The Local Advertising Sales division of Jumpstart Digital Marketing, Inc., an interactive media sales, marketing and technology company, says it has significantly enhanced its program that helps dealers connect with in-market buyers who are researching online.

Though partnerships with auto sites such as Car.com; NADAguides.com; CarandDriver.com and others, Jumpstart says it has increased the online traffic available to dealers to over 10 million unique visitors each month.

In addition to higher in-market buyer traffic, Jumpstart says it now offers "make exclusivity." This program enables dealers to be the exclusive showroom in a set geographic area to advertise local availability of the auto makes they carry. This effectively locks-out competition from other dealers in the same region offering the same models, according to the company.

The company says other Jumpstart Auto Advertising Network enhancements include new features in a rich media ad format that enable online car shoppers to schedule a test drive with a specific local dealer, get driving directions to the dealership, or print a special offer coupon from the dealer. These features occur within the advertisement rather than requiring users to click through to the dealer's web site.

"Everything we have done since launching Jumpstart's Auto Advertising Network last fall has been designed to help local dealers capture that 88 percent of car buyers who go online and research makes, models and pricing before selecting a dealer," says Thomas J. O'Leary, Jumpstart's Detroit-based vice president of local advertising sales. "With geo-exclusivity, Jumpstart can assure that dealers not only reach these in-market buyers, but can lock them in by being the only dealer in their area to advertise the makes they offer.

"Dealers have known that the Internet is good for generating leads through zip-code driven searches, but the fact is, 95 percent of visitors to most auto sites do NOT fill out online lead forms, but are clearly in the a buying mindset as they research their next car," concludes Mr. O'Leary. "We are confident that buyers will be engaged and impressed by messages from nearby dealers showing up as they research on major third-party sites."

Based in San Francisco, Jumpstart Digital Marketing, Inc. is a privately held company. Founded in 2000, the company has three revenue producing services: National Advertising Sales Representation; Local Advertising Sales Representation; and a technology-based New Car Shopping Program that provides revenue from lead-generation.