Phishing Simulation for Small Business: How to Start

A phishing simulation is a fake phishing email that you send to your own team, so they can practise spotting it in a calm moment. If someone clicks, nothing bad happens. They learn.

You can lecture people about phishing for hours. Then a fake invoice arrives and one person clicks. A simulation lets people meet that fake with no harm done. That is why it sticks.

What is a phishing simulation?

It is a practice email that looks real but links to a safe page. You see who opened it, who clicked, who typed something into a fake form, and who reported it.

Think of it like a fire drill. Nobody is in danger, but everyone learns where the exit is.

How do you run a phishing simulation at a small business?

Run it in five steps, starting with a small group. You do not need a security team.

1. Tell your team the program exists. No tricks on the program itself. Say: “We will send practice emails from time to time. If you spot one, report it.”
2. Choose one realistic scenario. A fake IT password reset, a vendor bank-detail change, or a delivery notice. See phishing test ideas for offices.
3. Send to a pilot group. For a first run, a group of 10 to 25 is fine. Avoid a very busy week.
4. Teach right after a click. A safe page should explain the red flags in 30 seconds.
5. Look at the numbers, then repeat with a new scenario.

What makes a good phishing test email?

It should look like something your staff really get. Use the kind of message that lands in your inbox every week.

• A password reset from “IT.”
• A shared document someone “needs you to open.”
• A vendor asking to change bank details.
• A delivery notice with a tracking link.

Keep it fair. If the email has no clues at all, nobody can learn from it. Include small red flags, such as a sender address that is slightly off.

What does a phishing simulation track?

On Skillermatic, a campaign tracks six stages, from our phishing simulation page:

1. Sent: to the people you choose, from a template or one generated by AI for your scenario.
2. Opened.
3. Clicked: they land on a safe page that explains what happened.
4. Submitted: if the scenario has a fake form, we track whether anyone typed in it, and the data never leaves the safe page.
5. Reported: reporting counts as a positive result.
6. Remediation assigned: anyone who clicked or submitted gets a lesson automatically.

You get an executive PDF report after each campaign and a monthly summary email.

What should you do when someone clicks?

Treat it as a lesson, not a mistake to punish. People who fear blame stop reporting, and then you hear about the real attack too late.

• Do not name and shame.
• Let the safe landing page teach.
• Assign a short follow-up lesson.
• If the same person clicks again and again, offer a coffee chat, not a warning.

How often should you run a phishing simulation?

Once a month or once a quarter is a good rhythm for a small team. More often can wear people out. Skillermatic limits campaigns to a rolling 30 days per company for that reason.

What are the common mistakes?

• Too hard, too soon. Start with a fair scenario.
• Too often. People get tired.
• Only counting clicks. Count reports too. See phishing simulation metrics.
• No follow-up. A test with no lesson is just a trap.
• No plan for reports. Decide where staff send a suspicious email before you start.

Do you need training around the test?

Yes. A simulation tests. Lessons teach. You want both, and we explain why. CISA suggests evaluating training by tracking security incidents and reporting during phishing simulations. NIST says to teach employees how to spot and report a phish. If you have no plan yet, use our 30-day plan.

What should you tell staff before the first phishing test?

Send a short, friendly note a few days before. Here is a copy-paste version you can edit:

Hi team. To help us all spot scam emails, we will send practice phishing emails from time to time. They are safe. If you get an email that feels odd, report it to [name or address]. Nobody gets in trouble for clicking. We just want everyone to get better at this.

Do not say which day the test starts. The note builds trust, and the surprise keeps the test honest.

What should a safe landing page say?

It should be calm and quick to read. Something like: “This was a practice email. Here are three signs that it was fake. Here is how to report one next time.” Thirty seconds is enough. Skip any wording that makes people feel silly.

Next step

Start a free trial or book a demo and we will walk through a sample campaign, including the report. If you just want a free baseline for up to 25 staff, Cyberwareness (our sister brand, powered by Skillermatic) offers a free phishing risk test.