U.S. patent application number 14/332854 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-06 for method and system for evaluating, reporting, and improving on-line promotion effectiveness.
This patent application is currently assigned to e-Rewards, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is e-Rewards, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harold Milton Brierley, Bernard D. Feiwus, Frank M. Hamlin, James C. Niemann, John R. Rothwell.
Application Number | 20140330639 14/332854 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24067546 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140330639 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brierley; Harold Milton ; et
al. |
November 6, 2014 |
Method and System for Evaluating, Reporting, and Improving On-Line
Promotion Effectiveness
Abstract
A system and method for populating and analyzing a member
consumer profile database for implementing an incentive driven
targeted product marketing program is disclosed. To implement the
targeted product marketing program, personal profile information is
collected from several member consumers and stored in a profile
database. A group of the member consumers are identified and
selected, and the promotion operator provides a promotion to this
group on behalf of a sponsor. During and/or after the promotion,
information is solicited from the member consumer about the
promotion in exchange for rewards. In addition, interactive
behavior information of the member consumer is tracked. The
solicited information and the interactive behavior information can
then be used to enrich the profile database for future
promotions.
Inventors: |
Brierley; Harold Milton;
(Dallas, TX) ; Rothwell; John R.; (Dallas, TX)
; Niemann; James C.; (Dallas, TX) ; Hamlin; Frank
M.; (Dallas, TX) ; Feiwus; Bernard D.; (Plano,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
e-Rewards, Inc. |
Plano |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
e-Rewards, Inc.
Plano
TX
|
Family ID: |
24067546 |
Appl. No.: |
14/332854 |
Filed: |
July 16, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09519266 |
Mar 7, 2000 |
8799208 |
|
|
14332854 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.44 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0254 20130101;
G06Q 30/0276 20130101; G06Q 30/0211 20130101; G06Q 30/0277
20130101; G06Q 30/0217 20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0226
20130101; G06Q 30/0245 20130101; G06Q 30/0242 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.44 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20060101
G06Q030/02 |
Claims
1. A method for improving online market research, the method
comprising: creating, from a plurality of online users, a first
user segment comprising first qualifying users according to a
selected analysis model that compares online user requirements to
user profile information stored in a user database; transmitting a
first survey to one or more first qualifying users; measuring at
least one of content of a survey response of one or more first
qualifying users and a behavior of one or more first qualifying
users; in response to the measuring, refining the user profile
information to update the user profile database, the refining
comprising: performing a user profile enrichment process by asking
one or more first qualifying users at least one of survey-specific
questions, user profile-specific questions, and questions relating
to the user's interest in a product or service; performing a user
behavioral analysis process; and performing a user result
verification process by confirming if one or more first qualifying
users has made past purchases of products or services relating to
the first survey; retrieving, from the updated user profile
database, the refined user profile information; creating, from the
plurality of online users, a second user segment comprising second
qualifying users according to the selected analysis model that
compares the online user requirements to the refined user profile
information stored in the updated user database.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein performing a user personal profile
enrichment process further comprises: providing information
relating to historical behavior of the one or more users to prompt
the one or more users to provide more accurate responses to the
first survey.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the user behavioral
analysis process comprises: recording at least one electronic
communication viewed by the one or more users, or at least one
website accessed by the one or more users in conjunction with
viewing the at least one electronic communication.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein refining the user profile
information to update the user profile database further comprises:
performing a periodic profile updating process by periodically
offering one or more first qualified users incentives to provide
additional information.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: retrieving refined
user profile information from the updated user database to derive a
first survey report, the first survey report reflecting the degree
to which the first survey impacted one or more users in the first
user segment.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising: transmitting the first
survey report to the survey issuer.
7. A system for improving online market research, the system
comprising: a receiver for receiving, from a first survey issuer, a
first survey, the first survey associated with requirements of
online users; logic coupled to the receiver for creating, from a
plurality of online users, a first user segment comprising first
qualifying users according to a selected analysis model that
compares online user requirements to user profile information
stored in a user database; logic for transmitting a first survey to
one or more first qualifying users; logic for measuring at least
one of content of a survey response of one or more first qualifying
users and a behavior of one or more first qualifying users; logic
for, in response to the measuring, refining the user profile
information to update the user profile database, the refining
comprising: performing a user profile enrichment process by asking
one or more first qualifying users at least one of survey-specific
questions, user profile-specific questions, and questions relating
to the user's interest in a product or service; performing a user
behavioral analysis process; and performing a user result
verification process by confirming if one or more first qualifying
users has made past purchases of products or services relating to
the first survey; logic for retrieving, from the updated user
profile database, the refined user profile information; logic for
creating, from the plurality of online users, a second user segment
comprising second qualifying users according to the selected
analysis model that compares the online user requirements to the
refined user profile information stored in the updated user
database.
