Zero to 100 In One Year: Just One Year After Launching, IMN Signs 100th Auto Dealership to IMN Loyalty Driver(TM) E-Newsletter Service

WALTHAM, Mass.--Feb. 1, 20063, 2006--

UAG, Rosenthal Automotive Organization and Curry Auto Group are Among Dealership Groups Adopting IMN Loyalty Driver and its Buy Signal(TM) Service

Less than one year after launching the IMN Loyalty Driver(TM) e-newsletter service with Buy Signals(TM) for auto dealers, IMN (iMakeNews, Inc.) of Waltham, MA has a roster of more than 100 dealership clients using the service to drive more sales and build relationships with both customers and prospects. IMN announced this milestone during the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Exposition in Orlando.

Scores of dealerships, from independent operations to affiliates of the nation's top auto groups, have signed on. For instance, United Auto Group (UAG), the second largest publicly traded auto retailer in the U.S., has several stores adopting IMN Loyalty Driver. The Rosenthal Automotive Organization and the Curry Auto Group have all their dealerships using the service. Other customers include Marc Heitz Ford, BMW Gallery, Acton Toyota, and Westbrook Honda.

"The IMN Loyalty Driver e-newsletter service is seeing rapid adoption because dealerships see instant results," said Brian Epro, director of the automotive services group, IMN. "New clients are amazed when they send their first IMN Loyalty Driver e-newsletter and immediately begin receiving inbound sales calls, requests for test drives, and surges in Website traffic."

The Buy Signal service, a breakthrough capability included with the IMN Loyalty Driver e-newsletter, delivers leads to the dealer in real-time so they can be moved quickly to closure. Buy Signal buttons are automatically inserted in key e-newsletter articles, enabling customers to request test drive and service appointments with a single mouse-click. Leads are sent directly to pre-designated sales personnel for fast follow-up.

Since last January, when IMN introduced IMN Loyalty Driver and its Buy Signal service, market acceptance has been accelerating. IMN reports the following:

-- Immediate results: Dealers report that IMN Loyalty Driver makes an immediate impact on the business development center and the Internet sales manager. "After we sent our first issues from our Chevrolet and Honda stores, we received 91 follow-up calls," said Scott Haynes, director of business development, Penske Chevrolet and Penske Honda, both of Indianapolis. "IMN Loyalty Driver is not only affordable and easy to use, but it also provides more value than any Internet marketing or sales tool we have ever tried."

-- Delivery of high quality leads with superior close rates: Buy Signal leads have a better chance of closing than those from traditional lead providers, because the individuals are requesting test drives, so they are far along in the buying cycle and are ready to close. "IMN Loyalty Driver's Buy Signals push us leads so we can follow up and make a sale while customers are ready to buy," said Bob Mitchell, manager of Internet and business development for Gallery Automotive Group and its BMW Gallery. "Our July issue resulted in nine test drives being scheduled within four hours of sending our e-newsletter!"

-- Dramatic increases in dealership Website traffic: Auto dealers consistently report that their Website traffic increases by two to five times every time they send their IMN Loyalty Driver e-newsletter. "At first I was skeptical," said Matt Lamoureux, director of Internet business development, Acton Toyota & Scion. "Then we sent our first IMN Loyalty Driver e-newsletter and I was impressed to see our Website traffic spike to 2.5 times its normal rate. Then, over the next month, the e-newsletter delivered even more tangible results as we received several qualified Buy Signals and test drive requests. Today I am a believer."

In fact, many dealerships report that their e-newsletters are their number-one driver of Web traffic, according to Mr. Epro.

-- Massive reduction in email list burn-out: Because IMN Loyalty Driver e-newsletters contain lifestyle articles, as well as vehicle reviews and promotions, "unsubscribe" rates are far lower than the industry standard 9 percent opt-out rate of retail email marketing. Many dealers, in fact, report opt-out rates of as low as 1 percent. Lifestyle content includes articles about local travel destinations, seasonal and regional features, and movie reviews. It provides a balance with "soft-sell" content to keep subscribers engaged and exposed to the dealership brand even if they are not quite ready to buy.

IMN Loyalty Driver is a fully managed, monthly e-newsletter service for auto dealers. The turnkey service includes a customized e-newsletter design, professionally written lifestyle and auto industry articles, monthly managed email sends, Buy Signal lead distribution, and detailed analytics. IMN Loyalty Driver is designed to make it quick and easy for dealers to implement a highly professional e-newsletter program without the need to do any writing or HTML programming.

For more information on IMN Loyalty Driver, please contact Brian Epro at 866-964-NEWS or bepro@imninc.com. Additional IMN Loyalty Driver details are available at www.imnloyaltydriver.com.

About IMN

IMN (iMakeNews, Inc.) of Waltham, 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, email, mini-sites, weblogs, and robust tracking and analytics. IMN products are sold worldwide directly and through 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 over 1,300 accounts globally. The company's approach to e-communications has been embraced by major corporations such as Shell Oil, Wachovia, CitiStreet, and ING. IMN is located at 200 Fifth Avenue, Waltham, MA 02451.

Journalists who would like more information should contact Dawn Ringel, Warner Communications, at 781-449-8456 or dawn@warnerpr.com.