February 2005
Two key names in data provision have elected to use Thomson Directories' email database in their provision of email marketing services.

Experian's National Business Database clients now have direct access to Thomson Directories' 370,000 opt-in business-to-business email addresses - the largest fully managed email database in the UK . Also confirming their commitment to Thomson's email database is B2B specialist data agency, Data HQ, who have this month renewed their reseller agreement with Thomson Directories.

Now powered by Thomson Directories, Experian's new email Marketing Service enables Experian's clients to perform fully integrated multi-channel direct marketing campaigns across email, direct mail and telephone, through a single data source.

"By combining Thomson's Email Database with our National Business Database, we can offer our clients the most sophisticated service in the UK ", says Richard Lloyd, Director of B2B Marketing at Experian.

Data HQ, whose database covers more than two million businesses in the UK including major industrial, commercial and public sectors, see the Thomson email database as enhancing their own B2B offering and adding another layer of value to their customers:

"There is an increasing demand for B2B email as part of an integrated marketing campaign and as reputable data providers we have to be totally confident that what we are offering to our customers is the best they can get," says Data HQ Managing Director, Tim Holt.

"The email database developed by Thomson is not only extensive, but carries that level of integrity now so essential in the email marketing process. There is no comparable service in the market place at the moment".

Delivery and tracking is fully managed from start to finish, and emails are sent no more frequently than once a week to an individual address. The service is conducted in-house with no email addresses given to third parties, so maintaining control of the data.

Email addresses are collected and checked during the 10,000 verification calls made every day to companies listed on the Thomson Directories Database to ensure the accuracy of its data. Before being added to the database, owners of email addresses are given at least two opportunities to opt out of the list. Once added to the database, addressees are given the opportunity to opt out with every email they receive, thus maintaining the integrity and value of the data.

Customers can track the results of the campaign themselves via an electronic link provided by Thomson. This reports such detail as the number of emails opened, how many click throughs, the number of bounces and how many recipients have opted out - valuable information which can then be used to measure, modify and further improve follow-up campaigns.

Comments Mary Whatley, Business Information Manager for Thomson Directories: "Our email marketing database provides the accuracy and reliability to ensure our customers can fully maximise the potential of their marketing campaigns, and the reassurance that the data they are using complies with today's best practice and legal requirements".

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