verisign partner program readiness guide - thawte · started marketing extended validation (ev) ssl...

VeriSign® Partner Program Readiness Guide

Readiness Guide 2 APRIL, 2009

Table of Contents

1 Use of Manual and Target Audience 4 1.1 Overview 4 1.2 Target Audience 4

2 High Level Roles and Responsibilities 4 3 Go-to-Market Planning 5

3.1 Conducting Quarterly Business Reviews 6 4 The API 6

4.1 Automated Functionality 6 4.2 API Return on Investment (ROI) 6

5 What to Do Now 7 5.1 Enhance Your Web site 7 5.1.1 Show the Secured Seal on Your Web Site 7 5.1.2 Show the Green Address Bar 8 5.1.3 Get Testimonials with Metrics 8 5.1.4 Default to 2- or 3-Year Terms 9 5.2 Improve Search Engine Optimization 10 5.2.1 Use Keywords, Not Tech Talk 10 5.2.2 Improve “Crawlability” 11 5.2.3 Use SEO Techniques for Massive Traffic 11 5.3 Best Practices for Sales Teams 12 5.3.1 Give Your Sales Team a Cheat Sheet 12 5.3.2 Recognize the Opportunity to Up-Sell 12 5.3.3 Make a Profitable Offer 13 5.4 Build a Marketing Plan 14 5.4.1 Understanding and Positioning VeriSign Brands 14 5.4.2 Understanding and Positioning VeriSign Products 15 5.4.3 Lead Generation Tips 22 5.4.4 When to Offer Specific Messages 24 5.4.5 Renewal Marketing Plan 26 5.4.6 Bundle SSL Certificates 26 5.4.7 Case Studies 27 5.4.8 Promoting Different Applications of SSL 28 5.4.9 Post the Seal Campaign 29 5.4.10 Promote Code Signing Certificates 31 5.4.11 Link to SSL Blogs 31

6 VeriSign Partner Center 32 6.1 Partner Center Home Page 32 6.2 SSL Certificates Tab 33 6.2.1 Ordering SSL Certificates 33 6.2.2 Reporting 34 6.2.3 Customizing Customer Communications 35 6.3 Resource Center Tab 36 6.3.1 Brand Guidelines 36


6.3.2 API Quick Guide 36 6.3.3 Training Tools 36 6.3.4 Marketing and Product Promotion Materials 36

7 Partner Support and Sales Contact Information 37


1 Use of Manual and Target Audience

1.1 Overview

The purpose of this VeriSign® Partner Program Readiness Guide is to help Partners successfully sell and market SSL Certificates. You’ll find dozens of best practices, sales tools, marketing tactics, and more to help you grow sales and achieve success faster.

Each section is designed to provide you with a brief overview of the topic, reusable content, actionable information, and an Activity. The Activity is a specific action item for Partners to complete in order to take full advantage of the particular opportunity.

1.2 Target Audience

The VeriSign Partner Program Readiness Guide is ideal for anyone in a Partner’s organization who is responsible for or participates in driving results, including:

Product Managers

Product Marketers

Sales Managers

Marketing Communications Professionals

Content Writers

Web Developers

2 High Level Roles and Responsibilities

While every Partner will have a different approach to success in the marketplace, there is a basic approach that helps accelerate Partner success. That approach combines the strengths of the Partner and VeriSign, for collaboration that helps develop markets and best positions you for immediate results. The table below lists the high-level roles and responsibilities for success.


Product Sales Marketing Customer Support

VeriSign

Provide access to Partner Center and resource tools.

Provide resources to support API integration process.

Assure proper training on product portfolio and key performance indicators.

Train Partner staff on messaging, product, and market landscape.

Respond to sales escalations and product questions.

Train on optimal use of portal and functionality.

Deliver core sales tools.

Provide Partner with information on product placement, messaging, and positioning.

Instruct Partner on optimal branding guidelines for SSL.

Align Partner with VeriSign Marketing organization.

Provide co-branded collateral in the Partner Center.

Authenticate and verify SSL certificates.

Issue all SSL certificates.

Provide Partner support contact for any post-sale support requirements.

Partner

Complete API integration.

Determine optimal product bundles for the respective market.

Identify synergy areas for SSL amongst product portfolio.

Install SSL Certificate and the Secured Seal on the Partner Web Site.

Handle all sales activities.

Assure achievement of annual sales objectives.

Manage renewals process.

Conduct all lead generation activities, including direct marketing, search engine optimization, and keyword buys.

Understand VeriSign marketing techniques for SSL and seek to optimize the Partners market.

Create proper Web Site positioning for product.

Create up-sell messaging.

Handle all front line customer and technical support, facilitate customer enrollment, CSR generation, and general customer instruction on certificate purchases.

3 Go-to-Market Planning

On an annual basis, Partner Account Managers work closely with their Partners to ensure that a comprehensive, jointly developed go-to-market plan is established.


This plan includes best practices that can help Partners achieve their desired business results. Partner Account Managers work directly with their Partners to develop a set of key objectives that are in line with the Partner’s business needs, and action items to accomplish these objectives.

Annual Activity: Contact your Partner Account Manager and develop a go to market plan.

