How NOT to Sell Data Security…

Below is an email that takes the “FEAR” approach to selling data security -   by threatening me with a f’ing $5,000,000 fine. Great job in pissing me off Trish!

I’ve been in this business a long time and fear doesn’t result in $$ for security. Even if it does, the customer is a reluctant, captured, draftee that will bolt the first chance they get.

Nothing like a good threat to start off a relationship… Jesus.

….

From: no-reply@salesforce.com [mailto:no-reply@salesforce.com] On Behalf Of Trish Gundy
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 2:24 PM
To: john@haggardmail.net
Subject: $5 million fine for failing to protect customers' data

Hi JOHN,

Nobody wants to be fined for failing to protect their customers’ data. Yet that’s exactly what might happen to JOHN HAGGARD, if you’re not protecting the privacy of information going from your internal network to the Internet.

What are you doing to protect your business and your reputation from data leaks?

Did you know that the average cost of a data leak is roughly $204 per lost record**, according to a Ponemon Institute study this year? The minimum cost of a data loss incident was $750,000 for companies included in the study.

Companies like JOHN HAGGARD are protecting themselves painlessly, enjoying the benefits of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) through solutions from Palisade Systems, Inc.

Palisade Systems, Inc. is the DLP leader. Palisade's PacketSure™ solution provides visibility to help you control and protect proprietary and confidential information leaving your organization's network, without disrupting business processes. Protected information includes:

• Private Health Information

• Credit Card numbers

• Social Security numbers

• Financial data

• Intellectual property

PacketSure™ helps your organization comply with regulations, including HIPAA, GLBA, and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), as well as state privacy laws and PCI Data Security standards.

Let’s schedule an interactive web session to discuss your security needs and goals this Friday, September 17 or next Tuesday, September 21 at 9:00am PST.

Will that day and time work with your schedule?

Please confirm the date and time that works for you and I will set up a meeting invitation and send that to you and your team.

JOHN, thank you in advance for letting me introduce Palisade Systems, Inc. If you have any questions please call me at 714-290-3080.

Best regards,

Trish Gundy

Regional Director, West

Palisade Systems, Inc.

714-290-3080

trish@palisadesystems.com

*http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jul2009/gb20090723_375115.htm

**http://www.ponemon.org/news-2/23

Comments

[Christian Renaud]

John,

On behalf of Palisade Systems, let me apologize for what can be interpreted as a FUD email. You're right, this is no way to start a relationship, and I'm personally looking into our email messaging to make sure nothing like this happens again.

Sorry that this was your first contact with our organization. Hopefully future contacts will be much improved.

Best, Christian Renaud, CEO, Palisade Systems

[John Haggard]

Thanks Christian, I posted your comment as it's own blog as you deserve equal coverage. Also sent you a LinkedIn invite :)