U.S. patent application number 13/085947 was filed with the patent office on 2011-08-04 for marketing and delivering financial coaching services.
Invention is credited to Ethan Willis.
Application Number | 20110191193 13/085947 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41013878 |
Filed Date | 2011-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110191193 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Willis; Ethan |
August 4, 2011 |
MARKETING AND DELIVERING FINANCIAL COACHING SERVICES
Abstract
Marketing and delivering financial coaching services involves
sponsoring a website pertaining to financial coaching services,
engaging an electronic communications media partner to direct
potential customers to the website, and calculating a
behavior-based quality rating reflecting the business opportunity
value of the potential customer. When the quality rating exceeds a
predetermined threshold, the potential customer is associated to an
assigned sales agent who determines an interest rating reflecting
the importance of the financial coaching services to the potential
customer. When the interest rating exceeds a predetermined
threshold, the potential customer is associated to an assigned
enroller who determines a readiness rating reflecting the
willingness of the potential customer to purchase financial
coaching services. When the readiness rating for the potential
customer exceeds a predetermined rating, the potential customer is
enrolled for financial coaching services, oriented by telephone,
and receives an ordered sequence of one-on-one financial coaching
sessions and financial coaching resources.
Inventors: |
Willis; Ethan; (Provo,
UT) |
Family ID: |
41013878 |
Appl. No.: |
13/085947 |
Filed: |
April 13, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12394323 |
Feb 27, 2009 |
7949588 |
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13085947 |
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61032757 |
Feb 29, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.73 ;
705/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/06 20130101;
G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0277 20130101; G06Q 40/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.73 ;
705/35 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00; G06Q 40/00 20060101 G06Q040/00 |
Claims
1. A method for marketing financial coaching services, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) sponsoring a website pertaining to the
financial coaching services, traffic to said website including
potential customers for the financial coaching services; (b)
advancing a potential customer within said website based on data
elicited from the potential customer at said website; (c)
calculating a quality rating for the potential customer based on
the behavior of the potential customer at said website, said
quality rating reflecting the business opportunity value of the
potential customer at said web site; (d) in a telephone conference
initiated by marketing personnel, evaluating the readiness of the
potential customer to purchase the financial coaching services; (e)
enrolling the potential customer as a buyer of the financial
coaching services when the potential customer is evaluated in said
telephone conference as being ready to purchase the financial
coaching services; and (f) conducting one-on-one financial coaching
with the buyer of the financial coaching services.
2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of evaluating
the readiness of the potential customer comprises the steps of: (a)
assessing the importance of the financial coaching services to the
potential customer; and (b) assessing the willingness of the
potential customer to purchase the financial coaching services.
3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of assessing
the importance of the financial coaching services to the potential
customer occurs when said quality rating for the potential customer
exceeds a predetermined threshold quality rating.
4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of assessing
the importance of the financial coaching services to the potential
customer comprises the steps of: (a) associating the potential
customer to an assigned sales agent on the basis of said quality
rating determined for the potential customer; (b) initiating a
telephone conference by said assigned sales agent with the
potential customer; and (c) determining an interest rating for the
potential customer based on the behavior of the potential customer
during said telephone conference initiated by said assigned sales
agent, said interest rating reflecting the importance of the
financial coaching services to the potential customer.
5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said step of assessing
the willingness of the potential customer to purchase the financial
coaching services occurs when said interest rating determined for
the potential customer exceeds a predetermined threshold interest
rating.
6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said step of assessing
the willingness of the potential customer to purchase the financial
coaching services comprises the steps of: (a) associating the
potential customer to an assigned enroller on the basis of said
interest rating determined for the potential customer; (b)
initiating a telephone conference by said assigned enroller with
the potential customer; and (c) determining a readiness rating for
the potential customer based on the behavior of the potential
customer during said telephone conference initiated by said
assigned enroller, said readiness rating reflecting the willingness
of the potential customer to purchase the financial coaching
services.
7. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of
adding data about the potential customer to a remarketing pool when
said interest rating determined for the potential customer fails to
exceed said predetermined threshold interest rating.
8. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the step of
adding data about the potential customer to a remarketing pool when
said readiness rating determined for the potential customer fails
to exceed said predetermined readiness rating.
9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of advancing a
potential customer within said website comprises the steps of: (a)
obtaining initial data from the potential customer at a landing
page of said website; (b) forwarding the potential customer to a
follow-up location within said website based on said initial data;
and (c) obtaining further data from the potential customer at said
follow-up location.
10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said follow-up location
within said website is chosen from among the group of follow-up
locations including a supplemental landing page, a chat window, a
bump offer screen, and a customer consultation page.
11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein, during said step of
calculating a quality rating for the potential customer,
consideration is taken of purchases made by the potential customer
during said step of advancing the potential customer within said
website.
12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of
engaging an electronic communications media partner to direct
potential customers to said website for the financial coaching
services.
13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of
remitting to said media partner a referral fee calibrated to said
quality rating calculated for the potential customer.
14. A method for delivering financial coaching services, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) enrolling a potential customer as a
buyer of the financial coaching services using electronic
communication media; (b) orienting the customer by telephone to the
financial coaching services; (c) by way of electronic communication
media, conducting the buyer through an ordered sequence of
one-on-one financial coaching sessions; and (d) requiring
completion by the customer of an assignment between a consecutive
pair of said financial coaching sessions.
