A cybersecurity firm spends months developing antivirus software. They use the latest technology, invest millions of dollars in research, and hire the best security software developers and programmers. But when it comes to marketing, they often overlook their best asset – Email marketing.
With the increasing cyber attacks, businesses are more vulnerable now more than ever, but what’s ironic is that those companies that can help them protect against these attacks are missing from their audience inboxes.
Recently, in 2021, the Log4j vulnerability was discovered in the Apache Log4j logging library, which allowed attackers to take control of vulnerable systems. This put millions of systems at risk. Companies were desperate for guidance, but only a few cybersecurity firms used email marketing to proactively inform their customers about the potential risk and how they can avoid it. Those who did, like Cloudfare and Palo Alto Networks, saw a 20-30% increase in customer engagement, while other cybersecurity firms missed a golden chance to connect to their audience and present themselves as a trustworthy brand. This shows how important it is to build an email marketing network, especially for cybersecurity firms.
Why cybersecurity companies overlook email marketing?
- The Unfair Spam Association
Cybersecurity companies are experts in resolving phishing and spam-related threats; due to this, they shy away from email marketing to avoid being perceived as a part of the problem. What they don’t realize is that email marketing, when done right, is a completely different and highly valuable platform.
- Over-reliance on SEO
Cybersecurity firms rely heavily on SEO to increase traffic to their website and generate sales. While SEO is important, it can take months before your company ranks on top of the search engine, not to mention that it takes a serious toll on your marketing budget. SEO pulls people to your website, but it doesn’t allow you to build a direct relationship with your audience.
- Focus on short-term sales
The cybersecurity industry is highly competitive, which pressurizes them to prioritize their quarterly sales target over customer relationships. Email marketing, which excels at nurturing leads and retaining customers, is seen as less urgent than closing deals.
- The myth of low click-through rate
Businesses often ignore email marketing, believing it won’t generate enough clicks for them. Rather often, the problem is an inexperienced marketing team that doesn’t know how to run email campaigns properly.
Untapped potential of email marketing for cybersecurity companies
- Lead nurturing through account-based marketing
Account-based marketing, at its core, is about focusing your efforts on specific accounts and tailoring your messages according to their specific needs. Email marketing is perfect for executing ABM strategies because it allows you to deliver personalised and relevant content directly to the decision makers of an enterprise. According to the 2024 Forrester report, companies that use ABM see a 208% increase in revenue from their marketing efforts. Get your high-value dream clients by leveraging email marketing as a part of your ABM strategy.
- Increase customer retention and reduce churn rate
Customer retention is a challenge in the cybersecurity industry. Because of the high competition, customers are always evaluating their options. According to Harvard Business Review 2024, increasing retention by just 5% can boost profits by 25% to 95%.
Email marketing provides a direct and cost-effective solution to always stay on top of your customers’ minds. Simple emails like mentioning new features of your product or how they can maximize the use of your product can strengthen loyalty and reduce churn rate.
- Increase revenue with cost-effective campaigns
Email marketing is the most cost-effective platform for cybersecurity companies. Its real ability lies in its potential to nurture leads and convert your prospects into customers. A well-planned free trial or demo email can push a prospect further down the sales funnel.
Unlike paid ads and outbound sales, email marketing allows you to reach a larger targeted audience at a fraction of the cost. According to Hubspot, email marketing generates an average ROI of $36 for every dollar spent.
- Build a loyal community
Create a database of loyal subscribers who are genuinely interested in your solutions by encouraging sign-ups through free trials of your software. Gather valuable information about them, such as which industry they belong to, their company size, etc, and. use this information to send targeted and relevant emails. Over time, these subscribers become your loyal customers who are likely to spread word of mouth about your service, which is another really powerful marketing tool for a cybersecurity business.
- Increase website traffic
Email is a powerful way to drive traffic to your website. For example, you could send an email with a subject line like, “Is Your Business at Risk? Take Our Free Cybersecurity Health Check,” and link to an interactive assessment tool on your website.
- Build credibility through reviews
After every purchase, follow up with an email encouraging your customers to leave a review on your website. 93% of consumers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions (BrightLocal, 2024).
Email marketing is one of the most powerful assets a cybersecurity company can have, whether they realize it or not. It’s a direct line to your audience, a tool for building trust, and a cost-effective way to drive revenue.
