Today’s rapidly changing markets and shorter product life cycles are raising concerns in some quarters that the pace is too rapid and security is being compromised.  However, delaying a decision to move forward can weaken an organization’s competitive position.  Some managers have even used the term Catch 22 to describe their situation.

FDR’s first inauguration address in the depths of the Great Depression included the admonition “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes the needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”  By addressing the public’s fears head-on at the outset of his administration, FDR got the support needed to move forward quickly with the necessary reforms.

Today’s Internet Revolution (News - Alert) is affecting every aspect of life just as the Industrial Revolution did in the 19^th Century. It also raised concerns. Eventually, the enormous benefits conquered the fears. The early adopters were in the best position to capitalize on the benefits and did quite well. The reason for this short history lesson is to stress that any anxiety in the marketplace should be identified, addressed, and assuaged at the outset of the sales cycle. 

Many customer prospects are new to cloud services and have a limited understanding of the technologies, so they are apprehensive. It is your job to educate them. Your website is their first point of contact, so follow FDR’s strategy and start there.  Even if only 20 percent of your website visitors have doubts, it could have a significant impact on sales.  One head-on tactic is to prominently display case studies or white papers with titles like “Avoiding Cloud Dangers”, “Combat Security Breaches”, or other similar titles.  Then use the papers to illustrate the true fact that implementing cloud services is much more secure and efficient than retaining in-house legacy technology. This is a proven tactic used by many successful cloud service providers. 

For additional marketing materials and ideas, leverage TMC’s (News - Alert) online communities, channels, newsletters, and web conferences. They are excellent sources for cloud marketing materials demonstrating the reliability and cost effectiveness of cloud solutions. I receive the newsletters daily, and they do a great job keeping me up to date. 

Another great place for products and ideas is the upcoming ITEXPO (News - Alert) 2015 at the Miami Beach Convention Center from Jan. 27 through 30. 

Max Schroeder is vice president emeritus of FaxCore Inc.