Marketing Strategy 2025 for Security & IT

Growing your business in 2025? Trust and confidence are the key words.

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In March 2020, during the first COVID-19 lockdowns in Europe and the US, “Zoombombing” emerged as a shocking example of the vulnerability of digital workplaces. This incident marked the beginning of an explosive growth in cybercrime, with the number of FBI complaints rising from 467,361 in 2019 to 791,790 in 2020. This wave of cybercrime accelerated the cybersecurity industry, with new regulations like NIS, GDPR, and now NIS2 further driving the demand for security solutions.

Despite these perceived growth opportunities, companies in this sector are now finding it difficult to stand out in an oversaturated market. How can cybersecurity companies develop a marketing strategy that really has an impact before 2025?

Who is this 2025 Cybersecurity Marketing Strategy Guide for, and what can you expect?

This guide is specifically designed for providers of security products and services.

Are you a:

• Founder,
• CEO,
• Sales Director, or
• Product Director of an IT security company?

And do you recognize yourself in the following scenario? You want to grow, but you find that you’re falling behind on your revenue targets. You know something needs to change, but you’re struggling with how to do it. Perhaps you’ve already worked with a marketing agency, but it didn’t yield the desired results. If this sounds like your situation, then this guide is for you.

Our goal with this guide is clear: we want to provide you with the tools to thoroughly prepare for 2025. We will address crucial questions such as:

1. How do you get your internal operations in order so that a marketing team can effectively work on it?
2. What is realistic growth in the current cybersecurity market?
3. What marketing options are available to you?
4. How do you determine an appropriate marketing budget?

By answering these questions, we provide you with a solid foundation for your marketing strategy in the complex and rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity.

First things first: what should you not do in security marketing?

Marketing for security products is incredibly challenging. The majority of B2B products have a clear purpose: (1) save time, (2) save money, or (3) earn money faster/easier. If you apply ROI calculations to that, you essentially know what the product brings you and whether it is worth the cost.

Security is different. Nine times out of ten, you are selling a product that prevents something from happening. If your buyer is not hacked, it always raises the question of whether that is due to your product or because the attack was not effective.

Therefore, there are a number of marketing practices that you should avoid in cybersecurity, and which we also do not support:

• Avoid ‘fluff’ in your marketing and be clear about what your product can and cannot do. Overuse of buzzwords can diminish the true value of your solution. Aim to be open and honest about the capabilities and limitations of your product or service.
• Avoid aggressive sales tactics and excessive use of cold emailing. Many CISOs and security professionals are extremely privacy-conscious, and bombarding their inboxes can backfire. Instead, focus on building trust and delivering value.
• Be realistic in your promises and avoid “overpromising and underdelivering.” Selling through the FUD principle (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) may seem effective in the short term, but it undermines trust in your brand in the long run. Remember: a false sense of security is more dangerous than having no security at all.

Step 1: Why an Ideal Customer Is Essential for Growth

Although there are horizontal products—one-size-fits-all products “for everyone”—such companies usually either have substantial budgets to engage targeted marketing teams or they started in a specific market and then expanded.

Such an approach may seem attractive because your target audience is much larger, providing a sense of security, but it leads to generic marketing that doesn’t really resonate with anyone. Instead, start with a vertical product that focuses on one specific market and persona.

Define your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

It’s clear that selling an MDR solution to freelancers is not the same as selling it to CISOs of multinationals. These differences impact the product, marketing, and sales strategies. Therefore, it’s essential for these teams to work together on this. You can shape the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) in many different ways.

Consider:

• The industry in which companies operate
• Regulations companies must comply with
• The IT infrastructure companies use, such as Microsoft 365 users
• Geographic location
• Company size
• Cybersecurity awareness, such as companies that have already experienced cyberattacks or data breaches

It’s essential for the ICP to be highly practical. The criteria should be so concrete that you can use them to create a list of relevant companies on LinkedIn Sales Navigator or Crunchbase. With such a list, the marketing and sales teams can take action.

Define your ICP and personas.

Is the CISO always the key persona for a security product? Definitely not! I couldn’t say it better than Natalia Belaya, who posted on LinkedIn that vendors would be better off approaching her team—not her—for a meeting at BlackHat. The CISO might approve the budget, but it’s even more crucial that the end user is convinced. Plus, you’ll be competing with fewer vendors!

Michelle Wols
Senior Product Marketing Manager at Beyond Products

Simply put, your buyer personas are the people who sign the contract or give the green light. The user personas, however, are the people who actually use the product. An ICP and personas are the first step in setting up your marketing plan.

But how do you know who you’re targeting?

