Explained Simply
Without a structured process, vendor outreach feels chaotic — but with the right framework, it becomes a curated source of insight, not noise.
The frustration is understandable
Imagine if every restaurant you walked into handed you 30 menus at once, shouted their specials, and insisted you try a sample.
That’s what the cybersecurity vendor experience can feel like.
The problem isn’t the food — it’s the lack of a host, a process, or a plan.
When organizations create a “hosted” environment for vendors to show up, contribute, and be evaluated on your terms, things go smoother for everyone.
Think of it less like screening spam, and more like curating your options — so you don’t miss the one that might actually save your budget, fill your gap, or reduce your legal exposure.
When organizations create a “hosted” environment for vendors to show up, contribute, and be evaluated on your terms, things go smoother for everyone.
Think of it less like screening spam, and more like curating your options — so you don’t miss the one that might actually save your budget, fill your gap, or reduce your legal exposure.
The Backlash Against Cold Outreach Is Growing
Scroll through LinkedIn or cybersecurity forums, and you’ll see it:
Post after post from security leaders airing frustration about vendor emails, cold calls, LinkedIn DMs, and unsolicited pitches.
It’s not hard to understand why:
But here’s the question worth asking:
When we shut out all outreach, are we also shutting down legitimate opportunities to improve our cybersecurity programs?
This post takes a closer look at what’s driving the outreach, why perception matters, and how structured collaboration — not frustration — might be the real solution.
Post after post from security leaders airing frustration about vendor emails, cold calls, LinkedIn DMs, and unsolicited pitches.
It’s not hard to understand why:
- The volume is overwhelming
- The timing is often off
- The messages can feel generic or irrelevant
But here’s the question worth asking:
When we shut out all outreach, are we also shutting down legitimate opportunities to improve our cybersecurity programs?
This post takes a closer look at what’s driving the outreach, why perception matters, and how structured collaboration — not frustration — might be the real solution.
We’re on the Same Side
If we take a step back, we all want the same outcome:
Safer, smarter, and more resilient organizations.
This post isn’t a sales pitch — it’s a reminder that vendors and buyers are both navigating a fast-moving threat landscape. And success depends on alignment, not avoidance.
Safer, smarter, and more resilient organizations.
This post isn’t a sales pitch — it’s a reminder that vendors and buyers are both navigating a fast-moving threat landscape. And success depends on alignment, not avoidance.
Why Outreach Happens in the First Place
We all know why vendors reach out:
Vendors aren’t interrupting your day for fun — they’re trying to bring insight, alignment, and possible solutions to your attention.
The challenge isn’t outreach itself. It’s making outreach timely, relevant, and useful.
So the better question is:
How do we create shared structure so we can solve problems better — together?
- The risk landscape is constantly shifting
- Frameworks are evolving
- Tools and tactics are changing fast
- Economic incentives exist for early engagement in long buying cycles
Vendors aren’t interrupting your day for fun — they’re trying to bring insight, alignment, and possible solutions to your attention.
The challenge isn’t outreach itself. It’s making outreach timely, relevant, and useful.
So the better question is:
How do we create shared structure so we can solve problems better — together?
Confidence Needs Validation
Most security leaders trust their teams and strategies. But even the best-run environments can develop blind spots:
It’s not a question of blame — it’s a question of governance.
When internal confidence isn’t backed by measurable maturity and defensibility, both sides suffer.
Vendors can help here — not by selling tools, but by pressure-testing assumptions, identifying gaps, and partnering on solutions.
- Maturity assessments that aren’t externally validated
- Risk registers that haven’t been updated in months
- Business units that operate without shared control ownership
It’s not a question of blame — it’s a question of governance.
When internal confidence isn’t backed by measurable maturity and defensibility, both sides suffer.
Vendors can help here — not by selling tools, but by pressure-testing assumptions, identifying gaps, and partnering on solutions.
Why Cold Outreach Feels Broken (and What to Do About It)
Most professionals don’t hate vendors — they hate disorganized, high-volume outreach that doesn’t respect their time or context.
