So many businesses now rely on email marketing to help generate traffic and revenue. However, failure to comply with the rules set forth in the CAN-SPAM Act could be financially ruinous!

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) explains that the CAN-SPAM Act “is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop emailing them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.”  Just how tough of penalties you ask?  Try penalties up to $40,654, for each separate email, found to be in violation!

Uneducated businesses owners, trying to save a buck by doing email marketing for themselves in lieu of a more traditional professional service, may very well unknowingly send out emails that are in violation of the rules set forth by the CAN-SPAM Act.  In fact, in spite of the connotation that might stem from its name, CAN-SPAM doesn’t just apply to email messages that are sent in bulk – you know, like what you would normally think of as “SPAM.”  The rules under the CAN-SPAM Act apply to ALL commercial email messages that are for the primary purpose of commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service.  Even emails that are to a former customer, maybe announcing a new product or service, has to comply with the CAN-SPAM Act rules….or else…potential OUTRAGEOUS penalties.  Let’s assume that you email 100 former customers; those emails were not compliant with CAN-SPAM, and assuming maximum penalties would be awarded against you, that would be $4,065,400!  Yes, you read that right.

THE MATH:  100 (non-complying emails to people) x $40,654 (the maximum penalties for violation) = $4,065,400.

Fortunately the rules are not all that difficult to comply with and the FTC’s website has provided a Compliance Guide for Business.  The basics include the following:

1. Don’t use false or misleading header information.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
3. Identify the message as an advertisement.
4. Tell recipients where you are located.
5. Tell recipients how they can opt out from receiving future email from you.
6. Honor opt-out requests right away.

One other key thing to remember is EVEN IF you rely on someone else to do mass email marketing for you, YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE!  You cannot turn a blind-eye to your advertising communications and expect to go unscathed if those communications do not comply with the law.

It is always a good idea to get a formal legal opinion on these kinds of matters if in doubt. If you are in the state of Arizona, and are seeking assistance with ensuring that your marketing emails, are in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act, be it ones you created yourself or if you want to double check what your marketing vendor is doing,  Beebe Law, PLLC can help!  Contact us today.

All information contained in this blog (www.beebelawpllc.blog.com) is meant to be for general informational purposes only and should not be misconstrued as legal advice or relied upon.  All legal questions should be directed to a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.