One of my favorite conferences of the year is finally upon us, the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition in Chicago. Not only is Chicago one of my favorite cities, but few conferences are able to pull off the “something for everyone” approach like IRCE. From top level strategy to tactical pointers, this conference has content that anyone in e-retailing will find valuable. True to form, while the keynotes look customarily solid, it is the breakout sessions where I believe the most valuable content resides. I’ll point out a few sessions I plan to hit and why.There are a couple of general themes that I have been paying very close attention to in e-retailing, as I am sure you’re aware if you’re a faithful three-times-a-week “lunch pailer.” The sessions I am attending will provide additional information and context on these two themes:
- How are e-retailers focusing on the customer?
- What is the opportunity and monetary cost of shifting over to a customer-first e-retailing approach?
Obviously each theme has tremendous impact on the direct digital marketing discipline, as email, mobile, and the Web site are the most direct communications channels available to marketers.
Here is a list of the sessions I will be attending. If you see me, please say hi!
- Understanding the new consumers—and creating a strategy to reach them, from Gian Fulgoni, Chairman, comScore Inc.
- What top execs need to know about the future of e-commerce platforms, from Brian Walker, Senior Analyst, E-Commerce, Forrester Research Inc.
- Mobile marketing: Using short messages to build Internet retail sales, from Rodney Joffe, Senior Vice President and Senior Technologist, NeuStar and Eoin Comerford, Vice President, Marketing, Moosejaw Mountaineering.
- Lean and mean customer engagement strategies, from Rob Snell, Co-Owner, Gun Dog Supply and Julie Swatek, Founder and President, Scrap Your Memories Inc.
- E-mail that gets the job done, from Dianne Binford, Marketing Consultant, Dianne Binford Consulting.
- Creating a single view of your customers—and presenting them with a consistent view of you, from David Blakelock, Vice President, Technology and Strategic Development, Boston Apparel Group.
- Managing a re-platforming: Strategy, people, technology, from Bill Zujewski, Vice President, Product Marketing, ATG and Robert Gilbreath, Director of E-Commerce Marketing & Analytics, Calendars.com / Calendar Holdings LLC.
- The right content to attract the right shoppers, from David Cohen, Executive Vice President, M&J Trimming and Betsy Emery Martin, President, TELLUS Web.
If you’re lucky enough to be attending this show, drop by booth #245 and say hi. If not, keep an eye on The Lunch Pail throughout the week as I’ll be recapping important sessions and communicating what I believe are some key takeaways e-retailers can internalize to improve.
