• by editor , David Baker , September 10, 2007

I was asked to take on programming for the email track at OMMA East this year, which is just around the corner. I imagine most who read this column have been to at least one OMMA event or email conference in the past.   Unfortunately, I've gotten to the point I just don't sit in any email conference sessions more than 10 minutes.  Call it being bored with email as a stand-alone topic -- or it seems as if I keep hearing the same thing over and over.  

I work in a world where email is such a small part of the equation and I'm constantly reminded that email has a functional value to a consumer and a business value to a business, but without the Web, search, online media as functional channels, no business task would happen.

We wouldn't shop before we buy, so those emails for retail items would never be top-of-mind.  We wouldn't be as inspired in our new car if we didn't see the newer model popping up on banners on a site, wouldn't open checking accounts and see the real benefit of online checking, wouldn't think about vacations as often.

All channels are interdependent on each other for a great customer experience, buying event, research event --  and should be viewed that way. Retention strategies don't mean the end of media and search, either.  Much like all traditional forms of media, they all have a value to the business and should be included when we talk about how we remind consumers to buy, prompt them to share, notify them of shipping, and inspire them to create content. Yet with online marketing, we have the opportunity to track and better understand consumer behavior associated with the product/service we are selling.   

Keeping this theme in mind, I tried to line up the email sessions with a couple of unique themes that aren't just about increasing an open rate or telling you about how we made this campaign successful.  I had to counter this enthusiasm with the reality that many topics might be abit "out-there."  All shows strive to give you something to take home and apply, yet it's important to explore new issues, behavioral trends with the channel and try to bring it back to a business context, so I hope we will accomplish that.

Let me give you a glimpse -- and I'd love your thoughts.

Email - Enabling Web 2.0 technologies/channels

 Email is used by everyone personally, professionally and for marketing purposes.  This session will focus on exposing the audience to great uses of email for Web 2.0.  How email complements RSS Feeds, syndication of content (delicious, DIGG), social networking (Facebook, MySpace) and how businesses are using this to augment their marketing programs today. 

Email Acquisition, an integrated ad inventory model

Are you burned out on email acquisition, don't think it works, doesn't produce the right ROI for your business?  Join this panel as they go through recent cases studies from Microsoft, eHarmony and TaxBrain that clearly show how email acquisition and targeted ad inventory management can change how you reach new clients, convert them and build truly integrated marketing programs

ROI, What makes email valuable to your business!

Email has a great ROI, but yet gets less than 6% of the marketing budget.  Is ROI or attribution modeling the problem? Who gets credit for the sale when a customer is exposed to display media on a third-party site, does a search, and then opens and clicks through from an email?  Come and explore how marketers address this very controversial issue of attribution modeling and how email marketers apply this to their ROI story.

I hope the sessions bring you out, but even if they don't, drop me a note on the blog and let me know of any creative ideas you have that would make these sessions or future events interesting to you.

Hope to see you there.