Selling Security Without Fear: How MSPs Can Use Risk Conversations to Build Trust and Drive Value

In today’s threat landscape, selling cybersecurity services is essential for MSPs. But as they work to help clients strengthen their security posture, MSPs often encounter a frustrating objection: “You’re just trying to use fear to scare me into buying more services from you.”

This pushback is common, and it’s understandable. No one wants to feel manipulated. But here’s the truth: selling security isn’t about fear — it’s about risk awareness and business resilience. In this month’s blog article, I’ll explore how MSPs can shift the conversation from fear to facts, helping prospects understand their risk exposure and helping them to become more comfortable and better informed about their cybersecurity investments.

Why Selling on Fear Doesn’t Work

Fear-based selling may grab attention, but it rarely builds trust, and establishing and building trust is paramount to growing your MSP. Most business leaders are savvy enough to recognize when they’re being pressured, and that can damage your credibility. Instead of relying on fear, MSPs should focus on transparency, education, and realistic risk assessments when it comes to refining their marketing and sales processes.

Security isn’t about scaring clients — it’s about helping them understand the likelihood and impact of a potential breach and guiding them towards proactive solutions that protect their business.

Start with the Right Audience: Define Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP)

Before you can sell advanced security services effectively, you need to know who you’re selling to. SPOILER ALERT: Not every customer will be a fit for a high-end cybersecurity program, and trying to sell to everyone will dilute your efforts and marketing dollars.

That’s why defining your Ideal Client Profile (ICP) is critical. Your ICP is a baseline standard that helps you identify the types of organizations that are most likely to benefit from — and invest in — advanced security services. It’s not just about technology; it’s about aligning your sales and marketing efforts with clients who value risk mitigation, business resilience, and continuity.

The Key to Selling Security: Shift the Conversation to Risk

When prospects object to security investments by accusing you of fearmongering, it’s time to reframe the conversation. Instead of talking about security and threats, talk about risk.

Risk isn’t a dirty word — it’s a reality of doing business in the digital age. As Dave MacKinnon, CISO at N‑able, often says: “Risk is healthy. You have to acknowledge it.” Ignoring risk doesn’t make it go away. In fact, it increases the likelihood of a costly breach.

To help prospects understand their risk exposure, MSPs should guide them through a structured assessment that evaluates both the likelihood of an attack happening and the impact it would have on their business.

Calculating Risk Exposure: A Simple Equation

Think of risk exposure as an equation:

Risk Exposure = Likelihood of Attack × Impact of Attack

Framing it this way helps clients quantify their risk and see the value of investing in security.

Here’s how to break it down:

Likelihood of Attack

Evaluate how attractive the organization is to threat actors:

• Size of the business (employees, revenue)
• Industry vertical (e.g., healthcare, finance, education)
• Compliance requirements (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR)
• Type of data stored (PII, financial, intellectual property)
• Supply chain and partner relationships
• Access to sensitive systems

Impact of Attack

Assess the potential consequences of a breach:

• Loss of revenue due to downtime
• Damage to customer relationships and retention
• Competitive disadvantage if IP is stolen
• Reputational harm and loss of trust
• Disruption to supplier and partner networks
• Regulatory fines and legal liabilities

Then ask your prospect to rate each factor as low, medium, or high. The more “medium” and “high” ratings they assign to each of these factors, the greater their overall risk exposure — and the stronger the case for investing in advanced security services like you are advocating.

From Risk to Resilience: Building the Right Security Program

Once you’ve identified high-risk prospects, it’s time to offer a solution that matches their needs. Your advanced security program should:

• Address current threats in the evolving landscape
• Reduce their attack surface and mitigate their risk
• Include proactive threat prevention and detection
• Provide incident response and recovery capabilities
• Help clients maintain business continuity during and after an attack

This isn’t about selling a product — it’s about delivering operational confidence and ensuring business continuity in the face of evolving threats.

Who Should You Target?

Focus your efforts on organizations with:

• Sensitive financial, health, or personal data
• Unique intellectual property that’s irreplaceable
• Employees with access to critical systems or partner data
• High compliance requirements (e.g., healthcare, finance, legal)
• A breach impact that could be existential

Industries like healthcare, education, manufacturing, and government are especially vulnerable and are often subject to strict regulations. These organizations don’t just need security — they need a strategic partner who can help them navigate risk and stay compliant.

Overcoming the “You’re Just Using Fear” Objection

When a prospect says, “You’re just trying to scare me,” respond with empathy and facts:

“I understand that this can feel overwhelming. My goal isn’t to scare you, it’s to help you understand your risks so you can make informed decisions. If your business checks several boxes on this risk checklist, then the reality is that you’re exposed and you are at risk. I’m here to help you reduce that exposure and protect what matters most to your business.”

By focusing on education, transparency, and risk quantification, you shift the conversation from fear to value. You’re not selling security, you’re selling business continuity, customer trust, and a competitive advantage.

Final Thoughts: Lead with Education, Not Alarm

MSPs have a responsibility to help clients understand the risks they face and the steps they can take to protect themselves. That starts with honest conversations, clear frameworks, and targeted solutions.

Selling security doesn’t have to rely on fear. When you lead with education and risk awareness, you build trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with clients who see you as a strategic partner; not just a vendor.

Want to dive deeper into building resilience in the face of risk? Join me for the next installment of my Security Masterclass: Threat Ready: Building Resilience in the Face of Risk – Upcoming Dates: August 13^th and September 10^th
REGISTER HERE

Stefanie Hammond is Head Sales and Marketing Nerd at N‑able. You can follow her on LinkedIn