The GDPR is a power shift. It means brands will need explicit permission to have and carry on marketing conversations; databases will need to comprise of individuals who have actively given their permission for brands to engage. This is overwhelmingly a good thing because the GDPR will ensure brands contact and connect with their customers as their customers want them to, or not at all.
Many organisations are focused on the potential negative consequences of the GDPR on their marketing and business activities. But looking at the key requirements for compliance from a different perspective, the GDPR can help marketers to enhance their activities, improve customer engagement and boost ROI.
A fresh take on the GDPR
It’s easy to see how GDPR-compliant data that is current, accurate and structured can also help brands to understand customers and build compelling, personalised offers for them. Likewise, customers who give permission for businesses to use their data in line with the GDPR are much more likely to engage, giving brands a base of ready-qualified, open targets for relevant communications.
As well as delivering more appropriate, compelling messages and offers to customers who have opted in to receive them, GDPR-readiness can also help to reduce time and resources spent on hit-and-miss, blanket-marketing approaches, meaning more resources can be allocated to engaging with those customers who are likely to respond, and less on inactive customers who would rather not hear from you.
The fast-track to effective data-driven marketing
Preparedness for the GDPR can help to rapidly shift from marketing based on gut feel and historical data, to a data-driven approach that can help deliver appropriate, personalised, timely communications to customers and prospects.
Jaywing research shows that most marketing teams have still been unable to implement data-driven marketing in their organisations – even though most want to. Despite the fact that 92% of marketers see better management of their data as a priority, only 8% currently personalise customer communications across all channels. What’s more, just 57% of teams said they had the right data skills and resources to support data-driven marketing and only 50% think they are using the right data management approach.*