How I’d scale a B2B cyber security company with a £6k marketing budget

In the highly competitive B2B cyber security space, standing out is challenging, especially with a marketing budget of £6,000 per month. To make the most of this budget, it’s essential to focus on cost-effective strategies that drive qualified leads into the funnel. Given the broad nature of cyber security, it’s key to create industry-specific funnels that help position the business as an expert in each core sector. Instead of simply competing in the broader cybersecurity space, I’d target key industries with tailored content, lead magnets, and targeted ads to make the business appear as a specialist in each area.

Here’s the scenario I’m dealing with:

The scenario

• Industry: B2B Cyber Security
• Company Headcount: 20–50 employees
• Marketing Budget: £6,000 per month
• Market Conditions: Highly competitive space with many players
• Challenges:
  • Saturated market with numerous similar offerings
  • Tight marketing budget
  • Difficulty standing out and capturing attention

Creating industry-specific funnels to drive engagement

Cyber security is a broad field, so it’s crucial to build tailored funnels for each of your key industries. By doing so, you’ll position the business as a specialist in each sector, addressing specific pain points and providing value that resonates with your audience. Each funnel will contain industry-specific content, lead magnets, and targeted ads to attract high-quality leads.

Step 1: Identify core industries and their pain points

The first step is to identify the core industries your company will target. Some examples could include finance, healthcare, manufacturing, or technology. For each of these industries, I would:

• Identify key pain points unique to each industry (e.g., data breaches in healthcare, and compliance issues in finance).
• Use this research to craft highly specific content that speaks directly to their challenges.

Step 2: Build industry-specific content

Each industry-specific funnel would include a mix of:

• Blogs: Industry-focused articles discussing the latest threats, best practices, and real-world challenges.
• Guides and eBooks: In-depth resources like “How to Protect Your Financial Data from Cyber Threats” or “Cyber Security in Healthcare: A Complete Guide”.
• Horror Stories and Case Studies: Real-world examples of cyber attacks within each industry, highlighting why cyber security matters and what businesses can do to protect themselves.
• Lead Magnets: Such as a free cyber security audit, DNS security scanner, or data security scanner, tailored for each sector.
• Use Cases: Industry-specific use cases that show how your solution has protected similar businesses.
• Landing Pages: Targeted pages for each funnel with messaging that speaks directly to the pain points of that industry.

Step 3: Targeted ads for each industry funnel

Using LinkedIn Ads and Google Ads, I would then target these specific industries. Ads would focus on solving problems for that industry and leading prospects to industry-tailored landing pages where they can access the lead magnets.

For example:

• Finance: “Are You Ready for a Data Breach? Find out with Our Free Cyber Security Audit for Financial Institutions.”
• Healthcare: “Protect Patient Data with Our Free Cyber Security Scan – No Obligation.”

The aim is to present your company as a specialist for each vertical, offering a solution that understands the unique challenges of that industry.

Creating lead magnets that attract and educate

Attracting leads in a competitive space requires offering valuable tools that solve immediate problems. Rather than focusing on immediate sales, I’d create lead magnets that engage prospects, educate them about the risks they face, and guide them through the sales funnel.

Step 1: Offer a free cyber security audit and action plan

One of the most effective ways to engage potential customers is by offering a free cybersecurity audit. This would allow businesses to understand their vulnerabilities right away, providing them with a detailed PDF report that includes an action plan to improve their cyber security score.

The audit would evaluate:

• Current vulnerabilities
• Actionable next steps to improve security posture
• Key areas that need immediate attention

This audit helps build trust while subtly highlighting the urgency of improving cyber security.

Step 2: Free DNS security scanner tool

A free DNS security scanner is another excellent tool to capture leads. This would allow businesses to scan their domain for DNS vulnerabilities and provide a quick overview of their current security level.

The scanner would:

• Allow users to input their domain name
• Check for common DNS vulnerabilities, like missing/incorrect DKIM or SPF
• Analyse their tech stack (using website metadata) and provide a security risk assessment based on the technologies they use

The results would be actionable and come with a CTA leading to a more detailed consultation or security audit.

Step 3: Horror stories and educational content

Instead of generic whitepapers, I’d focus on creating specific content that not only educates but also raises urgency. This would include:

• Horror stories detailing real-world cyber attacks in specific industries, demonstrating the consequences of poor security practices
• Case studies showing how businesses similar to the prospect’s have benefited from your service

For example:

• “How Healthcare Companies Are Losing Millions from Data Breaches, And How You Can Prevent It”
• “Why Finance Firms Are the Top Targets for Cyber Criminals: A Real-World Case Study”

This content would inform prospects while making the risks more tangible, building urgency to act now.

Using scaremongering tactics to raise urgency

While the focus is primarily on education, scaremongering can still be a highly effective tool when used appropriately. Highlighting real threats can increase urgency and prompt businesses to take action before they become the next victim of a cyber attack.

Step 1: Sharing real-life cyber security horror stories

Real-world cyber security horror stories are incredibly effective at demonstrating the severity of the risks businesses face. By sharing anonymised case studies or examples of companies suffering from data breaches, you show the consequences of not taking action.

These stories would be shared in:

• Blog posts
• LinkedIn posts
• Email newsletters

The goal is to make businesses realise that cyber threats are real and that taking action to secure their systems now is critical.

Step 2: Debunking cyber security myths

Many businesses think they’re immune to cyber threats because they’re small or they have basic protection in place. I’d create content addressing these misconceptions, such as:

• “Why Small Businesses Are Easy Targets for Cyber Criminals”
• “Your Current Cyber Security Might Not Be Enough—Here’s Why”

These pieces would challenge businesses’ assumptions and urge them to take their security seriously before it’s too late.

What success looks like after six months

By executing this strategy, here’s what I’d expect:

• Increased inbound leads from industry-specific funnels that target high-value prospects
• Lower CAC as we shift focus from broad ads to highly targeted, vertical-specific content and lead magnets
• Stronger brand authority in key industries through targeted content and scaremongering tactics
• Better-qualified leads entering the funnel, ready to engage in more meaningful discussions

With a strategic focus on industry-specific funnels, lead magnets, and organic educational content, the goal would be to build trust and engagement while generating a steady stream of qualified leads.

If this approach resonates with your business and you’re looking to scale your marketing in a highly competitive space, I’d be happy to discuss how Rocket SaaS can help. Start with a free, no-obligation SaaS marketing strategy call today!