8. The system of claim 7 further comprising logic for: performing a
user personal profile enrichment process further comprises:
providing information relating to historical behavior of the one or
more users to prompt the one or more users to provide more accurate
responses to the first survey.
9. The system of claim 7 further comprising logic for: recording at
least one electronic communication viewed by the one or more users,
or at least one website accessed by the one or more users in
conjunction with viewing the at least one electronic
communication.
10. The system of claim 7 further comprising logic for: performing
a periodic profile updating process by periodically offering one or
more first qualified users incentives to provide additional
information.
11. The system of claim 7 further comprising logic for: retrieving
refined user profile information from the updated user database to
derive a first survey report, the first survey report reflecting
the degree to which the first survey impacted one or more users in
the first user segment.
12. The system of claim 11 further comprising logic for:
transmitting the first survey report to the survey issuer.
13. A method for improving online market research, the method
comprising: establishing a plurality of online user requirements to
qualify as a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of a
survey issuer; in response to establishing, retrieving, from a user
profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality
of online users, wherein the user profile database comprises: a
transaction database storing information specific to the online
users that is obtained from interactions involving the online
users, and a marketing database, in communication with the
transaction database, storing information specific to the survey
issuer and extracts of data from the transaction database;
creating, using information read from the marketing database, an
online user segment, the online user segment comprising a subset of
the plurality of online users sharing the qualification
requirements; transmitting a first survey to the online user
segment, the first survey being relevant to the qualification
requirements; receiving, at least partially in response to
transmitting the survey, user response information from at least
one user in the online user segment; and creating, from the user
response information, a first survey report, the first survey
report reflecting the degree to which the first survey impacted the
one or more users in the first user segment.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: measuring user
response behavior and, in response to the measuring response
behavior, updating the user profile information and identifying an
updated set of surveys for which a user qualifies based on the
updated profile information.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein: the first survey comprises
questions that are prioritized in response to observed consumer
behavior.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein: transmitting a first survey to
the online user segment comprises directing the consumer to a
website provided by the survey issuer to complete the survey.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein: updating the database in
response to measuring the response behavior comprises: a dynamic
personal profile enrichment process that continuously enriches a
personal profile for each online user; a behavior analysis process
that extracts online user behavior relating to at least the first
survey; a result verification process that verifies the results of
at least the first survey with the survey issuer; and a periodic
profile update process that conveys incentives to the online user
for participation in at least the first survey.
18. A system for improving online market research, the system
comprising: a receiver for receiving, from an survey issuer, a
plurality of online user requirements to qualify as a user that can
receive an online survey on behalf of the survey issuer; logic for
establishing a plurality of online user requirements to qualify as
a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of a survey
issuer; in response to establishing, retrieving, from a user
profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality
of online users, wherein the user profile database comprises: a
transaction database storing information specific to the online
users that is obtained from interactions involving the online
users, and a marketing database, in communication with the
transaction database, storing information specific to the survey
issuer and extracts of data from the transaction database;
creating, using information read from the marketing database, an
online user segment, the online user segment comprising a subset of
the plurality of online users sharing the qualification
requirements; transmitting a first survey to the online user
segment, the first survey being relevant to the qualification
requirements; receiving, at least partially in response to
transmitting the survey, user response information from at least
one user in the online user segment; and creating, from the user
response information, a first survey report, the first survey
report reflecting the degree to which the first survey impacted the
one or more users in the first user segment.
19. The system of claim 18 further comprising: logic for measuring
user response behavior and, in response to the measuring response
behavior, updating the user profile information and identifying an
updated set of surveys for which a user qualifies based on the
updated profile information.
20. The system of claim 18 wherein: the first survey comprises
questions that are prioritized in response to observed consumer
behavior.
21. The system of claim 18 wherein: transmitting a first survey to
the online user segment comprises directing the consumer to a
website provided by the survey issuer to complete the survey.
22. The system of claim 18 further wherein the logic for updating
the data base in response to measuring the response behavior
comprises: dynamic personal profile enrichment process logic that
continuously enriches a personal profile for each online user;
behavior analysis process logic that extracts online user behavior
relating to at least the first survey; result verification process
logic that verifies the results of at least the first survey with
the survey issuer; and periodic profile update process logic that
conveys incentives to the online user for participation in at least
the first survey.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/519,266, filed Mar. 7, 2000 and entitled,
"METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING, REPORTING, AND IMPROVING ON-LINE
PROMOTION EFFECTIVENESS," the disclosure of which is incorporated
by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates generally to product
advertisements and promotions, and more particularly, to a system
and method for evaluating, reporting, and improving promotion
effectiveness through both on-line and off-line communication
channels.
