How to execute a strategy that builds trust with tech buyers and wins new clients for your business.

Ransomware solution marketing isn’t your run-of-the-mill digital marketing strategy—it requires a sharp balance of technical expertise and high relatability that helps potential buyers recognize the very real threat of ransomware and how it can impact their business.

Despite ransomware costing U.S. companies a staggering $20.9 billion annually, it continues to be a problem many organizations don’t fully address at the level they should. Instead, they use reactive and/or stop-gap solution that only address specific threats, often after they’ve already caused a breach or other negative cybersecurity event.

But ransomware security marketers have the opportunity to change buyers' perspectives. With the right tactics and approaches, you can help buyers see how a proactive and ongoing approach to IT security is the only right choice to keep their business safe in today’s digital and cloud-powered business environment.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to do it. We’ll cover the current state of ransomware and eight actionable ways to execute a balanced, engaging, and effective ransomware solution marketing strategy that drives company growth.

Quick Takeaways

• Ransomware attacks are growing in prevalence: Between 2020 and 2021, they grew by 13% YOY (more than the previous five years combined)

• Ransomware solution marketing messaging should be balanced to create a feeling of urgency without resorting to scare tactics

• The need for ransomware solution can be made more relatable for buyers using real-world examples and stories about the people impacted by ransomware attacks

• Thought leadership is a priority trait for buyers seeking a ransomware solution provider—you can demonstrate yours by publishing high-value content

• Tech webinars are one of the most effective ways for ransomware marketers to generate leads and establish their reputation as an industry expert
• Outsourcing to a cybersecurity marketing agency has powerful benefits like time and cost savings, and higher focus on marketing without having to sacrifice in other areas

The Growing Danger of Ransomware

While ransomware is nothing new—the first major recorded attack released a virus via floppy disk back in 1989—the nature of its threat is changing and evolving as technology advances.

The same way organizations are using the cloud to implement decentralized work environments and expand remote access to data and systems, cybercriminals are taking advantage of an increased number of access points and wider, more complex (and thus more vulnerable) attack surfaces.

According to Verizon’s most recent Data Breach Investigations Report, ransomware attacks grew in number by 13% YOY between 2020 and 2021—more than the five previous years combined.

Equally alarming for businesses is a shift in the data being compromised. Payment information, long the top prize for cybercriminals with financial motive, has taken a dip while personal and credential information has increased in vulnerability.

While this is likely due in part to better protection measures put in place by financial institutions after years of being primary ransomware targets, it also suggests that ransomware actors are taking their attacks a step further, with actions like user impersonation across systems, complete identity theft, and intentional safety compromisation for organizations at large.

Further, these types of threats are now easily available even to non-technical adversaries thanks to the growing Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) industry—a big business bringing in upward of $20 million annually on the dark web—through which cybercriminals for hire help execute attacks.

Understanding the full scope of this problem and knowing how to effectively communicate the impact it can have on your customers are critical first steps to successful ransomware solution marketing.

The Ransomware Solution Marketing Conundrum

Interestingly, despite the gravity and prevalence of the ransomware problem across industries and sectors, organizations often maintain low levels of urgency around the adoption of trusted third-party solutions.

In many ways, ransomware (and any cyberthreat, really) is one of those things people act on reactively—they don’t really know or care about the problem (at least not to the extent that they should) until it unfortunately happens to them.

Ransomware solution marketing, then, in many ways, depends on painting the picture of what could happen if customers don’t purchase a solution vs. what will definitely happen if they do. This is not to say there are no immediate benefits to ransomware solutions, but rather that it’s difficult for buyers to see their full ROI when they haven’t already experienced an actual threat.

In short: Ransomware solution marketers live largely in a world of hypotheticals (at least from the perspective of many tech buyers).

Fortunately, there are tried-and-true ways to overcome this challenge.

Quality ransomware solution marketing demonstrates the value of preventative protection and how it can deliver value all the time (not just during an adverse cybersecurity event). It also makes the ransomware problem relatable and understandable to its target audience using real-world examples, common language (vs. highly technical jargon), and humanization.

Finally, it leverages digital marketing best practices like SEO, content marketing, automation, multichannel outreach, online events (i.e., webinars), and more.

