Hands-on Labs Strengthen Web Skills at 2008 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM)

ACCM Takes Place May 19-22 in Orlando

New York, NY, April 23, 2008 — Transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “All life is an experiment.” But few of life’s experiments offer a chance at an absolute solution. Enter the Website Usability and Search Engine Marketing Labs at the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM). Co-produced by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and Multichannel Merchant, ACCM will take place May 19-22 at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL.

“Bring in your website problem and our experts will help solve it,” said Angela Eastin, group show director, Penton Media. “From search position woes to site navigability, these laboratories offer proven cures. Even if a company already has a great website that has a fabulous search ranking, those businesses can also learn how to transcend to extraordinary — with the help of our ACCM experts.”

Website Usability Labs

That website isn’t working so well? Need to know why? Both business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketers will have the opportunity to watch, during one of six sessions, as an attendee attempts to navigate a website. Experts leading the labs will take it from there, diagnosing the problems and finding the formulas for success.

Attendees will learn how customers experience their websites and then improve on that experience on Monday, May 19, and Tuesday, May 20. Website Usability Labs will be run by Amy Africa, President and Chief Imagina-8-tion Officer, Eight by Eight, and the Tuesday afternoon labs will be run by Ken Burke, Chairman and Founder, MarketLive. The websites to be reviewed include:

Monday, May 19 — Amy Africa

· 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. — World's Finest Chocolate, www.worldsfinestchocolate.com; Burgers Smokehouse, www.Smokehouse.com.

· 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. — Paper Direct, www.paperdirect.com; PCI Education, www.pcieducation.com.

Tuesday, May 20 — Amy Africa

· 10 to 10:55 a.m. — Aerosoles, www.aerosoles.com; Petsolutions, www.petsolutions.com.

· 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Health Care Logistics, www.GMPgifts.com; Athletica, Inc., www.teamcheer.com.

Tuesday, May 20 — Ken Burke

· 2 to 2:55 p.m. — Orient Expressed Imports, Inc., www.orientexpressed.com; Timberline Interactive, Inc., www.LakeChamplainChocolates.com.

· 3 to 4 p.m. — Becker’s School Supplies, www.shopbecker.com; Hamleys, www.hamleys.com.

Search Engine Marketing Labs

What do a widget manufacturer from Milwaukee and a grass skirt seller from Oahu have in common? Both could immensely benefit from search engine marketing know-how. Whether esoteric businesses or household names, all companies can learn how to improve their search positions during ACCM’s Search Engine Marketing Labs.

Lab leaders will guide attendees on how to optimize their sites and pay-per-click campaigns for the best search positions. Using these tools, delegates will soon find high ROIs rolling in. ACCM’s Search Engine Marketing Labs will be available at the following times:

Tuesday, May 20, 10 a.m. to noon

Lab Leaders:

· Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO, SuccessWorks International

· Matt Bailey, Owner, SiteLogic Marketing

· Detlev Johnson, Owner, SearchReturn

· Stephan Spencer, President, Netconcepts

Wednesday, May 21, 10 a.m. to noon

Lab Leaders:

· Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO, SuccessWorks International

· Jessica Bowman, SEMInHouse.com

· Detlev Johnson, Owner, SearchReturn

· Kevin Lee, Co-founder and Executive Chairman, Did-it.com

Wednesday, May 21, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Lab Leaders:

· Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO, SuccessWorks International

· Jessica Bowman, SEMInHouse.com

· Detlev Johnson, Owner, SearchReturn

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

ACCM provides complimentary registrations for editorial staff of media outlets covering multichannel marketing. To request a press registration, please email pressregistration@the-dma.org. For information about the requirements for press credentials, visit http://www.accmshow.com/ACCM2008/public/Content.aspx?ID=2756&sortMenu=106000&exp=3%2f10%2f2008+6%3a15%3a14+PM. For additional information or queries, please contact pressregistration@the-dma.org or 212.768.7277, ext. 1422.

About Direct Marketing Association (DMA)

The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit organizations using and supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research, education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents nearly 3,600 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 50 other nations, including a majority of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

In 2007, marketers — commercial and nonprofit — spent $173.2 billion on direct marketing in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures generated approximately $2.025 trillion in incremental sales. In 2007, direct marketing accounted for 10.2 percent of total US gross domestic product. Also in 2007, there were 1.6 million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts directly supported nearly 9.0 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 10.6 million US jobs.

The Power of Direct: Relevance. Responsibility. Results.

About Multichannel Merchant

MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT helps executives manage all facets of their businesses by providing superior analysis of successful strategies across all areas of multichannel marketing — print, catalogs, e-commerce, merchandising, operations, retail, and more. It’s the one source that helps professionals capitalize on opportunities in their core businesses, and integrate strategies to maximize their successes in each channel. MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT’s franchise includes MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT magazine; the Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM); MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT Weekly, List & Data Strategies, and Searchline e-newsletters; www.multichannelmerchant.com; the Annual Multichannel Merchant Awards; and much more.

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