[0003] With the advent of the Internet, traditional advertising and
promotion activities have been rapidly transformed to cover both
on-line and off-line product and service promotions. The on-line
world has been integrated into the traditional market, and has
become another communication channel between the provider and the
purchaser of products or services. For the purpose of describing
the present invention, it is understood that the term "product"
includes any product or service that can be promoted.
[0004] On one hand, it is now possible to directly access a
targeted customer or consumer base through new communication or
presentation means such as emails and websites. On the other hand,
it has become more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of a
particular promotion because the consumers have far more
communication channels to receive the information about the
promoted products.
[0005] It is desired to provide a promotion that is targeted to a
group of selected consumers who are likely to have a serious
interest in the promoted product. However, the interests of
consumers are constantly changing. Thus the effectiveness of a
promotion depends largely on the targeting process for determining
the group of selected consumers. The targeting process not only
requires significant information about the consumers in general,
but the information must be correct and up-to-date. While many
manufacturers and advertisers consider on-line promotions to be one
of the most effective and economical way to market their products,
evaluating, reporting and improving the effectiveness of the
on-line product promotions remains a significant problem.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] A system and method is provided for creating, evaluating,
reporting, and improving on-line product promotions for a targeted
product marketing program. The program is operated by a promotion
operator on behalf of at least one sponsor and/or advertiser. In
one embodiment, a profile database is created through a member
enrollment process to recruit a plurality of consumers (hereinafter
"member consumers") by the promotion operator. After its creation,
the profile database may be enriched throughout and beyond the life
cycle of various promotions. The present invention provides a more
complete picture of how a specific promotion has affected the
decision making process of a group of member consumers than any
conventional method. It also may report information back to the
sponsor/advertiser and the promotion operator so that future
promotions can be better designed and future consumers can be
targeted more closely.
[0007] In one embodiment, the profile database is constantly
refined and analyzed through a dynamic profile enrichment process,
a behavioral analysis process, a promotion result verification
process, and a periodic profile updating process. The dynamic
profile enrichment process continually enriches personal profile
information of each member consumer stored in the profile database.
The behavioral analysis process compliments the personal profile
information with actual behavior information of the member consumer
that details the website interactive actions performed by the
member consumer. The promotion result verification process verifies
the results of a specific promotion. The periodic profile updating
process may include monthly and quarterly follow-ups with the
member consumer who has received promotions from the promotion
operator. It may also include periodic service driven surveys for
member consumers who have expressed a negative interest about the
promotion. Through these processes, the effectiveness of each
promotion is ensured and the value of the profile database is
improved.
[0008] Based on the profile database, various reports can be
generated for the benefit of both the advertiser and the promotion
operator for analyzing many aspects of the promotion and provide
valuable information for improving the design of future
promotions.
[0009] Since the success of the promotion depends largely on the
selected group of member consumers, the promotion operator may
communicate with the member consumers during and after the
promotion in order to evaluate the promotion and understand the
interests of the member consumers. In order to provide incentives
for soliciting needed information from the member consumers, the
promotion operator may provide one or more rewards to the member
consumers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified communication system
including at least three computers and a network, the system being
used for implementing one embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates an incentive driven on-line product
promotion system and method according to one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0012] FIGS. 3A, 4, 5A, 6, 7, and 8A are flowcharts for
implementing consumer enrollment and database enrichment processes
of the promotion system and method of FIG. 2.
[0013] FIGS. 3B-3C, 5B-5I, and 8B-8E illustrate screen displays for
implementing consumer enrollment and database enrichment processes
of the promotion system and method of FIG. 2.
[0014] FIGS. 9-10, 11A, and 12A are flowcharts for illustrating
database enrichment and profile analysis processes of the promotion
system and the method of FIG. 2.
[0015] FIGS. 11B-11D and 12B-12C illustrate screen displays for
illustrating database enrichment and profile analysis processes of
the promotion system and the method of FIG. 2.
[0016] FIG. 13 is a Venn diagram for illustrating target group
selection for the method of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The present invention provides a unique system and method
for creating, evaluating, reporting, and improving product
promotions in a communications network. It is understood that the
following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or
examples, for implementing different features of this invention.
Therefore, specific examples of networks, components, entities, and
properties are described below to simplify the present disclosure.
These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to limit
the invention from that described in the claims.
