The continued use of the internet and mobile devices has forced marketers to evolve with changing consumer preferences. In today’s digital world, customers demand seamless experiences across multiple channels and devices, while marketers demand the same from their teams.

This dynamic environment has made it increasingly difficult for businesses to stay abreast of all the technological shifts that impact their data protection. However, marketing executives cannot afford to be complacent or out of touch with consumer preferences.

Data is a goldmine, but it must be protected

Today’s organizations need a data strategy that allows them to combine the right marketing technologies with automation, analytics, and insight. Marketers must also have a 360-degree view of their customer data and allocate resources accordingly.

Consumers expect a seamless user experience from businesses, and marketers must build campaigns that align with customer expectations. It’s time for businesses to move beyond “one size fits all” marketing approaches and create customized targeted campaigns. Businesses need to invest in cybersecurity. There is no other alternative if you want to protect your data. To understand how a specialized cybersecurity agency can help your business, please read more here.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging technology that allows businesses to track customer behavior, gather data, and predict customer behavior. However, businesses must ensure all customer data is clean and accurate, and that their marketing strategies comply with strict data privacy regulations.

Customers’ preferences are changing…

Increased customer trust is the foundation of all marketing initiatives. Today’s customers expect businesses to keep their data private and secure, while companies must also ensure their marketing strategies comply with strict data regulations.

Because marketers must work in harmony with IT, providing data to an analytics solution requires security, compliance, and accuracy. Data quality and integrity impact not only the quality of digital marketing efforts but also the success of all business operations.

…and so are privacy laws

The practice of managing customer privacy in relation to the storage and usage of data has changed dramatically over the last few years.

The GDPR regulations were adopted to protect the privacy of EU citizens, but many US companies fear the penalties associated with non-compliance. The GDPR requires companies to clearly outline how customers’ data is collected, stored, and used.

Unsolicited emails remain one of the most effective digital marketing practices, but businesses must ensure their email marketing efforts are compliant. Many industries must comply with strict data regulations, including healthcare, finance, and the public sector.

The GDPR requires businesses to obtain customer consent before collecting, storing or processing customer data. Businesses must also educate customers about how their data will be used.

How to stay afloat

As data breaches rise, businesses must ensure their marketing strategies align with regulatory requirements. 

Create a privacy policy

It’s imperative that businesses create a detailed privacy policy that outlines how customer data is managed. The policy should explain how data is collected, stored, and processed. 

It should also include data archiving policy and clearly defined retention period for data, which should be no longer than is necessary for the business to legally operate.

Implementing a cloud-based archiving software can streamline the process of storing, tracking, and retrieving large volumes of data. 

Ensure customer data is clean and accurate 

Businesses must ensure that their databases remain clean and accurate. Corrupted or duplicated customer data can drastically impact the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

For example, inaccurate contact information can prevent customers from responding to marketing campaigns. 

Unstructured data can hamper the accuracy of reporting, prevent automated marketing campaigns, and negatively impact overall efficiency.

On top of that, it can also negatively impact data security, compliance, and customer trust.

Ensure complete data compliance

Businesses that collect customer data must secure it, and comply with all data privacy regulations.  

Marketers who fail to comply with data privacy regulations risk severe penalties, including fines, loss of revenue, and regulatory action. 

A cloud-based archive can protect customer data from malicious attacks, and encrypt sensitive information to prevent unauthorized access. 

Provide customers with access to their personal records

An archiving solution can also automate the storage and retrieval of sensitive data, and streamline the audit process

Providing access to personal data is no longer an option. Businesses that fail to meet regulatory guidelines can face severe penalties for non-compliance.

Businesses should create an automated data request process that enables customers to access their data at any time, and understand how their data was used.

Manage customer consent 

Today’s customers want businesses to use their data responsibly, and comply with strict data regulations. 

Data consent must be obtained before any data usage. All customer data must be registered and tracked, and consent must be documented.  

Customers must also be informed about how their data is used and retained. 

Conclusion

The marketing industry is evolving rapidly, and marketers should adopt strategies that enable a seamless customer experience. When marketing executives collaborate with IT, they can ensure their marketing initiatives are aligned with business goals, data regulations, and customer expectations.