Use Risk management versus Fear Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD)

Example of risk management: A NASA model showing areas
at high risk from impact for the International Space Station.

Sometimes, the problem with acronyms is that people use them without understanding what they mean. When someone does this they risk their own reputation.  So to all of the salespeople who claim that FUD is the best way to sell, please look into what FUD means.

From Wikipedia:
Fear, uncertainty and doubt, frequently abbreviated as FUD, is a tactic used in sales, marketing, public relations,[1][2] politics and propaganda. FUD is generally a strategic attempt to influence public perception by disseminating negative and dubious/false information designed to undermine the credibility of their beliefs. An individual firm, for example, might use FUD to invite unfavorable opinions and speculation about a competitor's product; to increase the general estimation of switching costs among current customers; or to maintain leverage over a current business partner who could potentially become a rival. The term originated to describe disinformation tactics in the computer hardware industry and has since been used more broadly.[3] FUD is a manifestation of the appeal to fear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt

Now, we understand that could be as simple as a sales person stating "if you buy that product all of these bad things will happen", but like anything FUD has been used long ago and a bit in the reverse. Instead of saying "If you use this there may be problems", they might say something like; “Pay me protection money so you will not get robbed”, and if you did not pay they robbed you!  This is FUD as well; Risk Management on the other hand may be the police telling you to install cameras and an alarm system to mitigate the risk of being robbed. The Police do not get paid by you directly to give that advice.  So if you are a salesperson, ask yourself if you are using FUD in one of the following ways:

• Buy our product or service and you will not get sued or face legal risk?
• Buy our product or service over our competitors because it is really not designed for Windows and you may have problems!

Both of these are FUD and both are not the way to sell in the Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) market. The reason is that the customer is looking more for a partner than a product or service.  Ask yourself how many customers are repeat customers or how many have you lost? In the GRC space education and partnerships matter, your customer needs to trust you, once there is a lie or FUD you will no longer be trusted.

In GRC there is too much at risk and the last thing a company wants to do is partner with a liar or someone trying to sell with fear, uncertainty and doubt! Salespeople and executives that have selected the GRC market should do a little reading on Risk Management; this is a good start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_management . If you understand risk management then you are forced to give real information. Take the possibility of getting sued if you do not comply with a particular concern. Use real data and reliable statistics and if one in one million will get sued for not complying, then as part of your risk management strategy and planning you need to know the exposure. What you do not want is to be guilty of using FUD as it may get a single sale but it will not get help you win loyalty from your customers and it is clearly not ethical, in my humble opinion (IMHO).

Cheers,
Rob