15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of
supplying the buyer with financial coaching resources related to a
selected of said financial coaching sessions by way of electronic
communication media.
16. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of
affording the buyer access to an advanced financial conference by
way of electronic communication media after completing said step of
conducting the buyer though said sequence of financial coaching
sessions.
17. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of
evaluating the interest of the buyer in purchasing supplemental
financial coaching services after completing said step of
conducting the buyer though said sequence of financial coaching
sessions.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCED RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of and claims the
benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/394,323 that was
filed on Feb. 27, 2009, for an invention titled MARKETING AND
DELIVERING FINANCIAL COACHING SERVICES which is a
continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/032,757 that was filed on Feb. 29,
2008, for an invention titled FINANCIAL COACHING PROCESS UTILIZING
ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Both of these applications are expressly
incorporated into this application by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to methods of marketing
financial services. More specifically, the present invention
relates to methods of marketing, generating business leads, closing
sales, and delivering financial coaching services utilizing
electronic communications media.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] Many individuals and entities offer financial coaching
information to existing or acquired clients by telephone or in
face-to-face encounters. During such encounters, the client
communicates with a financial advisor to discuss relevant financial
issues therewith. The client is informed, among other matters, as
to the status of its accounts, and the client may be given notice
by the financial advisor of financial coaching services that are
available for purchase. These financial coaching services may have
been available for sale previously, or the financial coaching
services may have been created recently in the interest of
improving the effectiveness of the financial decisions and
transactions of clients.
[0006] There are, however, limitations to using the telephone or
face-to-face encounters to accomplish the marketing financial
coaching services.
[0007] Every buyer lead for financial coaching services does not
represent a truly promising potential customer. The majority of
buyer leads do not actually turn into revenue-generating customers.
Therefore, using the telephone or face-to-face encounters to
generate buyer leads is inefficient. Effective buyer lead
generation over the telephone or in a face-to-face encounter
engages trained personnel in a one-on-one communication encounter.
Communications about financial matters are often complex and time
consuming. Buyer lead generation conducted by telephone or in a
face-to-face encounter is additionally inefficient, and as buyer
leads end up being allocated among sales personnel and financial
coaches in a random fashion, for example on the basis of chance
timing only. The most promising buyer leads often fail to receive
the attention of the most capable sales personnel and financial
coaches. Also, complex financial information exchanged by telephone
is limited in its effectiveness, because buyer leads and even
existing clients are not able to view images corresponding to the
information that is being discussed simultaneously with the verbal
exchange.
[0008] Accordingly, a need exists for improved methods of
marketing, generating buyer leads, closing sales, and delivering
financial coaching services that do so with thoroughness,
efficiency, and economy.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] According to teachings of the present invention a method for
marketing financial coaching services involves sponsoring a website
pertaining to the financial coaching services. Traffic to the
website includes potential customers for the financial coaching
services. A potential customer is advanced within the website based
on data elicited from the potential customer at the website. A
quality rating reflecting the business opportunity value of the
potential customer is calculated based on the behavior of the
potential customer at the website. In calculating a quality rating,
consideration is taken of purchases made by the potential customer
during the advancement of the potential customer within the
website. A telephone conference is initiated by marketing
personnel, and the readiness of the potential customer to purchase
financial coaching services is evaluated. The potential customer is
enrolled as a buyer of financial coaching services when the
potential customer is evaluated, in the telephone conference, as
being ready to purchase financial coaching services. Ultimately,
one-on-one financial coaching is conducted with the buyer of the
financial coaching services.
[0010] Evaluating the readiness of the potential customer involves
assessing the importance of financial coaching services to the
potential customer, and assessing the willingness of the potential
customer to purchase financial coaching services.
[0011] The assessment of the importance of the financial coaching
services to the potential customer occurs when the quality rating
for the potential customer exceeds a predetermined threshold
quality rating. The step of doing so includes associating the
potential customer to an assigned sales agent on the basis of the
quality rating determined for the potential customer, initiating a
telephone conference by the assigned sales agent with the potential
customer, and based on the behavior of the potential customer
during the telephone conference determining an interest rating for
the potential customer that reflects the importance of the
financial coaching services to the potential customer. When the
interest rating determined for the potential customer fails to
exceed a predetermined threshold interest rating, data about the
potential customer is added to a remarketing pool.
[0012] The assessment of the willingness of the potential customer
to purchase financial coaching services occurs when the interest
rating determined for the potential customer exceeds a
predetermined threshold interest rating. That step involves
associating the potential customer to an assigned enroller on the
basis of the interest rating determined for the potential customer,
initiating a telephone conference by the assigned enroller with the
potential customer; and based on the behavior of the potential
customer during the telephone conference determining a readiness
rating for the potential customer reflecting the willingness of the
potential customer to purchase financial coaching services. When
the readiness rating determined for the potential customer fails to
exceed a predetermined readiness rating, data about the potential
customer is added to a remarketing pool.
[0013] In the inventive methodology, the step of advancing a
potential customer within the website involves obtaining initial
data from the potential customer at a landing page of the website,
forwarding the potential customer to a follow-up location within
the website based on the initial data; and obtaining further data
from the potential customer at the follow-up location. The
follow-up location is chosen from among a group of follow-up
locations that includes a supplemental landing page, a chat window,
a bump offer screen, and a customer consultation page.
