BEST OF: What CISOs Hate + The Alternative

Stop Doing This:

• Coming in and spouting quantum and AI and ML and not being able to back it up

• Using people as a stepping stone to get to the CISO

• Overpromising and underdelivering, which gives a false sense of security; then move on and ghost your client

• Using ‘Backdoor’ sales tactics to sell your tool when the buyer already told you no

• Using a person’s passion as a way to pitch and sell your tool

• Blaming security professionals for flaws or product defects

• Turning on buyers, using fear, and making people feel bad in email threads because they didn’t respond a day or two after your sales pitch

• Scaring people into buying something that ultimately they may never use

• Drinking so much and getting frat boy drunk. It’s not healthy. And, frankly, embarrassing AF

• Sending a calendar invite as if you've already had a conversation with the security practitioner

• Ambulance chasing

• Taking advantage of negative press for other entities is not a good move as a vendor

Do This Instead:

• Don’t use the “soldiers” and “lieutenants” as a stepping stone; treat them with respect and empower them.

• Stop overpromising and underdelivering.

• Stop selling false promises; it’s better to have no security than a false sense of security.

• Demonstrate how you solve the security practitioners’ problems and do so transparently.

• Build an authentic relationship; roll up your sleeves and work with the security practitioner on solving a problem.

• Show cybersecurity pros how your solution is going to make their lives easier in easily digestible formats that are not intrusive.

• Work with them to understand the problem.

• Provide much more trusted sources for ways that they can go and self-verify.

• Frictionlessly get buyers to information in trusted ways so they can make wise and educated decisions.

• Have honest, realistic conversations about what your audience's current state of affairs is and what they might need.