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Let Customers Know Their Data Is Safe: Cybersecurity As A Marketing Tool

Forbes Technology Council

Reuven Aronashvili is the founder and CEO of CYE.

As medical equipment maker Philips has increased its cybersecurity measures in recent years, it has incorporated slogans like “Security by Design” and written blog posts on the topic. With these efforts, the company has not just increased its own cybersecurity but created new marketing content. In fact, the role of cybersecurity is now built into its narrative about delivering quality patient care. 

This is an example of how communicating cybersecurity standards to consumers can reap business benefits and should play a key part in any company’s marketing and advertising efforts.

Cybersecurity is no longer relegated to the IT division. It affects every company department, every step of the product or service journey and every customer. Amid the increase in ransomware and other attacks, emphasizing your company’s cybersecurity can be an effective and powerful marketing tool.  

In fact, if companies want to continue to gain customers, retain their loyalty and, ultimately, improve the bottom line, they need to talk about security, just as they talk about the performance, money-saving features or other unique aspects of their services and of their products. While cybersecurity is increasingly necessary, building it into your marketing strategy is another way to see the payoffs of this investment. 

Security helps build trust.

Only 21% of those recently surveyed in the United States and United Kingdom said they trusted established global brands to keep their personal information and data secure, according to a report from data protection company Entrust. This figure should motivate companies to not only make sure that customer data is actually handled properly but that customers understand what security precautions are being taken and how well they work. Soothing these security worries through marketing messages is an excellent way to build trust among consumers and make your company stand out from the crowd. This is true in all industries but especially in the medical and financial sectors, which are heavily based on trust but are seeing increased attacks that affect people’s lives.

Honesty leads to loyalty.

Not handling data properly is a sure way to lose business, with 71% of respondents in a recent McKinsey survey saying they would stop doing business with a company that shared sensitive data without permission. On the flip side, it makes sense that emphasizing that their data is secure is an opportunity to retain customers. Of course, it also helps if you have a tested cybersecurity solution that actually protects data effectively.

This concept applies even if a breach does occur. A Kaspersky report found that companies that voluntarily inform their customers about a data breach end up spending 40% less to remedy it than in cases when it’s leaked to the media. Being honest with consumers about security will go a long way in keeping a customer base. 

Security means stability and productivity.

The average cost for a company to deal with a data breach rose 10% over the last year to total $4.2 million, according to research by IBM. In addition to putting data at risk for misuse, cyberattacks often take websites and other services offline, impacting not only customers but also productivity inside a company. In fact, the IBM study found that it takes an average of 287 days to find, contain and deal with a data breach. That is a lot of lost time that could have been used for other things, like developing new products, serving customers and reaching out to new ones. Thus letting customers know as part of your marketing message that your business, services, products, and data are secure is another way to let them know that your company is reliable and can be counted on 365 days a year.  

Requirements are increasing.

Government regulations and industry standards are increasingly calling for more comprehensive and specific cybersecurity protocols. From Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation to the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission’s increased citations for failures to disclose data breaches to industries developing their own standards for data security, such regulations are clearly affecting the daily operations of businesses in all sectors. Showing that your company is on board, or even ahead of the curve, on these issues will help it stand out from the crowd. 

Building an emphasis on cybersecurity into marketing materials and campaigns will become increasingly important as data breaches and cyberattacks continue to happen on an unprecedented scale. Companies that do this will move ahead of their peers and see better business results. Adding cybersecurity messages into their marketing plans will also ultimately increase the overall returns on their investments in cybersecurity systems and professionals. Once again, it shows how integral cybersecurity has become to any business’ success.


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