Marketing in the GDPR Era
As marketers, we all want to get close to our customers so that we can understand and deliver on their needs. Over the years, we’ve embraced strategies to become more targeted and personal in our efforts so that we can deliver unique experiences that not only make our customers happy, but loyal to our brands. And data has been a key driver of our actions. But times have changed.
As consumers, we’ve become increasingly concerned with privacy. And regulators around the world have stepped up to help us protect it.
The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that have taken effect in Europe, for instance, have changed the game when it comes to the personal information that companies can collect from their customers. And we, as marketers, need to change with it.
According to Andrew Frank, Gartner Research vice president and analyst, GDPR’s terms and requirements for consent to use customer data are one of the greatest challenges marketers’ today face. As he sees it, GDPR will make it more difficult for us to get close to our customers in the deeply personal ways that we want to. Difficult, but not impossible. As I see it, GDPR will force marketers to focus on what matters when executing campaigns: building relationships and trust.
It’s something that many of us have gotten away from in a data-driven world where we rely on numbers and technology to inform and largely guide the things we do. Don’t get me wrong. There is incredible value in data-driven strategies. But we can’t lose sight of the fact that customers aren’t data sets. They’re people with unique needs. And to understand these needs, you need to personally connect with them, because this is how you establish trust.
So how can you do this in the face of GDPR which allows customers to limit — or even deny your access to personal information about them?
Step 1: Get in the trenches
You can’t really get to know someone unless you walk in their shoes. And the best way to gain a holistic understanding of your customers and their needs is to partner with them on their journeys. They will all start in different places. Their paths wind in different directions, and their needs will inevitably change along the way. Get on the road with them early. Involve yourself in pre-sales conversations. Attend sales meetings. And most important, stay with them even after the deal closes.
Step 2: Try a Little Face Time
In the old days, sales people called their customers — or even better, visited them in person. They sealed deals with handshakes. Today, most interactions with customers are electronic. As marketers, we email offers. We host webinars. We share our value propositions via eBooks. In short, we’ve lost the personal touch.
And if we really want to understand what makes our customers tick, we need to get it back and mix our automated, data-driven tactics with highly personal ones that allow us to put faces to our customers and engage with them as individuals. When we meet with customers face-to-face at things like user conferences, advisory boards, and informal feedback sessions and networking events, we can pick up on their personal energy. We can sense what makes them tick and align our efforts to meet their needs.
Step 3: Find a Purpose
We all have a higher purpose. And a great way to get close to customers is to rally for a cause. Research shows that consumers are more likely to buy from companies that take a stand — particularly on things they care about too. What matters to your customers? Data alone can’t tell you this. Personal interactions can.
Meet your customers where they are and change the dialogue. Instead of asking what they want and need from you, talk about their passions and how beyond making their lives easier with the products or services you deliver, you can help them make a difference. You’ll earn their loyalty and respect in the process.
Many see GDPR as a challenge. I see it as an opportunity. GDPR forces marketing to rethink the very heart and soul of what we do. And by putting our heart and soul into it and making things personal, we can open entirely new connections to our customers. And use them to take our brands — and our companies — to completely new levels.
