E-mail Marketing Tips - 17-Mar-10
E-mail marketing is a wonderful tool - if used properly. Incorrect usage, however, can get you into deep trouble. Here are just three tips to help keep you honest, decent and legal.
Marketing e-mails are subject to an extensive range of legislation, enacted by both the UK and the European Community, including Electronic Communications Regulations, the Data Protection Act, the Companies Act and The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000.
1) Did you know that it is illegal to reveal someone's e-mail address without permission? This means that sending a string of marketing e-mails where recipient addresses are revealed in the "To:" box or the "cc" box are illegal - not to mention unprofessional! Use the "bcc" option if you must but better still use a professional list management system.
2) If you manage the list yourself, you will be aware that e-mails must have an unsubscribe or opt-out facility. However, what happens when someone opts out? Do you just delete the record and then add them again accidentally next time you acquire some addresses? This, again, can mean you are breaking the law. You should retain the contact on your database as a suppressed record so that you do not erroneously add them back onto your list. How else will you know whether someone has previously refused permission for marketing e-mails?
3) The new Companies Act, introduced in 2007, made it mandatory to include company details on websites and in e-mail footers. You should include an appropriate company registration number, place of registration and registered office address. Charities are "businesses" (as are schools), so err on the safe side. Many charities possess company numbers and inclusion of any Charity Commission Registration Number is strongly advised.
Data Protection Act
Companies Act
Source: NFP Techno
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