EMPACT SOFTWARE SUITE GIVES SMBs AFFORDABLE, AUTOMATED eMARKETING mUrgents anywhere, anytime permission-based program can boost response 500%

mUrgent, the only e-marketing company to combine affordable, automated email and wireless marketing services to small and medium-sized businesses has launched its EMPACT digital communications software suite, from headquarters in Orange County, CA.

EDITOR CONTACT: Boris Bugarski (PRWEB) August 15, 2003 -3732
bbugarski@mUrgent.com www.mUrgent.com

EMPACT SOFTWARE SUITE GIVES SMBs AFFORDABLE, AUTOMATED E-MARKETING
mUrgent's anywhere, anytime permission-based program can boost response 500%

Santa Ana, CA (PRWEB) August, 2003 - mUrgent, the only e-marketing company to combine affordable, automated email and wireless marketing services to small and medium-sized businesses, has launched its EMPACT digital communications software suite, from headquarters in Orange County, CA.

"When emarketing emerged in the late 1980's, businesses jumped on the bandwagon, taking advantage of economical list serve technology, though most smaller businesses tended to be late adopters. Now mUrgent's automated EMPACT software makes this especially effective type of customer relationship management (CRM) specially affordable and practical for small-to-medium sized businesses. We've been surprised at how many smaller companies are unaware of emarketing advantages, but we're confident they will adopt this new technique when they understand how much more efficient it can be than more traditional forms of marketing like direct mail. And we have incorporated personalized SMS as well," says mUrgent CEO, Boris Bugarski.

PERMISSION-BASED eMARKETING RESPONSE VALIDATED

mUrgent research clearly demonstrates the advantages of emarketing over traditional advertising and direct mail. Only an average 1.8 percent response rate comes from TV and radio ads, telemarketing, web banners, door-to-door, display ads, targeted and bulk direct mail.

Permission-based email and SMS marketing average a 16 percent response, because recipients are volunteering to receive information they are interested in, so it is expected, relevant and personalized. Further research by Digital Impact and Nokia Corp. indicates that more than 50 percent of email and wireless users are agreeable to receiving marketing messages from companies that solicit and verify their interest.

Bugarski reminds business owners that on average 80 percent of their revenues are generated by 20 percent of their customer base. In addition, existing customers normally spend nearly 70 percent more than new customers. This is a good reason to build stronger relationships with those who have spent money in the past and are a strong source of referrals.    

"Permission-based e-marketing is the most logical way to increase customer revenue and loyalty, especially for businesses that don't have the human and financial resources of their larger competitors. Remember that it costs five to 10 times more to market and capture a new customer than to keep one you already have," says Bugarski.

DIGITAL AUTOMATION EQUALS AFFORDABILITY

mUrgent's EMPACT is the first affordable automated e-marketing software ever offered to the small-to-medium sized business community. Using a common Internet connection and a secure customer log-in identification, businesses can create their own customer databases and schedule email and wireless marketing campaigns online. No hardware or software purchases are required, and because the process is all digital, no expensive postage, graphic production, printing, photography or advertising production and placement costs are required. The campaign can be managed and modified anytime an Internet connection is available, anywhere around the world.

mUrgent hosts, manages and administers the databases and marketing schedules prepared by clients, completely eliminating the need for labor intensive marketing management. Comprehensive tracking reports in chart and graph format are available at any time, and EMPACT users can view records of individual customers separately, including the ability to send a specific customer an email or wireless text message.

Though production costs of hardcopy direct mail brochures and other collateral literature varies from campaign to campaign, mUrgent estimates the average cost of a delivered piece of direct mail to be one dollar. A business distributing 10,000 direct mail pieces would spend $10,000 for one campaign in a single month. In comparison, EMPACT users can send 20,000 personalized emails and an additional 100 SMS messages to wireless devices - that is two campaigns - for under $100 per month.

DATABASE DEVELOPMENT TUTORIAL

EMPACT's online manual and tutorials walk users step-by-step through development of specialized customer databases, which mUrgent servers then host. Marketers can create highly-targeted lists and group them by any categories they choose, including product and service preference, geographic location, income and socio-economic demographics. Companies can log in and modify whole lists or even individual customer name information at any time.

TIME-CENTRIC CAMPAIGN SCHEDULING

Bugarski has dubbed EMPACT's scheduling program 'time-centric", because of its exceptional flexibility which allows companies to quickly establish a simple ongoing dialogue that helps keep the company's brand in the customers' mind. Standard direct mail and advertising campaigns are limited to single calendar release dates, but EMPACT schedules can be established for a virtually unlimited number of sequential and highly specific dates and time intervals, including instantly.

"By contacting customers more frequently with information on products and they have already expressed interest in, EMPACT users capture far more share of mind than their competitors. And, each EMPACT message includes the sender's brand and slogan in a graphic letterhead atop each email as well as each recipient's first name throughout the message - a personalized approach The company branding effort and customer name personalization are exceptionally effective," says Bugarski.

The most commonly sent schedules include limited time promotions, product and service update announcements, special event and warranty service reminders, thank you notes and birthday greetings and up-sell/cross-sell information campaigns.

CUSTOMIZABLE, BRANDED EMAIL

EMPACT software gives users control over the branded look of their email messages. Users can import images from the Internet, GIF or JPG, select colors and type fonts and include other "Word"-type text editor features.

The online manual walks users step by step through their email design and includes sample templates, tips on creative email design and popular email strategies used by successful e-marketers around the world.

MESSAGING YOU AND mUrgent ALERT SERVICES

In addition to EMPACT, mUrgent clients can license Messaging You, a free downloadable software program that sends branded advertising messages to any U.S.-based cell phone. mUrgent Alerts, much like "sticky notes", are a simple application that broadcasts important bulletins to any number of individuals' desktops and includes links, graphics or web pages.

EMPACT ROLLOUT

Small Orange County businesses are already using EMPACT to increase their business from current customers and to build additional loyalty, including Sol Grill of Newport Beach, Golf Plus and Florence Italian Cuisine in Irvine and clothier Austin Taylor in Anaheim.

mUrgent is also negotiating with 23-store Fry's Electronics based in San Jose, CA, 752-outlet Michael's Stores based in Irving, TX and Plantronics of Santa Cruz, CA, a major manufacturer of audio headsets. CompUSA, The Walt Disney Company and Pizza Hut negotiations are also underway.

VETERAN TECHNOLOGISTS

Bugarski has been in online marketing for over a decade. He is noted for his comprehension of online systems, advising and building relationships for start-ups and growing young companies. He sits on the Advisory Boards of F.S.C.I., Inc. and Linear Travel, LLC. He is a member of the Society of Internet Advancement, Orange County Chapter and also sits on the Executive Council of the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton.

mUrgent's vice president of business development, Tom Reese, has 25 years experience in high technology business development and was instrumental in the growth of Ingram Software, which is now Ingram Micro.

Senior software engineer Rodney Mosley is a database and software engineering specialist with more than 10 years experience. Abraham Bosch, software engineer, specialized in application development and back end programming. He served as a programming instructor for Boeing, AOL, Lucent and MBNA. mUrgent now employs more than 30 professionals.

ABOUT mUrgent

mUrgent, an e-marketing authority, delivers EMPACT, the first affordable email and SMS automation software for small and medium-sized businesses that understand the value of building strong, permission-based customer relations EMPACT features include simplified database and campaign management, time-centric campaign scheduling and tracking, and e-marketing articles featuring the most useful online marketing strategies and tactics used worldwide.

###