[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, an
electronic communications media partner is engaged to direct
potential customers for the financial coaching services to the
website of the provider of financial coaching services. Then
correspondingly, the sponsor of the website remits to the media
partner a referral fee calibrated to the quality rating calculated
for each potential customer.
[0015] In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is
provided for delivering financial coaching services that includes
enrolling a potential customer as a buyer of the financial coaching
services using electronic communication media, orienting the
customer by telephone to the financial coaching services,
conducting the buyer through an ordered sequence of one-on-one
financial coaching sessions by way of electronic communication
media, and requiring the completion by the customer of assignments
between consecutive pairs of the financial coaching sessions.
[0016] By way of electronic communication media, the buyer may be
supplied with financial coaching resources related to selected of
the financial coaching sessions. The buyer is afforded access, by
way of electronic communication media, to advanced financial
conferences once the buyer has completed the sequence of financial
coaching sessions. After completing the sequence of financial
coaching sessions, the interest of the buyer is evaluated in
purchasing supplemental financial coaching services.
[0017] In accord with yet an additional aspect of the teachings of
the present invention, a method for marketing and delivering
financial coaching services includes sponsoring a website
pertaining to the financial coaching services, engaging an
electronic communications media partner to direct to the website
potential customers for the financial coaching service, and
calculating a quality rating reflecting the business opportunity
value of the potential customer based on the behavior of the
potential customer at the website.
[0018] Initial data is obtained from a potential customer at the
landing page of the website. The potential customer is forwarded to
a follow-up location within the website based on the initial data,
the follow-up location being chosen from among the group of
follow-up locations including a supplemental landing page, a chat
window, a bump offer screen, and a customer consultation page.
Further data is obtained from the potential customer at the
follow-up location.
[0019] The potential customer is associated to an assigned sales
agent when the quality rating exceeds a predetermined threshold
quality rating, and a telephone conference is initiated by the
assigned sales agent with the potential customer. In that telephone
conference, an interest rating is determined for the potential
customer by the assigned sales agent. The interest rating is
reflective of the perceived the importance of the financial
coaching services to the potential customer. When the interest
rating exceeds a predetermined threshold interest rating, the
potential customer is associated to an assigned enroller, and that
assigned enroller initiates a telephone conference with the
potential customer.
[0020] During the telephone conference, a readiness rating is
determined for the potential customer that reflects the perceived
willingness of the potential customer to purchase financial
coaching services. When the readiness rating for the potential
customer exceeds a predetermined readiness rating, the potential
customer is enrolled as a buyer of the financial coaching
services.
[0021] The buyer is oriented by telephone to the financial coaching
services, and the buyer is conducted through an ordered sequence of
one-on-one financial coaching sessions by way of electronic
communication media. The buyer may be required to complete
assignments between consecutive pairs of the financial coaching
sessions. By way of electronic communication media, the buyer is
supplied with financial coaching resources related to financial
coaching sessions, and the interest of the buyer is evaluated in
purchasing supplemental financial coaching services after the
sequence of financial coaching sessions has been completed. The
buyer is also then given access, by way of electronic communication
media, to advanced financial conferences.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] In order that the manner in which the above-recited and
other advantages of the present invention are obtained will be
readily understood, a more particular description of the present
invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to
specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended
drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical
embodiments of the present invention, and are not, therefore,
intended to be limiting of the scope thereof, the present invention
will be described and explained with additional specificity and
detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is an overview block diagram of typical individuals
and entities involved in marketing and distributing financial
coaching services according to methods embodying teachings of the
present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the buyer lead
generation phase of the inventive method of FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the application lead
generation phase of the inventive method of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the internal interactions among
portions of the marketing staff of a financial coaching services
provider that employs the inventive method of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the portion of the
lead allocation and financial services sales phase of the inventive
method of FIG. 1 that is performed by a sales staff;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the portion of the
lead allocation and financial services sales phase of the inventive
method of FIG. 1 that is performed by an enrollment staff; and
[0029] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the one-on-one
financial coaching phase of the inventive method of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] It will be readily understood that the elements of the
disclosed embodiments of the subject invention as generally
described and illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 herein could be arranged and
designed in a variety of different relationships. Thus, the
following more detailed description of the embodiments of the
systems and methods of the present invention, as represented in
FIGS. 1-7, is not intended to limit the scope of the present
invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of exemplary
embodiments of the present invention.
[0031] The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an
example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment described
herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as
preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
[0032] As used herein, the world wide web is global interlinked
hypertext system that uses the infrastructure of the internet to
network client workstations and servers all around the world based
on an established Hypertext Transport Protocol (hereinafter
"HTTP"). The world wide web also incorporates hypermedia, which
includes hyperlinked multimedia, such as text, audio, graphics,
animations, and video. The electronic location of an element of the
world wide web is identified by a Uniform Resource Locator address
(hereinafter "a ULR address"). A "browser" includes any software
module capable of using HTTP to read, translate, or otherwise
process code residing at a ULR address on the world wide web. A
"website" or "web page" includes any set of computer readable
instructions residing in one or in a combination of locations that
is or are capable of being accessed through the world wide web.
