How STS Marketed its Cybersecurity Services Profitably in the Legal Industry
Sam Sheth
James Waryck
Strategic Technology Solutions (STS) is an MSP based in Southern California, with offices in Arizona and distributed teams across the world. Founded in 2015, it specializes in the legal vertical and offers managed services, IT solutions, cloud services and cybersecurity solutions.
STS’s notable clients include Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, DSMTFL, Collins Collins Muir & Stewart, LLP, Ramey Law P.C., Yukevich | Cavanaugh and the Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA).
The MSP came across inSOC when it worked with our sister company, Inovo InfoSec, to obtain its SSAE 19 certification. It also used Inovo’s services to help its clients pass security audits, stay compliant with data privacy regulations and protect their reputations.
THE CHALLENGES
Increased Demand for Cybersecurity Services in the Legal Industry
STS needed the right tools for its clients and itself to stay ahead of cybercriminals in today’s threat environment where law firms and MSPs have become the prime targets for attacks.
Meanwhile, the demand for compliance services increased as some of its clients were audited for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Many customers also needed to meet the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards as they work with clients worldwide.
The demand for cybersecurity services has never been higher as growing threats and stringent regulations force law firms to implement controls and beef up their cybersecurity defense. While the increased awareness made the conversations easier, selling cybersecurity services in the legal industry isn’t smooth sailing.
Historically, law firms have been reactive to technology and security requirements. This attitude was hurting STS’s ability to deliver the best services — after all, putting out fires when things go wrong isn’t the best way to use its resources strategically. The MSP recognized that it had to help its clients take a proactive stance toward cybersecurity for its long-term success.
STS needed advanced cybersecurity software to meet the growing demand, respond to the fast-changing threat landscape, and strengthen its own security posture. inSOC’s suite of tools met this two-fold requirement, allowing the MSP to consolidate its technology stack while getting comprehensive protection.
THE SOLUTION
A SOC-as-a-Service Solution that Goes Beyond Technology
STS needed the right tools for its clients and itself to stay ahead of cybercriminals in today’s threat environment where law firms and MSPs have become the prime targets for attacks.
Seamless and All-encompassing Deployment
While inSOC’s end-to-end deployment and advanced toolset were key reasons STS chose our services, the technical implementation was just part of the big picture. What sets inSOC apart is the wraparound packages and strategic support that help the MSP achieve long-term success.
inSOC takes care of all the behind-the-scene activities so STS can deliver white-glove white-label services to its clients.
"inSOC invests in our partnership. We reviewed and implemented the solutions together. But they didn't just give us the tools and leave it at that. They have become a strategic partner who supplies the right security solution and delivers the best experience to our clients. They're more like an extension to our organization instead of a vendor."Strategic Positioning and Sales Support
STS uses inSOC’s services as the minimum standard in their packages to support a proactive approach to cybersecurity. If a prospect isn’t willing to invest in data security via inSOC’s offerings, the MSP would not take it on as a client because of the long-term ramification of a poor security posture.
Besides technical solutions and implementation, inSOC helped STS package and price the cybersecurity services to become a seamless extension of its existing managed service offerings, bundled and positioned to be most attractive to its client base.
"The collaboration and conversations are invaluable. Since inSOC works with many MSPs and MSSPs, they have insights into the market landscape. They know what works and what doesn't in our industry. They help us position our offerings and provide input to support our sales and marketing effort."Reporting and Customer Support
inSOC offers monthly threat assessment reporting and security risks scores as part of its SOCaaS solutions. STS can easily turn the information into client reports to communicate the remediation it has taken and how it helped customers improve their cybersecurity posture.
STS also leverages inSOC’s granular reporting capabilities to show clients their current vulnerabilities and help them prioritize their resources. The conversations bring awareness to security gaps and give STS the opportunities to deliver value while upselling its services.
"Having tangible reports in their hands help our contacts demonstrate to decision-makers (e.g. the managing partner in a law firm) why they need to prioritise cybersecurity. Our customers are more receptive to our recommendations when they understand their security posture and what they need to do to protect their sensitive data."A Competitive Advantage for MSPs Serving Highly Regulated Industries
With the support of inSOC’s comprehensive security tools that help simplify SSAE 19 compliance, STS stands out as a trusted MSP for the legal industry.
"Being SSAE 19 certified is a key differentiator. Using inSOC's SOC-as-a-Service for our clients and MSP Protect for ourselves, we can truly say that we practice what we preach. This is very powerful. We can show audit reports to prove that we have implemented the processes and standards to protect our own house before selling our services. It feels good to do the right thing for ourselves and our clients."Moving forward, inSOC and STS will increase their collaboration on vendor/partner training and onboarding so STS’s team can become more confident when configuring the security tools on-site, further building trust with their customers.
Cybersecurity is a growing discipline, and the opportunities to sell into the legal space have never been more abundant. MSPs that can demonstrate the value they deliver, build trust with their customers, and enhance the level of services they offer are poised to stay ahead of their competitors.