3.1 Conducting Quarterly Business Reviews

On a quarterly basis, the Partner Account Manager meets with all Platinum and Gold Partners to conduct a business review. The objective of this review is to align with the Partner on the accomplishments of the prior quarter and set specific goals and action items for the upcoming quarter.

Quarterly Activity: Contact your Partner Account Manager and review the success of the previous quarter plan and establish a plan for the upcoming quarter.

4 The API

VeriSign has a powerful API that helps partners dramatically increase revenue, save time, and cut costs. By integrating with existing Partner systems via the API, Partners can seamlessly tie into the VeriSign back-end ordering systems, allowing your customers the ability to purchase SSL certificates directly from your site. Best of all, the development efforts involved are minimal to achieve significant results.

4.1 Automated Functionality

Certificate enrollment, issuance and distribution processes are fully automated and customized based upon your unique requirements, freeing up resources that would normally be spent ordering, checking certificate status, and installing SSL Certificates. This automation can result in a significant reduction of support calls, by providing self-service features for your customers on basic certificate lifecycle functions. The API covers the entire suite of VeriSign SSL brands, including VeriSign, thawte TM, and GeoTrust®.

Activity: Contact your Partner Account Manager to obtain the API and integrate your systems with VeriSign’s back-end ordering system, to begin saving time and money.

4.2 API Return on Investment (ROI)

The key benefits of the API include dramatic reductions in SSL support costs, increased customer satisfaction, and greater customer retention. All of these benefits result in measurable financial results. VeriSign has developed an interactive ROI model that allows Partners to easily calculate the ROI benefits of integrating the API.


After filling in a simple set of Partner inputs, the tool automatically calculates your results, including the cost to install the API, the amount of time it will take to support it, total dollars saved, and increased sales projections.

Activity: Contact your Partner Account Manager to obtain the API ROI model.

5 What to Do Now

VeriSign has honed its SSL marketing and sales techniques over the years and has optimized its programs based on what works. The following tactical activities require almost no extra resources or investment. Partners can do most of them within a week. Most importantly, these action items will work: Each of these tactics has proven highly effective in our own sales efforts.

These tactics include ways to enhance Web sites, drive traffic to your Web site via search engine optimization (SEO), and close more deals through best practices for your sales teams.

5.1 Enhance Your Web Site

5.1.1 Show the Secured Seal on Your Web Site If you do not already show the VeriSign Secured® Seal, put it on your Web site right now. In usability testing from VeriSign customers, we saw a double-digit sales uplift from displaying the seal.1

Extensive research and review of third-party analysis shows that this step is absolutely essential. Studies show:

85% of consumers are concerned that they may be a victim of identity theft

65% of online shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart/basket or failed to complete an online purchase due to security concerns

79% of online shoppers expect to see a trust mark on a Web site’s home page.2

These statistics do not only apply to retail consumers—they include B2B transactions and relationships. People want to see a trust mark before they transact any kind of business online—and the VeriSign Secured Seal is one of the world’s most recognized security brands.

Another good reason to show the Secured Seal is to publicize the fact that Partners are using the same SSL products that they are promoting. Whether selling VeriSign, GeoTrust, or thawte, Partners should display the most recognized seal so that


customers will see that the Partner believes in these products. Plus, seals are free with an SSL Certificate.

Activity: Post the Secured Seal on your Web site. The best place to display the seal is on your home page, next to any login screen, and on any checkout page.

5.1.2 Show the Green Address Bar An image makes a product or service stand out on a Web page. When VeriSign started marketing Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates in 2007, we conducted extensive testing on what Web page layouts and visual elements provided the best results. We learned that simply showing the image of the green address bar that is triggered by an EV SSL Certificate in high-security browsers made a significant difference in clickthrough rates. We recommend that you display the green bar image directly in any content about EV SSL, or wherever you are linking to EV information.

Activity: Install the EV certificate on the your Web site, review the EV case studies in the Partner Center, and display an image of the green address bar in high-security browsers wherever you incorporate EV SSL content into Web site messaging and direct marketing activities.

5.1.3 Get Testimonials with Metrics Prospects want to know exactly how something is going to help them—and by how much. At VeriSign, we rely on testimonials and case studies to drive sales on our Web pages. Partners can leverage the same quotes and case studies from SSL


customers around the world that we use. Most case studies are available in the Partner Center. Or visit the case study page on VeriSign.com or the country-specific Web site.

Partners can also develop their own online testimonials, especially if a Partner’s customers can put specific metrics to the benefits they have experienced. Testimonials are powerful, and those with metrics are even more so.

Activity: Review the case studies and testimonial quotes in the Partner Center and then incorporate them into your Web site and direct marketing messaging.

5.1.4 Default to 2 or 3 Year Terms Most SSL Certificates range from one to five year terms. VeriSign testing has shown that defaulting to a three-year term can maximize your sales and profits.

Customers like the three-year term because they get a price break and do not have to consider certificate renewal decisions for several years. For Partners, the three-year term means that you can retain your customer relationships for longer periods of time, and ultimately increase your profitability.

Make the three-year certificate term the default option in the enrollment path and during the renewal process. In fact, when customers are renewing, build an attractive offer for three-year certificates—and an even better offer for a three-year certificate at the next product level up.


Activity: Make the default setting for the term of your SSL Certificates two or three years.