Websites are able to display text, images, video streams, and
sound, as well as URL links to other websites or applications.
[0033] The order of the steps or actions of the methods described
in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be changed
without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus,
any order depicted in FIGS. 1-7 or mentioned in the corresponding
detailed description is illustrative only, and does not imply an
order that is required by teachings of the present invention taken
as a whole.
[0034] FIG. 1 is an overview block diagram of typical individuals
and entities involved in marketing and distributing financial
coaching services according to methods embodying teachings of the
present invention. Those individuals and entities are able to
engage in give-and-take information transactions between and among
each other using electronic communications media 10. As used
herein, communications media 10 includes without limitation
existing and future elements of the internet, the world wide web,
and all modes of telephonic exchange.
[0035] As seen in FIG. 1, a financial coaching services provider 20
sponsors a website 22 pertaining to those financial coaching
services. Services provider 20 organizes a marketing staff 24
specialized to sell the financial coaching services and employs a
skilled coaching staff 26 that delivers the services. Marketing
staff 24 encompasses a sales staff 28 and an enrollment staff 30.
Among other potentially useful subdivisions, website 22 includes a
quality filter 32 that is used to evaluate the possible value of
business leads or potential customers 40 as eventual actual
revenue-generating buyers of financial coaching services. Quality
filter 32 of website 22 not only screens out from further
processing by services provider 20 potential customers 40 that
offer no or little chance of developing into buyers of financial
coaching service, but quality filter 32 also evaluates each
promising potential customer 40 in a manner that guides the
subsequent processing of that promising potential customer 40 by
marketing staff 24 of services provider 20.
[0036] Initial communications between potential customer 40 and
services provider 20 can occur through communications media 10 in a
direct contact 42 or in an indirect contact 44 that is
intermediated by an electronic communications media partner 50.
Media partner 50 is engaged by services provider 20 to direct to
website 22 a volume of potential customers 40 that, due to the
expertise of media partner 50 in securing the attention of
potential customers 40, is enhanced over the volume that can be
produced by the expertise and personnel of services provider 20
alone.
[0037] In such instances, the initial communications on behalf of
services provider 20 with potential customers 40 is a direct
contact 52 from or with media partner 50. Each potential customer
40 for which it is appropriate to do so is referred by media
partner 50 to website 22 of services provider 20 by way of indirect
contact 44. For this referral service, services provider 20 remits
to media partner 50 revenue 54 in an amount based on the evaluation
reached in quality filter 32 for potential customers 40 arriving at
website 22 by indirect contact 44. Although depicted otherwise in
FIG. 1, the transfer of revenue 54 to media partner 50 may be
effected through the auspices of communications media 10.
[0038] Media partner 50 may be an individual or an entity that
specializes in directing computer users of the internet to specific
locations on the world wide web. For instance, media partner 50 may
direct users to a specific web page through the use of a URL
address in an e-mail message. Alternatively, media partner 50 may
display a URL link or a "banner" on a web page that directs the
browser of potential customers 40 to website 22 of services
provider 20. In one embodiment of the present invention, media
partner 50 is paid on a first so-called "cost per acquisition
basis", wherein each "acquisition" represents the undertaking of a
qualifying action by a user or visitor at website 22. A qualifying
action may include, but is not limited to, accepting an offer
presented upon first arriving at website 22 to buy goods or
services, or engaging in a computer-based dialog that eventually
results in a commitment by the user to purchase future financial
coaching services. When a user performs a qualifying action,
services provider 20 pays media partner 50 a predetermined fee.
[0039] Potential customers 40 that are forwarded by website 22 to
the attention of marketing staff 24 of services provider 20 are
contacted variously by sales staff 28 and enrollment staff 30
thereof directly in marketing links 56 effected through
communications media 10. Potential customers 40 that are enrolled
by marketing staff 24 as actual revenue-generating buyers 60 of the
financial coaching services offered by services provider 20 are
forwarded by marketing staff 24 for the attention of coaching staff
26. Buyers 60 receive financial coaching directly from coaching
staff 26 in coaching links 62 that are also effected through
communications media 10. For any financial coaching services
delivered or in the future to be provided, buyers 60 remit to
services provider 20 appropriate payments in the form of revenue
64. Although depicted otherwise in FIG. 1, the transfer of revenue
64 to services provider 20 may actually be effected through the
auspices of communications media 10. Based on the behavior of
potential customers 40 at website 22 alone, some revenue 64 may be
remitted to services provider 20 by potential customers 40 that do
not actually become buyers 60.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the buyer lead
generation phase of the inventive method of FIG. 1. For the
purposes of this application, a "buyer lead" is a potential
customer 40 of services provider 20. In one embodiment of the
present invention, having been engaged by services provider 20,
media partner 50 generates Internet traffic to a landing page 70 of
website 22 of services provider 20. Landing page 70 may describe
the financial coaching services offered by services provider 20,
emphasizing a particular offer in doing so. The offer may be for
goods or services, items such as an electronic book or services
such as financial coaching. The offer may include a trial use of
goods or services, and an offer may be accompanied by a guarantee
from services provider 20 that the user will be paid some multiple
of the offered purchase price, if the user is not satisfied with
the goods or services after a predetermined time period. The user
may be prompted on landing page 70 to enter initial personal
information into the browser of the user for transmission to
services provider 20. Such initial personal information might
include the name, the e-mail address, or the phone number of the
user.
