Email marketing for a Michigan chamber or association works the same way it does anywhere, with two local twists. First, Michigan has a law most marketers have never heard of, the Children’s Protection Registry, and it can apply when your email promotes alcohol or gambling. Think wine walks, brewery mixers and casino nights. Second, Michigan’s calendar shapes when people actually read your emails. Get the rules right, send on a steady rhythm that fits the seasons, and email stays the most reliable channel you have.
We’re based in Ferndale. I’ve been a member of chambers in Metro Detroit and Up North, I run a chapter’s email day to day, and our studio also runs Delovely Detroit, a Metro Detroit newsletter. Here’s what I’d tell any Michigan executive director or volunteer running the list.
This is general information, not legal advice. For anything specific to your organization, talk to your attorney.
The federal basics: CAN-SPAM
The federal CAN-SPAM Act covers commercial email, meaning messages that promote a product, service or event. For a chamber or association, that includes event promotions, sponsor spotlights and member-benefit offers. The Federal Trade Commission’s compliance guide boils it down to a handful of rules:
- Don’t mislead. Your “From” name, subject line and sending address have to be honest.
- Include your physical postal address. A street address or a registered P.O. box.
- Give a clear way to opt out, and honor it within 10 business days.
- Don’t make unsubscribing hard. No fees, no logins, nothing beyond a reply or a single page.
- You’re responsible even if someone else sends for you, like an agency or a volunteer.
Purely transactional messages, like a registration confirmation or a dues receipt, are mostly exempt. Your monthly newsletter with a sponsor ad in it is not.
The Michigan law: the Children’s Protection Registry
Michigan’s Children’s Protection Registry Act (Public Act 241 of 2004) lets parents, schools and other institutions register email addresses and other contact points that minors can access. Once an address has been on the registry for more than 30 days, it’s illegal to send it a message that advertises something a minor can’t legally buy or take part in.
According to the state’s compliance site, ProtectMIChild, the covered categories include:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Gambling
- Pornography or obscene material
- Illegal drugs
- Firearms
Here’s why that matters for chambers and associations. A wine walk, a brewery-hosted mixer, a casino night fundraiser or a raffle can fall into those categories, depending on how the email is written and what it’s mostly about. If you send that kind of promotion to Michigan addresses, the law expects you to check your list against the registry first. The state runs a paid scrubbing service for that, and the penalties for skipping it are serious, both civil and criminal.
What I’d do:
- Separate the drink from the event. An email about your annual meeting that happens to be at a brewery is different from an email whose main pitch is the beer. Lead with the event, the people and the reason to come.
- Flag the risky sends. Keep a short list of event types that lean on alcohol, tobacco or gambling. Before those emails go out, someone asks the question.
- Ask your attorney whether scrubbing makes sense for your list and your events. Most member lists are adults at work addresses, but a list that includes community sign-ups is a different story.
The inbox rules: Gmail and Yahoo
Since 2024, Google has required bulk senders to authenticate their email, offer one-click unsubscribe and process unsubscribes within two days. Yahoo set similar rules. Even if your list is small, follow them. They’re the difference between the inbox and the spam folder.
Three records in your domain’s DNS do the heavy lifting: SPF, DKIM and DMARC. If those words mean nothing to you, that’s fine, but someone on your side needs to set them up and check them whenever your email platform or domain changes. A website redesign is a common moment for them to break quietly. More on that in our email marketing for associations guide.
A sending rhythm that fits Michigan
The rule that matters most anywhere is consistency. A steady drip beats a burst every time. People learn to expect you, and they open.
Michigan adds a calendar on top of that. Here’s how I think about the year:
| Season | What’s happening | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| January–March | Planning season. People are indoors and at their desks. | Annual meeting, renewals, the year’s event calendar, sponsor packages. |
| April–May | Spring events and graduations. | Golf outing registration, awards nominations, spring programs. |
| June–August | Summer. Up North, it’s peak season; downstate, people are on vacation. | Fewer, shorter emails. Golf outing logistics and recaps. |
| September–October | Back to business. The second busiest stretch. | Fall programs, conferences, membership drives. |
| November–December | Holidays and year-end giving. | Holiday party, year-end thank-yous, next year’s save-the-dates. |
Chambers in tourism towns live a different version. If your members are slammed from Memorial Day through Labor Day, don’t ask them to read a long newsletter in July. Save the big asks for the shoulder seasons and keep summer emails to what’s essential.
What to send: the email plan
You don’t need a lot of emails. You need them to keep arriving. A reasonable baseline for most chambers and associations:
- A monthly newsletter with upcoming events, member news and one sponsor spotlight.
- One email per event, plus a reminder a few days before.
- Renewal reminders on a schedule, starting before the due date. Our membership renewal letter guide has templates.
- A welcome series for new members. See member onboarding.
Every email does one job. When one message tries to promote three events, a sponsor and a survey, readers do none of them. And keep one consistent look: the same header, colors and sign-off every time, so people recognize you in a crowded inbox.
Checklist before you hit send
- [ ] Honest From name and subject line
- [ ] Physical mailing address in the footer
- [ ] Working one-click unsubscribe
- [ ] SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up for your sending domain
- [ ] Alcohol, tobacco or gambling promotion? Registry question asked
- [ ] Sent only to people who joined or opted in
- [ ] One clear job and one main link
- [ ] Looks right on a phone
Frequently asked questions
Does the Michigan Children’s Protection Registry apply to chambers of commerce?
It can. The law is about what the email advertises, not who sends it. If an email’s main purpose is promoting alcohol, tobacco, gambling or other covered products to Michigan addresses, the registry rules may apply. Talk with your attorney about your specific events and list.
How often should a chamber send email?
For most chambers, a monthly newsletter plus individual event emails is a good baseline. Consistency matters more than volume. If your members are in tourism or retail, send less during their busy season.
Can we add business card contacts from a networking event to our list?
Under CAN-SPAM you can email people without prior consent if you follow the rules, but it’s a quick way to rack up spam complaints and hurt your delivery. Ask people to opt in, or send one personal follow-up inviting them to join the list.
Running a Michigan chamber or association and want email that arrives, follows the rules and keeps going all year? It’s part of the marketing we do for chambers of commerce and associations. Request an introduction.