What’s the difference between cold email and SPAM? We often asked by customers can I use dedicated servers for email activities. Basically you may focus on CAN-SPAM Act, 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.
The key differences (email marketing vs spam)
1. Permission
Email marketers have obtained the receivers permission either directly through subscription or by accepting to receive information from a third-party. Spamming is fully about sending mass of email messages to a large number of recipients that did not approve to be part of the database.
2. Tricky and deceptive subject
Sent E-mails have tricky subjects or none there. The subject line of a marketing email must accurately reflect the content of the message. No “Sign-up to make money” or “You win in a lottery” titles.
3. Opt-out option
This is a must! Unlike spam, email marketing messages must contain a clear and conspicuous explanation of how the recipient can opt out of getting email from your company. Every e-mail message should contain an unsubscribing button.
4. Actual contacts database
E-mails are sending to a constantly updated database. A subscriber wants to opt out? As an email marketer you are obligated to process his request within 3 business days.
5. Recognisable sender
As a sender you have to let your subscribers who are you. Legally, promotional emails must include a valid physical address where can be contacted directly.
6. Reply-to e-mail address
Spam usually “smells fishy”. Promises of large sums of money? Email sender’s address reads something like [email protected]? Spam strategies usually use illegitimate addresses for sending and their subjects in most cases revolve around: explicit or illegal content, phishing, asking for money in advance, using scare tactics, pushing useless or erroneous information, defamation ads of competitors etc.
E-mail was sent to a US or Canada address? Please read this carefully:
In the U.S., email marketing is a highly regulated field and the violations of FTC’s CAN-SPAM Act can penalize a sender with up to $16,000 per each separate email violation. In Canada, the law is even tougher with fines between $1-10M per violation.
Do and Don’t in CAN-SPAM Act
The CAN-SPAM Act establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop emailing them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.
CAN-SPAM Act doesn’t apply just to bulk email. It covers all commercial messages, which the law defines as “any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service,” including email that promotes content on commercial websites. The law makes no exception for business-to-business email. That means all email – for example, a message to former customers announcing a new product line – must comply with the law.
Each separate email in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act is subject to penalties of up to $41,484, so non-compliance can be costly. But following the law isn’t complicated. All CAN-SPAM’s requirements can be found on a corresponding government website.