Ex-Gartner Analyst: Why 95% of Cybersecurity Marketing Fails
Jeffrey Wheatman, SVP of Cyber Risk Strategy at Black Kite, on how to lead with problems not products — and why the cybersecurity industry desperately needs more collaboration, not more vendor content.
What happens when cyber risk leaders stop speaking in acronyms and start telling stories?
In this episode, host Jason Bradwell sits down with Jeffrey Wheatman, SVP of Cyber Risk Strategy at Black Kite and longtime cybersecurity evangelist, to talk about how to lead with problems, not products.
From decades advising CISOs at Gartner to launching the panel show Third Party, Jeff shares what he’s learned about building trust, breaking down “terminal uniqueness,” and why vendors need to collaborate on educating the market instead of competing. The cybersecurity industry is at war with ransomware networks, yet vendors refuse to talk to each other about how to educate buyers.
Jeff’s concept of “terminal uniqueness” — the belief that you’re so different you can’t learn from anyone else — kills effective marketing. Leading with the problem, not your product features, is the only way to break through. He also makes the case that “hallway therapy” at conferences builds more trust than any keynote ever will.
Key Takeaways
- Why “terminal uniqueness” kills effective marketing — believing you’re too different to learn from others leads to feature-dump messaging that buyers tune out.
- How leading with the problem beats leading with the product — CISOs won’t talk to sales teams, but they will engage with genuine problem-framing.
- Why the cybersecurity industry needs more vendor collaboration — you’re at war with ransomware networks, yet competing on education instead of collaborating.
- How buyer awareness stages should shape your content — most cybersecurity marketing addresses the wrong awareness level entirely.
- Why “hallway therapy” at conferences builds more trust than any keynote — informal, genuine conversation beats polished stage presentations.
- How to spend $100K building a genuine audience — create spaces for real conversation, not another campaign.
Chapter Markers
- 00:00 Introduction: Cutting through cyber noise
- 01:30 Jeff’s journey from Gartner to Black Kite
- 04:00 Terminal uniqueness: the “we’re different” trap
- 07:00 Lead with problems, not product features
- 09:30 Why CISOs avoid sales conversations
- 13:00 We’re at war: Why vendors need to collaborate
- 17:30 Buyer awareness stages marketers miss
- 24:00 Hallway therapy beats keynotes
- 27:00 The $100K audience-building question
- 30:00 Launching Third Party panel show
- 38:00 Cybersecurity creators doing it right
- 42:00 Key takeaways for B2B marketers