5.2 Improve Search Engine Optimization

5.2.1 Use Keywords, not Tech Talk Potential customers searching for products and technologies use Google and other search engines to find what they want using their own language. If you do not know your customer’s language or the keywords they use to search for products and services, you risk using product-specific terms or esoteric technology talk that prevents prospects and customers from finding your Web site.

Partners should find out which keywords and phrases are most popular, and build the content on their Web sites around those keywords. For example, use “SSL” or “SSL Certificates” instead of “secure sockets layer” when promoting VeriSign SSL products. Make some simple changes in the words used in titles, headlines, and within paragraphs of text. These changes will make your Web pages more relevant to visitors and search engines alike. As a result, your Web site will rank higher and get more free traffic from the search engines.

Activity: Learn the language of your customers. Use the free Google Keyword Tool and type in “SSL” to identify the most popular keywords and phrases used to search for SSL Certificates. Then incorporate those same keywords in your Web site messaging.


5.2.2 Improve “Crawlability” Search engines determine where a Web site ranks for particular keywords based on the content they have “crawled” and indexed. To improve search engine rankings and increase traffic, a Partner wants the search engines to crawl more pages, more frequently. Here are three simple steps to make it easier for search engines to dig deeper, index more, and search more often.

1. Build a sitemap page and link to that sitemap from your home page. A sitemap acts as a table of contents and provides quick links to everything on a Web site.

2. The key site navigation links should be text buttons, not images. Search engines can only crawl text and text links.

3. Regularly add new content and update existing Web pages. By updating a Web site, the content stays fresh and relevant to visitors and the search engine is trained to index the Web site more frequently.

Activity: Implement the three steps mentioned in this section: Create a sitemap, make navigation links with text, and regularly update your Web site content.

5.2.3 Use SEO Techniques for Massive Traffic Here are six simple search engine optimization techniques that will help you rank higher in search engines, while creating content that your Web site visitors will love to read:

When possible, use keywords directly as the domain name, in all URLs, and in any directories or file names

Include at least 250 words of visible HTML text content per page. Ideally, 250-500 words including the top 5 keywords, phrases, and common sense variations

Give each page a unique, keyword-rich TITLE tag and heading tags

Use bold and italics tags to emphasize keywords

Include keywords in text links on your Web site

Optimize images by using keywords in each image’s filename, and by adding keywords in the ALT text in image tags

Activity: Ask your Web development team to implement the six SEO tips mentioned in this section.


5.3 Best Practices for Sales Teams

5.3.1 Give Your Sales Team a Cheat Sheet To achieve a high closing rate and consistently sell the most profitable SSL products, a Partner’s sales team must be absolutely clear on the benefits of SSL.

A printed, single-page cheat sheet may seem extremely low-tech, but it works. Write down exactly what you want your reps to say, and put it right in front of them. The sales cheat sheet should include the following elements:

Sound bites that emphasize value, not features. Armed with key talking points, they can be pitch-perfect in how SSL Certificates “build trust and customer satisfaction” and “decrease shopping cart abandonment.”

Response to customer price objections. Without a clear way to handle the inevitable price question, it is easy for a sales person to back down to the pressure just to get a quick sale. That results in customers purchasing products that may not meet their needs, and Partners not maximizing profits.

ROI statistics and meaningful customer examples. A sales team can help customers see past the price tag to the value they will gain by quoting statistics and examples from the latest case studies and testimonials.

Activity: Create a single-page cheat sheet and give it to each sales person to post at their desk.

5.3.2 Recognize the Opportunity to Up-Sell There are multiple reasons and opportunities to up-sell SSL Certificates, including providing higher value to the customer and increasing top-line revenue for Partners. For example, a key up-sell benefit to customers who desire to increase their sales and reduce shopping cart abandonment would be a message that offered them the ability to display the most recognized trust mark on the Internet as a method of instilling even higher levels of trust to site visitors.

The table below lists several scenarios where it might be beneficial to up-sell.

Specific Up-Sell Scenarios

Scenario Description What to Recommend A customer changes their application.

A customer had initially bought a domain validated certificate but now it’s important for the customer to display their

Up-sell to organization validated certificate.


organization.

A customer changes their hosting package.

1) Partner orders a one-year certificate because the customer bought a one-year hosting package. The customer also registers a five-year domain.

2) A customer has ordered a one-year certificate and renews for another year, but still has three years left on the domain.

Term up-sell.

Customers abandon shopping carts.

Help customers understand how VeriSign certificates can help them feel more secure and safe while shopping online.

VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV.

A customer is not sure what type of certificate to buy.

Ensure that you understand what the customer is using SSL for. If it’s e-commerce, find out how many transactions and booking volume the customer is doing.

Higher security certificates with site seals will improve transactions. True BusinessID® Server Certificates (if GeoTrust). SSL Web Server Certificates with EV (if thawte).

Customer has a diverse customer base.

Differentiate the products within the brand—ubiquity of roots, ubiquity of mobile devices, increased warranties, site seals. Authentication you can trust.

Higher security certificates with site seals.

Activity: Train your sales team to recognize scenarios where an up-sell is appropriate.

5.3.3 Make a Profitable Offer When a Partner is trying to drive a sale or some other type of transaction, they should make an offer that would make it attractive to customers. However, a Partner has to be careful not to give away too much, which can quickly eat away at margins.

