Cold data – is it still available & how can I use it?
A common – and understandable – misconception is that, since GDPR kicked in, cold data has gone the way of the dinosaurs and is no longer available for charities to use in campaigns.
In fact, while large volume files and many data pools of old did cease to exist when the legislation came in, there is still great, responsive cold data available. This combined with good targeting is producing strong results for the charities using it, with recent fundraising mailings achieving between 1.5% and 6%.
As well as Electoral Roll ‘open register’ data, there are lifestyle and mail order files that can be used, and this adds up to some 5m mailable records in total.
The sources behind this data mean it’s generally better for reaching people aged 60-plus. What’s particularly useful though is that mail order buyers are already receptive to being contacted – and responding – via this channel. And, with lifestyle data it’s possible to define the selection criteria to find the most relevant audience for your cause and campaign: whether you’re seeking people who are similar to your existing donors or those more likely to support a particular cause or appeal.
Another common misconception is that under data protection regulations, you must always have an individual’s explicit consent to contact them but this isn’t the case. Legitimate Interest can also be used as a genuine basis for contacting someone, providing it’s via direct mail or live telephone calls and meets certain conditions. It’s interesting to note that under GDPR there is no hierarchy between the different approaches.
However, whether you decide to use cold data on this basis, or under that of consent you must do your due diligence to ensure you get it right. This means completing a Legitimate Interest Assessment, a Data User Compliance questionnaire, and Impact Assessment, and Data Processing Agreements with anyone and everyone who will be touching the data.
You are also responsible for ensuring that the provider of your data is also compliant with the law, and you can check this by requesting that they complete a Data Supplier Compliance Questionnaire, and provide you with in situ samples of permission statements.
This may sound like a lot of faff to go through before a campaign can go out but it’s all manageable and it’s worth remembering that the letterbox is a lot less busy than it used to be and providing greater cut-through. Mail can also be a good way of finding people you might not reach through other means. So if you’re seeking to reach new donors, cold data is well worth a look.
For further guidance or help with any aspect of this, contact Arc Data founding director Suzanne Lewis. Suzanne is also running a course on 19 January with UK Fundraising on Adding Direct Mail to the Fundraising Mix, where she will explain and dispel the common misconceptions associated with using direct mail. She will guide attendees through integrating the channel into the fundraising mix, and planning and executing a successful campaign.
For more details: click here.
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