Marketing is a great profession, especially when you can use your skills to help safeguard automobiles, medical devices and critical manufacturing infrastructure

After a quarter of a decade of marketing enterprise software and various cyber-IT solutions, in November 2022 I took on the challenge, as CMO of Cybellum, to market a Product Security Platform in the emerging area of cybersecurity for connected devices, products, vehicles and critical infrastructure. Cybersecurity has for the most part been focused on IT components including databases, endpoints, servers and networks. Over the last few years, a new threat vector has emerged threatening products and devices utilized by consumers and health care providers, as well as industrial infrastructure including control systems for energy, water supply, food production, electrical grids and more.

Marketing is always a challenge, but marketing globally from Israel has its own unique challenges. I moved to Israel 30 years ago and have played my part in building the start-up nation. In the early days, marketing was thought of as being something you needed to do in the USA. But with the advent of marketing automation, the globalization of marketing techniques and processes, and with Israel taking a major position in the cybersecurity market, things have changed. In fact, today we have a new organization for marketing professionals in Israel called the G-CMO - https://www.g-cmo.com/, which has around 140 Israeli based CMOs and VP Marketings who are leading the marketing for some of the world’s leading hi-tech companies, many in the area of cybersecurity.

In order to effectively market a product security platform to device manufacturers, it is essential use a combination of the following marketing techniques in integrated campaigns. Content is still king in my eyes and creating high-quality, informative content (such as blog posts, explainer videos, ebooks, webinars, and white papers) that addresses the specific needs and concerns of device manufacturers can be an effective way to educate potential customers about the value and benefits of the product security platform. This content can be used to demonstrate the company's expertise in the field of security and to position the product security platform as a best-in-class solution.

Search engine optimization (SEO) and the optimizing of website content can help improve the visibility of the product security platform in search engine results. These organic leads tend to be very high quality and often have the best conversion rates.

Using paid advertising on platforms such as LinkedIn and Googlecan help drive targeted traffic to the website and increase visibility to a wider audience.

Partnering with influencers in the industry can help increase credibility and reach. For example, partnering with consultants, industry thought leaders and senior executives in target companies who have a strong presence in the industry can help extend the reach of the product to a new audience.

Sharing case studies and customer testimonials can help demonstrate the effectiveness and value of the product security platform to potential customers. This can be particularly powerful when the customers are well-known. The more that these case studies can include the return on investment received by the customer, the better.

Attending in-person events is another critical piece of the marketing mix. In fact, as face to face events returned following the COVID-19 shutdowns, people are coming out in larger numbers and are really looking for the personal interactions. So now is a great time to consider on-premise events.

And we should not overlook personalized outreach. Reaching out to potential customers with personalized emails or phone calls. Marketers should segmenttheir target audience and tailor their outreach efforts to address the specific needs and concerns of different segments.

Ultimately, the most effective marketing techniques will depend on the specific target audience and goals of the marketing campaign. Marketers should carefully consider their audience and their marketing goals, and choose marketing techniques that are most likely to be effective in achieving those goals, with measurable metrics.

I have overcome the challenge of marketing from Israel with a combination of marketing tactics and strategies, such as local events around the globe, building partnerships and relationships with key influencers and industry experts, leveraging content marketing and thought leadership, and using targeted digital marketing campaigns to reach potential customers.

For example, in the beginning of 2022, I launched a new podcast together with my colleague Shlomi Ashkenazy called “Left to our Own Devices, the Product Security Podcast.” We have had guests including government officials and regulators from CISA and the FDA in the USA, and leading consultants and industry figures from automotive, medical device and ICL industries. I am also a syndicated journalist with several hundred interviews executed with industry leaders, CEOs and other executives. We use these activities as additional input into our content program.

Last but definitely not least, I believe very much that first and foremost, the team you create will help you succeed. I hire the best people available in the market. We have a small SWAT team which works closely together as a unit. We work hard, brainstorm and innovate creative campaignsdaily and take our ideas to market on social, at events and conferences, with our podcast, interviews and in industry workshops. We also use moment marketing to build our credibility as thought leaders.

On the personal side, I believe very much that marketeers should give back to the community. In addition to my day job at Cybellum, I am a mentor to students in the MBA program at Hebrew University and I am also the Chairman of the Israeli Friends and member of the board of trustees of the Jerusalem College of Technology. As mentioned previously, I am a member of the G-CMO organization and I am also a member of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society, THE CMO Club and the CMO Council. I also try to make myself available to young people starting out in the industry and professionals seeking their next challenge who may need some help in the process. I am a firm believer in giving back and recommend that each person should choose the area in which they want to volunteer their time and to do so.