Matchpoint, an online service for people to anonymously request and compare offers and proposals from businesses, announced today the beta launch of its service to include over 10 million local businesses across the United States. Consumers now have more options to quickly and privately get competitive offers from local businesses in their neighborhoods as well as from major corporations that operate nationwide.

Here are a dozen reasons to give Matchpoint a try in your town:

- From LASIK eye surgeons to gyms to house cleaners, Matchpoint provides consumers with a new way to find and select businesses that can provide them with the products or services they need.

– Matchpoint’s matching service allows consumers to forgo the fatigue that results from using search engines to find relevant businesses as well as the effort that goes into contacting and researching businesses — many of which are not online. Instead, with Matchpoint:

- Consumers describe their needs by filling out a short category specific search form after which they are matched with three to five businesses that match their criteria.

- Businesses then have an opportunity to respond to the consumer’s search through Matchpoint’s proxy message service.

- The consumer’s email or personal information is never given out so they maintain control of the process, evaluate the responses, and can then contact the business(es) directly whenever it is convenient for them.

- Users can access the Matchpoint search forms on thousands of websites in Matchpoint’s partner network, where they are placed relevant to the content they are reading.

- The Matchpoint model expands on the success seen in key verticals such as finance, health and fitness, to 10 million businesses in nearly 3,000 business categories.

- Unlike traditional search engines or PPC models, Matchpoint advertisers only pay to have their offer or proposal delivered to qualified prospects that meet their target customer profile.

- The expansion scales a model established by GetVendors.com, which Matchpoint recently acquired. Search portal GetVendors.com is an online resource for consumers looking for household services in California.

- Integrating the GetVendors technology, Matchpoint now includes a unique method of delivering leads to local businesses over the telephone whenever they are matched to a consumer’s search.

- Local businesses that are not already registered with Matchpoint can respond to consumers via voice mail messages that Matchpoint delivers to the consumers’ email inbox (the consumer always remains anonymous).

- Local businesses that do the majority of their business over the phone can now utilize Matchpoint to meet new customers online without needing to have a web site or any online marketing expertise.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 at 2:03 pm and is filed under Alts, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.