Engaging Customers Takes Center Stage at Silverpop Conference

Business Wire, May 13, 2008

ATLANTA -- To be successful in a Web 2.0 world, marketers must truly engage with customers in new ways. Speakers at Silverpop's sixth annual Digital Marketer Conference encouraged attendees to move beyond today's permission-based marketing programs and create communications programs customers actually anticipate.

"The next generation of online marketing will go beyond simply capturing attention," said Silverpop CEO Bill Nussey in his opening address. "New technologies combined with a very different perspective on the role of marketing will lead marketers to develop programs that better engage prospective customers when they first show interest and to build relationships with them that lead to conversions -- over and over and over again."

Terry Jones, managing principal of Essential Ideas and founder of Travelocity.com, pointed out during his keynote address that customers have more power than ever before. "You have to think like your customers and give them what they can't get in the physical world," he said. "Online technologies enable marketers to tell customers what others think and let them compare products and prices. Marketers can't be afraid of these Web 2.0 opportunities. In a world of diminished loyalty, customer relationships are key."

Silverpop Digital Marketing conference provided a comprehensive program of sessions offering tips and tactics marketers need to be truly competitive and successful in the coming years. Additional speakers included Julie Katz, analyst with Forrester Research, Ian Michiels, senior research analyst at Aberdeen Group, David Daniels, vice president and research director of JupiterResearch. Also, Silverpop clients presented case studies showing how they've been successful at engaging their customers and prospects to drive revenue and results.

"Continued marketing success requires constant changes in strategies and technologies," said Elaine O'Gorman, senior vice president of marketing and product strategy, Silverpop. "Marketers are better able to achieve customer engagement with Silverpop's marketing suite of online solutions. We supply the cutting-edge technology and our clients add strategic approaches that maximize results."

About Silverpop

Silverpop is a premier email service provider delivering on-demand, solutions serving the online relationship marketing needs of enterprise-level organizations. With highly scalable tools supporting both BtoC marketing initiatives and BtoB lead management processes through its Vtrenz solution, Silverpop delivers a robust suite of marketing tools not available elsewhere in the marketplace. Best practices and white papers are available at www.silverpop.com.