Multichannel Medicine: Critiques and More at 2008 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM)

May 7, 2008 — Everybody’s a critic. Direct marketers know this, because it’s all they hear if their catalogs, websites, email creative, or other multichannel efforts are found wanting. Usually, those critics don’t offer solutions. But a plethora of experts at the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) will have the answers.

Catalog, website, and email creative critiques and the “Ask the Doctor” Multichannel Merchant Medical Center will help cure what ails multichannel marketing efforts. All this will happen during the conference being co-produced by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and Multichannel Merchant, which will take place May 19-22 in Orlando, FL.

“Even direct marketing geniuses can use a little help now and then, and these one-on-one critiques, as well as the Medical Center, will be offered at ACCM to help,” commented Angela Eastin, group show director, Penton Media.

Catalog Critiques

As book sizes decrease, many more catalog aspects change, too. Creative, copywriting, and more have to adjust. Attendees who bring in catalogs can get tune ups in these areas and more, thanks to the 20 minute, one-on-one sessions for business-to-business and business-to-consumer catalogers. The critiques will be run by:

· Gene BeHage, President, Gene BeHage Consulting

· Rick Binger, President, Binger Catalog Marketing

· Lois Boyle-Brayfield, President and Chief Creative Officer, J. Schmid & Associates

· Chris Carrington, President, Catalogs by Lorel

· Sarah Fletcher, Creative Director, Catalog Design Studios

· John Galvin, Principal and Co-Founder, Integrate, Inc.

· Jean Giesmann, formerly of BlueSky Brands

· Paula J. Jeske, Vice President, New Business Development, Direct Marketing, Black Dot Group

· Susan McIntyre, President, MyIntyre Direct

· Brent Niemuth, Vice President, Creative, J. Schmid & Associates

· Jeff Ryan, Copy Director, Catalog Design Studios

· Kathleen Schultz, President, KMS Consulting

· Glenda Shasho Jones, President, Shasho Jones Direct

· Carol Worthington-Levy, Partner, Creative Services, LENSER

· Mike Wychocki, Executive Vice President, Partner, Haggin Marketing

· John Wynn, Vice President, Business Development, Haggin Marketing

Website Critiques

The aim of these 20-minute consulting sessions is to help improve sales from attendees’ websites. Experts will guide attendees on improving the appearance, navigation, and thereby ROI of their Internet efforts.

· Dayna Bateman, Senior Strategic Analyst, Fry, Inc.

· John Deneen, President, SiteForm Inc.

· Bob Hale, Usability Specialist, Resource Interactive

· Jackie Methling, E-Commerce Sales Strategist, AmericanEagle.com

· Teresa Rauschendorfer, Art Director, James Tower Email Marketing Design

· Jennifer Wells, Senior Marketing Manager, DMinSite

Email Marketing Creative Critiques

What’s the difference between effective and ineffective email marketing? Easy. Response rates. Solving email creative problems to help boost response is the goal of these 20-minute, one-on-one critiques.

· Kim Ryan, Account Manager, James Tower Email Marketing Design

· Linda Crandall, Vice President, Marketing and Client Relations, Knowledge Marketing

‘Ask the Doctor’ Multichannel Merchant Medical Center

Attendees who have a bad case of email, creative, or other blues will find solutions here. Experts from every conceivable specialty will be on hand to supply prescriptions for catalog and multichannel marketers’ woes. Physicians include:

· Dayna Batement, Senior Strategic Analyst, Fry, Inc., Web Design/Usability

· Larry Becker, Vice President, Website Effectiveness, The Rimm-Kaufman Group,
E-Commerce/Usability

· Gene BeHage, President, Gene BeHage Consulting, Creative/Copy

· Rick Binger, Binger Catalog Marketing, Creative

· David Bivins, Fry, Inc., Web Design/Usability

· Lois Boyle-Brayfield, President and Chief Creative Officer, J. Schmid & Associates, Creative

· Connie Chappell, Ability Commerce-Direct Marketing Intelligence, Web Usability

· John Deneen, President, SiteForm Inc., Web Design

· Michelle Farabaugh, LENSER, Circulation

· Sarah Fletcher, Creative Director, Catalog Design Studios, Creative

· Dawn Flook, Director of Production, Catalogs by Lorel, Production

· John Galvin, Principal and Co-Founder, Integrate, Inc., Branding, Creative

· Ryan Gibson, The Rimm-Kaufman Group, Paid Search Marketing

· Michael Grant, Principal, Michael Grant Direct, Online/Offline Growth Strategies

· Rok Hrastnik, Studio Moderna, RSS/Email

· Glenda Shasho Jones, President, Shasho Jones Direct, Creative

· Fatemeh Khatibloo, Binger Catalog Marketing, Circulation

· Brent Niemuth, Vice President, Creative, J. Schmid & Associates, Creative

· George J. Mollo Jr., President, GJM Associates Inc. and DMA Catalog Council Operating Committee Chair, Merchandise Analysis/Inventory Management/Operations

· Jeff Ryan, Copy Director, Catalog Design Studios, Creative/Copy

· Andrea Syverson, President, IER Partners, Merchandising/Branding

· Jennifer Wells, Senior Marketing Manager, DMinSite, Web Design

· Roy Wollen, Database Insight, Inc., Database Strategies

· Carol Worthington-Levy, Partner, Creative Services, LENSER, Creative

· Mike Wychocki, Executive Vice President, Partner, Haggin Marketing, Creative

· John Wynn, Vice President, Business Development, Haggin Marketing, Creative

For additional information about ACCM 2008 or to register, please visit www.accmshow.com.

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