Editor’s Note: This article on how CMOs can prepare against data breaches originally appeared in B2B Marketing Magazine.
In today’s ever-connected world, there’s just no way to overstate the impact of data breaches.
They’re a near-daily occurrence for businesses that rely on digital channels to spread their message (all businesses, really), and they can be costly – the immediate expense of data remediation, the longer-term expense of restoring your partnerships, your brand, your credibility.
Thankfully, many breaches can be prevented, so long as CMOs have the right operational plans in place to manage them. A plan that’s done well, in fact, can even be its own marketing opportunity.
Here are three ways CMOs can harness their data preparedness:
Understand your data collection and compliance obligations
The tactics you use will depend on your business model, especially if you’re marketing internationally, but it’s still crucial to map out where your data originates, how it’s stored, and what its purposes are. Here’s what you need to do now:
- Make sure your data is permissioned and used for the correct purposes. This is a crucial step to take for your larger partner network, as their practices can and often will affect your brand.
- Conduct a regular review and preference exercise on your customers and prospects, to keep your outreach relevant and your audience engaged. The more engaged your buyers are, the more ROI they’ll help you generate.
- Know when it’s time to let go of the data you’ve stored. All data comes with a sell-by date, and it’s important you check your database regularly, to make sure you’re clearing away data that’s past its prime. If someone has opted out of your communications, make sure they’re stricken from your lists.
Take these steps to ensure that you as CMO know precisely what regulations you are required to comply with. Your obligations are where your client is located. All countries have digital rules of the road you have to follow, ensure your driving license is up to date.