GDPR. Four letters that have already resulted in many sweaty palms and nervous shuffling. The General Data Protection Regulation impacts every company. Even more so: various departments within your firm. We list the most important changes for your marketing and communication.
The GDPR is a new European regulation, an update of the outdated European privacy legislation. It determines the rules regarding the storage and processing of the personal data of every European citizen. May 25, 2018, is G-day: from then on, this new legislation is officially in force.
The goal is to make what happens to his or her data transparent (or more transparent) for everyone. Or to put it in the words of the GDPR: “It must be perfectly clear to individuals that their data has been collected, used, consulted, or otherwise processed.” It is therefore about enforceability: as a company, you must explicitly ask for permission.
Let’s zoom in on two core concepts. Every European citizen. So not just your employees, but also your customers. Not just your suppliers, but also your prospects. The definition of personal data is also broad: even a cookie falls under that term for the EU.
After the theory, the practice. How do we make our customers GDPR-proof? In two steps.
Action point: as a company, you must be able to demonstrate that every customer once gave their permission to do something with their data. That means: every contact in your newsletter subscribers. Every name that ever ended up in your commercial contact list in one way or another.
An impossible task.
The solution? An e-mailing to all your customers. Containing the explicit question of whether your company may continue to contact him or her in the future. Naturally packaged in a slightly more fun way, because otherwise we already know the answer in advance…
Action point: Once that foundation is in place, it’s time to make that question GDPR-explicit for the future as well. But that is certainly not necessary in all cases.
Two examples: a customer who fills out your contact form assumes that you will use his data to answer him. And someone who participates in a contest will have no problem if your company sends him an email with the results.
But that does not mean that they are then automatically subscribed to your newsletter, for example. You will have to ask for that permission.
The solution: We adapt your website to the GDPR regulations. Provide you with a template for your new privacy statement. Update your WordPress to the mandatory standard. And so on, and so forth.
Rewind and fast forward. Making personal data from the past GDPR-proof and preparing yourself for the future.
Are you a customer of ours? Then keep an eye on your mailbox, both your physical and your digital one.
And for non-customers (shame on you!): contact your website builder and/or communication agency immediately. They should advise you on where you stand GDPR-wise. At least in the field of communication and marketing. For the other aspects, it’s your move.