Sandra Jean-LouisIt’s still too early to gauge the total impact CASL will have in the marketplace. After all, it’s been less than a year since it came into effect. And if you’re Canadian, you’ll agree that CASL was never going to automatically reduce the volume of SPAM that lands in your inbox.
But, like other Canadian business owners, I watched things unfold, and here’s what I’ve deduced:
- There’s still confusion. Conversations I’ve had with marketers, including clients, colleagues and prospects, tell me there are still misconceptions about CASL.
- There have been fines. Recently, an online dating site that’s now working with the CRTC to ensure they’re fully compliant to avoid more penalties like obscuring their unsubscribe mechanism , and a tech management company that was slapped for allegedly phishing unsuspecting websites for email addresses and using them without expressed consent.
- Some marketers are feeling the pain of having lost Canadian subscribers but don’t know how to stop the funnel leak, while others are regretting not having had started an email list at all.
To get past #1 you need to learn the rules (or hire someone who can) and follow them to avoid #2.
But if you want to build an email list targeting Canadians, or have lost some of those subscribers since CASL went down, you’re out of luck.
Or are you?
If you rely heavily on email, there are low-tech, laser-focused lead gen tactics that can still drive your list, and that you shouldn’t be ignoring.
1. Post a banner on your website. Wow, how simplistic. It is. Yet, not many B2B marketers are leveraging on-site banners, like this one I came across:
There’s probably no faster way to lure subscribers back in, or capture new ones because you don’t even need a landing page. And targeted banners on key pages are easily tracked, so you’ll know quickly how effective your efforts are.
2. Go old school with direct mail. Before email there was direct mail, a lead gen tool that’s still powerful today, but some B2B marketers often ignore.Rather than boast statistics, here’s why direct mail stands out: a) people don’t get much mail anymore and b) people love getting mail.
Do you notice when someone sends you a brochure, an invitation with a handwritten note, or a postcard? I do too. And I’ve received all of the above from businesses who tend to make my shortlist just because they bothered to get personal.
Direct mail costs can add up quickly though, so you may have to reserve this tactic for your hottest prospects:
- Check out service providers such as Moo, Vistaprint and Amazing Mail that offer professional and affordable direct mail options.
- Don’t know what to say? Share a company announcement; invite them to your next product launch, webinar, or other event. Personal invitations are hard to ignore, and with warmer weather around the corner, direct mail is perfect for driving prospects into your funnel.
3. Love them up on social media. This too might also seem overly simplistic, but here’s the thing:
- There are still no hard CASL rules on sending public messages to prospects through social media.
- B2B marketers are notorious for letting their social media strategy fall through the cracks. They either run out of ideas, content, or don’t have a strategy. If you’re among them, why not add laser-targeted sign-up messages to the mix? They’re easily trackable and can quickly become part of your promotional content.
It goes without saying that these tips don’t substitute legal advice. They’re just my observations as an email marketer who’s had to adjust to play within the new rules. So if you’ve been holding off emailing Canadians, just know that it is possible after CASL. It just takes a bit of creativity and a willingness to leverage some tools you may already have.
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