What can I do with a business card?
I often get asked “As part of running my business, I come into contact with other businesses and we exchange business cards, what can I do with that data?That is an excellent question and I am pleased when I get asked as this demonstrates that they have thought about data privacy and they have an awareness of the Data Protection Regulations.
The answer is in two folds:
1) The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) says that if it’s a company or corporation you can email them promotional material and newsletters etc. but you must offer them the option to opt-out. If they are a sole trader/self-employed or individual then you must obtain consent for Direct Marketing purposes.
2) It’s not always easy to determine whether they are a company or sole trader, their business card or website might not have this information. So, my recommendation as a best practise is always obtain consent from the outset if you intend to send them material that is promotional in nature. This will actually work in your favour as it demonstrates that you are respectful of their data and their preferences, that you operate with integrity and this will strengthen your brand and your reputation.
