Department store giant Sears' top mobile expert will headline Mobile Commerce Spotlight, a daylong conference July 9 focused on mobile commerce strategy, tactics and best practice.

Thomas Emmons, team leader for mobile/innovation at Sears Holding Corp., will discuss Sears' strategy, tactics and approach to mobile commerce as the retailer looks to anticipate evolving shopper habits.

Based on his experience with the Sears2Go mobile commerce site, Mr. Emmons' opening keynote will offers tips and best-practice guidelines on mobile commerce for retailers, catalogers, direct marketers and ecommerce players.

The Mobile Commerce Spotlight event, jointly organized by Mobile Marketer in association with the Direct Marketing Association at its midtown New York headquarters, will offer tips and case studies on generating incremental sales from on-the-go consumers, creating a mobile commerce site and the mobile coupon's role in attracting and retaining customers.

"This event acknowledges a key fact: that consumers are increasingly searching and shopping on their mobile phone and will, sooner or later, expect the same experiences as they do online," said Mickey Alam Khan, editor in chief of Mobile Marketer. "The key is, are marketers and retailers preparing for this future? And if they are not, what do they need to do?"

Recognizing the learning-curve issues, Mobile Marketer has invited key players instrumental in building and running some of the leading mobile commerce sites and mobile marketing campaigns to spend the day with delegates attending the Mobile Commerce Spotlight conference.

The content agenda also addresses topics such as tools, applications, billing, payment and fulfillment, as well as adding a mobile component to the catalog, retail, DRTV and ecommerce channels. It will wrap up with the key do's and don'ts of mobile commerce.

Speakers include senior executives from Sears, Wyndham Hotel Group, OpenMarket, Siteminis, Scanbuy, QWASI, Impact Mobile, Billing Revolution, BennettBaker, Netbiscuits, Boot Camp Mobile, Cielo Mobile, Tetherball, iLoop Mobile, NeuStar, ShopText, SmartReply, HipCricket, Ping Mobile, Slifter and Bango.

Networking lunch and cocktail hours, sponsored by mobile site developer Siteminis, will let delegates mingle with the speakers.

This marks the third event in Mobile Marketer and the DMA Mobile Marketing Council's efforts to inform and educate marketers on the need to incorporate mobile into their marketing and retail plans.

Please click here to register for the event.

AGENDA

Mobile Commerce Spotlight
Sponsored by Mobile Marketer and the DMA Mobile Marketing Council
Date: Thursday, July 9
Venue: Direct Marketing Association Seminar Center, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, 13th floor, New York, NY 10036

Agenda of content and confirmed speakers

8 a.m. -- 8:45 a.m.
Registration and light breakfast

8:45 a.m. -- 8:50 a.m.
Welcome Address
The address will welcome delegates, give a brief background on Mobile Commerce Spotlight, the importance of mobile commerce as more consumers start shopping and searching on their mobile phones and devices, and how the delegates will benefit from this daylong event.

Speaker:
Mickey Alam Khan, editor in chief, Mobile Marketer

8.50 a.m. -- 9.15 a.m.
Keynote
Sears: How Mobile Commerce Plays into the Department Store Chain's Future
Sears is one of the few major retailers making strides in mobile commerce with its Sears2Go service. Available at http://sears2go.com, the mobile commerce site lets consumers buy on the phone and pick up in-store. Items sold on mobile include appliances, automotive parts, apparel, computers and electronics, jewelry, toys and games, footwear, tools and lawn and garden equipment -- basically the whole kit and caboodle. The department store chain understands that its customer base is increasingly mobile. Gain insight into the strategy and tactics as well as what works and what does not for Sears' mobile commerce efforts.

Speaker:
Thomas Emmons, team leader for mobile/innovation, Sears Holding Corp.

9:15 a.m. -- 9:45 a.m.
Mobile Commerce: The Opportunity for Incremental Sales from On-The-Go Consumers
Mobile commerce is the next frontier of retail, targeting on-the-go consumers for impulse purchases. The channel has the potential to not only complement ecommerce, but also drive incremental revenue for products or services with which the consumer may have familiarity. Also, better browsers and all-you-can-eat data plans on smartphones are fuelling an increase in shopping-related searches, thus adding a mobile element to retail store sales. Either ways, mobile commerce via mobile banner ads, mobile site, mobile email and text messages is the smart way to go for retailers and sellers of content and services.

