By Debbie Weil
That's the topic of the column I wrote (see below) for today's issue of BtoB Email Marketer Insight.
This fre*e weekly e-newsletter is a good resource, BTW. It's published by Crain's BtoB Magazine. You can subscribe here (requires registration).
Q. How do I know if I'm in compliance with CAN-SPAM?
A. Good question. A recent study by Arial Software concluded that corporate America gets an ìFî when it comes to following email marketing best practices.
Here are some of the most egregious mistakes that 67% of the Fortune 500 companies surveyed, along with other well-known Internet firms, are making. And yes, these are violations of the federal CAN-SPAM law that went into effect in January, 2004:
- failing to provide an unsubscribe link or method
- failing to honor unsubscribe requests
- not clearly identifying your company in the From line
And (violating best practices)...
- not requiring a double opt-in
- not emailing your opt-in subscribers for periods as long as 6 months
You can get your grade up to at least an A-minus with little effort. (It gets a bit stickier when you have resellers emailing on your behalf. It's harder to keep track of who has unsubscribed from which listÖ and honor those requests.)
Here are four things you absolutely must do:
1. Use a double opt-in sign-up
This means that new subscribers must confirm their opt-in by replying to an automatic confirmation message sent by you. Inside the message is a uniquely coded link.
This does two things: it reassures your new subscribers that they have indeed signed up. And it tells you that you've collected a new, valid email address.
2. Include obvious unsubscribe instructions
This is so easy to do. If your emails are text, include your unsubscribe details at the bottom of each message.
If you're mailing in HTML, create a ìsubscriber servicesî box in your layout. In this box, give your readers specially coded links to: unsubscribe, update their email address & other contact information, and forward your message to a friend.
And of course, have automatic systems in place to handle your unsubscribe requests.
3. Email regularly ñ and transparently ñ to your double opt-in list, even if it's quarterly
If you don't, you're striking a major blow to your company's credibility.
And when you do, be sure it's obvious who your message is from. Include your company name in the From line. Or use your CEO/president's name if he or she is especially well-known.
4. Be sure to include your company's postal mailing address in your email
Useful Links
You can download a gratis copy of Arial Software's 2004 CAN-SPAM Compliance Audit from this page. Interesting reading.
A good interview in today's EmailSherpa points out other best practices in email marketing, including asking subscribers to whitelist you or add you to their address book. And prominently displaying your privacy policy in "soothing, reassuring language." Free access to this article until Sept. 12, 2004.
