How to sell cyber security without the FUD
A trusted network of cybersecurity marketing professionals can help professionals cut through at the board level


It’s not every day that cybersecurity marketing professionals get to speak to one another, compare notes, and come up with innovative solutions for getting their voices heard.
Despite being a cornerstone of the tech industry, cybersecurity is in need of constant marketing on its behalf. Developers need individuals willing to enter the boardroom to advocate for their product and cybersecurity marketers have to arm themselves with the right storytelling skills to get their message across.
The Cybersecurity Marketing Society describes itself as a community for cybersecurity marketers to network, share skills, and learn from one another – but what does this mean in practical terms?
In this episode, Jane and Rory speak to Gianna Whitver, co-founder & CEO at the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, and Maria Velasquez, co-founder & chief growth officer at the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, to discuss their work in the sector and the realities of running a podcast all about cybersecurity marketing.
Highlights
“It was really, really hard being a marketer in cybersecurity in the early years of our careers in this highly complex, highly technical industry. It took one phone call and two women in cyber deciding, ‘You know what, I think we need a home for our thoughts and our feelings’ and for us to really come together as one to help each other out.”
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“I think that the AI revolution, evolution, whatever it is, is going to make marketers have to think more about quality. Because with the increase of production capabilities that come with this AI, like press a button, write a blog, marketers will have to now consider is this interesting? Is this helpful? Is this relevant? When it used to be a little more baked in.”
“We want to hear what resonates with you all, with the security practitioners, IT practitioners because if we're doing stuff that is not resonating that’s annoying, then we're not doing a great job marketing, right? We want to improve these relationships and improve what we're doing so that everybody is making marketing that both marketers and companies can be proud of, but also that delights and makes our buying audiences happy.”
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Footnotes
- https://cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com/
- https://cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com/podcast/
- How AI is transforming businesses in the tech channel
- Mandiant exec thinks AI could boost diversity in cybersecurity
- Security and marketing are the top software spending priorities for 2023
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Rory Bathgate is Features and Multimedia Editor at ITPro, overseeing all in-depth content and case studies. He can also be found co-hosting the ITPro Podcast with Jane McCallion, swapping a keyboard for a microphone to discuss the latest learnings with thought leaders from across the tech sector.
In his free time, Rory enjoys photography, video editing, and good science fiction. After graduating from the University of Kent with a BA in English and American Literature, Rory undertook an MA in Eighteenth-Century Studies at King’s College London. He joined ITPro in 2022 as a graduate, following four years in student journalism. You can contact Rory at rory.bathgate@futurenet.com or on LinkedIn.
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