How mass emails work
or rather
How mass emails could, should, or are
supposed to work
Who am I?
Jim FreerNon-Profit Systems Consultant | Method Works ConsultingP: 250-508-0619E: jimf@methodworksconsulting.commethodworksconsulting.comCo-presented with Maanit Zemel, Miller Thompson LLP
New CASL in a nutshell.(for emailers)
A Couple of Considerations
Send clear emails… o Clearly identify yourself and your
organization
o Make sure you include an opt-out, so people can unsubscribe instantly and easily
Send with consent…
o Only send messages to people who have requested them (i.e., opted in or otherwise consented)
o Or when the email contains specific allowed messages
What are the expectations?
1You must be able to prove that the recipient of an email has either explicitly consented to receive it (i.e., opt-in) or has an implied relationship with your organization
2You have made it easy and obvious for message recipients to opt out (or withdraw their consent).
Getting rid of bad habits
Opt-ins must be provable
This means• No ‘drive-by’ or ad-hoc email list additions• You can’t assume people have opted in• Each email recipient needs a consent ‘paper-trail’ (a record
of who consents to what, how, and when)
Emails have to pass inspection
This means• Someone at your organization needs to be responsible for
managing outgoing mass emails (or CEMs)• You have a consistent tool that you use to send mass emails;
No messages to BCC’d lists from Outlook!• Every email template you use has been checked for
compliance with CASL regulations
Opting out has to work
This means• When someone unsubscribes from all emails, you will not
send them more emails until they change their consent• Your process for list building does not override their consent• You accommodate phone/mail/and in-person opt-outs
(within 10 days)• If you offer unsubscribe options (i.e., e-newsletters, event
invitations etc.) make sure you stick to your categories
The parts
Two main parts
Database(CRM)
Email System
The Email System• Sends emails• Logs unsubscribe requests• Often adds new subscribers to
the list
The Database (CRM)• Stores online and
offline constituents• Stores donor,
member, and volunteer records
• Helps you manage your constituent relationships
The gaps
Database(CRM)
Email SystemHow can we identify implied relationships?
How do we store constituent
consent?
What do we do with the post-
campaign data?
How do we get consent?
What happens when someone
phones in an unsubscribe?
What do we do when the email
records differ from the CRM?
Address the gaps with process
or
Building a better email workflow
The basic flow
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process opt-outs
Report on success
Database(CRM)
Email System
Our two parts
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
Plan your deployments
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
Planning out your emails is the first step in sending compliant and effective messages:
• Identify a clear goal for the message – are you trying to acquire new donors, engage current constituents, inform them about your organizations activities? This is normally the “Primary Purpose”.
• Based on your goals who should receive your message?• When is the message being sent, are there critical groups that you
need to establish consent for and do you have time to do that before you send?
• Can you take what you’ve learned from previous messages and improve this message?
Building your lists
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
Build your email list through your database (CRM) based on groups of constituents that are meaningful to your organization, but ensure:
• You track, on each constituent or individual person, what they have opted in to and when
• You develop a standard set of queries or criteria that comply with CASL’s implied consent criteria
Filtering your list
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
Building your email list creates a baseline of people who have opted in, and by extension filter most of the people who have opted out. Now just before sending we filter again, directly within the email system, to ensure self-service opt-outs are captured.
• To be effective the master opt-out list should be maintained in the system that sends the emails
• All electronic unsubscribes should be added to this list
Send your message
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
All of your planning is done, now write the email message and send it. Ensure that you have all the crucial information:
• You’ve identified your organization and whom the message is sent on behalf of
• Current mailing address• Phone, email address, or web address (that’s valid for at least 60
days after sending)• An unsubscribe mechanism
Process your opt-outs
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
After the message is sent you can generally expect to see a few unsubscribes, remember that they must be processed within 10 days of sending. Generally we suggest
• Updating your opt-out information on the email system first
• Make sure you are flagging peoples accounts that they have opted out, do not delete them! This is an important record
Synchronize your data
Plan deployment
Create email list
Filter list
Send email
Process Opt-Outs
Report on Success
Your plan identified some goals, it’s important to review them as well as the general performance of your message. As well this is a good opportunity to update your constituents in your CRM
• Build an import/synchronization schedule for regular updates
• Track usable metrics in your database, and evaluate your message and identify any lessons learned for future deployments
• Use your opt out list to update your CRM• Note, the opt-out data in the CRM
should be used for analysis and review, not for filtering your lists as it will always be slightly out-of-date.
Putting the parts together.
Database(CRM)
Email System
The Email System• Filters unsubscribers from mail
deployments• Sends emails• Processes unsubscribes• Entry point for web signups
The Database (CRM)• Stores constituents• Records opt-in
information• Used to establish • Used to build
deployment lists
Synchronization• Moves opt-out information from the email to
the CRM records• Leads (online signups) submitted to CRM• Unfiltered email deployments moved to
email system
Avoid complacency
• Anti-spam regulations in general and CASL in particular will be a feature of the landscape for the foreseeable future
• Failure to comply with regulations will expose your organization to risk
• By implementing a solid process you not only mitigate much of your risk, but your organization will benefit from consistent data entry and decision-making
Questions?