You may not deal with emails that have a Hong Kong link, but you ought to know the following best email practice from a global perspective.

Email list builder / newsletter subscription box code

Acquisition and use of harvested address list are prohibited by the Ordinance. So getting consent of receivers is very important. The best way is to encourage opt-in, you can use Spread to build your own permission email list by adding newsletter subscription box code on your website.

Opt in / Get permission

If you send to customers who do business in the past 12 months, they are usually willing to receive your newsletter, however, for best practice, remember to get your customers’ consent by informing them they will receive newsletter when you obtain their email. The same case applies to exhibition, put a notice “By leaving your name card, you agree to receive newsletter from us” when you collect business cards would be best.

Double opt-in / Confirm subscription

However, you cannot guarantee the emails you obtain from newsletter subscription box are dropped by the email’s owner. Spread will send confirmation email to the email owner to verify the subscription. It is one of the best practices that respect your subscribers.

Opt-out/ Unsubscribe link in each outgoing email

The ordinance requires all commercial electronic messages must contain unsubscribe facility and messages must not be sent after unsubscribe request is sent. To enhance efficiency, Spread provides unsubscribe link in each outgoing emails and subscription will be cancelled automatically.

Permission reminder

Sometimes your subscribers may have forgot about you if they do not receive your emails for more than 1 month. You can add permission reminder that tells the receipients why they receive your emails e.g. you receive this email because you signed up as a member of ABC company. 

Accurate sender information

The ordinance states that all commercial electronic messages must include accurate sender information e.g. physical address which is required by Can-SPAM Act (US). Once you have entered your physical address and phone number into Spread, they will be displayed at the bottom of every email you send.