2 Major Email Related Items - IPOs & Trade Group M & A

DM News reports "Constant Contact paves way to publicly traded status." This is indicative of the robust environment and huge upside for email marketing companies. That is a major breakthrough for the industry and it will be interesting to see who follows ConstantContact into the public markets as well as any related M & A activity (what will ConstantContact do with their new horde of cash?) and how Wall Street will treat an email marketing company.

I would be shocked to see any email related company receive valuations similar to its online advertising or search brethren. I am not saying they don't deserve them but email does not have the halo that other online marketing platforms have. However, they may be thrown in the online advertising bucket for lack of a defined category currently serviced by the Street.

Also, in its newsletter sent early Monday, Direct appears to scoop some big news related to the Email Experience Council and DMA. I will reserve my judgment once we find out more. BrightWave Marketing and EmailStatCenter.com have strong relationships and partnerships with the eec, so we will have more to come.