[0041] If the user successfully enters this information and accepts
an offer, the user may be directed to a follow-up landing page 72.
At follow-up landing page 72, the user is asked to provide
additional information, such as credit card particulars or a
mailing address.
[0042] If the user does not successfully enter the information
requested in landing page 70, attempts to close or redirect its
browser, or declines the offer made in landing page 70, the user
may be directed to a chat window 74. There the user is prompted to
share questions or concerns about the offer presented in landing
page 70. Upon submitting questions or concerns about the offer, an
automated response generated by services provider 20 may appear in
chat window 74. The user may then be given another opportunity
inside chat window 74 to accept the offer described in landing page
70. The offer from landing page 70 may be presented again at a
discount in chat window 74. If the user accepts this discounted
offer, the user is directed to follow-up landing page 72, and
services provider 20 pays media partner 50 as revenue 54 a fee
based on a second cost per acquisition basis that is lower than the
first cost per acquisition basis.
[0043] If the user attempts to close or redirect its browser, or
declines the offer presented in chat window 74, the user may be
directed to a non-buyer consultation page 76. At non-buyer
consultation page 76, the user may be presented with a second offer
for goods or services and asked to answer one or more questions
relevant to the second offer. This second offer could be an
invitation to participate in a pre-paid consultation with a
financial coach. The questions may be multiple choice or open-ended
and may apply to the financial status, the financial knowledge, and
the interest of the user. If the user successfully enrolls at the
non-buyer consultation page 76, the user may be directed to a
status page 78. There the user may be invited to call services
provider 20 on the telephone or be given a message about when to
expect a telephone call or other communication from services
provider 20. Upon the successful enrollment of a user at non-buyer
consultation page 76, services provider 20 pays media partner 50 as
revenue 54 a fee based upon a third cost per acquisition basis that
is even lower than the second cost per acquisition bases.
[0044] If the user successfully enters the information requested in
follow-up landing page 72, the user may be directed to a single or
to a progression of bump pages 80. There the user is presented with
additional so-called "bump" offers. Website 22 may include multiple
consecutive bump pages 80, each giving the user a renewed chance to
purchase additional goods or services priced at a flat fee, a
time-based fee, or both. If the user attempts to redirect or close
its browser while viewing a bump page 80, the user may be
redirected by website 22 to one or more additional marketing pages
that are similar in content to the presentations made in chat
window 74 or in non-buyer consultation page 76.
[0045] If the user successfully fills out a bump page 80, the user
becomes one of buyers 60 of services provider 20. Then, or even
possibly if the user declines all bump offers, the user or buyer 60
may be directed to a buyer consultation page 82. There the user or
buyer 60 is invited to participate in a second offer. The user or
buyer 60 is asked to answer additional questions relevant to the
second offer. The questions may be multiple choice or open-ended
and may be designed to elicit additional information about the
financial status, the financial knowledge, and the interests of the
user or buyer 60.
[0046] If the user or buyer 60 successfully enrolls in buyer
consultation page 82, that user or buyer 60 may be directed to a
download page 84. There, the user or buyer 60 is given access to
the goods or services purchased in the first, the second, or any of
the bump offers. For instance, if an electronic book has been
purchased, the electronic book is downloaded to the user or buyer
60 at download page 84. The user or buyer 60 may also be requested
as at status page 78 to call services provider 20 on the telephone
or be given a message about when to expect a telephone call or
other communication from services provider 20.
[0047] At the end of the buyer lead generation phase of the
inventive method, services provider 20 undertakes a quality rating
calculation 86 to determine the economic value, both realized and
potential, of each buyer lead. This determination is based on many
and diverse factors and need not be shared with the buyer lead.
Among the possible factors used to calculate the quality rating of
a buyer lead are the number and the respective prices of offers
purchased from services provider 20, as well as whether the buyer
lead successfully enrolled in either buyer consultation page 82 or
non-buyer consultation page 76. When multiple offers have been
purchased, and a buyer lead enrolls in future financial coaching,
the quality rating of the buyer lead is higher than when fewer
offers are accepted or the buyer lead does not enroll in any
financial coaching. Should a buyer lead enroll at either buyer
consultation page 82 or non-buyer consultation page 76, the answers
provided by the buyer lead in so doing may be considered in
calculating the quality rating to be associated with that buyer
lead.
[0048] A buyer lead at website 22 may have given strong indications
of being an appropriate beneficiary of the financial coaching
offered by services provider 20, but the buyer lead may not have
quite completed an enrollment for those financial coaching
services. These buyer leads are still considered by services
provider 20 as having business potential and are forwarded for the
attention of marketing staff 24 to be developed through less
mechanized contacts as applicants to become revenue producing
buyers 60.
[0049] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the application lead
generation phase of the inventive method of FIG. 1 that
distinguishes such applicants from other buyer leads. Media partner
50 directs users to website 22 of services provider 20. In the
application lead generation phase of the inventive method, revenue
54 paid to media partner 50 by services provider 20 may be less
than that paid in the buyer lead generation phase shown in FIG. 2,
because, for example, no credit card information is required of a
potential customer 40 in the application lead generation phase of
the inventive method.
