1 Learn the concept
Email marketing is governed by laws, and breaking them can lead to penalties and lost trust. In the United States the CAN-SPAM Act sets rules for commercial email, such as honest sender information and subject lines, a way to opt out and a physical address. Other countries and regions, including Canada and the European Union, have their own, often stricter, consent rules. This lesson explains the basics. It is not legal advice, so check the rules for where your subscribers live.
2 See it in action
- Be honest: accurate sender details and a non-misleading subject line.
- Provide a clear way to unsubscribe and honor requests promptly.
- Include a valid physical address where required.
- Know that other regions may require consent before you send.
Worked example
An email compliance review
Check 1: the sender name and address are real. Check 2: the subject line matches the content.
Check 3: the footer includes a postal address and an unsubscribe link that works.
Check 4: unsubscribes are processed quickly and removed from every list.
Result to look for: a footer you can reuse for every email.
Note: other regions, including Canada and the European Union, can require consent before you send.
3 Study an example
Example scenario
A business adds an unsubscribe link and a physical address to every email and removes people who opt out within days. It avoids complaints and keeps its sender reputation healthy.
4 Apply it and download
- Check your emails against the compliance checklist.
- Fix any gaps.
- Note the rules for your subscribers' regions.
Worksheet Compliance checklistOpen, print or save as PDF