Gartner Says Marketers Must Differentiate E-Mail Marketing From Spam; Spam Will Account for 60 Percent of E-Mail by End of 2004.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2003

Approximately 50 percent of e-mail traffic in 2003 is spam, and by mid-2004, it will grow to 60 percent, so marketers must take immediate steps to differentiate their e-mail marketing from spam, according to Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB).

By 2005, content managers, rule-based software and Internet service providers will effectively blacklist 80 percent of all e-mail marketing campaigns, including permission-based e-mail.

"Most marketers today find that the pressure to achieve cost benefits far outweighs consideration for the e-mail's usefulness to customers," said Adam Sarner, industry analyst for Gartner. "Before customers ignore this valuable medium, marketers must start again by clearly identifying their customer base, surveying their customers as to the types of e-mail they would like to receive, and then deliver on the feedback and give customers a way to update their preferences frequently."

When used efficiently, e-mail marketing is an effective communication tool. According to Gartner analysts, a well-crafted e-mail can receive as high as a 15 percent response rate, compared with less than 1 percent for banner ads. Moreover, a company can collect real-time information about its customers and use the data to anticipate customer needs.

"Because e-mail can be effective and is less expensive than traditional marketing methods, by the end of 2004 more than 80 percent of companies engaged in direct marketing will conduct at least one e-mail marketing campaign," said Sarner. "It is thus imperative that marketers start now to differentiate their e-mail campaigns from spam by focusing on communication, personalization and delivery expertise."

Additional information is available in the Gartner Research Note "Marketers Can Differentiate E-Mail From Spam." The Research Note provides analysis on how marketers can distribute effective, targeted e-mail campaigns that customers will be able to read. This document is available on Gartner's Web site at www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=408290.

Gartner analysts will provide their outlook for the IT industry during Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2003, which will be held October 19-24 in Orlando, Florida. Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the IT industry's largest and most strategic conference, providing business leaders with a look at the future of IT. For more details or to register for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2003, visit www.gartner.com/us/symposium/us or call 1-800-778-1997. Members of the media can register for the event by contacting Maria DiMasi at [phone] or e-mailing [e-mail].

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. is a research and advisory firm that helps more than 10,000 clients leverage technology to achieve business success. Gartner's businesses are Research, Consulting, Measurement, Events and Executive Programs. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and has more than 3,800 associates, including approximately 1,000 research analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations worldwide. Revenue for calendar year 2002 totaled $888 million. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.