Not All Consent Created Equal

Let’s say you’re a marketer or a business owner, and you have been working hard targeting prospects. These days in Canada, you need to make sure you’ve got some kind of “consent” that allows you to contact these potential new clients. Under the law, Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), prevents unwarranted commercial messages without some kind of consent (which we’ve covered at Raven5 before).

You might be asking, what should I be looking at? How can I protect myself and my business? The truth is, although the law is tricky in spots, it’s not too obtrusive to block all communications. Here’s the rundown on the types of consent you can obtain, from least reliable, to the safest:

Personal Relationship

• The least reliable type of consent
• One of the hardest to prove
• Requires frequent, consistent communications on personal emails
  • Must have met the person
  • Might have to prove shared interests, experiences, ect.

Conspicuously Published

• The most frequent used and abused
• If the email address and title is posted without restrictions, marketing is allowed
• Must not be collected by automated processes
• If an opt-out is requested, you must comply within 10 days

Existing Business/Non-Business Relationships

• You can email customers for up to two years from the last transaction
  • Including prospects who have inquired for information
• Charities or other groups who receive donations or volunteer work can also contact you
• If an opt-out is requested, you must comply within 10 days

Express Consent

• If someone requests to opt-in, you can email them till they unsubscribe
• Simple and easy to track

Wondering about CASL and if your email list is following the rules? Check out RAVEN5 for some more information. Here’s another article about Email Marketing with some great stats. If you got a minute, check out a quick video about Google’s Logo Change which is pretty interesting too! 

We at RAVEN5 are #ContestMarketing – as the World’s First Contest Marketing Agency, we are experts are contests, sweepstakes and promotions. Considering our services? Check out The Contest Contest. Good luck and thanks for reading.

Jesse Bickerton, RAVEN5, November 2015

Resources

http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/eng/home 

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