How to Provide Security Recommendations Clients Can Trust. As an MSP, your role goes far beyond fixing tickets and keeping systems online. Instead, clients now expect you to provide strategic cybersecurity guidance alongside IT support. In this video, we'll walk through a practical framework for delivering cybersecurity recommendations that feel genuine, data driven, and client focused. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. How to Deliver Cybersecurity Recommendations. Lead with empathy, not features. First, identify a pain point your clients can relate to. Ask questions like what security concerns have been keeping you up lately? Have there been any recent incidents or near-misses? Once you understand their concerns, discuss recommendations that can reduce risk in daily operations, lower stress for internal teams. Prevent disruption and improve business continuity. Frame Security as a Business Continuity Issue. Many SMBs still see cybersecurity as solely just an IT issue, so your job is to reposition it as a business continuity issue. Instead of talking about vulnerabilities in exploits, center your discussion on common risks such as operational downtime, unexpected recovery costs, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust. Use Peer Benchmarks. Clients respond far better to statements like: “Roughly 80% of organizations your size have already implemented passwordless MFA. Would you like to explore what that could look like for your environment? This peer focused approach creates urgency without fear tactics and shows that your advice is based on real world adoption. Highlighting where a business stands relative to their peers normalizes cybersecurity, without using fear-based messaging. Teach first. Don't pitch. Education builds trust, and informed clients make better decisions instead of pushing a service immediately. offer learning opportunities such as phishing simulations, short webinars, and guides to cybersecurity best practices. These opportunities should be opt-in so that clients have a sense of agency and confidence in their decisions. Anchor Recommendations to Trusted Frameworks. Another way to remove the sales perception is to rely on external, trusted frameworks, instead of vendor-centric messaging. This means referencing sources like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CISA threat advisories, and industry-specific compliance standards. For example, you can say CISA has highlighted unpatched RMM tools as a growing risk. Let's confirm yours are fully up to date and properly patched. Use Automation and Risk Metrics. To avoid sounding alarmist, Let data support the conversation. Lightweight automation can help surface risks objectively and consistently. Here's a sample script that detects and quantifies patch related system risk. Risks become measurable instead of emotional, and clients can clearly see why recommendations are being made. Empower Clients Through Collaborative Roadmapping. Finally, make security planning collaborative instead of prescriptive. Avoid mandates. Instead, invite participation with language like. Would it be helpful to review last month's top alerts together just for awareness? This keeps clients in control while positioning you as a strategic partner, not a salesperson. MSPs that earn long-term client trust are those who lead with empathy, Educate before recommending and support decisions with real metrics. When cybersecurity recommendations feel grounded, transparent, and client-led, resistance drops and client engagement improves. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to provide security recommendations clients can trust, Linked in the description below. Be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this.