Privacy Policy for VJM Writing Services

Effective Date: 25/10/2025

VJM Writing Services (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website or engage with our services.

1.     Who We Are

VJM Writing Services (“we,” “us,” or “our”) provides brand messaging strategy and compliance-focused copy audits for food and supplement brands. We are a remote business operating internationally and conduct all services online.

While we do not maintain a physical office or registered business address, you can reach us at:

📧 Email: info@vjmwritingservices.com

🌐 Website: https://vjmwritingservices.com

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process personal data in the following contexts:

From Website Visitors and Email Subscribers:

• Name

• Email address

• Company name (optional)

• IP address and browsing behavior (via Google Analytics)

• Consent preferences (via Cookiebot)

• Email engagement metrics (e.g. opens, clicks, downloads via AWeber)

• This data is collected when you:

• Subscribe to our email list or download free resources

• Accept or decline cookies through our banner (Cookiebot)

• Interact with our website or email communications

• Free resources may be delivered via email or through links to Google Drive folders.

From Clients and Inquiries:

• Name and business contact details

• Information you provide through our contact forms or onboarding process (via Systeme.io)

• Project-specific information, including marketing copy, product descriptions, campaign assets, testimonials, and related documentation

• Payment details (processed securely via Stripe or Wise — we do not store or access payment information ourselves)

• We may also receive scientific references or product claims for review as part of our compliance-focused messaging audits. This content is reviewed solely for strategic marketing purposes and treated as commercially confidential.

• We do not collect sensitive personal data as defined by applicable privacy laws (such as health, racial, political, or biometric data).

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to inquiries and contact requests

• To onboard clients and deliver services, including audits, compliance reports, rewrites, and brand messaging packages

• To send newsletters, free resources, and promotional content, when you have opted in to receive them

• To track and analyze engagement with our emails and resources, such as open rates, clicks, and downloads (via AWeber)

• To improve our website’s performance and user experience, using tools like Google Analytics and Cookiebot

• To manage payments and transactions, via secure third-party payment providers (Stripe, Wise)

• To comply with legal obligations, where applicable

• To prevent misuse or abuse of our website and services, including protecting against fraud or unauthorised access

We only use personal data when we have a lawful basis to do so, such as your consent, contractual necessity, or our legitimate interest in operating the business.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (UK/EU Visitors)

If you are located in the United Kingdom or the European Union, we process your personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and EU GDPR. This means we only use your personal data when we have a lawful basis to do so. These include:

• Consent – When you voluntarily opt in to receive newsletters, free resources, or marketing emails, and when you accept cookies through our website banner.

• Contractual necessity – When processing your data is required to provide the services you request from us, such as responding to an inquiry, delivering an audit, or completing a copywriting project.

• Legitimate interest – When we use your data to improve our services, website performance, or communication efficiency, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights.

• Legal compliance – Where we are required to process certain data to comply with applicable legal or regulatory obligations.

You always have the right to withdraw consent at any time, and you may object to processing based on legitimate interest in certain cases. For more information, please contact us at: info@vjmwritingservices.com

5. Sharing Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third parties.

We only share your information when necessary to deliver our services, operate our business, or comply with the law. This may include:

• Cloud storage, hosting, and email providers
  (e.g., Google Workspace, AWeber, Systeme.io)

• Cookie and analytics tools
  (e.g., Cookiebot, Google Analytics)

• Payment processors
  (e.g., Stripe, Wise — we do not access or store your payment details)

• Freelancers or contractors
  who assist with service delivery (e.g., editing, audits, tech support), and who are bound by confidentiality agreements

In some cases, your data may be transferred or stored outside of your country or region (including outside the UK or EU). Where this occurs, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent legal mechanisms.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website, understand how visitors interact with our content, and deliver relevant services.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small data files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help the website remember your actions and preferences (such as login, language, or region) over time.

Types of Cookies We Use

We use the following categories of cookies:

• Essential cookies
  Necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. These are usually set in response to actions made by you, such as filling out forms or setting your cookie preferences.

• Performance and analytics cookies
  Used to collect aggregated data on how visitors use our site (e.g., pages visited, time spent). We use Google Analytics to monitor site usage and improve user experience. These cookies do not directly identify individuals.

• Preference cookies
  Help remember your settings or preferences (e.g., language or region selection).

