As the year draws to a close and new one begins, it is a
good time to reflect on the email list enhancement industry, which is entering
its second decade—how far it has come, the state of the industry today, and
what lies ahead.
TowerData was a pioneer of email list enhancement, launching
its email append service in 2001. The original TowerData list
database was 11 million records in size. Today our database houses over 500
million records.
In the beginning, it was a challenge to make customers aware
of the value that the new services offered. In addition to a lack of awareness
in the industry, hesitancy was encountered because of privacy and permission
issues.
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, which established federal
guidelines for commercial email, had a major impact in removing obstacles and
standardizing the industry. Through our efforts and those of our fellow
players, customers became aware of the benefits they could derive by enhancing
their customer email lists.
Why did email list enhancement catch on and continue to
grow? Almost all customers benefit from acquiring more of their customers’
email addresses, and in many cases the gains have been dramatic—increased
revenues, lower costs, and higher customer retention. Email list enhancement
enables organizations to better engage their customers and maintain their
business and loyalty.
As with computer and Internet technologies in general,
enhancement services have progressed and evolved at a steady pace. Better
matching techniques and algorithms have been developed and refined over time. A
host of services complementary to email enhancement have been introduced,
including real-time data services and a wide range of demographic data.
Today we are in a thriving industry, and TowerData has been
able to maintain its edge through continual innovation and by focusing
exclusively on delivering high-quality services. Ten years of experience has
given TowerData deep expertise and a high reputation among its partners and
customers.
There is still a lot more innovation to come, and the
rewards of email list enhancement for customers will continue to expand. We are
committed to discovering and delivering more of that value as the future
unfolds.
