Mobile Commerce - How to create a mobile strategy

A LifePics executive will talk about mobile priorities at the Mobile Commerce Forum.

Ken McDonald

With so many options for developing a mobile commerce push, it can be difficult for retailers to know where to start. Prioritizing the rollout of a mobile site, apps and text message marketing takes more than an improvised approach—it requires the development of a mobile strategy and a plan to advance that strategy beyond the initial vision, says Ken McDonald, vice president of marketing for online photo print retailer LifePics. He will discuss his company’s mobile experience at Internet Retailer’s Mobile Commerce Forum 2011 in Houston October 10-12.

McDonald, who will speak during a session entitled “Creating and evolving your mobile strategy,” says mobile devices have changed consumer behavior and the way retailing is conducted. “If you have no mobile strategy at this point, you are leaving money on the table,” he says.

McDonald says he had a key role in creating the mobile strategy for LifePics. With a broad-reaching program that touched upon mobile’s multiple opportunities, the company quickly produced significant increases in order volume from consumers using mobile devices.

“I’ll give an in-depth overview of the lessons we learned,” McDonald says. “Attendees will learn which mobile platforms are relevant, organizational strategies for mobile efforts, resource management, development strategies and more.”

Internet Retailer’s editors asked McDonald to speak because he has worked for six years with LifePics, which provides photo-finishing services to both consumers and businesses. He oversees all marketing and manages a team that supports LifePics’ customer base of consumers, professional photographers and retailers. LifePics provides photo-developing services for 5,000 web sites that serve millions of consumers. McDonald previously spent five years at Oracle where he helped drive Oracle’s e-commerce initiatives. He has also worked at Sequel Venture Partners, investing in software companies, and has been on the start-up teams of two software companies, Topica and Open Horizon.