[0018] The following disclosure is separated, for the sake of
clarity, into four discussions: 1) an exemplary network; 2) method
summary; 3) consumer enrollment and database enrichment processes;
and 4) further database enrichment and profile analysis processes.
Each of the discussions focuses on one or more examples for
implementing the invention. To simplify the following disclosure,
many examples are continued through each of the discussions.
1. Exemplary Network
[0019] Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference
numeral 10 designates, in general, a typical communication system.
The system 10 is centered around a network 12, which may be any
combination of the Internet, local area networks, telephone
network, and intranets. For the sake of example, the network 12
will be considered to be the Internet and will utilize Transfer
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to transmit data
between various nodes connected to the network. Communication
techniques such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Secure HyperText
Transmission Protocol (HTTPS) can also be used to provide extra
security for certain transactions.
[0020] Many nodes may be attached to each other through the network
12, represented by three nodes 14, 16, and 18. The nodes 14-18 are
illustrated as personal computers, but it is understood that each
node can actually represent one or more different computing
devices, including mainframe servers, wireless telephones, personal
digital assistants, television devices and the like.
[0021] Referring to node 14 for example, the node includes a
processing unit, a memory, and a network interface, generally
represented as computer 14a. The computer 14a also includes a
consumer interface, which in the present example includes a monitor
14b and a keyboard 14c. It is understood that each of the listed
components may actually represent several different components. For
example, the computer 14a may actually represent a distributed
processing system including different levels of main memory, hard
disks, server/client memory, and remote storage locations.
Furthermore, it is understood that, in many implementations, the
nodes 14, 16, and 18 may be configured differently from each other
and/or may have different components.
[0022] For the sake of reference, the node 14 will represent one or
more potential consumers of goods and/or services provided through
the network 12. The node 16 will represent one or more sponsors
and/or advertisers desiring to advertise or sell goods or services
over the network 12. The node 18 will represent a promotion
operator for helping the sponsor/advertiser 16 with certain
promotions of their goods and services.
2. Method Summary
[0023] The present invention provides a method for populating and
analyzing a member consumer profile database for implementing an
incentive driven targeted product marketing program. The targeted
product marketing program begins with identifying and registering a
plurality of consumers 14. Once registered, the consumers are
"member consumers." The promotion operator 18 can then deliver
promotions directly to selected groups of the member consumers 14
(a "segment") for the benefit of the promotion sponsor/advertiser
16.
[0024] Since the effectiveness of the promotion depends on
identifying the segment of member consumers 14 who are likely to
purchase the promoted product, the promotion operator solicits
specific information to facilitate the selection of the segment.
The information may be retrieved from the member consumers 14 in
various occurrences before, during, and after the promotion(s). The
promotion operator 18 may explicitly request information from the
member consumer 14, or may derive information responsive to the
member consumer's behavior during the promotion. In some
embodiments, the member consumers 14 provide this information in
exchange for "reward points" or "reward money." The information may
then be stored in one or more databases.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2, a method 20 can be used to create,
evaluate, report, and/or improve product promotions for the
sponsor/advertiser 16 through the network 10. The method is
generally performed by the promotion operator 18, with inputs from
the member consumer 14 and the sponsor/advertiser 16. It is
understood that certain steps and processes of the method 20 can be
distributed throughout the network 12.
[0026] At step 22, one or more databases 30 are populated with the
enrollment, or registration, of the one or more consumers 14. The
method allows for the consumers 14 to register with the promotion
operator 18 to receive rewards in exchange for reviewing promotion
information through the network 12. Registration may include a
series of questions asked by the promotion operator 18, including
information about the member consumer's network activities and
information relating to the promotions provided by the sponsors
and/or advertisers 16.
[0027] For the sake of example, the profile database 30 is
illustrated as including a transaction database 30a and a marketing
database 30b. The transaction database 30a includes information
that is specific to the consumers 14 and obtained from the member
consumers through interactions between the promotion operator 16
and the member consumers 14. The marketing database 30b is an
analytical repository that includes various types of information,
including data that is specific to the sponsors/advertisers 16 and
extracts of data from the transaction database 30a. It is
understood that these two databases 30a, 30b are merely functional
representations, and may actually refer to a single database or
many distributed databases.
[0028] At step 23, a segment of member consumers is identified and
a promotion program is provided to the segment. The promotion
program may be designed by the promotion operator, responsive to
information received during registration (and elsewhere).
[0029] At step 24, the profile database 30 is constantly
"enriched." The enrichment is facilitated by the member consumers
14 accessing and evaluating certain promotions. For example, the
promotion operator 18 may ask the member consumers 14 to evaluate
and/or rate the promotions. This evaluation and/or rating process
may occur during the promotion, or after the promotion has
ended.
