The folks who presented during ConnectWise’s IT Nation Secure event made something very clear: Your customers are very, very interested in cybersecurity. And they should be. In an increasingly digital world, businesses need to be able to protect themselves from becoming the next cybercrime victim. During one presentation, ConnectWise’s Jay Ryerse, Vice President of Cybersecurity Initiatives, stated that 42% of SMBs in the US said that cybersecurity is their top priority, and that 89% list it as a Top 5 priority. He also said that your clients are five times more likely to ask about cybersecurity solutions versus any other solution.
As more businesses undergo digital transformation initiatives, demand for cybersecurity solutions will continue to grow. This presents office technology providers with an excellent opportunity to grow their business of the future.
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There’s a Good Reason to Start Your Cybersecurity Journey
Office equipment dealers have a unique advantage over others who want to enter the cybersecurity space: long and trusting relationships with customers who are investing in digital transformation and need help protecting themselves from cybercriminals.
Unique position aside, cybersecurity appears to be something that customers expect from office technology service providers. According to Ryerse, 95% of SMBs would consider using a new IT provider if they offered “the right” cybersecurity solution, and that they would pay as much as 33% more. In other words, entering the cybersecurity market can help you win new clients, prevent existing customers from leaving, and increase contract values.
Those who have added cybersecurity to their practice areas have been rewarded. According to Ryerse, MSPs that offer cybersecurity see revenue increase by 32%, on average.
A Helping Hand
Like any lucrative endeavor, entering the cybersecurity marketplace on your own is no easy feat—especially for those with little or no cybersecurity experience. Selling and supporting cybersecurity services is a completely different ballgame than print. It is resource-intensive to start, labor is scarce and expensive, and it can take a long time before you start seeing profits.
But that does not make it impossible. And no one said you must take your cybersecurity journey on your own. In fact, there are plenty of organizations that want to help you succeed on your cybersecurity journey.
Cybersecurity vendors can help office technology providers with everything they need to get their cybersecurity practice going and growing. Partners can provide you with prepackaged solutions to accelerate and simplify your go-to-market strategy, plus sales and marketing support to help you drum up new business. Partners can help you with assessments and provide the support that you couldn’t handle on your own (and help you become proficient enough to handle those things on your own).
One thing that you must keep in mind it is that the cybersecurity world is incredibly chaotic. It is a 24 x 365 business that is constantly evolving. A partner can reduce risk and make your journey simpler, but it’s not going to make it easy and it’s not going to eliminate all the risk. Partner or not, the cybersecurity journey is a rigorous, long-term commitment—but a worthy one, nonetheless.
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