What Exactly is a Marketing Email?

You have probably heard of email marketing repeatedly all over internet, social networks, TV and print media. Email is an extremely valuable tool in your marketing strategy. It is an easy way of communicating with current and potential customers and targeting specific demographics. It is also cost-effective and environmentally friendly. However, many companies exploit this marketing channel and they turn into what we call spammers - people that send promotional (marketing) emails to any email address they get their hands on.

So, is what you are sending a marketing email or spam? 

Marketing email is frequently called commercial or promotional email. As per CAN-SPAM Act definition, it is "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." Here are few examples of marketing (promotional) email that your tennis club might be sending:

• Newsletters
• Promotions and discounts
• Coupons or special offers
• Class announcements
• Event announcements

Other marketing emails include anything that encourages people to:

• Purchase a product
• Download content (eBook, newsletter, video, music)
• Attend your event (tournament, round robin or social)
• Visit your store (physical or online)
• Register for a lesson

Since the intention of all marketing emails is to promote, it must adhere to certain legal requirements defines in the CAN-SPAM Act. The CAN-SPAM Act only applies to commercial mail, rather than transactional or relationship mail (when you send order receipts, quotations, warranty information, return receipts or changes in membership details via email). The requirements we mentioned above are there in order to protect consumers and encourage marketers (email senders) to provide valuable email messages to the recipients.

Here’s a summary of CAN-SPAM’s main requirements:

• Do not use false or misleading header information.
• The subject line must accurately reflect the content of the message.
• Identify the message as an ad.
• Tell your recipients where you are located.
• Tall the recipients how to opt out of receiving future email from you.
• You must honor a recipient’s opt-out request.
• Monitor what others are doing on your behalf.

So, how do you create a great email experience?

• Send valuable and relevant content - valuable and relevant to your customers!
• Send quality emails - using an email service such as Mail Chimp, Hubspot or Constant Contact is the easiest way to do that.
• Collect data to use and analyze - click-through rate is normally considered a good indicator of how interested your subscribers are. Tracking the clicks, opens, unsubscribes and bounces will help you monitor your marketing email success.

Email marketing is an incredibly valuable tool for not only sending information, but also for collecting data about your current and potential customers. Make sure, however, that you give your customers the choice to be emailed by you. Knowing the information above and being aware of the law can help you use email marketing to your best advantage.

Were you aware of these laws before reading this blog post? Please feel free to leave a comment below.