By now, most if not all B2B marketers have heard about the impending GDPR and what it means for our email marketing. Of course, there was some debate about whether it even applied to B2B marketers, but with so much at stake (I mean, do you really want to be fined €20 million or 4% of your global annual turnover?), I can't understand why B2B marketers are waiting around. You need to be double opting-in your data now.
The EU General Data Protection Regulation is going to come into force whether we like it or not.
If we want to continue to trade with EU businesses and handle their personal data, we're going to have to get on board with the GDPR. Even with Brexit, it's likely that we will have to have similar legislation in place to continue trading with EU organisations. Do you know how long it takes to get new legislation in place anyway?!
The B2B marketers who are waiting around are the ones who are going to have no data left to market to if they are not careful.
Our PECR's are on the chopping block
There were some B2B marketers that were relying on the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulation to get them out of having to comply with the GDPR. However, sources at the DMA who have seen the first draft of the new PECR say that it is falling into line with the GDPR. Of course, we're still waiting for the complete January update.
But, again, why would you wait around and hope that PECR would save your marketing?
Double opting-in isn't really so bad...
We've been quite lucky here in the UK as B2B marketers. Lots of other countries have already enforced double opt-in marketing rules. It's why some email marketing providers who are based in the US only allow you to work with double opt-in data in the UK too.
Of course, for those of us who have been using a soft opt-out or single opt-in marketing technique, the thought of moving to a double opt-in process is groan-worthy. One whole extra step in the process where we need the person to confirm their identity. Yet, it really isn't that hard to set up, as indicated here, and it isn't that difficult to get people double opting-in to your communications.
All you need to do is provide them with something valuable. Gated content, for example (yes, content marketers – your job is now more relevant than ever). Ask for consent in exchange for event slides or host a pop-up on your website that, again, gives your prospects valuable content. From event, asset download and email campaigns, we've seen a 54-70% double opt-in rate.
From there we've seen click-through rates improve from 15% to 37%. After all, you are sending your marketing communications to people who want to hear from you. Nothing bad about that, is there?
For more on GDPR compliance, take a look at CommuniGator's full guide.
Get to grips with the world of data and changes in the GDPR, with the IDM Professional Certificate in GDPR.
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