Cookie Consent and Control

We use Cookiebot to manage cookie consent and display a banner when you first visit our site. This allows you to:

• Accept all cookies

• Reject non-essential cookies

• Customize your cookie preferences

Your consent choices are stored and can be updated at any time by revisiting our site and adjusting the banner settings.

How to Manage or Disable Cookies

You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View what cookies are stored

• Delete existing cookies

• Block all or some cookies

Please note that disabling essential cookies may impact the functionality of the website.

7. Marketing Communications

With your explicit consent, we may send you marketing communications such as:

• Newsletters

• Product or service updates

• Free resources and promotional content

These emails are intended to provide value, insights, or updates related to our services and expertise in brand messaging and regulatory copy for food and supplement brands.

We use AWeber to manage our email communications and mailing lists. We may track email engagement (such as opens and link clicks) to improve our content and better tailor future communications.

How to Unsubscribe

You can unsubscribe at any time by:

• Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email

• Contacting us directly at info@vjmwritingservices.com

Once unsubscribed, we will not send you further marketing emails unless you opt back in.

8. International Data Transfers

Because we use global digital tools and platforms, some of your personal data may be transferred to and stored in countries outside the United Kingdom or European Union. For example, this may occur when we use:

• Google Workspace (for email and document storage)

• AWeber and Systeme.io (for email marketing and onboarding)

• Stripe or Wise (for payment processing)

When data is transferred internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data. These may include:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the UK or EU

• Data processing agreements with our service providers

• Ensuring services are certified under relevant frameworks (e.g., the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, where applicable)

We only work with third parties who demonstrate a commitment to data protection and privacy.

If you would like more details about specific transfer mechanisms, you can contact us at info@vjmwritingservices.com.

9. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include:

• Secure storage using reputable platforms such as Google Drive

• Limited access to personal data, restricted to authorized personnel only

• Password protection and account security for internal tools and platforms

• Encrypted communications where applicable (e.g., emails, file transfers)

While we take all reasonable steps to safeguard your data, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Responsibility

If you communicate with us via email or upload materials through third-party links (e.g., Google Drive or Systeme.io), please ensure you do so from a secure device and network. You are also responsible for safeguarding any passwords or access credentials associated with your accounts.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• Providing services and fulfilling client contracts – up to 6 years after the end of the working relationship, for legal and accounting compliance

• Meeting legal, tax, or regulatory obligations – typically 6 years, as required by UK financial recordkeeping laws

• Email marketing and subscriber lists – until you unsubscribe or after 12–24 months of inactivity, whichever comes first

• Contact form and inquiry data – up to 12 months, unless you become a client

You can request deletion of your data at any time, where legally permissible, by contacting us at info@vjmwritingservices.com.

11. Your Rights (UK/EU)

If you are located in the United Kingdom or the European Union, you have certain rights under data protection laws. These include the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you

• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data

• Request deletion of your data (also known as the "right to be forgotten")

• Restrict or object to the processing of your data in certain circumstances

• Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent (e.g., marketing or cookies)

• Data portability, allowing you to request a copy of your data in a commonly used format

• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

In the UK, the relevant authority is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

https://ico.org.uk

We will respond to any eligible request within one month, in line with legal requirements.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

info@vjmwritingservices.com

12. California Privacy Notice (CCPA/CPRA)

We do not currently meet the thresholds that require full compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) or California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). These laws generally apply to businesses with significant operations in California, high revenue, or extensive personal data processing.

However, if you are a California resident and would like to make a data-related request (such as accessing or deleting your personal information), you may contact us at:

info@vjmwritingservices.com

We will consider and respond to such requests in good faith, even though we are not legally required to comply with all aspects of the CCPA/CPRA.

13. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under this age.

If we become aware that personal data has been collected from a child under 16 (or under 13 in jurisdictions like the United States), we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

If you believe that we may have inadvertently collected personal data from a minor, please contact us immediately at:

info@vjmwritingservices.com

14. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business practices, services, or legal obligations. The effective date will always be shown at the top of this page.

If we make material changes (such as changes to how we collect or use personal data), we will notify you either by email (if you're subscribed) or by posting a clear notice on our website.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, you can contact us at:

Email: info@vjmwritingservices.com

We aim to respond to all inquiries within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 5 business days.