FUD: what does it mean? Should you use it in your MSP practice? And, is there a risk to using FUD style tactics? Fear uncertainty and doubt, otherwise known as FUD, may have been created by IBM sales professionals in the 1970s, but it certainly is still being used today by many sales and marketing professionals beyond IBM.
Takeaways
- FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) is a sales and marketing tactic that aims to create fear and doubt in the minds of customers or prospects.
- While FUD can be effective in transactional deals, it may not be suitable for the managed services profession, which relies on logic and long-term relationships.
- Using FUD in sales and marketing messaging can erode trust and hinder the development of a trusted advisor relationship.
- Managed services can sell itself by focusing on the value it provides, such as budgeting, forecasting, and greater predictability.