The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has just announced that they will be holding a workshop titled, “Follow the Lead: An FTC Workshop about Online Lead Generation” to provide valuable information about online lead generation. The workshop is being scheduled for October 30th, 2015 and is sure to be a very popular event. They will be covering a variety of topics related to online lead generation strategies and how they are used in multiple different industries. In their press release, they specifically mention consumer lending and education as topics, but others will be included as well.
In the workshop they will be gathering together people from throughout the lead generation industry including government regulators and consumer advocates. They will be discussing things such as consumer protection issues and more.
Included in this event will be information about how online lead generation works, including different methods used in different industries. They will also go into some detail about which types of lead generation activities could be considered unlawful under the FTC Act’s unfair or deceptive practices regulations.
They will also discuss a variety of best practices for companies that generate and sell consumer leads. This is very important as it will help many marketers avoid trouble (legal and otherwise) when using information they gather to sell to third parties.
The FTC is also requesting that those within the industry submit research and recommendations for topics to cover in this workshop. They also have some slots open for panelists. Anyone interested in submitting information, ideas or sitting on a panel can reach out to them at leadgen@ftc.gov. All submissions must be sent in by August 25, 2015.
This workshop will be completely free and open to the public. It is being held at the Constitution Center, 400 7th St. SW. A detailed agenda will be published at a later date once all the information is finalized.
Any marketers who generate leads and sell them to other parties will want to strongly consider attending this event. The FTC has been cracking down on illegal, unethical or even questionable efforts in this area and it is only expected to continue. Having the opportunity to learn about this type of marketing directly from the FTC could prove to be invaluable.
