SME Cyber Security Buyer’s Guide

Small Medium Enterprise Cyber Security Buyer’s Guide

A practical, jargon‑free guide to help small and medium‑sized businesses understand what they really need before speaking to any cyber security vendor.

Who this guide is for

This guide is designed for SME owners, directors and managers who are responsible for cyber security decisions but do not have a dedicated internal security team.

1. What SMEs really need (not what vendors sell)

  • Business outcomes 

  • Risk reduction 

  • Operational continuity 

  • Staff enablement 

2. The 8 questions to answer before you speak to vendors

  • What are our critical assets? 

  • What data do we hold? 

  • What systems do we rely on? 

  • What risks matter most to us? 

  • What can we manage internally? 

  • What must be outsourced? 

  • What is our realistic budget? 

  • What does “success” look like? 

3. The 10 questions to ask every vendor

  • Evidence of capability 

  • Integration requirements 

  • Support model 

  • Incident response 

  • Data handling 

  • Pricing transparency 

  • Contract clarity 

  • SLAs 

  • Roadmap 

  • Exit terms 

4. Buyer mistakes to avoid

  • Buying tools instead of outcomes 

  • Over‑relying on certifications 

  • Ignoring onboarding 

  • Underestimating support 

  • Accepting vague pricing 

5. One‑page buyer checklist

You can use this checklist during vendor calls to keep discussions focused on evidence, not marketing.

Download the PDF version

Download the Buyer’s Guide (PDF)

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