First, who are you emailing?
The rules depend on who owns the email address. PECR splits people into corporate subscribers and individual subscribers.
- Corporate subscribers: limited companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and some other bodies. You can send them cold email without asking first.
- Individual subscribers: sole traders and most ordinary partnerships. You need their consent before you send them marketing email, with some narrow exceptions for people who are already your customers.
Do not guess from the name
A business called Smith and Sons might be a limited company or a sole trader. Check before you email, for example on Companies House, where limited companies and LLPs are listed. If you cannot tell, treat it as an individual and leave it out.
What every email must include
Even when you can email a company, your message has to be honest and easy to stop.
- Say who you are, and do not hide or fake the sender
- Include a real postal address or other way to contact you
- Include a clear, working way to opt out, such as an unsubscribe link
- Stop emailing anyone who opts out, and keep a list so you do not email them again
Personal data rules still apply
A work email that names a person, such as a first name and surname, can count as personal data under UK data protection law. Only collect what you need, say how you got it if asked, and keep it safe. Remove people on request.
Keep it relevant and low volume
Write to businesses that could really use what you do, send a few short emails rather than many, and stop when someone says no. Good practice also helps your emails reach the inbox.
Where Gaffio helps. Gaffio adds an unsubscribe line to every email and shows the Companies House result for each contact, so you can see which are limited companies before you send. You decide who to email.