Direct mail refers to marketing materials that are physically delivered through your mailbox. This could be a postcard or a brochure, for example. Direct mail is an effective marketing medium, even in today’s digital age, because it is targeted and tangible. However, the introduction of GDPR, you may be worried about the legalities surrounding this. Do you need direct mail consent to proceed with your campaign?
Do you need consent to send direct mail?
No; you do not need consent to send direct mail to someone. Getting consent online is easy, but the same cannot be said for in-person marketing. Luckily, this is not required, yet there are rules and regulations in place that you will need to adhere to.
Does GDPR affect direct mail?
GDPR, which stands for General Data Protection Regulation, came into place to replace the Data Protection Act 1998. The purpose of GDPR is to balance the interest of data controllers with those whose data is being processed.
Businesses need to adhere to GDPR rules to make sure that they are handling personal data in a lawful manner.
For instance, if you were to send someone a monthly newsletter, they must have opted-in for this service and they need to be presented with the option to opt-out.
In terms of direct mail marketing, you are able to send brochures, flyers, and so on, given that you do this on the basis of legitimate interest.
What is a legitimate interest?
Legitimate interest means that the mail you send fulfils the following requirements:
- The mail is expected by the recipient or they will not be surprised to receive it
- The direct mail will have a very small impact on the person’s privacy
- The use of data is valid.
Things to consider when it comes to direct mail consent
It is your responsibility to make sure that you remain compliant with the GDPR rules that are in place.
Firstly, you need to make sure that the customer data is valid. It is your responsibility to keep your data repositories up-to-date with accurate information. You also need to be able to explain the purpose of using and processing personal data.
You also need to make sure that everything you send fulfils the legitimate interest requirements discussed above. You must be able to fully justify the legitimate interest between your business and the consumer.
Make sure you do not send anything invasive to the customer. Also, we advise that you put together an accurate and updated privacy policy. This should include data such as your company details, contact details, the way you store data, how long you store data for, and how candidates can request the deletion of their data.
Final words on direct mail consent
So there you have it: an insight into direct mail GDPR and how it impacts your campaign. We hope that this will help you to ensure your marketing campaigns are within the rules and regulations of today’s privacy-focused world.