[0050] The user is directed to landing page 70, where the user is
prompted to provide personal information, such as a name, an e-mail
address, a telephone number, and or a mailing address. Upon
successfully inputting the requested personal information on
landing page 70, the user is directed to non-buyer consultation
page 76. There, the user may be asked to complete additional
questions relevant to an offer for pre-paid financial coaching. The
questions may be multiple choice or open-ended and may pertain to
the financial status, the financial knowledge, and the interest of
the user in improving its financial situation. Alternatively,
landing page 70 and non-buyer consultation page 76 may be combined
into a single page of website 22. In that case, the questions asked
may be fewer and require less time and effort of a user.
[0051] In either case, if the user attempts to exit or redirect its
browser or declines the offer, chat window 74 may be presented to
the user. The user is prompted to share any questions or concerns
about the offer described in landing page 70. Upon submitting
questions or concerns about the offer, an automated response
generated by marketing staff 24 of services provider 20 may appear
in chat window 74. The user may then be given another opportunity
inside chat window 74 to accept the offer described in landing page
70, and offer may there be represented at a discount. If the user
accepts this offer, the user is directed to a confirmation page
90.
[0052] At confirmation page 90, the user may be prompted to call
services provider 20 in order to participate in the program of
financial coaching described in landing page 70, or the user may be
given a second opportunity to purchase financial goods or services.
The goods and services may be priced at a flat fee, a time-based
fee, or both. As appropriate, the user is directed to download page
84, where the user receives any goods purchased. Based on the
number of offers accepted and the answers provided to questions at
non-buyer consultation page 76, quality rating calculation 86 is
conducted and a quality rating is determined for and associated
with the user.
[0053] Revenue 54 is paid to media partner 50 by services provider
20 in accordance with a predetermined referral fee calibrated to
the quality rating determined for the potential customer 40.
[0054] The quality rating determined in quality rating calculation
86 for potential customer 40 is compared to a predetermined quality
rating. When the quality rating associated with potential customer
40 exceeds the predetermined threshold quality rating, the identity
and related information collected about potential customer 40 is
forwarded from website 22 of services provider 20 to the attention
of marketing staff 24 thereof.
[0055] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the interactions within
marketing staff 24 of a service provider, such as services provider
20, which employs the method of FIG. 1.
[0056] Potential customer 40 initially receives the attention of
the sales staff 28 portion of marketing staff 24. Sales staff 28
assesses the importance to potential customers 40 of the financial
coaching services offered by services provider 20. As will be
illustrated in subsequent of the drawings, this involves first
associating potential customer 40 to an assigned sales agent on the
basis of the quality rating determined earlier for potential
customer 40. Then, the assigned sales agent initiates a telephone
conference with potential customer 40. Finally, an interest rating
is determined by the assigned sales agent for potential customer 40
based on the behavior of potential customer 40 during that
telephone conference.
[0057] The interest rating for potential customer 40 is intended to
reflect the perceived importance to potential customer 40 of the
financial coaching services available from services provider 20. As
suggested by decision diamond 100 in FIG. 4, when the interest
rating determined for potential customer 40 exceeds a predetermined
threshold interest rating, the identity and related information
collected about potential customer 40 is forwarded from sales staff
28 to the attention of enrollment staff 30. On the other hand, if
the interest rating determined for potential customer 40 does not
exceed the predetermined threshold interest rating, the identity
and related information collected about potential customer 40 is
added to a remarketing pool 102 for possible subsequent renewed
marketing strategizing by members of marketing staff 24.
[0058] Enrollment staff 30 assesses the willingness of potential
customer 40 to actually purchase the financial coaching services
offered by services provider 20. As will be illustrated in
subsequent of the drawings, this involves first associating
potential customer 40 to an assigned enroller on the basis of the
interest rating determined for potential customer 40 by sales staff
28. Then, the assigned enroller initiates a telephone conference
with potential customer 40. Finally, a readiness rating is
determined by the assigned enroller for potential customer 40 based
on the behavior of potential customer 40 during that telephone
conference. The readiness rating for potential customer 40 is
intended to reflect the willingness of potential customer 40 to
purchase the financial coaching services offered by services
provider 20.
[0059] As suggested by decision diamond 104 in FIG. 4, subsequent
measures undertaken relative to potential customer 40 are based on
amount of the readiness rating determined for potential customer 40
by the assigned enroller. When the readiness rating associated with
potential customer 40 exceeds a predetermined threshold readiness
rating, then as indicated in instructions rectangle 106, the
assigned enroller or another member of enrollment staff 30 promptly
enrolls potential customer 40 as a buyer 60 of the financial
coaching services of services provider 20. Then the identity and
related information collected about buyer 60 is forwarded from
enrollment staff 30 to coaching staff 26 of services provider 20.
If on the other hand, the readiness rating associated with
potential customer 40 does not exceed the predetermined threshold
readiness rating, the identity and related information collected
about potential customer 40 is added to remarketing pool 102 for
possible subsequent renewed marketing strategizing by members of
marketing staff 24.
