GDPR- WHAT ARE THE DO’S AND DON’TS IN SENDING MARKETING E-MAILS?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (GDPR) has become effective in the countries under Euro Union from May twenty fifth, 2018 onwards. It has put an end to the days of mass marketing e-mails in which the consumers once used to obtain e-mails from unknown senders. Only as the old stating experience it, “it’s better to be safe than sorry”, we need to keep in mind the do’s and don’ts under GDPR.

You can will no longer hide away from the fact of having consents from the targeted customers before sending away e-mail/e-mails. The new GDPR is not going to simply let you add new addresses to your email lists or send non-targeted communications to everyone in your information.

So, before attempting the next shots of emails, it’s a good plan to really know what will and what will not be allowed under the new legislation. If you are in charge of your company’s marketing and sales communications or are tasked with sending away company’s monthly e-mails, then, this guide is for you.

This guide addresses the key areas of Info Regulation and the do’s and don’ts in email marketing. These rules also help you in guaranteeing your entire processes are GDPR compliant.

The Do’s of GDPR for E-mail Marketing

  • DO seek consents from the recipients and get affirmative permission to contact them via email. It is the most secure process under GDPR and E-Privacy legislation.
  • Do segment your mailing list by understanding the difference between B2B and B2C communications. B2B emails should be targeted at a person’s role within a business. B2C communications, on the other hand, are directed at the persons themselves. They must have provided explicit consent prior to you contacting them.
  • Do ask them if they are happy to be added to a particular mailing list, in order to be contacted either with information relevant to their industry/role or with news/updates on the services/products you have previously discussed.
  • DO follow B2C rules when dealing with small partnerships, sole traders or one-person operations. An explicit opt-in consent must be given before you can email them.
  • DO inform your customers if you’re monitoring the e-mail open rates and changing the content sent to them based on what they do/don’t read-which means you monitor their behaviour. Always give them the option to opt-out/unsubscribe.

The Don’ts of GDPR for E-mail Marketing

  • DON’T email anyone who has asked not to be contacted, unsubscribed from a list, or opted-out in any other way.
  • DON’T add someone whom you have collected a business card to every mailing list your company uses. Instead, write them an email in the usual manner, explaining that you thought they might be interested in finding out more about the services/products your business offers.
  • DON’T add anyone into the mailing list unless they explicitly say that they would like to be included.
  • DON’T send e-mails to people assuming that they will be interested in your service. It is fine to send e-mails to customers or clients who may have purchased from you or have enquired about your products or service in the past. But, it is essential that all your future e-mails should be relevant to what they have expressed interest in.
  • DON’T be too rigid with your communication when it comes to marketing your services/products to new contacts. Instead, provide multiple types of content including news and events, general updates, white papers and in various other formats too. This will not only leave you with the choice to deliver great content your customers are interested but also increase the likelihood of interaction.

Give your customers the choice to opt-in via their preferred medium whether it’s email, newsletter, phone call, or text.  It will aid you in your flexibility, freedom and compliance in driving engagement with your customers. You can also update your Privacy Policy specifying all these and give them the option to opt-out or opt-in if they wanted to receive your marketing communications.

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