Were you aware that as of 2018 the EU data legislation (GDPR) is changing and that the UK will still be affected? It’s going to change how B2B marketers are able to market to their prospects so you need to be aware of these changes NOW. Because you need to do something about it.
The EU General Data Protection regulation comes into force on the 25th May 2018.
So why are we talking about this now? Well, you only have 18 months left until the law changes and this data legislation will stay in place until the UK government decide to change it. It means you need to get as much of your audience opted-in to your marketing as possible. There is only so much you can do to get them opted-in, so the longer you do it the more data you can have opted-in to your marketing. We’d start keeping a record now if we were you.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
There are no two ways about it. Despite the fact UK are leaving the EU, we are going to have to start abiding by the GDPR and double opt-in laws if we want to continue marketing within the EU. After the 25th May 2018, if you email market to non-opted-in data, it could cost you 4% of your annual turnover or €20 million – whichever is the higher of the two. You’re going to need proof that they opted-in too.
So how do you get them to opt-in?
Well, firstly we suggest that you tell your prospects that they will be opting in for continuous communications. Secondly, you will need to tell your existing customers about the change. Just because they are customers doesn’t mean they are opted-in. Finally, we’d recommend purchased data lists now and trying to get as many of them to opt-in to your marketing as possible. A simple follow up email is all it takes (like B2C currently do for consumers).
The most important bit about this new data legislation
The one thing we’re hearing from everyone is that your opt-in data needs to be provable. So keeping a record is essential. Automating this reporting feature will be the next step for marketing automation. And we’ll be keeping you up to speed along the way. Including the legal information you need about the data changes once everything has been confirmed.
The good news is, opted-in data performs higher. We’re not just talking about engagement either. We’re talking about open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates and more. This permission-based marketing approach will improve your marketing in the long run. It’s just important to get ahead of this curve ball now or be left with no one to market to in 2018.
If you’d like more information on the data law changes and what it means for your business, read our whitepaper on what the EU GDPR changes mean for your marketing.
When it comes to the GDPR, you can’t take any half measures, why not download our checklist to make sure you’re fully up to date?