[0060] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the portion of the
lead allocation and financial services sales phase of the inventive
method of FIG. 1 that is performed by sales staff 28. It is the
primary task of sales staff 28 to assess the importance to the
buyer lead of the financial coaching serves of services provider
20. Sales staff 28 is organized into a plurality of sales teams
that are each collectively trained and qualified to consult and
sell products and services in particular to buyer leads of a
specific predetermined range of quality ratings as determined,
either in the buyer lead generation process of FIG. 2, or in the
application lead generation process of FIG. 3. Each sales team is
made up of from six to fifteen members. Some or all members of a
given sales team may be trained and qualified to consult and sell
products and services to buyer leads in a plurality of ranges of
quality ratings. As indicated in instructions rectangle 110, each
buyer lead is allocated one of the several sales teams of sales
staff 28 and correspondingly to the team leader of that sales team.
Services provider 20 may maintain a database of sales personnel
from which sales teams are organized and by which each buyer lead
is assigned to a given sales team. As indicated in instructions
rectangle 112, the team leader of a sales team to which a buyer
lead has been allocated associates the buyer lead to a sales agent
in the team based on a variety of criteria, such as the expertise
and the existing workload of the sales agents of that team.
[0061] As indicated in instructions rectangle 114, the assigned
sales agent attempts to contact the buyer lead over the telephone.
This may be done a predetermined number of times or for a
predetermined period of time. If the buyer lead is not able to be
contacted by the assigned sales agent within the constraints
specified by services provider 20, then as indicated in decision
diamond 116, the identity and related information collected about
the buyer lead is added to remarketing pool 102. Services provider
20 may continue to attempt contact any buyer lead listed in
remarketing pool 102 on the telephone, by direct mailings, or using
any other available communication medium. On the other hand, if the
buyer lead is successfully contacted by the assigned sales agent,
then as indicated in instructions rectangle 118, that assigned
sales agent attempts to pre-qualify the buyer lead to facilitate
further marketing efforts by services provider 20.
[0062] During pre-qualification, the assigned sales agent questions
the buyer lead regarding various qualifying criteria. The
qualifying criteria may include the motivation of the buyer lead to
change its financial situation, the identity of the financial
decision maker in the household of the buyer lead, the perceived
degree of agreement by the members with that financial decision
maker, and the existing financial ability of the buyer lead to
purchase goods or services from services provide 20. Based on the
responses to such questions, the assigned sales agent determines
whether the buyer lead is a good candidate for further marketing
efforts, as shown at decision diamond 120. If not, then the
identity and related information collected about the buyer lead is
added to remarketing pool 102. On the other hand, if the assigned
sales agent determines that the buyer lead warrants further
marketing efforts, a further consultation completion is scheduled
with the buyer lead.
[0063] In preparation for a consultation completion, the buyer lead
may be required to gather its own personal financial data. The
consultation completion should occur promptly, preferably within no
later than 48 hours from the pre-qualification conference. Then, as
indicated in instructions rectangle 122, an effort ensues by the
assigned sales agent to determine for the buyer lead a rating of
its interest in purchasing the financial coaching services offered
by services provider 20.
[0064] The assigned sales agent may begin with an introduction.
This involves an examination of the existing financial situation
and the financial goals of the buyer lead. The financial data of
the buyer lead may be analyzed, and the assigned sales agent may
ask questions of the buyer lead regarding its finances. The
assigned sales agent may then make suggestions to the buyer lead
regarding its finances and ask whether the buyer lead would like
the help of a financial coach, as indicated at decision diamond
124. If the buyer lead answers that no such help is desired, the
assigned sales agent adds the identity and related information
collected about the buyer lead to remarketing pool 102. If the
buyer lead is positive about retaining the help of a financial
coach, the assigned sales agent provides a brief description of the
program for financial coaching and forwards the identity and
related information collected about the buyer lead to the attention
of enrollment staff 30.
[0065] In doing so, the assigned sales agent may even schedule a
time for a director of enrollment staff 30 to call the buyer lead
by telephone. An enrollment director is a skilled employee of
services provider 20 whose experience is particularly suited to
actually enrolling buyer leads in the financial coaching offered by
services provider 20. For the purposes of this application, a
former buyer lead becomes a "client" or a customer, once that buyer
lead has been enrolled in the financial coaching provided by
services provider 20.
[0066] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the portion of the
lead allocation and financial services sales phase of the inventive
method of FIG. 1 that is performed by enrollment staff 30. It is
the primary task of enrollment staff 30 to assess the willingness
of the buyer lead to purchase the financial coaching serves of
services provider 20. Enrollment staff 30 is organized into a
plurality of enrollment teams that are each collectively trained
and qualified to sell products and services in particular to buyer
leads of a specific predetermined range of interest ratings as
determined in the lead allocation and financial services sales
phase of the inventive method illustrated in FIG. 5. Each
enrollment team is made up of from six to fifteen members. Some or
all members of a given enrollment team may be trained and qualified
to sell products and services to buyer leads in a plurality of
ranges of interest ratings. As indicated in instructions rectangle
130, each buyer lead is allocated to one of the several enrollment
teams of enrollment staff 30 and correspondingly to the team leader
of that enrollment team. Services provider 20 may maintain a
database of enrollment personnel from which enrollment teams are
organized and by which each buyer lead is assigned to a given
enrollment team. As indicated in instructions rectangle 132, the
team leader of an enrollment team to which a buyer lead has been
allocated associates the buyer lead to an enroller in the team
based on a variety of criteria, such as the expertise and the
existing workload of the enrollers of that team.
