Digital communications have evolved to an unprecedented extent in recent years, allowing us more insight than ever before into our buyers’ behaviors, and more means to target, convert, and track prospects and clients alike
But with this power comes great responsibility. It falls to us to proactively manage our clients’ data, keep their confidence, and ensure their continued trust. If we fail to do so, we’ll lose out on the many benefits this vibrant channel offers, not to mention the social and commercial impact we all enjoy.
Our path forward isn’t clear – the land mines threatening disruption are many, and the bad actors are good at their job. But we have to be better. We have to work twice as hard to keep clients satisfied, maintain our credibility, and win ROI.
Guest post by David Fowler, Head of Digital Compliance and Privacy, Act-On Software
No network is 100 percent secure. Yes, there are countless initiatives and requirements within networks to ensure security and compliance, but the threats loom large at the margins. Not a day goes by without some brand in today’s privacy landscape taking it publicly on the chin for an inability to protect consumer data. No one is wholly immune to the many online activities – spam, spoofing, hacking, malware, phishing, click fraud, identity theft – designed to erode trust.
But there are opportunities in these challenges. Privacy and security might seem like rather different tenants of the digital ecosystem, but they have many of the same objectives in common, and have an imperative to work together to ensure that the data businesses collect is protected and used appropriately.
This is why it’s so crucial for the CTO and CMO to come together to manage, maintain, and improve on compliance efforts. Their company’s reputation – and their CEO’s freedom from the scrutiny that follows every data breach – depends on their collaboration. Below are the issues that CTOs, CMOs, and CEOs need to confront and the questions they need to ask (as well as answer).
I. Why should I care about data and data management?
Data to a marketer is like grist to a mill; the more there is, the more that can be made and managed. Hence, a marketer’s reluctance to delete data past its prime and an organization’s reluctance to set expiration dates in the first place.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in emails. A business may have more than a million addresses on file, with just 50 percent of that total actively responding to their messages. Why keep the rest around, when you can focus on the people who really hear you? It’s not enough to hoard data; you have to manage it, too, and manage it well.
Key Takeaway
Develop concise on-boarding and off-loading strategies for your digital assets. Data can and does expire; the more data you manage, the more risk you carry, especially as it relates to possible breaches and the fallout from these activities.
If you manage consumer data, you are responsible for the stewardship.
II. Should my CMO be interested in privacy?
A commitment to privacy isn’t just good sense; it’s good business. And there are more “privacy by design” strategies in discussion today – more still that have been adopted, developed in products, and implemented – than there were five years back. Since the CMO is in many ways the quarterback for the organization, the CMO should definitely be interested in privacy and well-versed in the privacy playbook.
Of course, there’s more to this than a mere “privacy policy statement” or disclosure of a stance on data collection and use. A client’s trust in a brand has a direct impact on the brand’s bottom line, which sits squarely in the CMO’s sandbox. Therefore, stringent precautions are necessary. Privacy must remain at the forefront of marketing objectives.
Key Takeaway
Privacy must remain a consideration at every stage of the product development and implementation lifecycle, and it’s up to the CMO to make the necessary arrangements.
Know privacy legislation by countries; study up on industry best practices; and participate where possible in industry events to hear how other CMOs have handled the task.
III. How will I know when it’s time to tune up privacy?
It’s often said that a best defense is a strong offense, and that’s particularly true of privacy and compliance. Rather than wait for a breach, it’s best to tune up privacy regularly, and conduct assessments on a quarterly basis at the very least. There are several ways you can do this:
- Pull all privacy stakeholders together within your organization and review the on-boarding data points that affect your business. Establish concrete policies for data expiration, and put in place the appropriate follow-ups.
- Streamline your existing policy to ensure you account for the latest regulations and to make your policy more readable and accessible. The easier it is to get through that policy, the more transparent you’ll be.
- Consider a third party assessment of your business and privacy operations. Many companies will review your practices and “certify” that you are complying with known legal and best practices. This is especially beneficial if you have international operations as your compliance obligations will differ based on the country.
It’s time we leave behind the old models of business and communication. Times are changing, and we must change with them. Make privacy a priority. It won’t just be your clients who’ll appreciate it; your bottom line will, too.
Image Source (Creative Commons): Marilyn Peddle.
David Fowler is Head of Compliance for Act-On Software and a veteran digital marketer, with more than 20 years’ experience in privacy, deliverability, and business and product development, both in the US and in the EU. In his current role, he is responsible for all issues pertaining to digital compliance and strives to maintain the highest possible level of industry stewardship, as concerns customers and corporate objectives.
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