Email marketing depends on personal data and therefore the GDPR increases our obligations. It is no longer enough to follow the rules and regulations. Now others can make demands of us. No one knows by how this will increase our workload, only that it most certainly will.

You cannot avoid many of the costs, such as training and the establishment of processes. These are ongoing as staffing and regulations change over time. However, we might be able to lessen the demands with regards rights of those whose personal data you hold.

Few people will go beyond the headlines and a paragraph or two when reading reports of the GDPR. Even fewer will click on links to find more details. So many might be aware of the basic rights the GDPR allows them with regard to their personal data. If they subscribe to an email marketing list, it might have generated some concern.

One way of reducing the number of casual requests for details of personal data is to tell people what they might want to know before they click send on their email. It need not be too detailed. Just enough to satisfy their curiosity is about right.

Have a box on a marketing email and your Home Page with a little reassurance about conforming to the GDPR. Have a click through marked ‘Want to know what data we hold?’ and those who were thinking of making a request might well click on it. 

On the landing page have a heading ‘Are you a subscriber to our email marketing list?’ and underneath list the type of information you keep, how it is being used, how it was gained, how it is protected, and, importantly, how it is of use to them. After all, they will not want to be offered products they do not want to buy.

Have a separate list for your other customers, whether counter or online. 

Explain that you have established processes for requests for information and point them towards the pro-formas you will have prepared that will ensure a prompt reply.

Email marketing has nothing to be frightened of with regards requests for data once you are prepared.