Let’s dive into eight specific ways to launch a ransomware solution marketing strategy that will win new, motivated customers for your business.

8 Ways to Effectively Market Ransomware Solutions

Create Urgency (But Not Panic)

The need for ransomware solutions is urgent, but as a ransomware marketer it’s important to strike a particular balance—communicating this urgency accurately without using scare tactics to grab attention.

The scare tactic approach, even when the information it communicates is technically accurate, generally creates mistrust and turns potential customers away.

Inc. Magazine writer Kevin Kerridge put it aptly when it comes to marketing scare tactics: Be an authority, not an alarmist.

So how can you strike this balance in practice? One important rule of thumb is not to threaten or suggest that specific situations will occur if potential customers don’t make a purchase. Steer away from messaging like “Purchase a ransomware solution, or else [XYZ threat] will happen.”

Instead, share the risks matter of factly and compellingly, and then communicate the power of protection measures and professional services to handle a breach should one occur. In more succinct terms: What are the business benefits of ransomware solutions? Why are companies using them and how can they add value?

Next, we’ll cover several ways to do this effectively.

Use Real-World Examples

One of the best ways to make ransomware risks relatable to your potential customers is to share recent real-world examples. By following top industry news sources, you can stay abreast of what’s happening in the ransomware world and how real companies around the globe are being impacted.

For example, cybersecurity company BlackFog publishes a monthly State of Ransomware report (see snapshot below) that lists all publicly disclosed attacks that have recently occurred. You can both emulate this idea in your own ransomware solution marketing and use the company’s report (and similar resources) to demonstrate to buyers how real companies are impacted by ransomware.

To make this strategy most effective, you can track and categorize ransomware events by type of company, industry, and other traits that allow you to share the most relevant examples possible with each potential customer.

Humanize the Problem

So far, we’ve covered a lot about sharing how companies are impacted by ransomware, but what about the people within those organizations? The data that’s compromised in any ransomware attack ultimately belongs to real human beings, and sharing their stories can be what really puts the criticality of ransomware into perspective for your audience.

For example: Ferrari recently admitted to its second data breach in just six months—and that personal customer data like names, email addresses, and telephone numbers was stolen during the incident. This kind of breach puts customers at risk for identity and financial theft, and even creates physical safety concerns in some situations.

No company wants to put their stakeholders—partners, employees, customers, and others—at risk, so helping them think about how these groups would be impacted drives home the value of reliable ransomware solutions.

Communicate in Layman’s Terms

Technical jargon isn’t the way to go when you’re trying to establish brand authority with your ransomware solution marketing.

Buyers want to work with brands who demonstrate exactly how their solutions can address the problems and needs they’re facing. In order to find those brands, they must be able to understand them. Talk to your customers using language that makes ransomware, its risks, and the benefits of a third-party solution compelling in real-world business terms.

Trying to impress with highly technical terms will likely only send people to other brands (aka your competitors) doing a better job of communicating with the customer’s perspective in mind.

Demonstrate Thought Leadership

All that said, you do need to establish your brand as an expert and thought leader in your space. In fact, a LinkedIn study of 3,500-plus business executives found that 64% of buyers say thought leadership content is a more trustworthy basis for evaluating a company’s capabilities than their direct marketing materials or product sheets, and 63% say that thought leadership provides proof that a company can solve their challenges.

We’ll dive deeper into content itself in the next few sections, but in terms of thought leadership, remember this:

Content marketing provides countless options to demonstrate your thought leadership through different content types—think blogs, webinars, e-books, whitepapers, infographics, newsletters, and the like.

Not only this, but thought leadership content helps you meet customers where they are and gives you visibility where your audience is already looking for brands—on search engines, social media, through email subscriptions, at online events (and more).

Another powerful way to establish your reputation as a thought leader is to make your brand present on websites dedicated to publishing leading industry content. Ransomware.org, for example, publishes educational and informative content specifically to help IT security pros stay in-the-know about ransomware trends, news, and best practices.

Brands can sponsor Ransomware.org in exchange for having their content published on the site, their brand placed in the directory, the opportunity to sponsor webinars, and other benefits (see a full list of benefits below).

