Brook company, IMN in the news

Brook company, IMN allows auto dealers to detect customer buy signals in real time.

NEWTON, Mass. – IMN (iMakeNews, Inc.) today launched a breakthrough online “Buy Signal Service” that quickly alerts auto dealers when a customer is getting ready to buy a new car–giving them the chance to immediately respond. The IMN service provides dealers with actionable information about their most profitable and qualified pool of prospective buyers: their established customer base. This unique capability is part of IMN’s Loyalty Driver(TM) e-newsletter service for auto dealerships.

“We are very excited to offer this new service,” said David A. Fish, Chief Executive Officer, IMN. “For the first time, auto dealers can gain highly-qualified leads on customers who have clearly indicated intent to purchase. Armed with actionable information in real time, dealers can pre-empt customers from going to a competitor, and thus maintain their loyalty and maximize their lifetime value.”

The “Buy Signal Service” builds on the capabilities of Loyalty Driver e-newsletters, which engage readers with compelling lifestyle articles. Loyalty Driver also works to drive and accelerate purchase intent with “soft-sell” content, time-sensitive information and other special offers. It then detects where readers are in the buying cycle through sophisticated tracking and analytics. With the addition of the “Buy Signal Service,” dealers can use Loyalty Driver to not only maintain customers’ interest and loyalty–but also to know when and what to sell them.

The new service takes a giant leap forward when compared to current lead generation alternatives. First, it provides leads at the individual customer level in real time. The “Buy Signal Service” identifies individuals who have displayed an indication of purchase intent. It pushes these leads to dealers so they can follow up and close a sale. Dealers receive immediate information with precise detail on the customer’s purchase interest and intensity.

Second, it provides dealers with leads derived from their existing customers, eliminating the risk that those customers will “defect” to another dealer when surfing conventional automotive lead generation web sites. The net result is a powerful way to capitalize on the Internet to generate high-quality leads from current customers.

The “Buy Signal Service” expands upon IMN’s sophisticated readership analysis capabilities, which show how customers react to articles and offers (what articles they read, how far they drill down for further information, whether they look at a time-sensitive offer more than once, etc.). Now dealers can embed “call-to-action” mechanisms within or adjacent to their e-newsletter articles so that customers can immediately request more information or other follow-up. Through this contextual marketing, dealers generate instant leads but without the risk of eventual customer “burnout” often associated with promotion-heavy/hard sell-only communications.

Through the new service, dealers can make these “call-to-action” mechanisms available throughout a newsletter issue. Customers can request additional details on new-car sales, new lease terms, and more. Dealers have the flexibility to request in-depth customer information–from the best times to call, to the models and colors of most interest. Each alert goes to pre-designated dealership personnel for follow-up. The system also can automatically respond to alerts via a return e-mail to the prospect.

For more information on Loyalty Driver and the new “Buy Signal Service,” please contact Brian Epro, IMN, at 866-964-NEWS or bepro@imninc.com. Additional Loyalty Driver details are available at http://loyaltydriver.imninc.com.

About IMN

IMN (iMakeNews, Inc.) of Newton, MA is a leading e-communications service provider. Originally focused on e-newsletters, IMN now delivers e-communications solutions that boost business performance and span e-newsletters, e-mail, mini-sites, Weblogs, and robust tracking and analytics. IMN products are sold worldwide directly and through a host of reseller organizations. IMN has pioneered Informative Marketing(TM), a strategy for using online analytics to better understand customers and prospects, take action based on their responses to content, and improve the return on e-communications program investments. Founded in 1999 and funded by Brook Venture Funds, IMN services more than 1,000 accounts globally. The company’s approach to e-communications has been embraced by major corporations such as Shell Oil, Wachovia, CitiStreet, ING, and General Electric. More information about IMN can be found at www.imninc.com or by calling 866-964-NEWS