The key to developing the right offer that drives the right action is knowing customer segments inside and out. Here are three simple ways to segment customers and the offers that make sense for each:


First-time visitors: For first time visitors to a Web site, a Partner wants them to buy anything for any reason. Present the most aggressive deal to first time visitors.

Infrequent buyers: For customers who buy infrequently, use an offer that induces them to try something new via a cross-sell promotion or a limited time offer to purchase a bundle or larger service offering.

Loyal, frequent customers: Loyal, frequent customers are what we all desire, but do not lower your margins by giving a discount when they would likely buy anyway. Instead, think about the behavior you want to drive and structure the offer accordingly, like increasing average order size via premium bundles or up-selling to higher margin products.

Activity: Develop offers and promotions based on customer segments, and incorporate them into your Web site and direct marketing materials.

5.4 Build a Marketing Plan Building a marketing plan that works is simple:

1) Leverage available VeriSign marketing tools from the Partner Center that can best speak to customers.

2) Establish a baseline of success.

3) Build the SSL marketing program to scale.

4) Measure and track results.

5.4.1 Understanding and Positioning VeriSign Brands Within the VeriSign SSL portfolio there are three critical brands, each with unique messaging and target markets. The following tables describe each brand.

Brand Imagery and Associations VeriSign GeoTrust thawte

Relevant “Brand Personality” Attributes.

Leader, Established, Premium.

Fast, Easy. Full-featured, Good Value.

Messaging


VeriSign GeoTrust thawte

Short Company Descriptor – Overall.

“The leading provider of digital infrastructure for the networked world”.

“A leading provider of online security solutions”.

“A leading provider of digital trust solutions”.

Short Company Descriptor – SSL.

“The Web’s most trusted security provider”.

“A leading provider of online security solutions”.

“A leading provider of digital trust solutions”.

Company Positioning – SSL.

VeriSign is the leading SSL Certificate Authority, enabling secure transactions for the world’s Web sites, intranets, and extranets.

GeoTrust is a leading provider of online security solutions, offering robust digital certificates that are easy to deploy.

thawte is a leading provider of digital trust solutions, offering a wide range of full-featured digital certificates.

Key Product Positioning.

VeriSign SSL Certificates are recognized by industry leaders and consumers as the most trusted solution for protecting sensitive data online.

GeoTrust SSL Certificates are highly robust yet extremely easy to deploy.

thawte offers the broadest portfolio of SSL Certificates, helping companies address each customer’s unique requirements.

Activity: For optimal top-line revenue, ensure that your messaging to each target prospect is aligned around the key value propositions and end customer messaging.

5.4.2 Understanding and Positioning VeriSign Products

Certificate Customer Characteristics Up-sell Considerations

VeriSign Brands VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV.

• They operate in a competitive environment where loyalty and brand protection is key.

• Phishing attacks on their site would have a long-term effect on their business.

• The success of their business depends on a high level of online transactions.


• The protection of their consumer’s personal or financial information is critical for them and they need to be able to provide the highest level of encryption for every transaction.

• Their Web site visitors may connect to their site using a range of older and newer browser versions and operating systems.

• They want to demonstrate to their customers that they take Internet security seriously.

• They want the most powerful SSL solution available today incorporating the best in authentication, encryption and brand recognition.

VeriSign Secure Site Pro.

• Their customers conduct medium to high value e-commerce transactions via a Web interface.

• They need to ensure that they are providing the best possible encryption for each and every visitor to their Web site.

• They serve a diverse group of customers whose technology infrastructure may vary from public access computers and home computers to business environments.

• They have an international audience/customer base.

• They want to be able to reassure their customers that they have a sound Internet security infrastructure by displaying a recognized trust mark like the VeriSign Secured

If your customers also want the strongest solution to combat phishing attacks and assure their customers of the validity of their site, they may consider Extended Validation (EV) SSL. Highly authenticated EV certificates allow site visitors using IE7 or other high-security browsers to see the green address bar and other prominent interface indicators in the browser. VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV is the only certificate to combine EV and SGC encryption in a premium SSL product.


Seal.

VeriSign Secure Site with EV. • They operate in a competitive environment where customer loyalty and brand protection is key.

• Phishing attacks on their site would have a long-term effect on their business.

• The success of their business depends on a high level of online transactions.


• They want an SSL solution incorporating the best in authentication and brand recognition.

If your customers also want to ensure that all site visitors are handled with the strongest encryption available to each site visitor, they should consider Secure Site Pro with EV.

This certificate offers EV authentication identification and Server Gated Cryptography (SGC) to provide automatic 128-bit step-up encryption for all site visitors, regardless of their browser or operating system limitations. VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV is the only certificate to combine EV and SGC encryption in a premium SSL product.

VeriSign Secure Site.

• They operate in a competitive environment where loyalty and brand protection is key.

• They wish to increase customer transaction volumes and reduce site abandonment.

• The protection of their customers’ information is important, but doesn’t require maximum encryption in every instance.


If they need to ensure that every customer’s transactions are handled with the strongest encryption available to each site visitor, they should consider VeriSign Secure Site Pro. If phishing is a concern for them, or if they simply want to differentiate their organization by demonstrating a higher level of online security, they should consider upgrading to VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV.

GeoTrust Brands True BusinessID® with EV Certificates.