Common pain points:
When vendor engagement is structured, it becomes a force multiplier — not a distraction.
Common pain points:
- It’s one-sided. It’s all about the product, not your strategy.
- It’s generic. No alignment with your sector, framework, or tools.
- It’s mistimed. Reaching out during a crisis or procurement freeze.
- It’s non-stop. Endless noise across channels without coordination.
When vendor engagement is structured, it becomes a force multiplier — not a distraction.
How to Take Back Control — Together
You can’t stop vendors from reaching out — but you can design a better way to collaborate.
1. Create Centralized Vendor Days
Host a quarterly or biannual Vendor Day where:
Note: This is not just a platitude from a vendor. I have seen this implemented successfully in practice by Jamil Farshchi, currently the CTO Equifax, while supporting his team during his tenure at Home Depot. I hope that he has continued this practice along his leadership jounrey.
Vendor Days are win-win: vendors get a fair shot, and you get structured, comparable insights.
Host a quarterly or biannual Vendor Day where:
- Vendors register via a public intake form
- You set the themes, frameworks, and evaluation criteria
- Teams hear multiple solutions in one efficient block
- Get a cold email? Reply with: “Thanks — we host Vendor Days. Please register here.” That’s it.
Note: This is not just a platitude from a vendor. I have seen this implemented successfully in practice by Jamil Farshchi, currently the CTO Equifax, while supporting his team during his tenure at Home Depot. I hope that he has continued this practice along his leadership jounrey.
Vendor Days are win-win: vendors get a fair shot, and you get structured, comparable insights.
2. Use Your Risk Framework as the Common Language
If a vendor can’t speak to your controls (NIST, ISO, CIS, etc.), your state framework, or your operational risks — no problem. You’ve given them homework and filtered them out respectfully.
If they can? You might have just found an unexpected ally.
If a vendor can’t speak to your controls (NIST, ISO, CIS, etc.), your state framework, or your operational risks — no problem. You’ve given them homework and filtered them out respectfully.
If they can? You might have just found an unexpected ally.
3. Make Discovery Conversations Valuable
Not every vendor call is about buying. Use these opportunities to:
You’re not committing to a purchase — you’re inviting mutually beneficial collaboration.
Not every vendor call is about buying. Use these opportunities to:
- Compare your posture to similar organizations
- Pressure-test your risk assumptions
- Hear what’s changing in the market
You’re not committing to a purchase — you’re inviting mutually beneficial collaboration.
4. Assign Ownership Internally
Put someone in charge of vendor engagement. Structure brings clarity:
When vendors know who to talk to, and staff know how to evaluate — conversations get better.
Put someone in charge of vendor engagement. Structure brings clarity:
- Intake processes and shared calendars
- Role-based participation in evaluations
- Documentation of insights and outcomes
When vendors know who to talk to, and staff know how to evaluate — conversations get better.
5. Track Outcomes, Not Just Activity
Use a tool like Minerva to log:
It builds a transparent, searchable history that benefits everyone.
Use a tool like Minerva to log:
- Who you’ve met with
- What problems they address
- Why a decision was made (or deferred)
It builds a transparent, searchable history that benefits everyone.
Minerva Helps You Align Vendors to Strategy
At V3 Cybersecurity, we believe cybersecurity governance doesn’t have to include a frustrating vendor process. It can be structured, strategic, and foster shared accountability.
That’s why we built the Minerva Cyber Risk Management Platform, now protected by U.S. Patent No. 12,462,207. It’s built to:
With Minerva, organizations can reduce the noise without ghosting vendors or missing signals.
That’s why we built the Minerva Cyber Risk Management Platform, now protected by U.S. Patent No. 12,462,207. It’s built to:
- Provide risk-based AI roadmaps aligned with control weakness (Patent Pending)
- Identify control weakness for evaluation of vendor solutions
- Drive role-based accountability across your organization
- Enable projects that are measurable, fundable, and defensible
With Minerva, organizations can reduce the noise without ghosting vendors or missing signals.
See how Minerva helps take real, measurable steps to protect data, reduce legal risk, and meet the evolving cybersecurity expectations.