DMA07 Offers Nine Tracks of Educational Programming to Improve Marketers' Strategies, ROI

October 2, 2007 — Chess is sometimes referred to as the thinking man’s game. As game grandmaster and writer David Bronstein once said, “The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move.” Successful direct marketing also takes just as much planning and forethought as the game of rooks and knights.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is planning ahead to help marketers strategize and become masters of their marketing craft by providing nine leading-edge educational tracks during DMA07 Conference & Exhibition, which will be held October 13–19 at the brand new McCormick Place West in Chicago, IL.

“DMA07 offers the most comprehensive marketing training on the latest direct marketing techniques, trends, and technologies,” said Paul McDonnough, DMA group show director. “Multichannel direct marketing is growing exponentially, and marketers who strategize for the endgame are bound to become better professionals who produce better results for their companies and nonprofit organizations.”

According to McDonnough, more than 140 sessions will aid marketers in making their next “big move” through top-level training in the following nine tracks:

· 1:1 Marketing Boot Camp

· Acquisition and Prospect Marketing

· Creative Strategies and Execution

· Database Management and Analytics Integration

· Emerging Channels

· Online Marketing/Interactive Media

· Retention and Loyalty Marketing

· Strategic Multichannel Integration

· Variable Data Production

1:1 Marketing Boot Camp — Direct marketing recruits will get their basic training squared away during these sessions dealing with the fundamentals of creative strategy, database marketing, direct marketing basics, email techniques, Web analytics, and customer service and fulfillment. Attendees who complete the full series will be awarded 0.8 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and will receive a waiver for DMA’s Certificate Program application fee (a $295 value).

Acquisition and Prospect Marketing — While the number of potential direct marketing customers and charitable donors is seemingly endless, the challenge of searching for them can be complicated in this era of privacy legislation and increased security concerns. To grow, businesses and nonprofits need to learn anew how to prospect. These DMA07 sessions will explore issues related to data mining, segmentation, demographics, software applications, testing models, response behaviors, and increasing response rates.

Creative Strategies and Execution — The word “creative” conjures up a whole host of colorful images, and this DMA07 track will teach marketers how to channel those images and ideas into effective campaigns via copy, design, art direction, offers, and format for all marketing mediums. Whether it’s direct mail, catalog, DRTV, insert media, Web, or email — there will be plenty of new, hot ideas to build, grow, and improve direct marketing campaigns.

Database Management and Analytics Integration — Great public speakers know how essential it is to tailor their remarks to the audience. The same is true of great direct marketing campaigns. This track teaches professionals how to succeed by researching their audience before making the first pitch. Integrating marketing database and research skills and methods into everyday operations will boost the bottom line, and this track will instruct direct marketers how to do just that.

Emerging Channels — As the emergence of this brand-new track demonstrates, new channels are sprouting up out of “old” technology. Starting out as ideas, and morphing into a daily part of business, these channels will soon become indispensable elements of the direct marketing mix. In this DMA07 track, experts will explore new developments, innovative research, and valuable tactics in the following exciting new areas: advergaming (placing ads in games online and off), digital signage and placed based media, interactive television/video-on-demand, mobile marketing, and word of mouth.

Online Marketing/Interactive Media — E-commerce is exploding, and this track will pack a lot of power, strengthening marketers with information on growth challenges, trends, strategies, and analysis to successfully optimize interactive media marketing efforts. Sessions will cover the following areas: Affiliate marketing; banner ads; blog marketing, article marketing, and blogging; email marketing; pay-per-click advertising; publishing; search engine marketing and optimization; and Web design and development.

Retention and Loyalty Marketing — What’s the best way for direct marketers to earn and keep their customers’ trust? By letting them know how much they trust and value them. Direct marketers will learn how to plan, launch, overhaul, implement, and evaluate loyalty marketing programs. These sessions will also address issues ranging from retention to calculating lifetime value, to establishing winning loyalty programs, to strengthening customer service initiatives.

Strategic Multichannel Integration — According to DMA’s report, “The Integration of DM and Brand,” the lines between direct marketing and brand marketing have all but disappeared. With this in mind, these sessions will present DMA07 attendees with case studies and best practices on how to incorporate multichannel strategies to strengthen the power of their brands, and ensure a rapid return on investment (ROI). This track will factor in market research, analytics, ROI metrics, and a creative strategy that will work in tandem across channels to build a successful campaign.

Variable Data Production (Formerly Production/Fulfillment) — To market, to market — digitally. Experts explain how digital solutions move messages faster, increase ROI, and reduce costs. This track will cover the latest trends and solutions in production and fulfillment across print, email, and the Web. Sessions will focus on how to create, manage, and deliver marketing collateral and direct mail campaigns using digital solutions.

“Education is what separates a good marketer, who makes an advantageous move, from a great marketer, who wins the game,” said McDonnough. “And no matter what tracks they choose at DMA07 in Chicago this October, attendees are sure to gain a wealth of information and insight that will help them succeed all the way through to the endgame.”

About DMA07 Conference & Exhibition

DMA07, the largest gathering of direct marketing professionals, is DMA’s annual conference and exhibition. DMA07 will feature more than 150 educational sessions, plus roundtables, case studies, white papers and research reports. DMA07’s exhibit hall will feature more than 500 exhibiting companies. For more information, or to register for the six-day multichannel marketing event of the year, please visit www.dma07.org or call 1.800.293.7279 or 330.425.9330.

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