• They want to be able to display prominent indicators that show visitors that their Web site is legitimate and that it is safe to transact with them.

If your customer would like to combine the highest level of authentication provided by EV with the strongest encryption available to each


• They need to receive personal information from their Web site visitors, and ensure these visitors that their information is secure.

• The identity of their organization and their brand is a core asset that needs to be protected from phishers and other online fraud.

• They want to get Extended Validation SSL at a competitive price.

site visitor, they should consider VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV. SGC delivers automatic 128-bit step-up encryption for all site visitors regardless of their browser or operating system limitations. Secure Site Pro with EV is the only certificate available that combines the power of these two technologies in one certificate.

True BusinessID® Server Certificates.

• The identity of their organization and their brand is a core asset that needs to be protected, and they need to assure their Web site visitors of their business identity.


• They would like their company details added to the certificate contents and the site seal as an additional illustration of the authenticity of their site.

If your customer would like to have the highest level of authentication available today, consider GeoTrust True BusinessID with EV for Extended Validation SSL.

This certificate employs new, highly visible interface changes such as an authenticated site identifier green address bar in high-security browsers such as IE7.

If your customer would like to ensure that all their site visitors receive the highest level of encryption available to them, consider VeriSign Secure Site Pro. Secure Site Pro provides automatic 128-bit step-up encryption for all site visitors, regardless of their browser or operating system limitations.

True BusinessID® Wildcard Certificates.


• The identity of the customer


organization and their brand is a core asset that needs to be protected, and they need to assure their customers of their business identity.

• They would like their company details added to the certificate contents and the site seal as an additional illustration of the authenticity of their site.

• They have multiple sub-domains that they would like to secure with a single certificate.

QuickSSL® Premium SSL Server Certificates.

• High levels of authentication are not a priority. Instead, encrypting basic transactions is their focus.

• They need to protect information exchange between themselves and their customers.

• They need their certificate issued in minutes and wish to skip the paperwork associated with fully authenticated certificates.

• Their brand is not well established yet, so they are not concerned with identity protection or guarding against phishing attacks.

If they also want a site seal to show that their Web site has been authenticated on an organizational level, consider GeoTrust® True BusinessID.

GeoTrust® QuickSSL®. • They need their certificate issued in minutes and wish to skip the paperwork associated with fully authenticated certificates.

• Their brand is not well established yet, so they are not concerned with identity protection or guarding against phishing attacks.

If they also want a site seal to show that their Web site has been authenticated on an organizational level, consider GeoTrust® True BusinessID.


GeoTrust® True BusinessID Multi-Domain.

• They need a Unified Communication Certificate designed for Microsoft® Exchange or Microsoft Communications Servers.

• They need to add or edit up to 25 additional domain names to the subject alt name (SAN) field during the enrollment process or at anytime during the lifecycle of the certificate.

thawte Brands SSL Web Server Certificates with EV.

• The identity of their organization and their brand is a core asset that needs to be protected from phishers.

• They want to assure Web site visitors of the safety of their site in order to increase consumer confidence and reduce their transaction abandonment rate.


• They want the highest available authentication at a reasonable price.

If your customer wants both the highest available SSL authentication (EV) combined with the strongest encryption available to each site visitor, consider VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV. This certificate offers EV authentication identification and Server Gated Cryptography (SGC) to provide automatic 128-bit step-up encryption for all site visitors, regardless of their browser or operating system limitations.

SGC SuperCerts.

• They need to ensure that they are providing the strongest encryption available to each and every visitor to their Web site.

• They serve a diverse group of customers whose technology infrastructure may vary from public access computers and home computers to business environments.

• Their customers conduct

If they want to achieve both the strongest encryption available to each site visitor, along with the highest available SSL authentication with Extended Validation (EV), your customer should consider VeriSign Secure Site Pro with EV. EV allows site visitors using high-security browsers like IE7 to see the highly visible green address bar security


medium to high value e-commerce transactions with them.

• Their business encompasses both domestic and international customers.

indicator.

SSL Web Server Certificates.

• Their Web site visitors need to exchange personal information with them via their Web site.

• They need to assure their customers of their online business identity.

If you would like to ensure that all your site visitors receive the highest level of encryption available to them, thawte® SGC SuperCert provides automatic 128-bit step-up encryption for all site visitors regardless of their browser or operating system limitations. If they would like to have the highest level of authentication available in Extended Validation SSL, they should consider thawte SSL Web Server with EV.

This certificate employs new highly visible interface changes such as the green address bar in high-security browsers.

SSL Web Server Wildcard Certificate.


• They need to assure their customers of their business identity.

• They need to secure multiple hosts or sub-domains on the same server.

SSL123 Certificates.

• High levels of authentication are not a priority. Instead, encrypting basic transactions is their focus.

• They need to protect

If your customer wants verification of their organization’s identity within their SSL certificate to assure their site visitors that they are who they say they


information exchange between them and their customers.

• They need their certificate issued in minutes and do not wish to submit the paperwork associated with fully-authenticated certificates.

• Their brand is not established yet, so they are not concerned with identity protection or guarding against phishing attacks.

are, consider offering a fully authenticated certificate like thawte SSL Web Server Certificate.

Activity: For optimal top-line revenue, ensure that your messaging to each target prospect is aligned around the key value propositions and end customer messaging.

