TIP: Does Your Email Violate CAN-SPAM Laws?
Does Your Email Violate CAN-SPAM Laws?
By Jon Lein, Manta Email Marketing Manager – February 18, 2016
You’ve probably heard about the effectiveness of email marketing, and you may plan on using it for your small business. But did you know there are specific laws that restrict how you email your customers?
In 2003 the Federal Trade Commission published a guide to help email senders comply with the CAN-SPAM Act. Failure to follow the federal law could send your emails into customers’ spam folders, or worse—you could face financial penalties or get booted by your email service provider. Lucky for you, we’ve got a few simple tips to help you adhere to the rules:
- Don’t hide who you are. The “From” and “Reply-To” fields should accurately identify you or your business. The recipients should know exactly who sent the email.
- Be honest. Your subject line should reflect the content you are sending. The language in the CAN-SPAM Act is loose on this one, but to be safe try not to mislead your recipients.
- Label advertisements. If you’re sending an ad, be sure to state it somewhere in the email. The FTC wants to be sure anyone receiving an email knows what they’re getting.
- Get physical. Your messages must have your business’ physical address (or P.O. box) clearly visible. The customers you’re contacting should know where to find you.
- Say goodbye. Be sure you have an unsubscribe option within your email. Recipients should be able to easily opt-out of receiving your emails. If they do say goodbye, make sure you honor their request within 10 business days.
Following these steps will ensure that you’re compliant with the CAN-SPAM Act—and that you’re sending customers clear, useful emails that they enjoy receiving.