Cold calling via e-mail to website visitors or potential customers with a presumed interest
We are a small software development company. In order to generate new leads, the current procedure is to research new customers that are interested in the company on the Internet. In other words, if we see that the researched company has vacancies in software development or the company was on our website, we will write to them and draw their attention to our services or, in some cases, offer a conversation. In order to reach the target person, the direct email is often sent instead of the company email (info @ ..).
Our question to you now: If someone is of interest to us and we can assume a presumed interest, can we contact these people directly via email and present our services? Are we allowed to cold-call website visitors or potential new customers via email if we see on their homepage that they have vacancies in software development and that our services would be advantageous here?
I look forward to your feedback!
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EU GDPR DOCUMENTATION TOOLKIT
Step-by-step implementation for smaller companies.
Find out more 
EU GDPR DOCUMENTATION TOOLKIT
Step-by-step implementation for smaller companies.
Find out more
EU GDPR DOCUMENTATION TOOLKIT
Step-by-step implementation for smaller companies.
Find out more
A general email address like info@... is not considered as personal data, so you can send emails to companies to present your services. Email addresses with name or surname (direct contact) are personal data under GDPR. These direct contacts are not published to receive advertising or promoting contacts, the person who published it does not attend to receive such email (unless the text around it allows you to believe otherwise) so that it would not be appropriate to contact them.
However, if you model your email as a cold email using legitimate interest as a legal ground, you can present your company and the advantages in working with you and underline that you are contacting them because they are looking for a similar profile. This would be in line with GDPR requirements.
Here you can find more information:
- Is consent needed? Six legal bases to process data according to GDPR https://advisera.com/eugdpracademy/knowledgebase/is-consent-needed-six-legal-bases-to-process-data-according-to-gdpr/
- How does GDPR impact marketing activities? https://advisera.com/eugdpracademy/blog/2018/02/08/how-does-gdpr-impact-marketing-activities/
- How does GDPR affect digital marketing? https://advisera.com/eugdpracademy/blog/2019/02/20/how-does-gdpr-affect-digital-marketing/
You can consider enrolling in our free EU GDPR Foundations Course:
- EU GDPR Foundations Course: https://advisera.com/training/eu-gdpr-foundations-course//
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Sep 03, 2020