TalkingBass Email Spam Policy

Email & Anti-Spam Policy

1. Purpose

This policy sets out TalkingBass’s commitment to sending email responsibly, maintaining domain and sender reputation, and complying with applicable email marketing regulations including the UK PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations) and the US CAN-SPAM Act.

It applies to all email communications sent from or on behalf of TalkingBass, including marketing campaigns, transactional emails, course notifications, and automated sequences.

2. Permission-Based Sending

TalkingBass only sends marketing emails to people who have given clear consent to receive them. We do not purchase, rent, or use third-party email lists.

Consent is obtained through:

• Free membership sign-up on talkingbass.net
• Purchase of a course or product from talkingbass.net or members.talkingbass.net
• Opt-in forms on the website or YouTube channel landing pages

Transactional emails (order confirmations, course access, password resets) are sent regardless of marketing consent as they are necessary to fulfil purchases.

3. Unsubscribe & Opt-Out

Every marketing email sent by TalkingBass includes a clear, functional unsubscribe link. Unsubscribe requests are processed promptly via Mailchimp and are honoured within 10 business days at the latest, in line with CAN-SPAM requirements.

Subscribers can also manage their preferences or unsubscribe at any time by:

• Clicking the unsubscribe link in any TalkingBass email
• Contacting us directly at [email protected]

Once unsubscribed from marketing, a contact will not receive further promotional emails. Transactional emails related to active purchases or account access may still be sent where necessary.

4. Sender Identity & Transparency

All emails sent by TalkingBass clearly identify the sender. We do not use deceptive subject lines or misleading sender names. Specifically:

• The ‘From’ name will always be recognisable as TalkingBass or Mark J. Smith (the founder)
• Subject lines accurately reflect the content of the email
• The physical mailing address of the business is included in every marketing email, as required by CAN-SPAM

5. Email Infrastructure & Deliverability

TalkingBass takes active steps to protect its sender reputation and ensure emails reach subscribers’ inboxes:

5.1 Authentication

• SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are configured for talkingbass.net and members.talkingbass.net
• Email is sent via Mailchimp (marketing) and WP Mail SMTP Pro (transactional), both using authenticated sending infrastructure

5.2 Blacklist Monitoring

• Domain and IP blacklist status is monitored regularly using tools such as MXToolbox
• Any blacklist listings are investigated and delisting requested promptly
• In the event of a listing on SURBL, UCEPROTECTL3, or similar, the cause is investigated before requesting removal

5.3 List Hygiene

• Bounced and invalid addresses are removed from Mailchimp automatically
• Inactive subscribers may be periodically reviewed and cleaned from the list
• Spam complaint rates are monitored and acted upon

6. Content Standards

All email content sent by TalkingBass must meet the following standards:

• No misleading or false claims about products, prices, or offers
• No use of spam trigger words or deceptive formatting intended to bypass spam filters
• All links in emails must point to legitimate TalkingBass pages or trusted third-party platforms
• Promotional content must be clearly identifiable as such
• No email will contain malware, tracking beyond standard open/click analytics, or content that could harm the recipient’s device

7. Third-Party Services & Integrations

TalkingBass uses the following third-party platforms for email sending and automation:

All third-party services used by TalkingBass are required to comply with their own anti-spam policies and applicable law. TalkingBass does not share subscriber data with third parties for purposes beyond those listed above.

8. Reporting Spam or Abuse

If you believe you have received unsolicited email from TalkingBass, or if our domain has been used without authorisation in a spam campaign, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

We take all reports seriously and will investigate promptly. If TalkingBass domain names are found to have been used in spam by a third party without our knowledge, we will report this to the relevant blacklist operators and take steps to protect our domain reputation.

9. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed at least annually or whenever there is a significant change to our email infrastructure, list management practices, or applicable regulations. The most recent version will be maintained internally and made available to subscribers on request.