GTM Guild GDPR Health Checklist (2025 Edition)

A Quick Compliance Audit for Modern Outreach Teams

October 31, 2025

In partnership with

Five years ago, GDPR was seen as a box-ticking exercise. Something you had to “get out of the way” before sending your next campaign. But in 2025, privacy is a growth strategy.

For GTM and outreach teams, respecting data isn’t just a legal requirement — it’s a signal of trust. The brands that manage data transparently are the ones prospects open, reply to, and recommend. And with GDPR updates tightening around AI usage, data enrichment, and global consent standards, even minor oversights can cost you deliverability, credibility, or worse, legal exposure.

That’s why GTM Guild created this simple GDPR Health Checklist — to help you assess, improve, and future-proof your email outreach and lead management systems.

Let’s make compliance less about fear — and more about building trust at scale.

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GDPR Health Checklist

  1. Do all lead forms, sign-ups, or gated content pages include a clear and explicit consent message?

  2. Is consent timestamped and logged for every contact in your CRM?

  3. Can users easily withdraw consent, and is that reflected automatically in your outreach tool?

  4. Are you using a Consent Management Platform (CMP) that integrates with your email or CRM stack (like HubSpot, Lemlist, or Apollo)?

Why it matters: Consent is your first line of defense. Proper consent logging protects your campaigns from regulatory complaints and ensures data transparency.

2. Outreach & Cold Emailing

  1. Are your contact lists segmented by region (EU, US, etc.) to apply the right rules?

  2. Are you only reaching out to EU leads who’ve given prior consent or fall under legitimate interest?

  3. Do all emails include unsubscribe links, valid sender details, and a clear company address?

  4. Have your templates been reviewed to avoid misleading subject lines or deceptive phrasing?

Why it matters: Cold outreach isn’t illegal — non-compliant outreach is. The difference lies in clarity, consent, and honest intent.

3. Data Handling & Storage

  1. Do you know where your contact data is stored (EU vs non-EU servers)?

  2. Are all your vendors GDPR-compliant with a Data Processing Agreement (DPA)?

  3. Have you defined a data retention policy — deleting inactive contacts periodically?

  4. Can your team respond to Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) within 30 days?

Why it matters: Data transparency isn’t optional. Your ability to show where, how, and why data exists builds compliance and confidence simultaneously.

4. Third-Party Tools & Integrations

  1. Have you reviewed your martech stack for data-sharing practices?

  2. Do your analytics, CRMs, and AI tools have GDPR-ready settings and DPAs?

  3. If using AI tools, are they trained or operating on anonymized datasets only?

  4. Are inactive API connections regularly audited and revoked?

Why it matters: Every plugin or integration is a potential data leak. Audit your ecosystem as seriously as your content.

5. Website, Tracking & Cookies

  1. Is your cookie banner visible, granular, and revocable?

  2. Are analytics and retargeting tools disabled until users opt in?

  3. Have you updated your privacy policy to reflect tracking technologies and retention periods?

  4. Do you test your site periodically using tools like Didomi Privacy Center or Cookiebot?

Why it matters: Your website is your first data collection point — compliance here sets the tone for the entire user journey.

6. Mobile & App Ecosystem

  1. Do your apps request in-app consent before collecting data or device identifiers?

  2. Can users revoke consent inside the app?

  3. Are SDKs (analytics, push notifications) GDPR-compliant?

  4. Are your app store listings updated with privacy and data handling details?

Why it matters: Mobile is often overlooked — but regulators aren’t overlooking it anymore. In 2025, app-level compliance is under a magnifying glass.

7. Team Readiness & Training

  1. Have all GTM and sales team members received GDPR awareness training?

  2. Do you run quarterly compliance refreshers or audits?

  3. Is there a central document detailing your GDPR process and DPO contact?

  4. Does everyone know how to identify and escalate a data breach?

Why it matters: Compliance is only as strong as your weakest link. Educate the people, not just the systems.

8. Reputation & Risk Management

  1. Have you assigned a GDPR lead or data champion within GTM?

  2. Do you monitor complaint rates and bounce patterns as early warning signs?

  3. Are GDPR clauses included in all vendor and partnership contracts?

  4. Do you communicate your privacy values publicly to build brand trust?

Why it matters: GDPR is ultimately about reputation. Transparent data practices are the new currency of credibility.

Quick Score

  • 21–25 YES answers: You’re in great shape — compliant and trust-worthy.

  • 15–20 YES answers: Mostly compliant — time to tighten up a few loose ends.

  • Below 15 YES answers: Immediate action needed — your GTM workflows risk fines or sender reputation loss.

The GTM Guild Takeaway

Compliance isn’t bureaucracy — it’s brand-building. In 2025, GDPR maturity separates responsible brands from reckless senders. Every click, consent, and campaign is an opportunity to prove that you respect your audience as much as you pursue them.

Trust scales — and GDPR is how you show you’ve earned it.

Until next time,

— GTM Guild Team