Good Data Privacy Stewardship Is a Competitive Advantage for B2B Marketers

Data privacy has long been considered a requirement, something regulated by the government to keep consumers and businesses safe. However, this is a limiting view of how it impacts good data governance and how a strategic approach to privacy can positively affect the business

A recent study featured in Harvard Business Review found that companies with strong data privacy programs had higher customer purchase intent. There are both perceived and actual quality outcomes related to having a strong data privacy program.

First, companies that prioritize data privacy act with integrity and discipline, which carries over to other parts of the organization, informing communication, marketing, product quality and customer experience. Second, having high data privacy standards raises the bar for who the company will partner with. Companies that don’t comply don’t qualify and business is lost. 

When data privacy is upheld, companies start to experience wider benefits, creating a positive flywheel that becomes a competitive advantage. This is just as true for B2B marketers as it is for B2C marketers, with different implications. Having high data privacy standards means data quality increases, outcomes are more reliable, and risk decreases.

Data Privacy Stewardship in B2B Marketing

For B2B marketers, data privacy stewardship means treating data as a responsibility rather than a resource to be exploited. This change in approach directly translates to higher data standards. Unlike B2C marketing, B2B data is connected to stakeholders within an organization that the company values—such as a customer or prospect. For B2B marketers, data represents trust. Good stewardship means building data practices that honor that trust at every stage of the funnel, from first touch to long-term account management.

Data stewardship best practices ensure that integrity is maintained, not just when selecting data partners or collecting data, but in how data is used in day-to-day activities. These are the three most important elements of good data privacy stewardship for B2B marketers:

• Transparency: B2B marketers must ensure that data collection practices, privacy policies and preference centers are all in order and easy to access and understand.

• Minimization: Rather than have a “more is more” approach to data collection and use, B2B marketers should consider the most vital data needed to identify, understand and reach contacts effectively. 

• Security: B2B marketers must ensure that the technical and organizational controls are in place to minimize risk and keep data safe both internally and across data partners. 

Together, these three principles shift data from being a liability into a durable competitive advantage built on credibility and consistency.

The Rewards of Good Data Privacy Stewardship

Complying with data privacy regulations is a reward in and of itself for treating data with integrity. For those companies that prioritize data privacy stewardship, there are additional benefits that sweeten the pot, namely stronger trust with customers and partners and better quality, which can lead to higher performance.

Sales cycles and relationships are much higher touch for B2B marketers than for B2C marketers. Starting on a foundation of trust creates a stronger footing compared to cutting corners with poor data stewardship. When prospects and customers know that a company handles their data responsibly, they are more likely to engage openly, share meaningful information, and deepen the relationship over time. 

Being a good data privacy steward elevates data quality standards for B2B marketers in two ways. Internally, B2B marketers who collect and manage data aligned with data privacy best practices have data that is representative of a group of contacts who are real people that agreed to be contacted. By definition, this data set is going to be more responsive than a list of unverified contacts that did not go through proper consent. Externally, high data privacy standards require that B2B marketers work only with partners that match or exceed their own standards, delivering the same quality and performance benefits at scale.

When Doing Good Does Better

While many business regulations can feel like overkill, good data privacy stewardship is an area of business regulation compliance that makes sense on many levels.  It is an example of a win-win, keeping data safe, respecting individual’s rights and delivering benefits to the company at the same time.

In B2B marketing, it’s more important and more fruitful to have a trusted relationship with customers and contacts than to have a bloated database filled with data that includes contacts that never opted in or worse, don’t want to be contacted. Maintaining data privacy also reduces risk by reducing the chances that data is misused. And, it increases data quality, which ultimately increases marketing performance. 

Karie Burt is chief data and privacy officer at Anteriad. Burt is a seasoned expert with more than 20 years in B2B growth using data-driven solutions. Specializing in global data privacy, GDPR, and digital marketing strategies, particularly in Asia, she optimizes international data procurement and compliance. Burt advises on European data protection laws and cultural nuances for non-U.S. markets. Recognized by GRC World as a leading Woman in Privacy (2022), she champions responsible B2B marketing while respecting privacy rights.