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What exactly is unsolicited email or SPAM? What uses are prohibited by SAGE? What can I send and what can't I send?
Introduction
Unsolicited email (also known as SPAM) is an increasingly serious problem. Unsolicited email wastes time (while you sort through it in your mailbox), wastes server and Internet resources, and can be quite offensive in many cases. In an effort to prevent unsolicited email, all reputable Internet Service Providers (ISPs) prevent their networks and services from being used to send unsolicited email. Along those lines, your SAGE License Agreement prohibits sending unsolicited email through our servers or putting a link to a website hosted by SAGE in an unsolicited email, even if you send it through an alternate source.
What is Unsolicited Email?
SPAM is the general term used to describe any unsolicited commercial email. In general, SPAM is sent to a large number of recipients all at once. However, unsolicited email means ANY unsolicited email, whether or not it is sent to one person or one million. Email that has removal instructions at the bottom, says that it is at your request (but it's not), or contains "ADV:" in the subject is still SPAM!
What is not Unsolicited Email?
Obviously personal emails to a specific recipient are not unsolicited emails. In addition, bulk emails are not unsolicited as long as the recipients either (a) have requested or expressly authorized your use of their email address, or (b) have a previous business relationship with you. So, you can send a bulk email to thousands of people who have requested to be on your mailing list, or to your customers. However, it is critically important to note that you cannot rely on a company's representation that it has "authorization" to use all of the email addresses in its list. They are usually lying. You should never purchase a bulk email list from a third party. If you do, you are personally at risk regardless of what assurances the list provider gave to you.
So what can I not do?
* You may not send any unsolicited email through the SAGE servers or from your SAGE-provided email address.
* You may not provide a link to any SAGE-hosted website (e.g., your WebExpress or WebExpress Pro site) in an unsolicited email, even if it sent through an alternate server.
Our upstream ISP (like most reputable ISPs) is serious about SPAM and unsolicited emails. If our customers violate these rules, our ISP can disrupt our Internet service. We of course will not let that happen. To avoid getting our service disrupted, if you violate these rules, we have to turn off your email and web services. We often have no choice but to do this. Therefore, these rules are extremely important.
Does that mean I can't use email as a marketing tool?
No, you can use email as a marketing tool as long as you use it appropriately. That means:
(1) Make sure that your marketing emails only go to recipients who have expressly requested to be on your marketing list or recipients who your company has a previous business relationship with.
(2) Always put your real name and email address as the return address.
(3) Always provide a real way for recipients to be removed from your list.
(4) If someone requests removal, immediately remove them from your list permanently.
We're here to help
As you can see, the unsolicited email issue is very important and can be somewhat complex. If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do, please do not hesitate to ask us. Individual email accounts hosted by SAGE have additional rate and usage limits. When using the Email Campaign function SAGE may refuse service at our discretion.
Please note that our standard email services provided free with your SAGE account are for everyday business and personal communication, and not for bulk or marketing emails.
For all bulk email needs please use our integrated Email Campaigns module (See: http://sageworld.com/email-campaigns.php for more information, or other third party marketing email provider such ashttp://www.constantcontact.com).
The SAGE Email Campaigns module has many features including integration with SAGE CRM, analytics, unsubscribe links and other features you help you build successful email campaigns, track your results, and conform with applicable law.
There is a wealth of information regarding unsolicited email and SPAM on the Internet. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, check out Yahoo or Google and search for SPAM.
Many states have anti-spam legislation and more and more states are adopting legislation as time goes on. There have also been several proposed federal laws to help stop the proliferation of SPAM. However, those bills have yet to be passed on a federal level. In addition to abiding by the terms of the SAGE License Agreement, you are obviously also responsible for not violating any applicable law relating to unsolicited email.
Additional spam related articles:
Spam Filter Scoring Methodology
How to set up a rule in Outlook to take advantage of spam filtering
How does SAGE Prevent Incoming SPAM on SAGE Email Accounts
Best Practices for Preventing SPAM
| Type: | Info | Publish Date: | 8/1/2002 10:08:03 PM |
| Applies To: | Last Updated: | 3/21/2024 5:36:07 PM | |
| Platform: | All | Expiration Date: |