5.4.3 Lead Generation Tips Offering special promotions and free giveaways is a good method of uncovering and establishing contact with prospects. In addition to a good offer, there are a number of elements in a successful lead generation program or direct marketing campaign, including:

Benefit-oriented headlines

Clear calls to action

An easy way to capture lead information


5.4.3.1 Types of Offers that Generate Leads Here are some specific types of offers that VeriSign has used to capture interest and drive results in our direct marketing activities:

Offer free educational information on SSL. Free educational material such as whitepapers or guides is very attractive. Make sure to require the prospect to register or fill out a lead form to gain access. The Partner Center has educational information that can be used for these types of offers.

Offer incentive pricing promotions. Providing a limited-time discount or special price is a classic promotional activity. Make sure that you limit the time to induce action.


Offer an up-sell. Create a Web page that highlights the differences between certificates to increase up-sell opportunities. Also, present a special incentive to upgrade in the enrollment or purchase path for every product.

5.4.3.2 Make it Easy to Buy Partners should always make the purchase process easy for customers. One way of achieving simplicity is to make the offer available in multiple places. Being exposed to an offer wherever a customer may be increases the likelihood of a conversion. For example, build a banner or image advertisement on product pages, promote the offer in your outbound communications, and present the offer in the SSL enrollment path.

Once you establish interest, remember to streamline certificate purchases for your customers using our partner initiated enrollment process (API). This is done via the API, using the "QuickInvite" command. Using this functionality, Partners can accelerate customer enrollment by initiating the process on their behalf. Simply begin the enrollment by supplying information that is already available, such as certificate type, term, and basic customer information. Then, using the “QuickInvite" command, prompt the customer via an automated email invitation to easily complete the enrollment by inputting any outstanding corporate information.

Activity: Develop lead generation and direct marketing campaigns that use an engaging offer.

5.4.4 When to Offer Specific Messages The table below is a sample approach to timing and messaging, designed to help you develop more targeted and effective communications with customers. Each customer has unique needs and concerns that will drive their choice of SSL Certificates.

Partner Account Managers can help Platinum and Gold Partners build a customized marketing strategy that will drive increased revenue.

Remember to use the messaging that is available in the Partner Center.

Lifecycle Status Timing Key Messaging Active Certificates. 6 months after issuance.

Consider an email that educates the customer on the benefits of higher-security certificates.

Consider an email that helps the customer understand the benefit of additional licenses for externally facing pages.

Expired Certificates.

30 days after expiry.

Create awareness that the certificate has expired and drive customers to the renewal page.

Consider an up-sell to a higher security SSL


Certificate within the brand.

Promote term up-sell.

Renewable Certificates.

90, 60, 30, 21, 10, 0, -7 days before expiry.

Promote term and product up sell (educate the customer on benefits of higher security certificates.

Competitor Certificates.

<= 12 months before certificate expiry.

Promote the value of the thawte, GeoTrust and VeriSign brands, according to the current product and positioning above.

Self Signed Certificates.

Not Applicable. Promote the value of authentication from a trusted CA.

Brand Timing Key Messaging VeriSign. 6 months after issuance

and 30 days before renewal.

Promote term, encryption, and authentication up-sells within the VeriSign brand; segment message based on current product.

thawte.

6 months after issuance and 30 days before renewal.

Promote term, encryption, and authentication up-sells within the thawte brand; segment message based on current product.

GeoTrust


Promote term, encryption, and authentication up-sells within the GeoTrust brand; segment message based on current product.

Authentication Timing Key Messaging Domain Validation.


Promote term, encryption, and authentication up-sells; segment message based on current products.

Organization Validation.



Extended Validation. 6 months after issuance and 30 days before renewal.


Activity: Develop your customer communications around the lifecycle of their SSL Certificate.


5.4.5 Renewal Marketing Plan It is generally accepted that acquiring a new customer costs approximately five times more than retaining an existing customer. So it makes sense to develop programs to retain customers and encourage renewals.

Understand when customers are coming up for renewal by using the Partner Center renewal report. Then, update and customize the default renewal messages from the Partner Center. The renewal messages in the Partner Center can be easily modified to present a Partner’s unique value proposition. Plus, Partners should always consider promoting an up-sell offer in renewal notices.

The Partner Center offers specific renewal messages for 90, 60, 30, 21, 10, 0, -7 days before expiration. The samples below demonstrate how Partners can use renewal messaging to create sales opportunities.

Activity: Review the messages in the Partner Center and customize the automated renewal messaging with your unique value proposition.

5.4.6 Bundle SSL Certificates Depending upon a Partner’s business model, bundling certificates with complimentary products and services could be an important value proposition for customers. SSL Certificates are typically packaged with domain registrations, hosting plans, shopping cart software, or payment gateways. These services provide a clearcut and successful bundling opportunity. From the customer perspective, a bundle offers a simple, turnkey solution and allows them to maximize their buying leverage.


You may wish to segment your bundling strategy still further by focusing on particular industries such as those listed below. Features that are commonly important to each vertical are listed below:

Vertical Solution Characteristics

Financial Institutions . Highest levels of encryption and authentication found in EV and SGC certificates.

Retail Merchants. Highest levels of encryption and authentication found in EV and SGC certificates.

