8 marketing tips on preparing for GDPR

Here are our eight marketing tips on preparing for GDPR. The latest research from the Direct Marketing Association finds 15% of businesses still don’t have a plan in place.

For the background on GDPR and what it means for marketers see our previous blog posts:

Eight practical marketing tips on preparing for GDPR

1. Map your data

Identify what personal data you hold and where you store it. Once you know your data position, you can take steps to ensure the data is kept appropriately and stored safely.

2. Clean up your marketing lists

Review your marketing lists and clear out legacy data. Delete contacts where you do not have a record of their opt-in and dispose of unnecessary data.

You could actively seek opt-in from existing contacts before May 2018, but this is a tricky area. If you contact individuals who have previously opted out, you will be in breach of the current law.

3. Gain consent

Add consent tick boxes to your website contact forms, registration forms or check out pages to encourage consented marketing sign-up. Replace any pre-ticked consent boxes. Only ask for information that you genuinely need.

4. Introduce granular consent

Let customers freely choose the content, channel, and frequency of your communications and gain consent for each. Not only will this help with GDPR compliance but will also help your marketing be more targeted and effective.

5. Improve your content

Up your game when it comes to the content you produce. Offer valuable content in exchange for opt-in consent.

6. Add unsubscribe links

Add clear links to your email communications for people to unsubscribe.

7. Implement a CRM system

Centralise all your personal data into one CRM system where you can easily review, remove and control it.

8. Update the privacy policy on your website

Your website will need a privacy policy which advises your site visitors what data you are collecting, what you are using it for, how long you will keep it, and who you will share it with.

Preparing for the GDPR may seem a daunting task, but it is a good opportunity for marketers to clean their data and make their marketing practices more effective.

Straight Marketing
Tawny Bank, Maer Lane
Exmouth, Devon
EX8 2DE

01395 901116

info@straightmarketing.co.uk
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