• Analyze your current customers: Look at the list of companies currently purchasing your product. Look for commonalities in company size, industry, budget, and other relevant characteristics. These shared factors form the basis of your ICP.
• Examine your CRM data: What type of people appears most frequently in your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? This gives insight into the individual decision-makers and influencers within your target market.
• Validate your assumptions: To verify if you’ve identified the right target audience, consider conducting interviews. Invite current customers, potential customers, and even those who decided not to purchase your product for discussions. This feedback can be valuable in refining your ICP and personas.

“Too many companies are afraid of the customer. Stop guessing, start listening. Real insights come from real conversations.”

Bram de Bruijn
Founder of Beyond Products

Step 2: “We build exactly what you want, how you want it” does not help potential customers

If you haven’t defined what you’re good at and what you want to sell more of, it’s very difficult to position yourself effectively in a sales conversation. On the other hand, a clear offering makes promoting your product or service and having conversations about why that is the right solution much easier. It allows you to communicate specifically about the value you can offer, which not only improves the quality of your sales conversations but also significantly increases the chances of a successful sale.

What is a proposition, and what is a value ladder?

A proposition, also known as a value proposition, is the core promise or unique value that a company offers to its customers. It explains why a customer should choose your products or services over those of a competitor. An effective value proposition communicates clearly and concisely what the product or service is, who it is for, and what problem it solves or need it fulfills. It emphasizes the benefits the customer experiences by choosing this specific offering.

A value ladder is a strategy where a company offers customers increasing value step by step. Each rung on the ladder represents a higher level of value, often tied to a higher price. The concept is designed to first attract customers with an accessible, usually lower-priced offering. Then, through upselling or cross-selling, they are guided toward more comprehensive and expensive products or services. This approach allows companies to build customer relationships and gradually deliver more value as trust and customer needs grow.

Positioning can be learned

Revise your value proposition by using customer interviews. Ask current customers for their feedback and approach companies that are not customers to understand their choices. Analyze your customer base for common characteristics and formulate:

“We at [company name] provide [service/product] to [industry] for [specific result].”

Ensure consistent branding and positioning. Adjust them based on recurring feedback, but avoid making hasty changes. Stay relevant and responsive to the needs of your target market.

After positioning comes “messaging”

To effectively communicate your value proposition, a structured approach to messaging is essential. At Beyond Products, we break this down by looking at six core components:

• Use case: The specific situation or scenario in which your product or service is used.
• Current solution: The method or product customers are currently using to address their problem.
• Problem (blocker): The obstacle or challenge customers face with their current solution.
• Product capability: The ability or functionality of your product that addresses the problem.
• Product feature: The specific characteristic or attribute of your product that enables the capability.
• Benefit: The ultimate advantage or value the customer experiences by using your product.

By systematically working through these elements, you create a coherent story that clearly shows why your solution is the best choice for your target audience. This framework ensures that your messaging not only highlights the functionalities of your product but also centers on the concrete value and benefits for the customer.

An example of Beyond Products’ messaging, which you will see reflected on our website. We use few marketing buzzwords – such as lead and demand generation – and are quite literal when it comes to our services. As far as we’re concerned, marketing doesn’t need to be “clever.” People need to understand what you’re actually selling.

What should you do with that positioning?

Your positioning must be consistently reflected in all aspects of your business communication. Whether it’s your website, sales materials, presentations, or social media posts, it’s crucial to repeat the same message time and time again. This consistency ensures that your brand remains recognizable and your value proposition clearly resonates with your target audience, no matter where they interact with your business.

Don’t be afraid of repeating yourself too much. Keep in mind that your company isn’t the only one potential customers are evaluating. In the busy cybersecurity market, decision-makers are overwhelmed with information from various providers. Therefore, it’s unlikely that anyone will remember exactly when you raised a particular point. By consistently repeating your key message, you increase the chances that it sticks and that your organization stays top-of-mind for your target audience.

Step 3: Why marketing and sales are the perfect combination

Traditionally, we see various, often problematic relationships between marketing and sales. Marketing is asked to generate as many “leads” as possible. That is, providing a list of people who are “ready to buy.” On the other hand, sales often complains about the quality of these leads. We also frequently see a battle between the departments over who contributes the most. It might be “Marketing isn’t doing enough,” or “Sales can never close the deals.” How do you solve this?

Marketing must support sales

When you start with marketing, make sure it truly adds value for the sales team. Create compelling customer cases that sales can share to demonstrate the practical value of your product. So-called ‘battlecards’ are useful for the sales team to quickly access information and arguments that set the product apart from the competition.

In addition, it’s important to create widely usable content, such as clear product explanations that are easy to share within the prospect’s entire company. This helps your contact person gain internal support for the decision. In this way, you create ambassadors and warm up the entire organization to your solution, so that marketing not only supports the direct sale but also helps with the bigger picture.

