if you have ever been tempted…
to purchase an email list or gather email addresses from websites to use in your marketing – and you are in the UK – then you need to know about the new legislation that is coming into force later this month. Anyone sending unsolicited – ‘spam’ – emails is risking a fine of up to £500,000.
Any ethical marketing professional will advise you to gather emails for your promotions through tried, tested and legitimate methods. That can be offering free reports or information in exchange for their email address and permission to keep in touch.
In some cases people will put a false email address thinking they’ll be taken straight to the download page.
Using double opt-in is a way of making sure an email address that is supplied is valid and the person it belongs to did ask for your info. (Double opt-in is where you send an email asking them to confirm their request before supplying the gift you’ve offered).
But even then people sometimes forget that they gave you their email and / or they might not be expecting more emails from you after they get the report. This means if they report your emails as spam you could find yourself facing an investigation. That’s why it is crucial that you can prove the email was collected legitimately – another reason for using double opt-in.
To avoid mistakenly being accused of spamming make it clear when you offer the free report or ebook that you will be sending them more information unless they ask to unsubscribe.
I’d also recommend mentioning in your first message that you will be sending more emails. Including a note in each of your emails of the date they subscribed, why they subscribed and the email address they used can also minimise undeserved reporting.
Oh, and do make sure that every email you send has an easy way for your subscriber to stop the messages if they wish – either with an unsubscribe link or with instructions on how to prevent further emails.
If you are looking for an email delivery service that can handle all of that for you, as well as giving great statistics on open and click through rates, I highly recommend Aweber. I’ve been using their services since 2005. [That is an affiliate link].
You can read more about the new legislation, which applies to text messaging and marketing telephone calls as well, at Information Commissioner Gets New Powers
~ Carol Bentley
19th May 2011 at 6:45 am
How true these words. I’m learning copywriting now and I find it awesome, however I’m also not comfortable with this aspect email marketing by unethical means. I guess this goes back to the old times of direct marketing when buying prospects lists to send letters to was a legit way to get a list.
6th May 2011 at 10:37 am
Interesting article, but if your marketing to business only the email law doesn’t apply but I still recommend to all our clients not to spam. Consumer email lists can be bought but you should always ask how the emails were collected if your buying a list and a good indication of a safe list is if the list owner insists on doing the broadcast for you, this ultimately protects the consumer, your self and the list owner.