CAN SPAM and Your Marketing Best Practices for Senders By Lars Helgeson Cooler

CAN SPAM and You CAN SPAM Requirements CAN SPAM Requirements The Make-Up of an The Make-Up of an Managing Unsubscribes Managing Unsubscribes Legally Acceptable Behavior Legally Acceptable Behavior Best Practices Best Practices Current Trends Current Trends

5 Requirements Correct header information Correct header information Accurate subject line Accurate subject line Functioning return address Functioning return address Cannot send to anyone for whom sender has received unsubscribe request (10 days to process) Cannot send to anyone for whom sender has received unsubscribe request (10 days to process) Commercial must: Commercial must: Clearly state it is an advertisement Clearly state it is an advertisement Allow for unsubscribe Allow for unsubscribe Display physical postal address Display physical postal address

Header Information Forward and Reverse DNS Forward and Reverse DNS Domain Name vs IP Address Domain Name vs IP Address Mail-From and From Mail-From and From How Mail Transport Agents work How Mail Transport Agents work Originating Message Server Mail Transport Agent Recipient Server Internet Recipient Inbox Originating Message Builder DATA RESPONSE POP / IMAP RBL

Sample Header From - Tue Dec 16 10:36: X-UIDL: dd45ee14f36b0000 X-Mozilla-Status: 0001 X-Mozilla-Status2: Received: by freya.icebase.net (mbox lars) (with Cubic Circle's cucipop (v /05/13) Tue Dec 16 10:36: ) X-From_: Tue Dec 16 10:08: Return-Path: Received: from modi.icebase.net (modi.icebase.net [ ]) by freya.icebase.net (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id hBGI8VWH for ; Tue, 16 Dec :08:31 –0800 Received: from mailer1.cooler .net ( ) by modi.icebase.net with ESMTP; 16 Dec :08:30 –0800 From: Cooler To: Lars Helgeson Date: Tue, 16 Dec :05:19 –0800 Subject: CoolerTips #39 - New Cooler Controls! Mime-Version: 1.0 Message-ID: Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_Cooler _============“ --============_Cooler _============ Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso "; format="flowed"

Subject Lines Should ALWAYS be accurate Should ALWAYS be accurate Avoid spamtrap keywords Avoid spamtrap keywords People don’t respond People don’t respond Content filters will catch your Content filters will catch your Examples: free, guarantee, mortgage, $$ Examples: free, guarantee, mortgage, $$ Test for effectiveness Test for effectiveness

Return Address Recent trends show that your “From” address is more important than your subject line* Recent trends show that your “From” address is more important than your subject line* Use your strongest brand here Use your strongest brand here Carefully consider your name vs your company’s name Carefully consider your name vs your company’s name Consider awareness first, then perception of brand Consider awareness first, then perception of brand Have a human readable “From” Have a human readable “From” Bounces will go to Mail-From (same as From if Outlook) Bounces will go to Mail-From (same as From if Outlook) Out of office replies Out of office replies White list challenge-response services (e.g., Matador) White list challenge-response services (e.g., Matador) Reply-based unsubscribes Reply-based unsubscribes * Jan 2004

Managing Unsubscribes Immediately remove from your database Immediately remove from your database Make sure removals are permanent Make sure removals are permanent Do not transfer or sell unsubscribers’ names Do not transfer or sell unsubscribers’ names Record date/time of unsubscribe Record date/time of unsubscribe Should be handled automatically by your service provider Should be handled automatically by your service provider Link active for 30+ days Link active for 30+ days Sample Unsubscribe Screen

Content Requirements Commercial = Advertisement if “primary purpose” Commercial = Advertisement if “primary purpose” Number of recipients does not affect CAN SPAM applicability Number of recipients does not affect CAN SPAM applicability “Unsubscribe” link “Unsubscribe” link Beware of content filters creating false positives Beware of content filters creating false positives Consider synonyms Consider synonyms Physical Postal Address Physical Postal Address

So Legally You Can… Send one piece of spam and ask for recipients to opt-out Send one piece of spam and ask for recipients to opt-out Buy, sell, and rent lists with third parties Buy, sell, and rent lists with third parties Send as many s as you want Send as many s as you want But legality does not make it right….

Best Practices Do not use opt-out methods Do not use opt-out methods Do not buy, rent, or sell lists Do not buy, rent, or sell lists Have a clear privacy and anti-spam policy Have a clear privacy and anti-spam policy Make it clear when and how someone is added to your list Make it clear when and how someone is added to your list Be careful automatically adding someone to your list just because they purchase from you Be careful automatically adding someone to your list just because they purchase from you Describe what you will send them (newsletter, promotions, third party ads, etc) Describe what you will send them (newsletter, promotions, third party ads, etc)

Maximize Your ROI Research your service provider Research your service provider DNSstuff.com, SenderBase.com DNSstuff.com, SenderBase.com Privacy/anti-spam policy and enforcement Privacy/anti-spam policy and enforcement Fine for spamming Fine for spamming Grounds for termination Grounds for termination Automatic Subscribe/Unsubscribe Automatic Subscribe/Unsubscribe Bonded Sender Program Bonded Sender Program

Maximize Your ROI Measure campaign success Measure campaign success Track aggregate reads, clicks, bounces Track aggregate reads, clicks, bounces Send surveys to your client base Send surveys to your client base Watch for bounce messages for domains Watch for bounce messages for domains Calculate revenue generated by campaigns Calculate revenue generated by campaigns

Maximize Your ROI React React Improve message Improve message List and content segmentation based on demographics and behavior List and content segmentation based on demographics and behavior Change service providers if not satisfactory Change service providers if not satisfactory

Tips on Growing Your List Contact all of your existing clients Contact all of your existing clients Search Engine Optimization with website analytics Search Engine Optimization with website analytics Website signup form Website signup form

More Tips Send-to-a-Friend Send-to-a-Friend Referral programs Referral programs Co-promotions with partners Co-promotions with partners Sample Send-to-a-Friend Image & Form

Current Trends in 74% of all is spam* 74% of all is spam* The CAN SPAM law has not decreased the amount of spam* The CAN SPAM law has not decreased the amount of spam* Average open rates depend on industry, but are 40-50%** Average open rates depend on industry, but are 40-50%** Later this year CANSPAM will be augmented to include SMS marketing Later this year CANSPAM will be augmented to include SMS marketing * Multiple sources, including eWeek,Postini.com, and ClickZ.com ** Based on data collected from Cooler users

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