Speakers:
E. Jay Emmet, general manager, OpenMarket/senior vice president, Amdocs
Marci Troutman, founder CEO, Siteminis
Jonathan Bulkeley, CEO, Scanbuy

Moderator:
Mickey Alam Khan, editor in chief, Mobile Marketer

10 a.m. -- 10:45 a.m.
Essential Elements of Mobile Commerce: People, Tools, Applications, Marketing, Billing, Payment and Fulfillment
What is mobile commerce? How is it different from ecommerce? What does it take to make a mobile commerce operation live and what kind of resources are needed? A quick rundown on the fundamentals of mobile commerce.

Speakers:
David Geipel, CEO, QWASI
Gary Schwartz, president/CEO, Impact Mobile
Mike Dulong, senior vice president of business development, Billing Revolution
Heather Baker, managing partner, BennettBaker

Moderator:
Dan Butcher, staff reporter, Mobile Marketer

11 a.m. -- 11:45 a.m.
How to Create and Deploy a Mobile Commerce Web site
A mobile commerce site simply isn't a paring-down of the retailer or marketer's wired Web site. Retailers and marketers have to take account of the different mobile phones, screen sizes, operating systems and browsers to create a mobile site that enables not just easy searching and shopping, but also transactions. An iPhone site requires different attention from a mobile site geared to the BlackBerry phone, for example. But a mobile site is the first and perhaps most important requirement of a mobile commerce operation.

Speakers:
Marci Troutman, founder CEO, Siteminis
Ran Farmer, managing director -- North America, Netbiscuits

Moderator:
Krista Neher, CEO, Boot Camp Mobile

12 noon -- 12:45 p.m.
Mobile Coupons: The Ideal Customer Acquisition and Retention Tool
Coupons may gain a second wind with their integration with mobile. How can retailers and marketers create and deploy coupons for offers and discounts on merchandise, shows or services? Mobile coupons can add legs to a successful, multichannel mobile loyalty program.

Speakers:
Dean Macri, CEO, Cielo Mobile
Jay Highley, president, Tetherball
Michael J. Becker, vice president -- mobile strategies, iLoop Mobile

Moderator:
Dan Butcher, staff reporter, Mobile Marketer

12:45 a.m. -- 2 p.m.
Sponsored Lunch break
Sponsor: Siteminis, a mobile site development company

2 p.m. -- 2:45 p.m.
Adding a Mobile Component to the Catalog, Retail Store, DRTV and Ecommerce Channels
Perhaps mobile's biggest advantage is that it gives legs to other channels such as catalog, retail store, direct response television and ecommerce. The simple addition of a common short code and keyword can transform a campaign, call-to-action, store front or loyalty program. And it isn't that difficult either. Add to that a mobile-friendly site and applications for devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia and others. With this combination, retailers and marketers can breathe new life into their customer acquisition and retention efforts.

Speakers:
Pete Langlois, senior product manager for mobile services, NeuStar
Adam Lichstein, chief operating officer, ShopText
Eric Holmen, president, SmartReply
Michael Foschetti, managing director, Mobisix

Moderator:
Giselle Tsirulnik, associate editor, Mobile Marketer

3 p.m. -- 3:45 p.m.
How to Create and Execute Mobile Marketing Campaigns for Retailers, Catalogers and Direct Marketers
Mobile marketing campaigns are not difficult to create, but they do require the help of experts to navigate through carrier, mobile device and privacy requirements as well as an understanding of consumer habits while on the go. Successful mobile marketing campaigns for mobile commerce or to leverage mobile across channels may give that retailer or marketer an extra edge in the marketplace.

Speakers:
Eric Harber, president, HipCricket
Shira Simmonds, president, Ping Mobile
Tina Perry, regional director, Wyndham Hotel Group, Days Inn Worldwide

Moderator:
Dan Butcher, staff reporter, Mobile Marketer

4 p.m. -- 4:45 p.m.
The Do's and Don'ts of Mobile Commerce
What are the absolute do's and the never-do's of mobile commerce? Following industry best-practice guidelines will ensure a pleasant shopping experience for the targeted mobile consumers. Following these common-sense guidelines will also prevent costly errors in judgment.

Speakers:
Thomas Emmons, team leader for mobile/innovation, Sears Holding Corp.
Eric Holmen, president, SmartReply
Alex Muller, president, Slifter
Adam Kerr, vice president for North America, Bango

Moderator:
Mickey Alam Khan, editor in chief, Mobile Marketer

5 p.m. -- 6 p.m.
Sponsored Networking Cocktail Hour
Delegates can network and mingle with speakers, moderators and sponsors
Sponsor: Siteminis

Please click here to register for the event. Thank you.