GDRP
DLM have seen a rise in enquiries over the last few months and the number of companies returning to solus door drops is increasing. This is down to our continued growth and excellent customer service, but the recent GDPR requirements has put companies off using direct mail, and have made Doordrops a very attractive proposition. The Door Drop hub of the DMA Print Council have produced this set of FAQs to guide you through the world of doordrops post GDPR, highlighting why they are compliant.
Q: Why is doordrop media GDPR compliant?
Answer
Doordrop media targets groups of households rather than individuals. All of the data sets and segmentations that are used in the targeting of a doordrop campaign are anonymised and do not contain personal data.
Q: What about ICO fines? Is it risky to use doordrops?
Answer
Doordrops are GDPR-compliant by design. The ICO’s office has stated “If an organisation is sending mail or leaflets to every address in an area and does not know the identity of the people at those addresses, it is not processing personal data for direct marketing, and the GDPR rules will not apply.”
Q: Why don’t you need consent to send doordrops?
Answer
Because they do not require or contain personal data, the GDPR does not apply.
Q: Do I need to demonstrate legitimate interest to be able to send doordrops?
Answer
As above, the GDPR rules do not apply so no need for legitimate interest, consent or any legal basis for processing data as the postcode data we use for targeting is not subject to GDPR.
Q: Am I allowed to target postcodes using household profiles?
Answer
Yes, typical household profile software uses propensity modelling to breakdown UK households into a set of categories with similar characteristics. You can then select to target a selection of household categories based on their likelihood of matching certain criteria, such as age and income ranges. No personal data is involved, and you are not targeting a specific individual.
Q: And what about using my existing customer database as part of the door drop plan?
Answer
Some door drop businesses will offer to analyse your existing customer database, with a view to targeting similar types of people with the door drop.
This is GDPR compliant, providing the data you share cannot be used to identify the individual. Therefore, you should provide only postcode data – with no name, door number, street name or any other identifying data, such as date of birth.
Q: Is this a loophole? Sounds too good to be true!
Answer
No. Doordrop media is both targeted and broadcast, and just as press, TV, radio and other broadcast channels are not subject to GDPR neither are doordrops. The targeting for doordrops requires only anonymised data, making it quite unique as a channel.
Q: So why isn’t everyone using doordrops to acquire new customers?
Answer
Good question!
Door to Door Hub – DMA Print Council
How would I get my products or leaflets to DLM?
Upon receipt of your confirmed booking, we will provide you with a localised delivery address where your material will need to be delivered to prior to the commencement date of your leaflet distribution. Alternatively, for a nominal fee, we may be able to arrange to collect your leaflets from you – full details will be provided to you on receipt of your booking.
What notice period is required for a leaflet distribution?
Ordinarily, we can make the necessary arrangements to commence your distribution with 7 to 10 working days notice. However, if you require a quicker turnaround please give us a call – depending on your requirements, we may be able to organise things more quickly for you.
How long will it take for my leaflets to be delivered?
This will vary and will depend very much on your chosen distribution method and the scale of your project. We will be happy to discuss your requirements with you and provide you with an estimate of the likely timescales.
How can I be sure that the distribution has taken place?
We take great pride in our Service and we have a clear and comprehensive approach to validating our Solus leaflet distribution. During the course of your distribution, a member of our dedicated Customer Service team will maintain contact with you and provide you with regular updates on the progress of your distribution. In addition to this, we arrange for all of our Solus distributions to be audited by a third party telephone back-checking company. This form of back-checking exceeds Industry approved standards and provides you with the peace of mind that your distribution will be Independently validated. For any Newshare distribution, back-check audits are arranged by the respective Publishers and copies of the reports can be obtained upon request.
What are the typical response rates?
Research by the Direct Marketing Association shows that:
- 62-71% of consumers find door drops useful.
- 48% have visited a store, bought a product or sent for information as a result of a door drop.
- 79% keep, pass on, read or glance at door drops.
What if I am not happy with the service?
All complaints are dealt with in accordance with our complaints procedure which is set out in our Terms and Conditions (provided to all clients).