[0067] As indicated in instructions rectangle 134, the assigned
enroller attempts to contact the buyer lead over the telephone.
This may be done a predetermined number of times or for a
predetermined period of time. If the buyer lead is not able to be
contacted by the assigned enroller within the constraints specified
by services provider 20, then as indicated in decision diamond 136,
the identity and related information collected about the buyer lead
is added to remarketing pool 102. Services provider 20 may continue
to attempt contact any buyer lead listed in remarketing pool 102 on
the telephone, by direct mailings, or using any other available
communication medium. On the other hand, if the buyer lead is
successfully contacted by the assigned enroller, then as indicated
in instructions rectangle 138, then as indicated in instructions
rectangle 138, an effort ensues by the assigned enroller to
determine for the buyer lead a rating of its readiness to purchase
the financial coaching services offered by services provider
20.
[0068] The assigned enroller may reexamine the existing financial
situation and the financial goals of the buyer lead and make
suggestions to the buyer lead regarding its finances. Ultimately,
the assigned enroller asks whether the buyer lead would like the
help of a financial coach. Decision diamond 140 represents the
buyer's response. If the buyer lead answers that no such help is
desired, the assigned enroller adds the identity and related
information collected about the buyer lead to remarketing pool 102.
If the buyer lead is positive about retaining the help of a
financial coach, the assigned enroller provides a brief description
of the program for financial coaching and forwards the identity and
related information collected about the buyer lead to the attention
of coaching staff 26.
[0069] In doing so, the assigned sales agent may schedule a time
for a member of coaching staff 26 to call the buyer lead by
telephone. Members of coaching staff 26 are skilled employees of
services provider 20 having training and experience that are
particularly suited to delivering the one-on-one financial coaching
offered by services provider 20.
[0070] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the one-on-one
financial coaching phase of the inventive method of FIG. 1. Once a
client is enrolled by enrollment staff 30 in a financial coaching
program offered by services provider 20, as shown in instructions
rectangle 150, an orientation specialist from coaching staff 26
calls the client on the telephone and conducts an orientation
conference. This may include walking the client through a program
overview and giving the client access to online resources, such as
audio lectures, video lectures, or an electronic library of print
resources. The orientation conference should optimally take place
within 24 hours of the enrollment of the client.
[0071] After the orientation call, a financial coach calls the
client and, as indicated in instructions rectangle 152, the
financial coach conducts financial coaching sessions with the
client. A financial coach may be a person employed by or
contracting with services provider 20 to examine a client's
financial situation and to help clients to achieve the understood
financial goals. The financial coach may conduct one or more
financial coaching sessions with a client. After each coaching
session, the client may be given assignments to complete in
preparation for the next coaching session. These are illustrated
schematically in FIG. 7 by buyer activity rectangles 154.
Assignments may include the participation in a weekly group
coaching session, the participation in monthly conference calls,
the completion of interactive electronic coursework through the
internet, or various reading assignments from a library. The
library may be an electronic resource maintained by services
provider 20 to which the client is afforded access during the
enrollment term of the client. Such an electronic resource may
include an electronic library, an archive of past recorded
financial coaching sessions, and video conferencing and telephone
support resources. The assignments and resources called for by
buyer activity rectangles 154 may utilize telephone, interactive
websites, e-mail, or any other electronic communication medium.
Additionally, software allowing services provider 20 access to or
temporary control over the computer of the client may be used to
help the client receive those electronic resources. Throughout the
coaching process, services provider 20 maintains documentation
about the status and financial development of the client, including
documentation of the willingness of the client to complete
assignments successfully and the progress of the client toward
financial goals.
[0072] After the financial coaching sessions suggested by
instructions rectangle 152, the client participates in a final
coaching session as called for in instructions rectangle 156. In
the final coaching session the financial coach reviews the
resources available to the client, and motivates and encourages the
client toward further progress in financial matters. The final
coaching session may enable the financial coach to collect a
success story about the client for use in the marketing publicity
of services provider 20. Also, during the final coaching session,
the financial coach may explain to the client that, as suggested in
instructions rectangles 158, supplemental wealth building sessions
are available for purchase by the client. Pursuant to decision
diamond 160, should the client be interested in supplemental wealth
building sessions, an appointment is scheduled to begin them. There
may be one or a plurality of these supplemental wealth building
sessions, which may focus on areas of financial investing of
interest to financial sophisticates, such as e-commerce, real
estate, online trading, or small business investing. After each
supplemental wealth building session, the client may be given
assignments to complete in preparation for the next supplemental
wealth building session. These are illustrated schematically in
FIG. 7 by buyer activity rectangles 164.
[0073] Lastly, as indicated in instructions rectangle 166 the
client may be invited to participate in monthly graduate conference
calls. These monthly graduate conference calls may enable services
provider 20 to gather an updated progress report from the client
and to motivate and encourage efforts to continue toward the
financial goals of the client. For this reason, and as suggested by
decision diamond 160, graduate conference calls may be offered to a
client that is nonetheless uninterested in participating in
supplemental wealth building sessions.
[0074] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its structures, methods, or other
essential characteristics as broadly described herein and claimed
hereinafter. The described embodiments are to be considered in all
respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of
the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims,
rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be
embraced within their scope.
* * * * *