Video e-mails steer traffic to dealer sites and showrooms

The videos feature special incentives and other offers intended to prompt consumers to click on a related link in a message and connect to an auto dealer’s site. Outsell, which has more than 350 auto dealer clients, has been testing the video concept for more than six months with a handful of Toyota, Honda and Nissan dealers.

“E-mail video gets some of the highest click-through rates,” says Mindy Dolan, product specialist, interactive marketing, at Outsell. “Many consumers are becoming more visually driven when it comes to a marketing message; including a video in a marketing e-mail creates a stronger pull into the message.”

Email Film Technologies also has produced e-mail videos for dating services, credit card issuers, student loan companies, jewelers and a real estate school, says Bill Adagio, vice president of sales and marketing and co-founder of the company.

It also is targeting e-mail service providers and says it has received interest from some multi-channel retailers. “Consumers are getting bored with text-based e-mail marketing messages that contain static images,” Adagio says. “Including video is a way to push people to the final destination, the retailer’s web site.”