
The number of endpoints within organizations has exploded – from servers and desktops, to laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Each one is a potential vulnerability that can be exploited to give incoming malware access to the corporate network.
Simply installing antivirus software is no longer enough. Instead, modern Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions such as SentinelOne go beyond prevention to actively detect threats across endpoints.
Email security
94% of malware is delivered via email.
Email is the #1 vulnerability for phishing, ransomware, spam, and malware. However, the native security features of email solutions such as Office 365 don’t provide enough built-in protection to defend your clients’ inboxes.
To defend against today’s advanced threats, you should leverage an advanced email security solution such as Proofpoint that can provide email encryption, attachment defense, outbound filtering, virus protection, email archiving, advanced reporting, and more.
Anti-phishing security and end user training
95% of cybersecurity breaches are due to human error.
An organization’s security defense is only as strong as their weakest link – in most cases, an end user. And with today’s sophisticated phishing emails and spoofed URLs, even a savvy user might accidentally open a malicious attachment.
Anti-phishing solutions such as IRONSCALES combine powerful anti-phishing features — such as URL and attachment scanning — with phishing simulation training. This helps users identify and report suspected phishing attempts, while also preventing most phishing attempts from ever reaching their inbox.
Sales Advice
Once you’ve standardized on a security stack offering, what’s the best way to position it to clients? Below are four tips from our solution consultants.
Sales tip #1: Be proactive.
Unfortunately, most cybersecurity conversations tend to happen after a breach or cyberattack has occurred — when tensions and emotions are high, and the damage has already been done.
Instead, agents should proactively bring up security to clients to make them aware of gaps in their defense before any vulnerabilities can be exploited. Not only does this lend itself to a more measured discussion, it also solidifies your role as their trusted tech advisor.
Sales tip #2: Ask questions.
Many clients might think they already “have it covered” when it comes to their security posture. They might assume that anti-virus software is all they need to protect their email or that the built-in security features of their Microsoft solutions are enough to keep their employees safe.
Open-ended questions are the best way to get your clients to think critically about the protections and processes they have in place and identify gaps. Ask them things like:
– When a phishing email lands in a user’s inbox, what’s your remediation process?
– How do you identify users affected by a phishing attack?
– How are you currently protecting your endpoints?
– What’s the internal process around handling security breaches?
– What ransomware or threats are your users getting hit by that your antivirus isn’t stopping?
Sales tip #3: Show empathy.
IT decision makers often feel a lot of pressure when it comes to cybersecurity. There’s a lot at stake! A single click by an end user on a malicious email can unleash a ransomware attack that shuts down the entire organization and costs the business thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of dollars in recovery costs, lost productivity, and lost revenue.
Approach this conversation with tact. You never want to make someone feel like they are failing or unprepared. Instead, present your pitch as recommendations to complement and strengthen their existing cybersecurity approach.
Sales tip #4: Be armed with stats, stories, and case studies.
There’s a fine balance to be had when it comes to selling security. While you should never lean into scare tactics and hyperbole, providing real-world examples and statistics about the risks and potential damage of cyber threats can be eye-opening for clients.
Let Us Do the Heavy Lifting
You don’t have to sell SaaS security solutions alone. We offer in-demand security products to agents as a co-managed solution that provides the ease of ordering, provisioning, billing, and support through Pax8. We bring our partner experience directly to your clients’ internal IT teams with 24/7 US and UK-based support, a self-service platform, automated provisioning, and consolidated billing, while you collect commission.
Want to learn more about our co-managed security offerings for agents?
