Internet Marketing And List Building: Is Your Internet Marketing Email Within The Law?

Back in 2003, legislators in the United States sought to stem the flow of spam emails that was plaguing our over-belabored inboxes. Problem is, it really didn't help much. Spam comes from all over the world, and it's not stopping. But if you live and operate an online business in the United States, you're bound to follow the rule of the law.

"I only send about 500 messages a month. Why would they bother me?" you may think. But even if that's the case, you're still liable. It only takes one spam complaint to shut you down or worse. You're probably already protected in some ways if you use a reputalbe autoresponder program. But if you're using your own autoresponder or mail system, then you should take note. Plus, some parts of the law will still apply.

Here's basically what the law says:

* You cannot have false or misleading informaton in your email headers or in the "From" and "To" lines and you must give accurate routing information, including the place where your domain originates and your proper email address. It must also identify you as the person who sent the email.

* It prohibits deceptive subject lines. The subject line cannot mislead the recipient about the contents or subject matter of the message.

* It requires that your email give recipients an opt-out method. You must provide a return email address or another Internet-based response mechanism that allows a recipient to ask you not to send future email messages to that email address, and you must honor the requests. You may create a "menu" of choices to allow a recipient to opt out of certain types of messages, but you must include the option to end any commercial messages from the sender.

Whatever opt out method you choose, it must be active for 30 days, at least. You only have 10 business days to get people who have requested to be removed off the list.

* You have to identify your message as an advertisement and include your snail mail address, too.

Those are the general rules. But there are a couple of other things to consider. Never, ever buy lists of email addresses. Harvesting of addresses is also illegal, so don't do it. Set up a proper list building page that sends your subscribers' names and email addresses to an autoresponder that automatically confirms subscriptions. This "double opt-in" process is just safer. Nothing in the law says you have to do this, but it just makes things safer.

And never neglect to include a link so that people can opt out, and indicate the link's purpose. When you use an online autoresponder service, this is taken care of for you. But if you have your own autoresponder or another mail program, you have to be sure that these elements are included. Otherwise, you face up to an $11,000 fine, and you could be sent to jail. It's not worth ignoring the law.

Definitely not.