There has been a bit of debate recently as to whether the GDPR will apply to B2B marketers. Some say yes, others say no. Here’s why, and here is what we think you should do in the meantime.
There is this regulation called the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)
Now, for those of you who don’t know, PECR is the regulation that could get B2B marketers out of the GDPR completely. In PECR, it states that B2B marketers can use opt-out lists in their email marketing communications. This is in stark contrast to the GDPR. However, PECR is currently in review. Therefore, with lots of big names fighting for both sides, we can’t yet say who will win.
Can you just sit back and wait?
You could sit around and hope that PECR doesn’t change, and therefore you can continue your B2B marketing as normal. However, you don’t want to rely on that. It’s a risky move, especially if PECR ends up aligning with the GDPR. (Which leaked reports from the DMA say is likely.)
So, what should you do?
Given the GDPR deadline (25th May 2018, in case anyone has forgotten), we would recommend you still start double opting-in your data now. That way, there is no risk of being left with no one to market to come 2018 if PECR does change.
There is no harm in creating an opted-in database, and it isn’t as hard as you might think. This data also performs at a much higher rate than opt-out data. For example, we’ve seen 15% click-throughs and 85% opens. The stats make sense. After all, all you will be doing is marketing to people who want to hear from you. No harm in that! Using some of our top tips, you can see as much as 75% of your data opting in (depending on the channels you use).
Whether or not PECR overwrites the GDPR, we still believe a double opt-in database is a good way to go. If PECR still stands, you can continue your marketing communications as always but at least you’ll have a back-up in case the GDPR takes over.
Find out how easy it is to become GDPR compliant with our guide to getting you started.