Tips for Creating a Simple Privacy Policy

Whether you’re dealing with customers, members, donors or clients, keeping their personal information private, especially in the seemingly insecure environment of the Web, is a key concern.

One way to reassure donors that their personal information is secure is to include a privacy policy on your Web site that lets them know things like what information you collect, how that information is used, what happens with cookies, the opt-out process and who to contact with questions about privacy issues.

The No. 1 tip offered by the Direct Marketing Association when it comes to constructing a privacy policy is to keep it simple. The DMA recommends online direct marketers:

* Make a policy easy to read, easy to understand and easy to find on your Web site.

* Promote the policy internally in employee communications.

* Promote the policy with key stakeholders (for nonprofits, these are donors, members, volunteers, board members, etc.).

* Update the policy as needed to stay current with changes in programs and services within your organization.

The DMA has an online privacy policy generator in which an organization can complete a questionnaire (16 questions in total) based on their Web site’s information policies to create a privacy policy statement that they can then post on their Web site. The privacy policy statement created will reflect the DMA’s Privacy Principles for Online Marketing.

To access this page, visit www.the-dma.org/privacy/creating.shtml