Make Your Brand Stand Out From The Crowd
If the phrase ‘we’ve updated our privacy policy’ sends a shiver down your spine, don’t worry – you’re not alone. The recent changes in GDPR laws have left few untouched by consent forms and promises of the sacred nature of personal data collection. But we’re not here to talk about the value of an opted-in database (worthy of a whole other post of its own, with our client Textlocal finding that 54% of opted-in SMS users will respond to a business text), but rather about the panic that ensued as the 25th May approached – and how this can harm your brand.
In desperation to play by the rules, consumers’ inboxes were flooded with GDPR-prompted messages as businesses attempted to send their compliance communications ‘in time’. But when consumers are receiving so many emails demanding an action, how likely is it that at some point they’ll just give up? Merely seeing the opening title of another opt-in request after receiving dozens already is enough to make the best of us simply swipe and hit delete before even opening.
And here’s the kicker – although good preparation and early communications are ideal, businesses did not actually have to send their opt-in communications to customers by the 25th in order to remain compliant. The ICO merely needed to have proof that steps were being taken to ensure compliance at some point in the near future.
So there was no need for businesses to hurriedly put together and send their customers emails requiring opt-ins, only to get lost in a sea of near-identical messages. Instead, it was far more sensible for brands to bide their time and wait a few days before hitting send – and will more than likely lead to better response and opt-in rates.
The lesson? Don’t get caught up in scaremongering and hearsay – it’s always worth taking a step back and biding your time to ensure your brand stands out from the crowd.