We have to disappoint sales: it’s difficult for a marketing team to generate so many leads that you don’t have to do anything yourself. Moreover, the threshold for what qualifies as a “lead” has been lowered over time. What used to be someone who explicitly asked for a demo is now someone who is already considered a lead just by signing up for a webinar. This is quite aggressive, and it’s important to set agreements on this as a team.

Step 4: Sharing your knowledge, it’s easier than you think

Effective marketing is about clearly and repeatedly communicating your value proposition. It’s essential to consistently show how your product or service helps your target audience.

A crucial part of this strategy is building authority in your field. This requires consistency; make communication a regular part of your weekly routine.

Start with achievable goals and choose a rhythm you can maintain—whether it’s weekly blogs, monthly webinars, or daily social media updates. This consistency not only increases your brand awareness but also demonstrates your commitment and reliability to your target audience.

Choose your channel

When choosing your marketing channel, it’s essential to consider your personality as an entrepreneur. Do you enjoy being in the spotlight? Do you like public speaking, or does it give you goosebumps? Your personal preferences play a significant role in the success of your marketing strategy.

LinkedIn is a popular platform for B2B marketing, but it’s definitely not the only option. If the thought of LinkedIn posts makes you nervous, there are plenty of alternatives:

• SEO-focused articles for your website
• YouTube videos (also good for SEO)
• Starting your own podcast
• Organizing private roundtable discussions
• Sending an informative newsletter (which you can promote in various ways)

“Think about which format suits you best. Are you a natural writer? Do you feel comfortable in front of the camera? Or do you prefer communicating via audio, like podcasts or voice messages? The key is to choose a method that makes you feel comfortable and aligns with your strengths.”

Marloes van Vliet,
Beyond Products

The ultimate goal is for people to see you as an expert in your market. This can be achieved in many ways, so choose an approach that suits you. Whether you blog, vlog, create podcasts, or newsletters, consistency and quality are more important than the specific medium you choose. As long as you share valuable insights and remain authentic, you will build your authority in the industry.

Want to learn more about how to share content? There’s of course much more to say about this. For example, how do you decide what to share? Read Marloes’ article for more insights.

Step 5: Okay, I want to grow, now what?

Growth sounds tempting, but without the right foundations, it can quickly become overwhelming or even backfire. So, let’s first take a look at what you need to have in place before you launch a growth spurt. This preparation can make the difference between controlled, sustainable growth and chaotic expansion that could do more harm than good to your business.

Do you have product-market fit?

Product-market fit is a crucial milestone for any growing business. It means that your product or service meets a clear need in the market and that there is a group of enthusiastic customers. In the cybersecurity world, this could mean addressing a specific security problem that many companies face.

To determine if you have achieved product-market fit, take a critical look at your customer list. Do you see similarities in the products or services you sell? Are you primarily selling to the same type of customers? Consistency in your offerings and positive feedback from a specific customer segment are strong signals that you’re on the right track.

“Product-market fit is when your solution perfectly aligns with the needs of your customer. But in the security industry, we often see ‘solution uncertainty’ – customers can barely distinguish between providers. Do you really have product-market fit? Or are you simply selling what you think the market wants? First fit, then grow. Understand your customer, tell your unique story, and show how you truly make a difference.”

Bram de Bruijn,
Beyond Products

Are you really ready?

Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Quick results are not guaranteed; marketing focuses on the long term with a consistent message. But is your organization truly ready for this approach?

Evaluate your current business operations: are you sales-driven and operationally opportunistic? This can work in the early stages, but it becomes an obstacle to growth through marketing. It requires a shift to proactive thinking and long-term strategies, where you sometimes need to say ‘no’ to tempting opportunities.

Ask yourself before investing in marketing: are you willing to adjust your operations and stick to your strategy, even when quick deals are tempting? If the answer is ‘yes,’ then you’re ready for the next step in your growth strategy.

3, 2, 1….. GO! 

Okay, so you’re excited to get started with marketing. Awesome! But you know what? You don’t have to conquer the whole world right away. Start small and keep it manageable.

Forget all those complicated KPIs for a moment. Just start with something simple that you can stick to. For example:

• Post a fun update on LinkedIn every week
• Create a short video every other week (yes, even with your phone is fine)
• Write a blog once a month about something cool in your field

Does that still sound like a lot? No worries! Pick one and start with that. The key is to find a rhythm that works for you. Before you know it, it’ll become a habit, and you’ll see what works for your audience.

Need help? We’re here for you!

Still have questions? Or does it all seem like a lot? No problem! At Beyond Products, we understand better than anyone how challenging marketing can be, especially in the world of cybersecurity.

So… why don’t we put our heads together? Maybe we can give you that little push you need. Send us a message, and we’d be happy to brainstorm with you.

Together, we’ll make your marketing a success, we promise!