GDPR, a direct impact on monetization and exploitation of client files
The General Data Protection Regulation, abbreviated as GDPR for internationalized companies, is disrupting the digital landscape by introducing new regulations concerning the protection and security of personal data.
This new legislation impacts data at all levels: Collection, processing, storage, and updating of data.
People working in email marketing and those whose business model partly relies on the exploitation of email or SMS databases are the first affected by the GDPR because the impact on their marketing strategies is enormous!
Obtaining consent is at the heart of this new regulation, and merely collecting addresses via an opt-in process is no longer sufficient. Lastly, besides obtaining consent, it is also necessary to establish a procedure that allows for the retention of consent.
The GDPR will come into effect on May 25, 2018, and many companies are not yet ready! As a key player ensuring the quality of your databases, CaptainVerify assists you in implementing GDPR compliance within your structure. Follow the guide!
GDPR makes its way into your marketing campaigns from address collection
Many sectors have had to revisit their strategy due to changes in legislation, and today, it’s the turn of email marketers or SMS marketers, as the rules governing the collection and exploitation of data have become stricter.
According to Article 4.11 of the GDPR, consent must be “freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous”.
Do not even think about collecting email addresses through a passive opt-in process anymore. Passive opt-in involves pre-checking the box indicating that the user agrees to receive your communications, or even those of your partners. Discouraged by the CNIL for several years, passive opt-in is now to be avoided as it is prohibited under the new data protection regulations.
The concept of proof is also essential, hence the need to implement double opt-in on your site. By sending a consent validation email, you will, in case of an audit, be able to prove that you obtained the recipient’s consent. Be careful, the CNIL specifies that proof of consent requires 3 elements:
- what the person consented to
- when they consented
- who consented
Make sure that your subcontractors, like CaptainVerify, integrate the notion of double opt-in in their anti-spam policy and general terms of use because otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain and you will not be fully GDPR compliant.
At CaptainVerify, we have integrated all the constraints imposed by the GDPR regarding collection to provide you with verified and cleaned mailing lists (or SMS mailing lists) that are also GDPR compliant.
Finally, when collecting addresses or phone numbers, do not forget to consider the following points:
- Inform recipients about the methods by which they can request to modify or delete the data you hold.
- Professional email is now considered personal data, and it is impossible to bypass the law even in an exclusively B2B collection context.
- Do not assume that your opt-in database acquired over the past few years is GDPR compliant; it is not! It is necessary to requalify it according to the standards in effect on May 25, 2018.
Should we translate GDPR to RIP Great Profit and Dollars?
While the GDPR disrupts habits and businesses, rest assured, it will still be possible to exploit your databases for advertising purposes, provided you comply with the new rules.
Have your current database audited
One important point to know:
The GDPR applies not only to data collected after its implementation on May 25, 2018, but also to data collected before!
A global player in database cleaning and verification, CaptainVerify is well-positioned to tell you that the first thing to do to continue generating revenue through email or SMS mailing campaigns is to capitalize on the existing by bringing your current databases into compliance in order to:
- Eliminate inactive contacts
- Inventory the data you have (do you possess geographic information? sociodemographic data?)
- Have you kept proof of their consent?
Verify the origin of collected addresses/phone numbers
Within the GDPR framework, it is essential to verify whether you have kept records of your contacts’ origins. Do they come from an opt-in database collected via a form on your website? Are they from a co-registration partnership? You must be able to know and prove how the contact entered your database.
Data collection and usage, transparency is key!
If cookie usage warning banners have already set the tone several years ago, you must continue in this direction and communicate transparently and understandably to the user about how you collect and use the data.
Revise your privacy pages to enrich them, simplify them, and, most importantly, make them GDPR compliant. Detail all the following elements:
- Collection mode
- Storage mode
- Usage
- Data transfer
For all your upcoming marketing campaigns, think GDPR!
Once you have been able to bring your bases and communication processes into compliance, do not relent in your efforts, and it will be important to always ensure that your bases remain GDPR compliant over time. Regular auditing, cleaning of contacts inactive for more than 90 days, verifying ambiguous recordings, and renewing consent requests are tasks that should become routine for the data processing manager or CRM manager.
Unsubscribers, optimizing your CRM budget while remaining GDPR compliant!
While some email marketers overlook the unsubscribe link that must appear on all communications sent via electronic messaging, most comply with this rule, and for a good reason! Retaining contacts who do not wish to receive your offers and communications is ultimately a waste of money since routing services are often based on the volume of the database and the number of sends. Capitalize on warm prospects; you will achieve better returns!
Through its platform, Captain Verify receives daily feedback messages attesting to better profitability of emails or SMS sent after a database verification or cleaning. Therefore, complying with GDPR can save you money.
The unsubscribe process must be clear and simple. The unsubscribe link must be visible. The unsubscribe link must allow for:
- Unsubscribing from this marketing communication
- Unsubscribing from all marketing communications sent by your entity
- Contacting a return email address
