Mass and Graphic-rich Email

Mass Email

The use of mass emails, particularly graphic-rich email (also known as rich-text and HTML email), has become an important channel for communicating with College of Charleston constituents and affiliated groups. Anti-spam laws, email server blacklisting and customer anger over receiving unsolicited email, however, make it important that email campaigns be conducted so as not to jeopardize the College’s reputation and brand, or its ability to send out future email.

In many cases, external vendors specializing in mass email campaigns are used. It is important that these vendors adhere to practices and techniques that ensure the proper delivery of email and the handling of user requests to unsubscribe. Any office engaging an email vendor is responsible for making sure the vendor acts in accordance to the following best practices regarding bulk email:

  • Obtain clear and conspicuous consent to collect email addresses when asking persons to provide email addresses or to subscribe.
  • Use an additional email to determine the validity of an email address and to confirm the subscriber’s consent to receive messages from the sender.
  • Enable clear, conspicuous and easy-to-use unsubscribe options.
  • Process unsubscribe requests as quickly as possible.
  • Have a defined process for handling abuse-related complaints, and immediately honor any abuse-related complaints as if they were unsubscribe requests.
  • Monitor and minimize the amount of abuse-related complaints to avoid violations of any Internet or email–access provider’s acceptable use policy.

Graphic-Rich Emails

Graphic-rich emails fall under the branding and identity guidelines of the College of Charleston and should be designed with those guidelines in mind. Email formatted with non-College affiliated backgrounds or electronic stationery should not be used. Proper identification of the College and the correct use of any brand design element (such as the wordmark) are required.