Introduction

A key part of privacy legislation and regulatory compliance relating to email marketing is getting consent from prospects prior to sending them commercial emails. Under GDPR, for example, the data controller "shall be able to demonstrate that the data subject has consented to processing of his or her personal data."

DemandCenter provides the Email Consent field, which allows users to get, store, audit, and respect email consent.

The Email Consent field provides a way to:

• Meet the email communication requirements of each regulatory jurisdiction with the ability to suppress non-compliant communication.
• Track and retain email consent for each prospect with a clear history of consent choices.
• Understand the context under which consent was given or modified.
• Obtain prospect consent through DemandCenter forms with consent check boxes.

 

About the Email Consent Field

The Email Consent field is a checkbox field which will be set to "No" (unchecked) by default.

Please note that even though the field may be set to "No", that does not necessarily mean a prospect denied consent. Instead, it represents that the prospect has not explicitly given consent.

 

Consent Auditing

Activity History

When consent is given by a prospect, the date and the message are recorded in the Activity History section of the prospect record.

The activity history in each prospect record can also be filtered by consent activities similarly to other standard activities. This allows for, and can show multiple consent events over time.

Touch Management

Consent will also be shown in the Touch Management section of the prospect record.

Prospect Search

Users can also search for prospects who have a particular consent value by going to Prospects > Prospect Search and then using the Email Consent criteria.

 

 

Obtaining Consent Through Forms

One of the most useful methods to acquire email consent from prospects is through forms. The Email Consent field is available for use in both standard and progressive forms.

For Standard Forms, you can add the Email Consent field and define the messaging for consent for the field.

For Progressive Forms, the consent will be displayed and requested only in the first form fill.

How to Add the Email Consent field to Standard Forms

For Standard Forms, you can add the Email Consent field and marketers can define the messaging (the text is editable) for consent for the field. Here are the steps:

1. Create a new standard form by going to Assets > Assets, then clicking New Asset, or edit an existing standard form.
   
   
2. Under the Form tab, drag the Email Consent field (under Available Fields) to your form.
   
   
3. Compose the text for your consent message, then click OK.
   
   Optional: Users may also add links in their message, which may be useful for linking to, for example, their company's Privacy Terms.
   
   
   
4. The field will then be added to your form.
   
   
   If you would like the form to require that prospects consent, click the required toggle.
   
   
   
5. Click Save. That's it! Now when you insert this form onto a landing page, or export the code from DemandCenter, you will have a checkbox field that represents the Email Consent field of a prospect.
   
   

How to Add the Email Consent field to Progressive Forms

Users can add the Email Consent field to Progressive Forms as well. On Progressive Forms, consent will be requested in the first form fill.

1. Create a new progressive form by going to Assets > Assets, then clicking New Asset, or edit an existing progressive form.
   
   
2. Under the Form Flow tab, double-click on your Start Action.
   
   
3. Under Email Consent Statement, compose the text for your consent message, then click OK.
   
   
4. Click Save. If a progressive form pops for a new prospect, they will see the Email Consent field checkbox.
   

 

Setting Consent Through Other Methods

While forms are the most evident method for acquiring consent, in some cases prospects may have their Email Consent field updated through: manual modifications, Import, CRM Integration, and the API. In all of these cases, the consent will be added to the activity history with the specific source of the modification.

Via Manual Modification

Within a prospect record's Touch Management tab, users can toggle consent to yes and no. When a manual modification of consent is attempted, a warning will appear. If a user continues, the consent modification will be logged in the prospect record.

 

Via Import

When importing prospects and mapping your consent column to the Email Consent field, the following applies:

• A "Yes" value will set a prospect's Email Consent field to "Yes".
• A "No" value will revoke email consent and set the Email Consent field to "No".
• A "blank" value will leave the email consent field is left alone. By default, prospects start with Email Consent = "No".

 

Respecting Email Consent 

Email Opt-out and Subscription Management

DemandCenter’s Opt-out and Subscription Management will also affect the Email Consent status of a prospect in specific situations by automatically withdrawing Consent. Prospects who have given consent can easily update their consent choices via their Subscription Management pages accessible via the "opt-out" links. Prospects can choose and update their subscription preferences:

If a prospect clicks the opt-out link:

1. Email Consent is revoked and the email consent field will be set to No.
2. Email status will be set to Opt-Out.
3. Change of consent will be logged in prospect history.

If a prospect deselects all subscription types and clicks save:

1. The prospect will be prompted asking if they would like to opt-out of all email communications.
2. If Yes, it will be treated as an opt-out, and the email consent will be revoked
3. If No, the prospect will be unsubscribed from all current subscription types. Note: Future subscription types will be added with Yes/No as set by the creator of the new subscription.

If a prospect deselects just a few specific subscriptions types (less than all of them) and clicks save:

1. Subscription history will be updated
2. No change of consent in this case

 

 

 

Disclaimer

eTrigue has made this information available to assist organizations in understanding the GDPR. The information contained herein is not legal advice and shall not be construed as legal advice.

Any person who intends to rely upon or use the information contained herein in any way is solely responsible for independently verifying the information and obtaining independent expert advice if required. Organizations should consult their legal counsel to interpret and understand their obligations under the GDPR, and how their organization utilizes and processes personal data.