Cold calling prospects for training in UK

[Marc McDermott]

Is anyone here having issues with calling prospective training students in UK specifically, with GDPR regulations in force now?

I’m finding that calling is throwing up strong objections from some people, as they often do not understand GDPR and think cold calling is illegal now – which it isn’t.

Does anyone have suggestions / successful strategies for negotiating the ‘balancing’ part of the GDPR regulations? The maximum fine is £500,000 or 4% of turnover (whichever is greatest), so I am eager to keep calling but remain compliant too.

Thanks in advance

[Laura Petrie]

Marc,
Thank you for bringing this question to the Forum. In the US this is something good for me to learn about as well since I coach people internationally in Sales.

Please everyone, I/we would love to hear your suggestions to Marc.

I will look into this as well Marc and see what’s going on so we can find solutions for cold-calling-compliant-coaches 🙂

[Elizabeth Walker]

Hey Marc
Is this complete cold calling or is it after they have left their number in a post or website?
I speak to quite a number of people in the UK and have not had any trouble if they have provided their number to me in some method. I have however have come across the same angst when i have been given a referrals number and cold called.
Lizx

[Laura Petrie]

Marc and Elizabeth thank you for contributing to this Forum section. I was in trainings and didn’t look into anything yet.

As I reread your post, Marc, I got the thought of how some people ab-react to certain ‘sales’ situations no matter what…no matter what the law says or doesn’t say.
Obviously here, in this situation, get the proper education of the extent of the law that applies to your business or not.

But from their reaction, it makes me think of the times I was selling Girl Scout cookies when I was 8 years old or selling candy door-to-door for sports fundraisers as a young teen….people who didn’t know how to (nor cared to) kindly say ‘no’ used to say firmly to me (a young child) “there’s no soliciting here!” then they’d slam the door.

The point is…people will make excuses whether based in reality or not about why not to engage in a sales process…that’s their prerogative, right?

Experience with this helps us become more flexible, more creative, and more at peace with the ‘no’s’ once we know this about people.

**NOTE: still it’s important to know the law for ourselves and not let others have to tell us what they think they know**

[Marc McDermott]

I’ve taken legal advice on this, so maybe this helps others a little..

With GDPR regulations in the UK we have to be careful these days. It takes one complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office, and that can lead to a fine of either 4% of global turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher. Some people in UK have become rather evangelical about their new found ‘power’ against what they see as nuisance calls, even if they’re not.

Having a business card from someone is not considered ‘clear consent’ in law. For example, If someone agrees to receive an email with details, this is not clear consent to a call. If challenged you have to show ‘legitimate interest’ in processing the data necessary to make the call, and balancing this against protecting the rights of the individual called.

So if I want to call businesses that’s fairly easy to argue, as long as I am ringing to speak to a relevant individual and not just calling the switchboard.

If I want to call individuals like therapists, or other self employed individuals, about an NLP Practitioner Course, this is much more murky water, starting with the fact I’m storing their data and processing it. And there are lots of rules in the law about processing data.

A long and friendly call to the Information Commissioner’s Office proved very useful in clarifying everything after I took advice elsewhere.

The short story is – I am still ringing individuals, but I am careful about who I ring. I also am careful about what information I store, for how long, and having a clear document explaining everything about how I go about doing this – which is a legal requirement if I am engaging in such activities in the UK (see ICO website or call them for info and assistance). I always ask individuals straight away for clear consent to call if they give me their card. Then I find them on Linkedin, then I get rid of the card, rather than store the data.

Businesses are easier. Research on Companies House website reveals names to call, and they are generally used to receiving calls about legitimate business.

Hope this helps.

[Laura Petrie]

Wow Marc this is super helpful!!!

Thank you for the explanation. It makes sense and also thank you for providing the additional information for others to search on their own.

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