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Cold outreach compliance: CAN-SPAM (US) and PECR (UK) in practice

For sales development reps, account executives, marketing coordinators and sales managers who send or approve prospecting emails, texts or social media messages to the US or the UK. Complete 'Cold outreach that respects consent' first; it covers honest, relevant outreach and opt-outs in general. This course goes into the rules themselves: the US CAN-SPAM Act as explained by the Federal Trade Commission (when an email is commercial, what it must contain, how fast opt-outs are honoured, who is responsible), and the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) as explained by the Information Commissioner's Office (corporate and individual subscribers, consent, the soft opt-in, bought-in lists and do-not-contact lists). The ICO says its PECR guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act, so check for updates. This course isn't legal advice; your company's outreach policy and its legal or data protection team decide what you may send.

Level
Beginner
Length
About 94 minutes
Contents
5 lessons · final exam
Status
Published · updated 10 Oct 2026
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Skills you'll practise

  • Decide whether CAN-SPAM treats an email as commercial or transactional from its primary purpose
  • Check a commercial email for CAN-SPAM's required elements: accurate header, honest subject line, ad disclosure, postal address and a working opt-out
  • Decide whether PECR allows you to email a UK contact by identifying corporate and individual subscribers, consent and the soft opt-in
  • Run an outreach list compliantly: check sources, screen against a do-not-contact list and honour opt-outs on time
  • Identify who is responsible when agencies, tools or forwarded messages send outreach for you

Course outline

  1. 1.Deciding whether CAN-SPAM treats an email as commercial or transactionalLesson · 18 min
  2. 2.Checking a commercial email for CAN-SPAM's required elementsLesson · 19 min
  3. 3.Deciding whether PECR allows you to email a UK contactLesson · 20 min
  4. 4.Running an outreach list compliantly: sources, screening and opt-outsLesson · 18 min
  5. 5.Identifying who is responsible when agencies, tools or forwarded messages send outreach for youLesson · 12 min
  6. 6.Cold outreach compliance: CAN-SPAM (US) and PECR (UK) in practice: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 13 questions
  7. 7.Cold outreach compliance: CAN-SPAM (US) and PECR (UK) in practice: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
  8. 8.Final exam10 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out

Sources it draws on

The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.

See it with your own jobs and topics

Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.

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