We like to think cyber security is good for business, well, because it’s our business. But we’ve had clients come to us looking to bolster their cyber security compliance and know-how, all in an effort to win more business on their end.
Here are three ways you can leverage your cyber security strategy into your business development plan.
Market cyber security certifications like awards and other recognitions
Every industry has that one vanity metric that can be used as currency in their world. Marketers like awards. Researchers like publications. But when it comes to tech and cyber security, trainings and certifications are the stamps of approval needed to verify your smarts.
Take the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), for example. If you ever want to work with or be a subcontractor for the Department of Defense, you’re going to eventually need some level of CMMC compliance. By working on your certification and marketing that on your website, if you’re being vetted by DoD or a prime contractor, they won’t have to do much digging to know you have all the right requisites.
Pursue new industries with specific compliance regulations
Like the DoD and CMMC certification, many industries that routinely store and transmit sensitive data have specific compliance requirements to ensure all parties with access to this data follow necessary security measures. This presents both a challenge and opportunity for businesses looking to expand into these industries. For example, not being compliant with HIPAA/HITECH is a non-starter for those wanting to venture into the healthcare space. Yes, there are a number of steps you need to take to become compliant, but if you work with a knowledgeable cyber security partner (like Assura), it doesn’t have to be a painful process – and in the end, you’ll have a host of new business development opportunities.
Integrate cyber security into your onboarding process
You don’t have to be a technology company to talk about how you keep your client’s IP and private data safe. By integrating some of the procedures you take for your own business into your onboarding process, you’re protecting your data and your client’s data in one swoop.
Consider adding language to your contracts, Statements of Work (SOW), or Letters of Agreement (Agreements) about your data security measures and if you visualize your onboarding process, pay special attention to areas you can highlight protections you’re taking for their benefit – like having multi-factor authentication or regular cyber security trainings to educate employers on common threats.
If you want to make your cyber security program work well – and look well for marketing – give us a shout and we’ll talk about the right products and services for your organization.