How much can "fear" be used ethically in selling a computer & network security solution?

Hi ...,
I have worked on both buy and the sell sides of the enterprise security space for years.

Fear is not a wrong feeling, but lying is a wrong unethical, immoral act.

The ethics; encompassing right conduct during the information security sales cycle is not unique to information security; it is based on the same ground principles of business ethics.

A sales person should be telling the truth. FUD selling is as unethical as selling unreal hope or misusing trust. FUD is discussed more because buyer side falls into the lies easier.

Fear, is a lifesaver when it is sensed in the right time in the right amount.
Fear can be classified as an instinct instead of an emotion.

If a tire sales person tells me that my car may have a serious accident because I have old tires, and it is the truth, I may owe him my life, there is nothing wrong with the fear there.
But if the same tire sales person tells me that my car may have a serious accident because I have old tires, and whatever he tells me is an is actually an empty ungrounded sales pitch, fear is the tool of sales. It is wrong.


That is the ethics line between the evil and the good. On my personal life I only relay fear where I have fear, where I share the same concerns with the person I am talking with. Risks can only determined from facts, not hearsay or imaginary sources, so my personal fears can be far way from reality for the person I am communicating with. A disclaimer of the facts when discussing the fearful topics can be a good ethical start for the sales side.

I can give more real life examples if you need any,
Let me know if you have any questions,
Regards,
- yinal ozkan