Many businesses still see cybersecurity as a necessary cost. But when approached strategically, it becomes one of the smartest investments your organisation can make. Among the most effective and affordable tools available today is the simulated phishing test.
These exercises are no longer just an annual compliance check. In 2025, they offer genuine risk reduction, measurable outcomes, and clear value for teams across every industry. If your business has yet to invest in them, now is the time to reconsider.
What Is a Simulated Phishing Test?
A simulated phishing test is designed to safely mimic a real-world phishing email and observe how your team responds. It tests whether employees open suspicious emails, click on malicious links, or submit credentials through fake login pages.
By running these simulations, businesses can uncover who might fall for a real scam and where training or awareness may be lacking. It is a way to improve behaviour before a genuine threat emerges.
Simulated Phishing Tests Are a Smart Financial Move
1. They Help Prevent Costly Breaches
One data breach can cost a business tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Costs often include downtime, recovery, customer notifications, penalties, and reputational harm. Simulated phishing tests identify weak spots and reduce the likelihood of those incidents happening.
By lowering the chance of a successful phishing attack, you’re directly reducing financial risk. Even one averted incident can offset the cost of testing many times over.
2. They Build Behavioural Resilience Across Your Workforce
The most advanced security system can be undone by one unsuspecting click. Phishing tests are not just about catching people out. They are about training people to be cautious, alert and responsive. Repeated testing with immediate feedback helps staff develop lasting awareness and better habits.
You are not just buying a test. You are investing in your team’s long-term ability to protect your business.
3. They Offer Measurable Value for Executives and Boards
One of the challenges in cybersecurity is proving ROI to leadership teams. Phishing simulations provide measurable outcomes like click rates, reporting behaviours and repeat offender trends. These metrics help leaders understand their human risk posture and track improvements over time.
This data can also be useful when justifying cybersecurity spend or demonstrating responsible governance.
4. They Support Compliance and Insurance Readiness
If your business falls under compliance frameworks like the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme or handles sensitive information under the Privacy Act, phishing simulations are a proactive way to show due diligence.
Insurers increasingly expect to see evidence of staff training and risk awareness. Running regular phishing simulations may even support lower cyber insurance premiums by demonstrating that your business is managing risk actively.
Indirect Benefits That Add Up
Beyond obvious financial savings, phishing simulations offer indirect returns that affect operational efficiency and strategic positioning.
1. Reduced downtime: By preventing malware infections and ransomware, phishing tests keep your business operating without disruption.
2. Improved training focus: Reports from simulations help guide future staff training efforts. You can focus resources where they’re most needed.
3. Sharper incident response: Tests highlight how quickly staff report suspicious activity and help you refine your processes before a real attack happens.
Why Now Is the Time
By mid-2025, phishing attempts have become more targeted and more sophisticated, using AI-generated content and brand impersonation. This makes your people the primary target.
Running phishing simulations in July positions your business to be ready before the high-risk final quarter of the year. It also gives new hires from earlier in the year a chance to receive meaningful security training before things get busy.
How IT How To Delivers Value-Driven Simulations
At IT How To, our phishing tests are tailored to your industry and workforce. We do not use generic templates. Instead, we create simulations that reflect real threats relevant to sectors like healthcare, disability support and professional services.
We also ensure the results are accessible. Each simulation includes a detailed report with recommendations for improvement, department-level insights and optional follow-up training. Our focus is always on improving awareness, not shaming employees.
We understand that phishing simulations are just one part of a broader security strategy. At IT How To, we integrate them with dark web audits, endpoint security, backup planning and compliance services to give businesses in Geelong a complete picture of their cybersecurity health.
Our local team understands the unique challenges faced by small and mid-sized organisations. We take the time to customise every engagement and explain findings in clear, business-friendly language.
Contact us today to book your tailored phishing simulation or to learn more about how we support Geelong businesses with practical, people-focused cybersecurity.