The Direct Marketing Association sent an e-mail to several members yesterday asking for help in promoting its Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Francisco in October.
“Jump Start Your Business. Come to the DMA Annual Conference,” read one of the online banners that was included in the e-mail to supplier members with clients involved in direct, interactive and database marketing. The members were asked to post the banners on their own Web sites.
The e-mail blast also asked companies to copy and paste an attached letter promoting the conference into an e-mail and send it to their clients and prospects. “Coming off such a tough economic year, there's no better way that I can think of to jump start your direct marketing creative juices,” the letter reads in part.
Because of 9/11 and the economy, the DMA sent several promotions — including free airfare and train fare — to drive attendance to last year’s fall show. Still, attendance was down from previous years.
The DMA has not yet released any information about registration for this year’s show, which will take place Oct. 20-22 at the Moscone Center. It was unclear whether the DMA’s e-mail means officials are expecting a low turnout again. The DMA did not return calls for comment late yesterday afternoon.
In the e-mail, DMA president/CEO H. Robert Wientzen wrote, “If every DMA supplier member participates, imagine how many more people will attend the conference, which means a more educated market, more people walking the exhibit hall floors, and more business for you.”
