In an era of heightened privacy expectations, businesses must be as intentional about collecting and managing data as they are about how they use it.
The end of third-party cookies may have sparked headlines, but it’s part of a much broader shift in the marketing world. Customers are demanding more control over their personal information, and privacy regulations are evolving quickly to meet those expectations.
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), this creates a new challenge: how to collect and use data ethically and effectively without losing customer trust. This isn’t exactly breaking news, yet 50 per cent of Canadian SMBs still use spreadsheets to manage customer information.
To help unpack the issues and offer practical guidance, we spoke with Sahil Razdan, legal counsel at Postmedia. He shared expert insights on data governance, transparency, consent and how businesses can navigate the next chapter of privacy-first marketing.
First-party data is the information a business collects directly from its customers through website visits, email signups, purchase history, surveys and similar interactions. It’s more accurate, relevant and privacy-compliant than data bought from outside sources.
Personalized marketing isn’t going away, but businesses now must earn the right to use data. That means being transparent about what you collect, why it’s needed and how you’ll use it. It also means developing better systems and processes to manage that data responsibly.
“The next wave of marketing will be about rebuilding trust and community. It’s not about extracting value from users,” says Sahil. “It’s about working with them.”
Moving even closer to the customer can be done with zero-party data: information they proactively share about their preferences and interests. Zero-party data is giving marketers new opportunities to tailor communications. This is especially important in a world where personalization still drives results, but the margin for error around privacy is shrinking fast.
Develop your compliance practices by examining every aspect of your data handling. Your goal is to craft privacy and data policies based on best practices.
Document the ways your business collects data from forms, emails, transactions, website cookies and offline interactions.
For example, you may collect customers’ emails, names, locations and preferences. Assess the value of this information to your business. If there's no clear case, consider whether that data is necessary.
Are you using spreadsheets, cloud-based tools or customer relationship management (CRM) platforms? Who has access? Restrict data access to employees who need it for their roles and implement role-based permissions wherever possible. Use strong password protocols and two-factor authentication to safeguard access.
Create timelines for deleting data you no longer need. Even well-intentioned businesses can expose themselves to privacy breaches by holding onto data indefinitely. Regularly purging unused or expired data aligns with emerging privacy best practices.
“Break it down into a simple question framework: who, what, where, when, why and how?” Sahil says. “Who provides the data? Who has access? What are you collecting? Where is it stored? Why do you need it? And how do you collect it?”
This framework helps businesses:
Answering these questions honestly enables businesses to create clear, defensible data practices that meet legal scrutiny and customer expectations. If you can’t answer them, revisit your practices.
Technology can make responsible data management more manageable. Remember, investing in tools is important, but it’s just as critical to document how they’re used.
Develop internal playbooks or privacy protocols that outline how and when you collect data, who can use which systems, and how to respond to data requests or breaches.
“There are tools for every part of the process now,” says Sahil. “CRM systems, data warehouses and privacy management software all help you collect and store data, and track consent all in one place.”
At a minimum, businesses should consider:
Also, explore data loss prevention (DLP) tools that monitor sensitive data movement and flag unusual activity. Additionally, automated data retention workflows built into some CRMs can help ensure data is deleted following your retention policy.
These systems keep data secure and reduce the risk of privacy missteps that can erode trust or lead to penalties. They also help marketing teams stay organized and avoid relying on guesswork.
Many businesses worry that privacy-first marketing will limit personalization. But in reality, when customers clearly understand how their data is being used and have actively opted in, they're often more receptive to tailored experiences.
Customers appreciate customized content when it's done with transparency and respect. Offering preference centres, tiered opt-ins and straightforward explanations of how you will use data allows you to deliver value while meeting expectations.
Limit what you collect. Gathering only the data you need protects both your business and your customers. Focus on high-quality insights, not volume.
Legal requirements aside, your privacy policy is integral to how your customers experience your brand and decide to trust your company.
“Write your privacy policy in simple terms so anyone can understand it,” Sahil advises. “Nobody wants to read 10 pages of legal jargon.”
Customers are more likely to trust a company that is upfront about its practices. Clear privacy statements help close the gap between compliance and communication. You can even add website features with proactive prompts to help educate and engage customers.
“You can use a pop-up that says, 'Hey, do you want to know what we're doing with your data?'” says Sahil. “Keep it casual, friendly and transparent.”
As businesses look to future-proof their data strategies, AI will play a growing role in generating and using customer insights. First-party data will become an increasingly important foundation for those systems.
“AI is making collecting, analyzing and acting on first-party data easier. The significance will be exponential in growth compared to products we had even two years ago,” says Sahil. “But that data needs to be clean and trustworthy.”
To succeed, businesses must pair smart tools with thoughtful policies. Privacy policies signal to customers that you will handle their data with care. Companies that treat data responsibility as a competitive advantage will position themselves to build lasting customer relationships.
Privacy-first marketing doesn’t limit your potential; it strengthens it. Your business can create more meaningful, lasting customer relationships by putting transparency and trust at the centre of your data practices.
With the right tools and a thoughtful approach, SMBs can stay ahead of regulations, deliver personalized experiences and stand out in a crowded market. Book a consultation with a Postmedia expert to learn more.
