You might not have thought that a Which? report would have much in the way of information relevant to us. Email marketing is rather specialist and isn’t the best place to find research that relates to your role from specialist blogs? However, we’ve always said; use varying sources for ideas. 

Which? has produced a report on the concerns of the public with regards to data use. As is the norm in their case, the research is itself heavy on data. Much of it covers what worries those who share their data with the likes of Facebook but it also reports on what digital customers, which includes subscribers to email marketing lists, know about systems. 

It is clear that many give their data because they feel they have little option other than to do so. It is seen as a cost of the online world. This does not mean that they are not worried about what their data is used for and the report suggests that there are specific concerns. Such knowledge is useful for us as it allows us to target these concerns when explaining what we do with data.

For instance, one of the headlines towards the end of the executive summary states:

“There is not enough transparency for consumers or their advocates on what they care about – namely, the impact that personal data has on their lives.”

This is just one of the concerns listed in the report but would seem to be the main one. In other words, these fears might put off the individuals you are targeting as potential subscribers to your email marketing lists.

If the general public knows little about how sharing their data with companies will affect their lives then the answer is obvious. You should tell them. Be honest and upbeat. After all, targeting not only benefits us but our customers as well. Explain what you do with your email marketing lists. Tell them that you don’t share it with anyone else. 

The Which? report is well worth the time it takes to read the executive summary. It is downloadable from here.

There is no charge.