Webstakes Launches iDialog Promotions Service

Webstakes, a prize and savings club, recently launched iDialog, an e-commerce promotions service designed to help companies build long-term relationships with consumers and enable buyers and sellers “to dialog” over time.

Twenty companies signed long-term deals in the past few weeks to use the company’s iDialog promotions during the holiday shopping season and beyond., including CDW, Citibank, Hallmark, Hyundai, iMall, Intellihealth, Intercasino, Juno, MainXchange, Net@dress, Netscape, The Princeton Review, Scottrade, ShopNow Market, Spree.com, Spinner.com, Ubid, Universal Studios Online, Virtual Vegas and Ynot.

Steven H. Krein, president and co-founder of Webstakes, said: “iDialog is designed not just to help a company’s marketing and sales efforts, but to provide a digital channel for our partners to dialog over time and build ongoing commerce relationships with our members.”

Using dialog marketing and Webstakes’ proprietary database engine, iDialog delivers targeted promotions and special offers to members likely to be interested in the information. As users interact with the Webstakes Prize and Savings Club, iDialog builds individual relationships with members to make each interaction more intelligent and relevant than the previous one. Each time a member comes to Webstakes, the dialog continues and consumers are able to opt-in to receive only the types of information and individual offers that they want to receive, the company said.

Measurement and results generated by Webstakes iDialog promotions are based on a sponsorship model rather than click-throughs or traditional CPM. Webstakes integrates ongoing promotions for client partners on targeted prize and savings club channels, via the Webstakes update emailed to more than half a million members, and through product and brand placements in the Webstakes Affiliate program, Tell-A-Friend program, on banners, buttons and exclusive content positions throughout the Webstakes site.

Webstakes said several companies already using iDialog promotions have increased conversion rates to more than 50 percent compared to 1-2 percent they are generating from traditional forms of online advertising.

Founded in 1996 in New York, Webstakes, a TRUSTe member, has 1.2 million members who come to win prizes and get exclusive savings. Partners include Netscape, Universal Studios, CBS Sportsline, PCFlowers, CDW, HomeArts, Spree.com and Sonicnet.