GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists. They might seem daunting. But everything has been changing in the marketing business immensely in the last few years. With online access to data, control over personal information has become more complex. These issues have skyrocketed and some companies have gotten into serious trouble when things have gone wrong. Therefore, new rules are in place.
It doesn’t need to be scary when sourcing GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists. In fact, it should be reassuring. It should be a step in the right direction for your business. Helping you on your way to growth. It also provides you with protection. You can be sure you aren’t breaking data protection laws with a GDPR compliant marketing list.
Maybe you’ve thought about getting one. Maybe you know you need one. You’ve just put it off, as you’re not quite sure how to go about sourcing one. And you know there are big legal issues when it goes wrong. In this article, I want to give you some suggestions on how to go about sourcing GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists.
What is GDPR?
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. It is a law that controls rules on personal data in the European Union. It gives individuals more control over what happens to their data, the law was put in place to aid security and privacy. Personal data covers anything that identifies a person. So that ranges from a name to an IP address to delivery details.
All businesses, organisations and the government must follow the guides. It was put in place on the 25th of May 2018. Since the UK has left the European Union in Brexit, questions have been raised. However, the GDPR in the UK was put in place as a part of the Data Protection Act. And the government has made no plans to change the legislation yet. So, the UK is still under the same strict data protection laws that we must follow.
For guidance in understanding the rules around personal data, check the government website and the GDPR website. These sources can give additional information to help you understand GDPR. This is very important, as following these rules is vital to avoid legal trouble. Fines and penalties can be very high. Also, the individual or individuals whose personal data privacy has been infringed, have the right to seek compensation.
Why Do I Need GDPR Compliant Marketing Lists?
To start off, what are GDPR compliant marketing lists? Simply put, they are lists of potential customers and their information. A GDPR compliant marketing list will follow GDPR guidelines. What is on the list? B2B marketing lists can include company names, phone numbers, emails, and other personal information.
What is B2B?
What is B2B? You probably know what B2B is, but just in case you don’t, it stands for business to business. So, this is any trade between businesses. For example, a wholesaler selling to a retail company. Simply, it is everything before it gets to the final customer. This then becomes B2C. Which stands for business to consumer.
What is GDPR Compliance?
What makes a list GDPR compliant? Well, there are seven protection and accountability principles for processing personal data. These are lawfulness, fairness, and transparency; purpose limitation; data minimization; accuracy; storage limitation; integrity and confidentiality; and accountability. For further details about each of these principles, check here.
The reason you need GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists is simply, to stay out of trouble. You don’t want a hefty fine. And failure to comply with GDPR laws can result in a fine of up to 20 million euros. That is not a sum of money any business wants to part with. This is why it is so important to follow the rules. Also, you should care about your user’s privacy. So, even without the fear of fines, it’s best to do what is best for your users.
Beyond the rules of GDPR, a marketing list can help your company hugely. You can find a whole new audience. For example, if you sell baby changing mats, you could share customers from a company that sells baby clothes. These sorts of connections are what help you grow. Or if you sell online services like us at Driven Media Solutions, you can find other companies that sell different online services. To learn more benefits of using marketing data, check out our blog post with more details.
How Can I Source GDPR Compliant Marketing Lists?
There are lots of GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists available. It is knowing which to invest in. There are two ways of getting a GDPR complaint B2B marketing list. The first is to buy one. The second is to create one.
Buying a GDPR Compliant B2B Marketing List
When buying a marketing list, you must make sure it is GDPR compliant. Because, to contact an individual or a business, you must have consent. This is due to GDPR guidelines. So, GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists will have pre-established consent or some form of legitimate interest. For a marketing list to be legal to sell, it must have this. However, there are potential scam artists online you need to be wary of. Some people will claim things that aren’t always true. I will get on to talking about being ripped off or scammed later in the article.