Healthcare Providers. Highest levels of encryption and authentication found in EV and SGC certificates.

Application Service Providers.

Full organization validated certificates and wildcard certificates.

E-Government. Highest levels of encryption and authentication found in EV and SGC certificates.

Domain Registrars. Combination of domain validated and organization validated certificates.

Educational Institutions. Organization validated and EV certificates.

Hosting Providers. Organization validated and wildcard certificates.

Activity: Create a bundling strategy that leverages your unique value proposition and is targeted to specific customer industry segments.

5.4.7 Case Studies VeriSign has many case studies that profile how VeriSign SSL Certificates solved a customer’s business problem and the measurable results achieved. These case studies can compliment other marketing programs and be a great lead generation tool if placed on a Web site.

In addition to case studies that are posted in the Partner Center, the VeriSign.com Web site has multiple case studies that can be obtained at the following pages:


http://www.verisign.com/ssl/ssl-information-center/ssl-case-studies/index.html

http://www.verisign.co.uk/success-stories/index.html

Activity: Leverage VeriSign case studies on your Web site and in your direct marketing materials. Consider developing a co-branded case study based on your own results.

5.4.8 Promoting Different Applications of SSL Chances are that existing SSL customers have deployed their certificates to secure data transfer between Web servers and browsers. There are, however, many other applications that can expand a Partner’s market opportunity.

Educate customers and prospects on additional SSL applications, such as:

Securing Web domains.

Securing gateways (e.g., Citrix Secure Gateways).

Securing multiple hosts for a domain on the same server.

Securing intranets (private IP ranges).

Securing Web forms for e-commerce sites.

Securing IMAP/POP Mail Servers such as Microsoft Exchange and Outlook Web Access.

Securing SMTP mail transfers through Start Transport Layer Security (STARTTLS) connections.

Securing transfer connections to FTP servers (FTPS connections).

Securing VPNs.

Signing ActiveX controls, executables, cabinet files, .dll files, and other executable code for the Authenticode framework.

Java applets (JAR) for NetScape.

Java applets (.cab) for Internet Explorer.


Signing MIDlets, particularly Nokia devices.

Signing VBA Macro projects.

Signing Apple code.

Activity: Educate your customer base and increase your opportunities for selling certificates to both existing SSL and non-SSL customers.

5.4.9 Post the Seal Campaign The Secured Seal is a very important compliment to an SSL Certificate, as it keeps customers in the buy path. SSL helps Partners deliver a secure and convenient way for their customers to interact over the Internet. When the Secured Seal is displayed, customers will recognize higher security and gain the confidence to complete their transactions.

All brands within the VeriSign family of SSL Certificates have Secured Seals. Depending upon which brand you are reselling, it is important to display the Secured Seals on your Web site to increase the confidence your customers have in you.

For Partners Reselling VeriSign, Inc. The VeriSign Secured Seal is part of your VeriSign® SSL Service. When you display the VeriSign Secured Seal, your customers will recognize the most trusted security mark on the Internet and gain the confidence to complete their transactions with you.

Benefits of Posting the VeriSign Secured Seal More recognized than any other trust mark, 79% of U.S. online shoppers are

familiar with the VeriSign Secured Seal (VeriSign Secured Seal Research Review, (PDF) TNS 2006).

Show visitors that the site is secured using industry leading SSL technology.

Lower shopping cart and other transaction abandonment.

Associate your brand with the trusted VeriSign brand.

Increase visitor-to-sales conversions.

Features of the Secured Seal The design of the VeriSign Secured Seal is recognized as an international sign of

trust on the Internet. Over 90,000 domains in 145 countries display the VeriSign Secured Seal.


The VeriSign Secured Seal is available in 13 different languages and viewed an average of 150 million times each day.

A pop-up window displays full business authentication information when the seal is clicked by a visitor.

EV Upgrader,™ built into the VeriSign Secured Seal, enables all Internet Explorer 7 and other high-security browsers on Windows XP operating systems to see the visual cues associated with an Extended Validation SSL Certificate.

For Partners Reselling thawte The thawte Site Seal is a dynamic image appearing on your Web site that allows visitors to tell at a glance that they can trust you, that your online site is validated and that they can transact safely and securely with you. Key features and benefits include:

Free with our SSL123, SSL Web Server, SGC SuperCerts, and SSL Web Server Certificates with EV.

Is a dynamic image with a direct link to the certificate server for verification.

Tells customers that they can trust online transactions conducted with you.

Provides a direct link to the Consumer Awareness Program—allowing your customers to understand the full value of your thawte certificate.

Is available in 18 languages : Brazilian Portuguese, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovenian, Spanish, and Swedish.

Comes in three sizes to suit your Web site.

Can be displayed on multiple secure pages.

Includes EV Upgrader™ to automatically update Windows XP clients for Extended Validation SSL on IE7.

Is simple to install.


For Partners Reselling GeoTrust With the increase of fraud and identity theft, online visitors have learned to look for trust signs when they transact online. A GeoTrust® True Site Seal, available with every GeoTrust SSL Certificate, shows Web site visitors that their information is protected. Add the GeoTrust True Site Seal to your home page, buy page, log-in, or any other page on your authenticated site where visitors need to verify your Web site.

