DLP is not just a security decision. Think about how a data breach affects a company: bad press and reputational damage, customer distrust, financial loss, etc. The key to ensuring your DLP program gets the green light from different key players is by recognizing their individual pain points and addressing how data protection eases them. See below for how you can position DLP to the 7 main titles involved in data protection projects.

1. Chief Executive Officer

The CEO focuses on managing the overall health of the business. Their main pain points include growth, market perception and future prospects. When pitching DLP to the CEO, talk about how proactivity in cybersecurity displays industry leadership and advancement. This shows that you are keeping the outside perception of the company in mind. In addition, having a DLP program in place enables flexibility in expanding the organization. With better security programs in place, having partners and outsourcing become safer options.

2. Chief Information Security Officer

The CISO is concerned about scalable security solutions that enable the business to grow and aren’t overly burdensome on the security team. Managed offerings allow for rapid deployment and require less resources and staff. A myth of yesterday, policy creation is no longer a required first step of DLP anymore. Event-based solutions are easier to implement and more intelligent, leading to scalability.

3. Chief Financial Officer

Data protection provides clear value to the financial health of a company in the long run. Not only can data breaches result in direct monetary loss, but also regulatory laws such as HIPAA can levy hefty fines for data protection violations, often discovered after a breach. If a completely in-house plan is financially unrealistic for your company, pitch a managed security program or a hybrid MSP, which deliver predictable expenses.

4. Director of Information Security

The Director of InfoSec has much of the same goals as a CISO: efficient use of resources, business process security, and to advance the maturity of the cybersecurity measures in place. The business remains secure, for the most part, if the targeted assets (i.e. the data) remain protected. Data-centric security does exactly that. In addition, third party security and analytics partners can offer better visibility and speedier incident response times.

5. Business Unit Lead

The Business Unit Lead wants to know how they can outpace the market for their unit and collaborates throughout the organization. They strive to think like a CEO. Talk about how data protection measures can allow for safer sharing through the cloud, the network, and/or endpoint devices so that they can pursue their business growth initiatives more securely. Leverage data protection as a competitive advantage for new business.

6. Chief Marketing Officer

The CMO wants to drive customer experience, satisfaction and growth. Protecting the brand is incredibly important, and unfortunately for breached organizations such as Home Depot and Wendy’s, consumer lawsuits and brand damage are increasingly common consequences of data breaches. Emphasize how a data protection program reduces the probability that sensitive customer data may leak.

7. Users

Users encompass the majority of the company, and most simply want to do their job effectively without additional burdens and while being protected from unintentional leaks that may cost them their jobs. Real-time education in the form of gamification and prompts can socially engineer users to do the right thing while reducing the need to carve out large chunks of time for tedious training sessions. The best data protection solutions remain invisible to the user and only intervene when risky behavior is identified.

By understanding how DLP can support these stakeholders’ goals, you can better position your DLP project for executive support. To learn more about DLP and how it provides value to your business across all departments, read the eBook now.

Read more in our Definitive Guide to DLP Series

1. Do you need DLP? Well, do you feel lucky?
2. The Evolution of DLP: 4 Reasons Why DLP is Back in the Limelight
3. Debunking the Three Myths of DLP
4. Call it a Comeback: 7 Trends Driving the Resurgence of DLP
5. All Trends Lead to Data-Centric Security
6. What is Driving Your Data Protection Agenda? Determining the Right Approach to DLP
7. Building a Value-Based Business Case for DLP
8. Positioning DLP for Executive Buy-In
9. 5 Criteria for Choosing the Right Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
10. How to Evaluate DLP Solutions: 6 Steps to Follow and 10 Questions to Ask
11. Getting Successful with DLP: Two Approaches for Quick DLP Wins
12. Two Frameworks for DLP Success