Each year, the Inc. 500|5000 identifies the 5,000 fastest-growing, privately held companies across America. This esteemed list provides a snapshot of entrepreneurial success and innovation. In 2013, we delved into this comprehensive ranking to pinpoint the email marketing companies that demonstrated remarkable growth between 2009 and 2012, all while earning their revenue primarily through email services.
Understanding the Inc. 5000 Criteria
Inclusion in the 2013 Inc. 500|5000 list was contingent on specific criteria:
- Companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2009.
- A minimum revenue of $100,000 was required for 2009.
- Rankings were based on the three-year revenue growth percentage, comparing fiscal years 2009 to 2012.
It’s crucial to distinguish that the Inc. 5000 ranking is based on revenue growth, not necessarily profit. For example, Marketo, despite its impressive revenue growth, reported no profits from 2010-2012. As publicly available information from SEC filings showed, Marketo even had a deficit of $82.2 million. As companies transition to become publicly traded entities, they become ineligible for future Inc. 5000 lists, which are exclusively for privately held companies.
Identifying Leading Email Marketing Innovators
To compile this focused list of the top email marketing companies, an additional criterion was applied: a substantial portion of their revenue had to originate from the email channel. Many Email Service Providers (ESPs), email marketing, and related technology companies secured a place on the Inc. 5000, showcasing the vibrant growth within the industry.
The growth percentages observed among these companies were not only impressive but also incredibly diverse. The actual 2012 revenue figures ranged significantly, from $22.2 million with 134 employees to $2.8 million with 20 employees. A minimum revenue of $2 million in 2012 was required for consideration, highlighting these businesses as some of the most dynamic in their field.
The Fastest-Growing Email Marketing Companies on the 2013 Inc. 5000
Below are the standout email marketing companies that made it onto the 2013 Inc. 5000 list, ranked by their three-year revenue growth:
- Sailthru – Ranked #30 with 7,322% growth
- LiveIntent – Ranked #71 with 4,485% growth
- Act-On Software – Ranked #172 with 2,330% growth
- Marketo – Ranked #367 with 2,330% growth
- Bronto Software – Ranked #1702 with 228% growth
- Brightwave Marketing – Ranked #1762 with 228% growth
- Net Atlantic – Ranked #2097 with 178% growth
- WhatCounts – Ranked #2296 with 178% growth
- ClickMail Marketing – Ranked #2304 with 158% growth
- Message Systems – Ranked #3194 with 102% growth
- Delivra – Ranked #4592 with 48% growth
It’s worth noting that companies like LivingSocial, despite an impressive top-growth position, were not included in this specialized list as they do not strictly align with the definition of an email marketing service provider. While the Inc. 5000 focuses on North American growth, it’s highly probable that even more and potentially faster-growing email marketing companies exist in rapidly developing global regions such as Europe, Asia, and South America.