Activity: Implement the Site Seal on your Web site and your customers’ Web sites. If you are reselling the VeriSign brand, download the Opodo case study from the Partner Center and use it in your marketing activities.

5.4.10 Promote Code Signing Certificates VeriSign® Code Signing creates a digital "shrink-wrap" for code and content to protect software publishers and users when they download code and content over the Internet and mobile networks. Partners can promote code signing certificates to create new market opportunities and revenues that compliment their SSL Certificate sales.

Software developers are the primary users of these certificates. Certificates are available for Microsoft® Authenticode,® Sun™ Java,™ Adobe® AIR, Microsoft Office and VBA, and Macromedia® Shockwave.® Additionally, many companies may sign code, such as macros, as these are a major source of viruses on corporate networks, or to prove the authenticity of code distributed within the enterprise.

Activity: Add VeriSign Code Signing certificates to your product portfolio and build special marketing programs targeting software developers.

5.4.11 Link to Various SSL Blogs News stories, best practices, and valuable information about SSL and the security industry are posted daily on VeriSign blogs. It is highly recommended that Partners subscribe to the following blogs to stay informed:


Tim Callan’s SSL Blog: Find the latest information about SSL trends, product insights, help tips, and more. http://blogs.verisign.com/ssl-blog/.

Reshma Kumar’s Web User Experience Blog: Defines the user interface design and creative online brand for VeriSign's global family of internal and external Web sites. http://blogs.verisign.com/web-user-experience/.

Branden Williams’ Security Convergence Blog: Understand security and the convergence of information, physical, criminal, and critical infrastructure. http://blogs.verisign.com/securityconvergence/.

Bob Angus’ Ecommerce Evangelist Blog: Create an online experience that makes customers smile, drive more customers to your online store, and increase conversions to sales. http://blogs.verisign.com/ecommerce.

Activity: Subscribe to the RSS feeds and regularly read the informative blogs mentioned in this section.

6 VeriSign Partner Center

Partners benefit from full self-service management of their account, contracts, and certificates through the Partner Center, a personalized, Web-based interface and portal. It features full reporting and customization tools with multi-lingual customer communications. Additionally, a comprehensive resource center features product information, training materials and ready-to-use marketing and sales resources. All of these functions combined make it as simple as possible to sell SSL Certificates.

Each brand (VeriSign, thawte, and GeoTrust) has access to the Partner Center. The screen shots below represent the GeoTrust view, but it can be assumed that the VeriSign view will reflect information about VeriSign SSL products and the thawte view will present information about thawte products.

Please note that there is a detailed Partner Center User Guide available for download from the Partner Center. The following is a high level overview of several of the key features available.

6.1 Partner Center Home Page

The tabs located on the top of the home page (SSL Certificates Tab and Resource Center Tab) allow Partners to order certificates, view reporting on certificate usage, change the content of email messages, reissue and revoke certificates, establish new contracts, and access sales materials.


The screen shot below shows the options available from the home page.

6.2 SSL Certificates Tab

6.2.1 Ordering SSL Certificates The screen shot below shows the Order Certificates page. Here Partners can place orders for SSL Certificates against any open contracts. This page indicates detail for the type of contract, the contract pay period, and the contract ID, and lists all of the products authorized for resale. To place an order, simply identify the SSL Certificate you want to order and then click “Place Order.” Then, just walk through the remaining steps of the simple ordering and fulfilment process.


6.2.2 Reporting Three types of reports are available in the Partner Center:

Summary reports provide data for selected orders, including dates ordered/completed, current status, domain, product type, and price.

Detail reports provide detailed information for selected orders, including full order information and certificate details.

Renewal reports offer details about renewal certificates for a selected timeframe, including validity dates, renewal status, and domain.


6.2.3 Customizing Customer Communications This component provides the flexibility for Partners to customize the subject line and the message body for a broad set of messages by product. The types of messages available for customization include renewal messages, QuickInvites, reissue emails, phone authentication email, order acknowledgement, approval email, fulfillment email, and more.


6.3 Resource Center Tab

The Resource Center Tab offers ready-to-use tools, like branding and messaging guidelines, product guides, data sheets, and marketing templates. These resources can be used by sales and marketing teams to help increase sales. It is recommended to check this section periodically, as new resources are always being added.

6.3.1 Brand Guidelines Included in this section are Partner seals, logos, and brand usage guidelines.

6.3.2 API Quick Guide This section includes a quick reference guide to the API, including the ROI Model.

6.3.3 Training Tools This section includes a Product catalog, along with sales and training presentations.

6.3.4 Marketing and Product Promotion Materials This section includes collateral, templates, and other materials that can be used for Web sites, sales tools, or marketing campaigns.


7 Partner Support and Sales Contact Information

Worldwide Partner support and sales can be contacted via phone, email, or chat. For specific contact information by geography, visit these web pages according to SSL brand:

VeriSign http://www.verisign.com/partnersupport.

thawte http://www.thawte.com/partnersupport.

GeoTrust http://www.geotrust.com/partnersupport.

1 VeriSign case studies http://www.verisign.com/ssl/ssl-information-center/ssl-case-

studies/index.html 2 Source: TNS Research, August 2006

© 2009 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved. VeriSign, the VeriSign logo, the Checkmark Circle logo, VeriSign Secured, and other trademarks, service marks, and designs are registered or unregistered trademarks of VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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