What is the rule for a one-time email blast to previous customers?

July 4, 2009 // Posted in Other - Advertising & Marketing  


Our company has an email list from an event we held last year. The email list was from people who registered online or via faxed form for the event, but we neglected to include an “opt-in” check box for future emails.

Are we allowed to send a one-time email blast out to those people (with opt-out information in the email) for the same event this year without being considered spammers?

Please provide any links to interstate emailing rules that you can cite. Thank you!

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This entry was posted on July 4, 2009 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Other - Advertising & Marketing (Tags: , , , ). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Comments (2)

  • web_researcher says:

    No, technically speaking you are not allowed. Usually the option has to be hidden in lengthy “terms & conditions”.

    However, most people will be OK with a one-time blast.

  • Cathy Wagner says:

    I would search for a copy of the CAN-SPAM Act to be sure. I think you can email a list you’ve had previous contact with as long as you provide two ways for them to opt-out (via email and snail mail.) It’s also a good idea to let them know right away that they are receiving the message because they attended your similar event in the past.

    I do agree that most people will be cool with a one time blast.

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