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Embracing GDPR to improve your marketing activity

Liz Bastock

GDPR is five today. Some may see it as a necessary evil or hurdles to jump through to carry out marketing activities but take a step back and it brings a more focused and considered approach to the activity you carry out.


So, how does GDPR affect your marketing and what can you do to turn that to your advantage?


1) Consent-based marketing

GDPR puts emphasis on obtaining explicit and freely given consent before you process personal data for marketing purposes.

Marketing teams need to use clear opt ins, allow individuals to opt out freely and make sure contacts can opt-in to information that is relevant to them, not just a blanket consent.


Contacts who have actively opted in are your people.

They want to find out more, buy your product or service, interact with you. Make the most of this engagement – send targeted communications, build the relationship, and turn them from prospects to clients or first-time purchasers to loyal brand ambassadors.


2) Transparency

GDPR requires transparency in how personal data is collected, used, and processed.

You must be clear about how you process the data you collect, how long you keep it for and who else you share it with – the best place for this is your privacy policy.


No-one wants endless databases of outdated, unusable data.

Being clear about the data you are collecting and why will help you to focus on the reason for doing it, making sure that you are finding out what you need to know about your contacts and clients.


3) Data minimisation and purpose limitation

GDPR promotes the principle of data minimisation and only collecting the data necessary to complete the task in hand.

The information you collect should be adequate for what you need to do, relevant to what you are doing and only what is necessary. The ‘Goldilocks’ approach of not too much, not too little but just the right amount of data.


Don’t put your clients and prospects off.

Asking for large amounts of information for an email newsletter sign up or irrelevant information when purchasing from your website is not only against the principles of GDPR but risks contacts bouncing off your website in favour of a competitor.


When you look at how you use data in your marketing, here are a few pointers to help you stay compliant and use the information you collect, both legitimately and to your best advantage:

  • Carry out data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk marketing activities

  • Stick to the principles of privacy by design and default when developing marketing campaigns and tools

  • Understand the lawful bases for processing personal data, such as legitimate interest or consent, and choose the most appropriate one for the activity you are doing. The ICO website has a great lawful basis guidance tool to help with this

  • Make sure all your data protection measures also apply to any third-party relationships you have

  • Keep up to date with GDPR guidance and changes to legislation. This way your activity and use of data stays compliant and you can continue to build those all important relationships with your contacts

While the GDPR might have seemed cumbersome or limiting on companies five years ago, organisations are now finding ways to embrace it. Making sure customers are in control of their data and understand how and why it is being used generates confidence in a brand. This openness in turn helps to build a better and more engaged relationship between you and the individuals you are marketing to.


I don’t claim to be a GDPR expert by any stretch but any marketer needs to understand the principles. Once you’ve gathered the right data (in a compliant way!) you need to get your message across to your audience and that’s where I can help!


From campaigns to content, and a few other things in between, do get in touch to find out how I can help connect your business with the audience you’re targeting.

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