Now, let’s look at some of the most effective types of tech content and how to maximize its ROI in your ransomware solution marketing strategy.

Run Tech Webinars

Consumers prefer video over all other types of content—B2B buyers included. A staggering 95% of them say videos play a direct role in their purchase decisions, and they rate “learning about products/services” as the top reason for watching them.

Webinars in particular are one of the most popular forms of video content in the B2B world, and the software and tech industry accounts for nearly one-third of all webinars hosted.

Webinars offer several benefits for both B2B buyers and sellers. Buyers can learn about brands using their preferred type of content, gain access to experts from within top vendor companies, and assess a company’s expertise on important topics.

Sellers have a chance to showcase their subject matter experts, engage with potential buyers in real time, and use webinar recordings as long-term lead-gen assets.

Use SEO and Content Marketing

Your ransomware solution marketing plan can’t be complete in today’s B2B landscape without a full-scale SEO and content marketing strategy. Why? Because 93% of all online experiences today start with search—including brand research.

Further, B2B buyers now do a large part of their research independently before they ever consult with a vendor’s sales team. In other words: If you don’t publish high-value, optimized content that ranks on search engine results pages, you’re likely invisible to the target audiences you’re trying to reach.

SEO content checks all the boxes when it comes to effective digital marketing. It does this by:

• Increasing your brand visibility on Google and other search engines
• Providing content to share on other channels, like email and social media
• Establishing brand authority and thought leadership
• Providing opportunities for lead gen to keep your pipeline healthy

Content marketing has stood the test of time over the past 10-plus years, and continues to grow in importance as providers look to stand out in crowded digital markets. To boot, studies show that content marketing is more cost-effective than traditional marketing tactics, all while earning companies 6 times higher conversion rates than those who don’t use it.

Outsource to an Agency if You Need To

It can be difficult to take on everything required to execute a full-scale ransomware solution marketing strategy while also keeping focus on your most mission-critical activities, like creating great products and services, and serving your current customers well.

Further, effective digital marketing requires a certain level of expertise gained from experience in the field. It’s not enough for employees in other areas of your company to take on marketing as an ad-hoc duty, or for a one- or two-man marketing team to try to do everything themselves.

If you don’t have the right level of experience, expertise, and resources in-house, your best bet is to outsource to a cybersecurity marketing agency.

An agency does require an up-front investment (financially and time-wise), but the ROI quickly pays off. The benefits of outsourcing to an agency are numerous, and include:

• Time and cost savings over the long term
• Consistent, quality, high-volume content creation
• 24/7 prioritization of your marketing strategy
• Access to marketing automation tools and technology
• A team of marketing experts
• Data-driven strategy development and reporting

Outsourcing has long been an effective way for companies to excel in certain areas without sacrificing focus on what they do best. Ransomware solution marketing is no exception.

If you do your research and vet potential vendors, you can find one that acts as a true partner and represents your brand authentically—all while earning you big results.

Ransomware Solution Marketing: The Key Takeaway

It’s easy for technical experts in the cybersecurity space to think only in logical terms when it comes to ransomware solution marketing.

After all, there’s a clear market need for these solutions and all signs point to demand staying on the rise. Shouldn’t it just be about sharing what you have to offer? Won’t clients then naturally enter the pipeline?

In practice, ransomware solution marketing has to be about more than just promoting products and services. Just like in any other industry, buyers have to feel compelled by a need they can recognize and understand. Further, they want to feel a real connection founded in trust with the provider they choose to fill it.

That means your marketing strategy has to showcase your brand as the expert while staying relatable, buyer-focused, and rooted in the human benefits of ransomware solutions just as much as the technical features and capabilities.

Grow Your Ransomware Solution Business with ActualTech Media

ActualTech Media has experience and expertise in ransomware solution marketing that can help your business generate more leads and drive faster growth. Our services include:

• Hot-topic, turnkey multi-vendor tech webinars that enhance your competitive position and generate hundreds of leads per event
• Custom webinars that help you bring your message to a net-new user base
• Content syndication programs that help you build your internal lead database and beef up top-of-the-funnel lead gen
• Custom tech content that showcases thought leadership on important topics

Contact our team to learn more about how ActualTech Media can help grow your business.