Greetings!

How do you motivate someone to take action when your service doesn't do anything visible? What if it just prevents something bad from happening?

You tell a "Halloween Story". To learn more, read on.....
A Halloween Story
Halloween is approaching, and it reminds me of one of the greatest selling tools out there, the Halloween Story. Like our modern-day Halloween, such a story does two things: it scares the hell out of someone, then gives them candy.

Let's see how this tool can be used productively in this frightful time of network attacks, ransomware, and cyber crime.

I was at an IT Conference a month ago, and of the nearly 50 main-stage presentations, 80% were on the topic of security in some way. These included sessions on ransomware, hacking, phishing, intrusion detection, and so on. Expert advice on how to protect your network, how to prevent ransomware attacks, how to train your personnel, how to outsource the work if you don’t have the expertise.

Everybody talked about the importance of Cybersecurity, but nobody talked about the difficulties in selling it. For salespeople selling tangible goods with an obvious customer benefit, this is particularly challenging.  
"A Show About Nothing"
When an organization makes huge investments in cybersecurity, their desperate hope is that the phone never rings, the network doesn’t get breeched, and no computer gets a ransomware message like you see below. If nothing happens, they are delighted.

The optimal result of all this activity is that nothing bad happens. It’s like the old line from The Seinfeld Show. “It’s a show about nothing".

Selling these security services presents real challenges. Not only is it nearly impossible for untrained people to evaluate and choose from all the security offers, their utmost hope is they won’t be needed in the first place.

Selling the Invisible

Over 20 years ago, author Harry Beckwith addressed this issue brilliantly. He pointed out that most of us are totally unqualified to evaluate the skill of professionals such as doctors, attorneys, or accountants. We wouldn't know the difference between a good legal brief and a bad one, or the difference between the proper medical diagnosis or a bad one.

We can, however, judge a professional by the cleanliness of their office, their punctuality, listening skills, and other intangibles. We rely on recommendations from friends and colleagues. We pay attention if they dress and act appropriately to the expectations of their profession.

Wow! That's a Great Vet!
Beckwith experimented with different types of professional attire to see how it impacted perceptions of competence.

He dressed veterinarians in three types of clothing: business casual, a stock medical outfit, and a white smock with a stethoscope around the neck.

Consistently, patients rated 20% higher satisfaction for the smock with stethoscope, even when their pet did not have a heart issue. It just looked more appropriate and generated higher confidence.
How to Use The Halloween Story

Selling cybersecurity services presents similar challenges. Not only is it nearly impossible for untrained people to evaluate and choose from all the security offers, their utmost hope is they won’t be needed in the first place.

As Harry Beckwith demonstrated, your prospects will value your offer on intangibles. How knowledgeable and experienced you appear to be. How passionate you are about your services. How acutely you seem to understand their real risk posture. How confident you are that you can solve their problem.

  1. Shake them out of their complacency by scaring them with all the bad things that can and will happen to them. Make it specific, credible, and relevant.
  2. Show them how your offers and services will protect them from these horrible outcomes.

The Halloween story is simple and easy. Just make sure you give them the "good stuff" like chocolate and candy bars. Don't be one of "those" people that gives out apples and carrot sticks. Good luck and good selling!
Scare the Hell out of Them
Then Give them Candy
Meet the "Hit Mann"
Mike Schmidtmann coaches business owners and sales leaders across the USA. He works to drive results in sales recruiting, new business development, and profitability.

Mike led sales for Inacom Communications for ten years. then founded and built a $30 Million business unit for SPS.

Mike produces the award-winning Trans4mers webinar series on IT sales and management subjects. He is a frequent public speaker on business topics.

He lives on a farm in Northern Virginia with his family and assorted horses, alpacas, goats and dogs.
Upcoming Events
Trans4mers Sales Leadership
Peer Group
Master Classes on
Sales & Marketing
Virtual Meeting Nov 17
CEO Peer Group

Business Opportunities
in the "New Normal"
NASCAR Hall of Fame Nov 4-5
"Stump the Sales Pro"
  • Answering your toughest questions
  • Hiring, Managing, Winning New Logos, Growing your Business
Nov 16 - Los Angeles
The Revenue Engine of the Future: "Welcome to the New Sales & Marketing Revolution"
Mandalay Bay Resort
Las Vegas
Nov 1-4
Ancient History
Meet the Rainmakers

Cloud Conventions Webcast featuring Channel Superstars Frank Lusko, Michelle Hyde, and Dave Dyson. What practices cause them to produce as in the top 1% of all Channel Pros and MSPs?
Hosted by Mike Schmidtmann

Sunny's Silver Linings Podcast

In this week’s podcast, Mike Schmidtmann, founder of Trans4mers, talks with Sunny Kaila, CEO, IT By Design, about how an owner can be an MSP’s biggest asset and also it’s biggest obstacle when it comes to growing an MSP business to the next level.
Play "Stump the Chump"

E-Mail Mike with a vexing and perplexing question and you'll get a telling and compelling reply.
Mike Schmidtmann

(703) 408 - 9103
Mike@Trans4mers.net