To source a GDPR complaint B2B marketing list, do some research. This is the best way to find the one for you. Look for businesses in your market area and find relevant lists. There is no point going after a marketing list with contacts that have nothing to do with your business. These contacts might be completely worthless to you, as they don’t have a related interest in your service or product.
Know your audience and look for the people who will share your audience. These are the lists you want to look at.
Making a GDPR Compliant B2B Marketing List
When making your own marketing list, you also need consent. Again, this is so it is GDPR compliant. To get consent you need to be honest. Tell the individual what you want to use their data for and ask permission. They need the ability to opt out, otherwise, it is not actually consensual.
You can use your own marketing list or even go on to sell it. I must stress, yet again, only if you have consent! If you want to sell the marketing list, you need to make this clear when asking for permission. You need to state that you wish to sell or pass on their information to third parties and why. For clear guidelines on how to make your own GDPR complaint B2B marketing list, use the ICO website.
Check Your Supplier’s Compliance Documentation
Compliance documentation is the proof from documents that a company is compliant with GDPR law. The documents can include reports, records, statements etc. Within these documents, you should be able to recognise if the company or business is following the set rules. They must have documents recording their processing activities. These must also state the company or businesses’ name alongside their contact details.
They should show evidence of following the seven principles I mentioned earlier. This includes lawfulness, fairness, and transparency; purpose limitation; data minimization; accuracy; storage limitation; integrity and confidentiality; and accountability.
It can feel uncomfortable if the supplier is not happy providing documentation. For example, if they are vague, or don’t give you complete documents, this is a bad sign. Some might even point blank refuse. Clearly, there are compliance issues with these organisations, so don’t waste your time if you get a response like this.
Check Your Supplier’s ICO Registration
What is ICO? It is a public body that upholds information rights in the interest of the public. ICO stands for Information Commissioner’s Office. It is a legal requirement for organisations that processes personal data to register with the ICO.
There are some exemptions to paying the fee for the ICO, and you can find these here. However, these do not apply to your supplier, as those exempt, can’t be processing personal data for profit. Which, in your case, they are, as they are selling the marketing lists to you. So, if the company that is supplying you with the marketing lists is not registered, this is a criminal offence.
You can use an ICO search engine to find out if your supplier is registered. This is an easy way to find out if the supplier is registered, as they should appear in the database.
Make Sure You’re Not Getting Ripped Off
My last tip for sourcing GDPR compliant B2B marketing lists is to know you’re not being scammed. Easier said than done. I mentioned earlier, marketing list suppliers are like everyone else online. People can lie. And they can lie about GDPR compliance. Some people might claim something and be unable to back it up. If a company cannot prove its legitimacy, don’t do business with them. It is your job to spot the lies. Make it your job to find out and stop working with them if they are lying.
We have other articles that provide relevant GDPR compliant marketing-based advice. This could help you know how to avoid bad companies. As I’ve mentioned before, if your supplier refuses to provide the documents you ask for, chances are, they could be ripping you off.
Not complying with GDPR can put your company at great risk. But this is not the only way a supplier can rip you off. They could also be over-charging. If you have never had a GDPR compliant B2B marketing list before, you might not know what to expect. Or at least not in terms of price. Therefore, it can be crucial to research. Shop around and get quotes from a few sellers. Decide which lists sound like they would be most useful to you, then compare prices. Get an understanding of what is on offer and for how much. Then make your decision from there.
Simply, don’t get too excited at the first promise of new contacts. It is easily done. But make sure what they are selling is fair.
Conclusion
So, all in all, having GDPR complaint B2B marketing lists is very important. If this is something you want to invest in, make sure you do it right. Hopefully, these tips will help you understand the ways to get one. There are many sites linked in this article with in-depth information about the topics covered, so check these out too.
If you’re still not completely convinced, it might be worth reading up more on the consequences of not following GDPR. To learn more about the impacts the Data Protection Act 2018 can have on your business, read our article.
If you plan on searching for a GDPR complaint B2B marketing list soon, remember to use this article for guidance. And good luck sourcing your marketing list!