The survey, run by instantprint, gave great insight into the broad range of queries and lack of knowledge that over 1300 small business owners feel they have about GDPR.
The new regulations, designed to improve the control of personal data by the individual, and reduce spam marketing practices, involve a lot of legwork for compliance.
The changes mean businesses must now actively seek explicit consent – which means an opt-in – on all marketing communications. No longer can a pre-ticked box be present! This will affect many businesses – as will the updates required to privacy policies.
The education sector is feeling the pinch when it comes to the GDPR requirements. Communicating the changes in privacy policies and marketing communications to existing customers is looking to be an expensive task: 44% of education-based businesses will need to reprint their marketing materials to gain compliance, at an average estimated cost of £3135.49 for each business or school.
The March survey illustrated that email is the preferred marketing method amongst SMB’s with 71% of educational businesses currently utilising it. On average 63% of small businesses use flyer distribution whilst 51% make use of direct mail. Those businesses currently using direct mail and flyer distribution claim it to be 50% effective for achieving their marketing goals. With 70% of the education sector yet to write to customers and prospects requesting explicit consent, instantprint predict a shift from SMB’s using email marketing to direct mail and flyer distribution once GDPR’s tighter restrictions take effect.
Here’s what respondents from within the education sector had to say about using direct mail to boost their education-based business:
“Direct mail is still vital in education, as some families may not have internet access or be technologically savvy.” – RESPONDENT #10
“Direct mail is great at keeping previous learners informed of new courses.” – Paul Robinson, TRN Limited
“Direct mail enables us to maintain our ‘keeping warm’ strategies with prospective students, giving them relevant information and making them feel appreciated.” – RESPONDENT #39
instantprint’s Director, James Kinsella, said of these survey findings:
“The survey we have conducted indicates that more small businesses are going to use direct mail and flyer distribution in a post-GDPR world, as a team we have to continue to develop ways to empower those SMEs to use these methods to their advantage.
As the survey suggests, the introduction of the new GDPR legislation is going to have unavoidable financial implications on small businesses. Despite this GDPR does provide opportunities, compliancy will highlight your business’ trustworthy and ethical practices when it comes to marketing communications and the handling of personal data. Compliancy, is going to reinforce and strengthen your credibility with not only your customers but also suppliers and partners.”