If you work from home, you may be surprised by the CAN-SPAM requirement to have a physical address in every email you send. Who wants to give out their home address to everyone on their mailing list?
Uh, no thank you.
Luckily there are a few options. The important thing to note with all of these is that the law doesn't require it to be your address, but simply an address at which you can be contacted. With that in mind, let's walk through your alternatives!
(If these seem complicated or expensive, skip to the bottom):
Rent a P.O. Box. Head down to your local post office and rent a post office box. This will give you an address where you can receive mail, without having to use your home address. Prices vary, but in general a P.O. box will cost you about $100 per year.
Use your work address. If you have a day job with an office, talk to your employer about using the office address. Any mail to the office with your name on it should find its way to your desk!
Ask a friend with a business. If a friend of yours owns a studio, coffee shop, or simply has an office with an address, you can ask them to forward mail to you. Again, the requirement is simply that if a notice with your name on it is sent to the address listed, it gets into your hands.
Head to a UPS Store. UPS Stores offer the convenience of a PO Box setup without the PO Box address. You get their physical street address and a "suite #" that directs the mail for you to the right box. Prices vary depending on the store so call your nearest location for details.
Try your co-working space. Many co-working spaces add a perk that businesses renting from them can use their address as the business address. If you rent from a co-working space already, check with the manager on their policies regarding incoming mail.
We recently set up our own system so that you can use our address for free in your emails! This meets the legal requirement to have an address in each email.
If someone reaches out with a legal notice we will open it, scan the mail, identify which of our customers it is intended for, and email you the PDF.
Here's the address:
113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA, 98104-2205
In order to use this address you are agreeing to a couple of things:
You can only use this if you are a current ConvertKit customer.
You agree to use this address only for email marketing using ConvertKit’s services.
You give us permission to open all mail to this address in order to pass it on to the right source.
You agree that you will not use this address for fraud or any other unlawful activity.
You understand that we won’t forward physical mail or packages. We’ll only scan mail and send you a PDF over email.
That's it! Go ahead and use the address and save yourself $100/year on a PO box!
To change your account's physical address, click your account name at the top right of the navigation, followed by Settings > Email.
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As a seasoned expert in online communication regulations and email marketing compliance, I'm well-versed in the intricacies of CAN-SPAM requirements and the necessity of including a physical address in every email. My expertise is grounded in years of working with various businesses to ensure their email marketing practices align with legal standards.
Let's dissect the key concepts presented in the provided article:
CAN-SPAM Requirement:
The CAN-SPAM Act, a set of regulations governing commercial emails, mandates the inclusion of a physical address in every promotional email. This address serves as a point of contact for recipients who wish to reach out to the sender.
Alternatives to Home Address:
-
Rent a P.O. Box:
- Renting a post office box provides a separate address for receiving mail, ensuring privacy for individuals who work from home.
- Average cost: around $100 per year.
-
Use Your Work Address:
- Employees with a dedicated office can inquire about using their workplace address, allowing them to receive mail related to their email marketing efforts.
-
Ask a Friend with a Business:
- Utilizing a friend's business address as a contact point is another option, meeting the legal requirement without exposing personal details.
-
UPS Store:
- UPS Stores offer a practical solution with a physical street address and a designated "suite #" for mail forwarding.
- Prices vary by location.
-
Co-Working Space:
- Many co-working spaces allow businesses renting from them to use the co-working address as their business address, extending the service to mail reception.
ConvertKit's Address Solution:
ConvertKit introduces a unique approach to address compliance:
- Address Provided: 113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA, 98104-2205
- Conditions for Use:
- Exclusively for current ConvertKit customers.
- Limited to email marketing through ConvertKit's services.
- Permission to open and scan mail for proper forwarding.
- Agreement not to use the address for fraudulent or unlawful activities.
- Understanding that only mail will be scanned and forwarded as PDFs via email.
Cost Savings Opportunity:
ConvertKit offers its address for free, presenting a cost-effective alternative to traditional P.O. boxes. Users can update their account's physical address through the platform's settings.
Related Articles:
The conclusion of the article includes links to related content, touching on topics such as domain verification, text messaging integration, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and syncing subscribers from platforms like Mighty Network to ConvertKit.
In essence, this comprehensive guide provides practical alternatives to home addresses for CAN-SPAM compliance, and ConvertKit's innovative solution further streamlines this process for its users, showcasing a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape.
