NCDM 2007 Keynote Speakers Reveal Secrets Behind Turning Consumers' Discretionary Spending into Reliable Income

November 8, 2007 — Those who visit Las Vegas may be interested in a game of chance, but the keynoters for the National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) 2007 Conference — which will take place in Las Vegas — have turned consumers’ discretionary spending into a sure thing.

Keynoters will reveal their database marketing secrets during NCDM 2007, the conference that will be co-presented by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and DIRECT magazine. NCDM 2007 will take place December 10–12 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

“There’s no gambling on results by our NCDM 2007 keynoters,” said Angela Eastin, group show director, Penton Media. “Direct marketers will receive first-hand information from database marketing experts Thomas Tileston, vice president of business decision support at Warner Home Entertainment; David Norton, senior vice president of relationship marketing at Harrah’s Entertainment; and Tony Hsieh, CEO and director at Zappos.com. What could easily be seen as the most unpredictable components of the economy — entertainment and shopping — are delivering increasing income at these companies due to their ability to harness, interpret, and employ data intelligently in ways that grow their businesses.”

All NCDM 2007 keynote addresses will be presented in the Breakers Room at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

Thomas Tileston, Vice President, Business Decision Support,

Warner Home Entertainment, Inc.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, December 10

First up is Thomas Tileston, vice president of business decision support for Warner Home Entertainment, Inc., whose speech is entitled “Increase the Impact of Your Data: Balancing Methodologies and Technologies.”

In the unpredictable and fickle world of Hollywood, tastes change on a whim — what’s hot one day is not the next. Accurately estimating consumer demand can only be done with the calculating accuracy provided by sophisticated models. Tileston, whose job it is to forecast which DVDs from Warner Bros. Studios will be most in demand, will reveal how data mining, data management, and familiarization with that data can positively affect any company’s bottom line.

David Norton, Senior Vice President, Relationship Marketing,

Harrah’s Entertainment

From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 11

“Stop Gambling Away Your Customers” David Norton, senior vice president of relationship marketing for Harrah’s Entertainment, will urge NCDM conferees.

Clearly aware of his pun, Norton will explain how customer relationship management is a vital business strategy that drives revenue for venues such as Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, ensuring loyalty instead of chance encounters. From Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City to Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort in California, Norton is responsible for relationship marketing at more than 40 casinos. His duties at Harrah’s include direct marketing strategy, VIP marketing, revenue management, teleservices, loyalty programs, Internet marketing, marketing reinvestment, operational CRM, multicultural marketing, and travel services.

NCDM 2007 attendees will be able to sneak a peek at Harrah’s Total Rewards customer loyalty program — a premier loyalty program that currently has 10 million active members. Norton will share how Harrah’s engages the customer and will describe how data is used to reward, recognize, and encourage customer loyalty.

Tony Hsieh, CEO and Director, Zappos.com

From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 12

Tony Hsieh, CEO and director of Zappos.com, will reveal that he’s more than a foot soldier in the online shopping arena during “A Conversation with Zappos.com: Walking a Mile in Your Customers’ Shoes.”

The final NCDM keynoter leads a retail site — featuring shoes, apparel, accessories, and bags — with gross merchandise sales that grew from $1.6 million in 2000 to an estimated $800 million in 2007. Hsieh’s site sales are expected to reach $1 billion in 2008, all using the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Hsieh’s secret: customers promote the company with personal reviews.

“Zappos.com invests in a unique company culture and workforce whose primary focus is to provide superior customer service,” Eastin said. “Hsieh will share what he believes most contributes to his company’s success and exponential growth. He will offer illustrative anecdotes and inspirational examples on how he achieved this remarkable feat, which will give conferees a new perspective on the importance of employees and their effect on customer satisfaction.”

Prior to joining Zappos, Hsieh co-founded Venture Frogs with Alfred Lin. Venture Frogs is an incubator and investment firm that invests in Internet startups, including Ask Jeeves, MongoMusic, MyAble, Tellme Networks, and Zappos.com.

About NCDM

Co-sponsored by DIRECT magazine and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) Conference is dedicated exclusively to the database marketing community. NCDM is held once a year and brings marketing and technology decisionmakers together to find practical approaches to today’s direct marketing challenges using customer data and technology.

To register for NCDM 2007 or for additional information, please visit www.ncdmevents.com.

# # #