Inflection Point Media Reaches Out to SMBs

An estimated $5.3 billion will be spent on online business-to-business advertising in the United States during 2009, according to a recent report from online marketing firm eMarketer. For small and midsize business owners looking for a way to get the most advertising bang for their buck, Inflection Point Media wants to be the answer. IPM says its launch of a vertical ad network aimed at midmarket companies will give SMB owners the tools they need to reach clients.

IPM uses search and behavioral data to identify business buyers and retarget ads related to their proven purchase intent, drawing from nearly 32 million monthly users in its portfolio of sites. "We help marketers reach business buyers just at the right time to influence their final purchase decision," said IPM CEO and founder Chris Hulse. "In the current economic downturn, marketers are looking for the most efficient and effective ways to get their message in front of potential buyers at the right time."

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Web sites such as American City Business Journals' network of more than 60 sites, SBTV.com and StartupNation.com are part of the IPM network, for which they earn incremental revenue in a way that does not cannibalize their existing sales efforts, IPM said. SMB owners who visit the IPM network of sites identify themselves as potential buyers through search and navigation behavior.

IPM collects this anonymous data, creates vast audience segments of buyers with common interests and enables marketers to retarget them anywhere across Revenue Science's Targeting Marketplace. "Every ad impression must count," Hulse said. "It is important that you identify true in-market buyers and not just tire-kickers."

John Warrillow, managing director of Warrillow & Co., a subsidiary of The Corporate Executive Board, which provides advisory services to enterprise companies targeting the small business segment, said he thinks IPM will be at the vortex of a significant part of the American economy.

"About 98 percent of all businesses in the U.S. are small businesses. There are 24 million small businesses in the U.S. alone," Warrillow said. "Increasingly, managers from small and medium-sized businesses are going online to research and purchase everything from office equipment to insurance, from furniture to supplies."

Inflection Point Media is backed by $2.5 million of seed funding provided by American City Business Journals.