As I sit and go through my email on a daily basis, I am amazed at the emails I get which are not compliant. Deceptive “From” and “Subject” lines. You name it, and I see it… Compliance is no longer a buzzword. These emails going out are on a short lived basis to which no good end could come.
In trying times like these, consumers are becoming very savvy. They are looking for true deals - ones in which what is being offered, is what they are going to get. The days of free airline tickets and trips to Disney have long gone.
As a marketer, there are certain compliance measures that need to be taken to help you build on your IP/Sender reputation.
- Double opt in who you are sending your email to makes a great difference. Marketers are shifting to double opt in lists that have a much higher response rate with low complaints. The user knows exactly what they have opted into and what they can expect to receive.
- Make sure that your From and Subject email lines are compliant to the offer that you are running. We are all looking for that catchy From and Subject line to grab the consumer’s eye. However, we need to make sure that these are not misleading. Removing a phrase or word here and there might not seem that earth shattering at the time, but it could cause your email to be non-compliant. If you are looking to change one of these items, be sure to hit up your AM for approval beforehand.
- Another important part is the “Body” of the email. You need to make sure that the content represents the offer. Is the creative updated and represents the offer you are sending? Does the text completely describe what the offer is and does not stray from what is included in the offer? If the consumer will need to pay for S&H, does it mention this or does it say Free? Even though the product is a free trial it can not be marketed as Free, since it will cost the consumer to receive the product.
- You should provide two opt outs, one for you and one for the advertisers. A physical address or an internet based response mechanism will allow the recipient an opportunity to opt out of your list or offer. This will make the process as simple as possible. Also be sure to be able to implement the opt out in the specific 10 day window.
With the enactment of the Can Spam Act of 2003, these measures were covered under it, and by following it to the T you will see your IP/Sender reputation grow. This act was to make sure that the marketers that are following the rules will not be wronged, while also making sure that one’s that conspire to not follow the laws are singled out. By following the guidelines that have been set not only will the recipient be protected, but also the sender.
- Compliance is not a switch that can be turned on and off depending on the day or the volume that one is trying to achieve. Our Compliance Team is going through on a daily basis doing random and full audits of accounts and the traffic that is being run on them.
- Being proactive on this keeps not only the advertiser, but the publisher safe. And it helps ensure that they are constantly growing and heading in the right direction.
By following these guidelines and sending in a 100% compliant manner, you will see that you are able to deliver with much more ease. Your ISP relations and IP ratings will be much higher, and more revenue will be on the horizon.
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