ACCM's Labs to Offer Marketers Personalized Expertise -- From Catalog Creative to Web Usability

May 7, 2007 — Laboratories are all about making experiments work and yield optimal results, so it’s no surprise that the 2007 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) is ensuring that conferees will be presented opportunities to explore their promotion efforts alongside marketing experts during lab sessions. ACCM will be held May 21 – 23 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

From instructional labs to one-on-one critiques, these sessions cover online merchandising, search engine marketing, Web site usability, catalog, e-mail, and Web analytics tools. Then, for good measure, the experts in the Multichannel Merchant Medical Center will give direct marketing professionals an Rx for their catalog and Web site woes.

Online Merchandising Lab — Subtitled “Best Practices to Increase Online Sales,” this session takes a personalized look at best-in-class merchandising practices. Up to four participants will have a chance to have their Web sites critiqued during this interactive lab.

Search Engine Marketing Labs — Marketers who wonder why their Web site isn’t at the top of the list in search engine queries can find the answer during these labs. SuccessWorks International will lead this foray into making sites “search engine friendly,” so they can be in top search positions and maximize their pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. Marketers will get a dose of SEM know-how, navigate their site through their customers’ eyes, and discover how their www can bolster ROI.

Web Site Usability Labs — During all three days of ACCM, Creative Good will help attendees examine their B-to-B and B-to-C sites through a customer’s eyes and provide advice to marketing professionals about how to improve their e-operations. In the final session, usability experts will go over what a customer experiences when visiting selected Web sites.

‘Ask the Doctor’ Multichannel Merchant Medical Center — Call it an MM-ER. This multichannel marketing triage can diagnose catalog and Web site afflictions and provide prescriptions – stat. Available everyday during the conference, specialists in the “medical center” provide catalog and Web site recovery in the form of one-on-one troubleshooting for branding, creative, e-commerce, inventory management, marketing strategy, merchandise analysis, production, and Web problems.

Catalog Critiques — Veteran catalog marketers provide critiques in these 15-minute, one-on-one sessions with delegates who bring their work for review. Attendees will learn how to better their format, design, and copy to make it more compelling and user-friendly. The 10 pros on hand will also guide B-to-B merchants in how to improve their catalogs and, in turn, their sales.

E-Mail Marketing Creative Critiques — Direct marketers who’d like to ramp up their e-mail response rates need look no further. These creative experts will critique work brought to them for 15-minute, one-on-one sessions meant to boost those rates via effective creative design. Professionals bringing examples of their work can get input on their strengths and weaknesses as well as learn how to make recommended improvements.

Web Site Critiques — Those who want to increase their Web site sales but aren’t sure how to go about it can sit down with a seasoned professional and review their site. These one-on-one critiques are 15 minutes each and offer ideas and techniques to improve Web site designs so direct marketers can sell more.

Web Analytics Tools Lab and Vendor Demonstrations — This newly-created session features professionals taking marketers step-by-step through the process of choosing Web analytics tools. First, experts will teach conferees how to pick the tools, and then vendors will come into the session and demonstrate how to use them.

About the Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM)

Co-sponsored by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and Multichannel Merchant, the Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) is the world’s largest and most comprehensive conference for catalog, Internet and multichannel professionals. For more information and to register, please visit www.accmshow.com.

# # #