How To Stay CAN-SPAM Compliant

Email is an excellent way to stay in touch with customers and increase sales. However, if you don't do it correctly, you run the risk of violating the CAN-SPAN Act of 2003.

CAN-SPAM stands for Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing. It applies to any email messages that advertise a commercial product or service. Emails that deal with exisiting business relationships or facilitate a business transaction are not covered by the act.  The law is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission and carries up to an 11,000 dollar fine in the United States.

To stay compliant, follow these steps:

  1. Do not include any false header information. Make sure the "From" and "To" routing information include the domain name from which the email message originates.
  2. Do not use misleading subject lines.
  3. Include a valid physical postal address.
  4. Include an opt-out method for email recipients.
  5. You must be able to process the opt-outs for 30 days after sending the email. You must honor the opt-out within 10 days of receiving the request. You cannot sell or transfer the email addresses of those who opt out.

Remember Email Marketing Professional helps you stay compliant by providing the ability to process opt-outs. However, it is up to you to include a statement in your email to reply to the message with the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line in order to process opt-outs. Happy Free Email Marketing.