For prospects , consider offering a free assessment that reveals compliance issues they may not know they have .
“
For prospects , consider offering a free assessment that reveals compliance issues they may not know they have .
Organizations of all sizes are grappling with data protection , security , and regulatory compliance concerns . But SMBs in particular need a trusted advisor to help them come into compliance with an increasing number of state , federal , and cyber insurance requirements . The work doesn ’ t end there , either . Businesses must stay compliant with evolving rules and regulations . That can be a revenue goldmine .
To get started selling compliance services , here are three steps you should take right now .
1 . First , Get Yourself Compliant
“ Compliance ” covers a wide swath — HIPAA , PCI , CMMC , GDPR , NIST , CIS , and other standards , not to mention the increasing number of state privacy regulations and cybersecurity requirements . Before you pitch IT compliance services to a potential customer , though , you ’ ll need to understand the investment of time and money required to meet the standards and what the pain points are . That way , you can let customers know what to expect and help them create a plan . There ’ s no better way to gain that knowledge than to go through the process yourself . Choose a framework , implement all the required security controls , and create policies and procedures . You may want to consider getting SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certified .
Then choose the target customer . Do you want to focus on PCI , HIPAA , CMMC ? One size does not fit all when it comes to IT compliance , so become an expert in one standard to start ; immerse yourself in the details and stay up to date with changes .
2 . Get A Compliance Management Tool
While you can use a combination of reporting and documentation tools to deliver IT compliance services , adopting a governance , risk , and compliance ( GRC ) solution can make you much more efficient . Plus , you ’ ll have the ability to discover opportunities faster . A compliance management tool identifies compliance gaps , creates plans of action to close the gaps , and generates policies and procedure manuals to demonstrate to your customers that their IT security and compliance program is working . It also enables you to respond instantly to audit requests .
3 . Market Your Services With A Free Assessment
Many small and medium businesses are either unaware of their compliance requirements or just too busy to stay on top of evolving changes . This puts them at risk of potential fines and penalties . For prospects , consider offering a free assessment that reveals compliance issues they may not know they have . Then create a management plan to get them in compliance — and keep them there . With the right GRC tool , you can produce the assessment and plan quickly .
During the conversation , clearly outline the scope of your services , including the regulatory requirements you ’ ll address , duration of the engagement , and deliverables they can expect . You can also create new security services around tailored policies and procedures that match each client ’ s unique IT requirements .
It ’ s a compelling value proposition . Even if prospects already have an MSP they ’ re happy with , you can become their compliance expert . Expose the risks , close the deal !
For current customers , use your quarterly business review to do all those same things .
Address Your Clients ’ Needs ( Or Someone Else Will !)
We are still at the beginning of the revenue opportunities that will come with compliance-as-a-service , but if you don ’ t seize the moment , your competition will swoop in to steal that business — if they haven ’ t already .
MSPSUCCESS . COM | 23