IMN Launches Total Channel Communications™ Service, Enabling Technology Vendors to Support VARs with Lead-Generation E-Newsletter Campaigns

PTC® Rolls Out New Service to Worldwide Reseller Network During Annual Channel Sales Kickoff in Orlando

Waltham MA, October 19, 2005—IMN (iMakeNews, Inc.) of Waltham, MA, a leading e-communications service provider, today announced the launch of its Total Channel Communications™ service, which enables technology vendors to support their value-added resellers with lead generation e-newsletter campaigns. IMN and PTC recently rolled out the service to PTC’s worldwide VAR network during the annual PTC Channel Advantage Sales Kickoff in Orlando.

IMN designed Total Channel Communications to help technology vendors and their resellers increase revenues and speed time to market through more effective and timely communications with end customers. Using the Internet-based service, vendors build professional e-newsletters, populate them with articles and special offers, and then make them available to their reseller network. Resellers can add “localized” content, distribute the e-newsletters under their own masthead to their secure customer lists, and then use IMN’s analytics to track individual reader responses and uncover warm leads in real time. Vendors also gain aggregated data about the content and offers that are most popular with their end customers.

“This IMN service represents a breakthrough on many levels, and addresses the challenges inherent to the vendor/reseller/end customer relationship for the first time,” said David A. Fish, CEO of IMN. “For instance, vendors can finally ensure that their customers receive full and accurate product information with their brand messages intact, even with multiple resellers representing them. VARs have a new tool for driving leads and staying ‘top of mind’ with their customers, and they don’t need to share their client lists with vendors in order to use it. Both vendors and resellers also gain unprecedented visibility into customers’ interests and preferences—and for vendors, that new level of information can even help to shape future marketing decisions.”

“PTC is committed to helping our VARs maximize their success by giving them the most effective communications tools,” said Greg James, senior director, Worldwide Channel Marketing, PTC. “We have always wanted to provide our resellers with an e-newsletter solution, and IMN’s program is the best I’ve seen. The Total Channel Communications service with PTC’s pre-written content is fast and easy for our resellers to use. It provides an extremely user-friendly and scalable communications system that our channel marketing team can roll out on a global basis in multiple languages to better empower our resellers.”

PTC has made a comprehensive library of e-newsletter content available to its 300+ resellers who market its solutions to small and midsize businesses. Content includes customer case studies, tips and tricks for leveraging its software, specific product information and promotions, Webcast schedules and other calendar items, and forms for requesting more sales information. PTC is also providing three e-newsletter layouts, or templates, to its VARs.

With a few mouse clicks, resellers can simply place the pre-written content of their choice within a specific template, add their own logo and articles as needed, and then “send.” IMN’s Web-based Total Channel Communications service manages all other necessary functions for PTC and its resellers, including hosting, subscription list management and segmentation, tracking “bounce backs,” managing opt-outs for anti-spam compliance, and more. Resellers have secure access to their own customer contact list, for guaranteed protection of this valuable asset.

The Total Channel Communications service leverages IMN’s advanced analytics to automatically capture and report on readers’ consumption of information—such as click-throughs, most-read content, time spent reading, and pass-along/forwarding behavior. This data enables vendors and resellers to hone e-newsletter content from issue to issue to keep end customers engaged. In addition, resellers can see the behavior of individual e-newsletter subscribers in response to specific content and offers. Based on subscriber interests, resellers can then tailor their follow-up calls, print and Web advertising, and other marketing initiatives to drive and accelerate sales.

Total Channel Communications is the first B2B application built on IMN’s multi-tier e-communications platform. This unique platform combines a third-generation email service, content management and workflow capabilities, and IMN’s market-leading analytics for readership tracking and identification of new sales leads. For more information, please see www.totalchannelcommunications.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™, 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, and its phone number is 1-866-964-NEWS.

Journalists who would like more information on IMN and its new Total Channel Communications service should contact Dawn Ringel, Warner Communications, at 781-449-8456 or dawn@warnerpr.com.