Privacy can give you customers for life.    Let's face it, people are more concerned about privacy than ever.   By John Bolduan RealWebMarketing.com

Have you noticed all the attention that privacy issues get in our major media today? People are finally waking up to the fact that much of their personal information isn't so personal anymore. So far, I don't think the claims of lack of privacy in our culture have been overblown. Lack of privacy is a problem that many people are concerned about. How many people have had identity theft? How many people are on mailing lists they never wanted to be on? Credit card companies know a lot about our spending habits and most people are getting tired of it. So with all this negative press, doesn't it make sense to stop some of the intrusive behaviors which can actually develop mistrust?

I'm finding that most customers appreciate the fact that I don't harvest their information and sell it to some other company. They like it that I don't keep their e-mail box flooded with garbage they never asked for. This makes for more sales in the future, because people who know that you don't play games with their information, will want that business to succeed. It can be a very subtle perception of an honest, straightforward business practice that is different from the proliferation of technology that takes everything it can get from you. Remember, people like doing business with people they like and trust. 

What kinds of things should you avoid to help gain your customer's trust and maintain their private information with your company? 

• Don't ask for any more information than you need to complete an order or transaction with your customer.

  It sounds simple enough. I discourage people from having general surveys on their website simply because it gives the impression of being a little too interested in all sorts of personal details. You might say that your survey is totally innocent, and it might be. But in a climate like ours, the perception is your going to use it somewhere else, even if you aren't. 

• Don't sell customer information. Period.

  There are so many companies that do this because it is another revenue stream. Hey look Bob, more money! All we had to do was sell customer information! Bad idea. No matter how much you make by selling a customer list, you will reap an equal negative amount in bad will and the horror of being found out. The question to ask is, do you want your personal information sold to anyone else for the purpose of marketing? I'll bet the answer is no, so remember the Golden Rule.

• Don't e-mail them unless they request it. Don't sell their e-mail address either.

  There is nothing more irritating than getting e-mail from companies where i bought some widget once! When this happens I believe they don't respect my privacy or choices. But you say, John, if I don't keep our name in front of them, they'll forget me! Nothing could be further from the truth. People will not remember you for the hundred e-mails they get, but from the experience of getting what they wanted from you. If you served them right, they will not forget. Well, they might sometimes, but those repeat customers far outnumber the few who might forget your company. The bottom line is becoming a good service company and treating customers right.

• Keep all sensitive data secure and destroy old data.

  Make sure that you have a policy on how to handle people's sensitive information and that it's followed by everyone. Keep it password protected if it's on a network and have firewalls in place to prevent hackers from gaining access. Destroy old documents with information. Shred it beyond recognition. If you're a small business invest in a shredder. If you're a large business, get a contract for document destruction.

I make it sound like you would actually be retarding your marketing effort by not doing some of these things, but you're not. There is more to making a sale than who can yell the loudest, most often with all the information. It's about developing a relationship of trust. In an era of shrinking anonymity, you can give people a good reason to trust your company. By helping people retain their privacy online you'll gain new customers and keep them for life.