[0030] The enrichment is further facilitated by performing dynamic
analysis of the member consumers actions during the promotion. For
example, behavior information such as how many member consumers
accessed the promotion, how long the promotion was actively
reviewed, how many consumers selected embedded links (internal
subsets) of the promotion, and so forth may be recorded.
Alternatively or in addition, the promotion results may also be
verified with the sponsor/advertiser 16.
[0031] At step 26, by analyzing the enriched and updated profile
database 30, the promotion operator 18, and thus the
sponsors/advertisers 16, can obtain valuable information with
respect to the effectiveness of various promotions. This may
include historical rating information given by each member consumer
14 for similar promotions, average rating information of similar
promotions, average rating information of all selected member
consumers, and statistical distribution information based on rating
information collected. This analysis enables the promotion operator
18 to create various promotion reports if necessary.
[0032] The method 20 can be implemented by performing various
processes discussed below. The processes can be performed in
various order, several processes can be simultaneously implemented,
and some processes may not be performed at all.
3. Consumer Enrollment and Database Enrichment Processes
[0033] Referring now to FIGS. 3A-3C and FIG. 4, there are various
ways to accomplish consumer enrollment. A member-centric invitation
process 50 is illustrated in FIG. 3A, and a
sponsor/advertiser-centric invitation process 100 is illustrated in
FIG. 4. Although the present embodiments provide a by-invitation
rewards program, it is understood that other types of programs may
also utilize the present invention.
[0034] Referring specifically to FIG. 3A, at step 52, a member
consumer 14 may access a predetermined website, such as one owned
and operated by the sponsor/advertiser or the promotion operator
18. At step 54, the consumer 14 requests invitation from the
sponsor/advertiser 16 or directly from the promotion operator 18.
At step 56, the consumer 14 provides contact information to the
promotion operator 18 and at step 58 the consumer selects a sponsor
16 (if not already selected). The sponsor 16 may later "approve" of
the consumer's enrollment.
[0035] Referring also to FIGS. 3B and 3C, in the present
embodiment, the consumer 14 provides the contact information, as
well as additional demographic information, on two screen displays
59a, 59b. The information provided by the consumer 14 is then
stored in the transaction database 30a.
[0036] At step 60 of FIG. 3A, the consumer 14 is notified of his
approval to enroll (if so approved). This notification can be by an
email shown at step 62, by post card, or other means. The approval
may have associated with it an invitation code. If the notification
is provided via email, a link to a registration website may be
provided and the invitation code may be embedded in the link.
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 4, the sponsor/advertiser-centric
invitation process 100 is similar to the member-centric invitation
process 50 of FIG. 3A, with some exceptions. The primary objective
of this process is the creation and distribution of invitations via
an email, post card, or other message directly to the consumer 14,
with an invitation code. At step 102, the promotion operator
initiates a planning process with the sponsor/advertiser 16. At
steps 104-106, either the consumer 14 or the sponsor 16 may
provide, as an option, certain data requirements (e.g., names and
addresses) about the consumer to the promotion operator 18, who
then validates the information. The data requirements may be stored
in a Staged File database 30c. At steps 108-110, a decision is made
to avoid redundant information in the database. That is, the
consumer information provided at step 104 is compared to a list of
consumers that have already enrolled, thereby preventing confusion
of the member consumers 14 and unnecessary costs. At step 112, the
sponsor 16 also has the choice of submitting the invitations
directly to the consumers 14. Otherwise, at step 114 the promotion
operator 18 sends an enrollment invitation to the consumers 14,
such as at step 62 of FIG. 3A, above.
[0038] Referring now to FIG. 5A, when the consumer 14 has been
invited by either invitation process 50 or 100 to enroll, the
consumer 14 can initiate an enrollment and profile creation process
150. At step 152, when the consumer 14 accesses a website
identified by the invitation, the invitation code is provided to
the promotion operator 18 either manually or via ail electronic
communication link. FIG. 5B illustrates one example of a screen
display for welcoming and encouraging the consumer 14 to
enroll.
[0039] At steps 154-160 in FIG. 5A, a profile entry in the database
30a is created for the consumer by receiving previously entered
information (from the enrollment process) and/or asking the
consumer various survey questions. The questions may relate to
demographics (e.g., education level), areas of interest (e.g.,
computers), major purchases (e.g., a house), and purchasing
behavior (e.g., an Internet shopper). FIGS. 5C-5H illustrate sample
screen displays that are designed to obtain useful information from
the consumer 14 during the enrollment process so that the core
content of a personal profile for the consumer 14 can be
populated.
[0040] At step 164 in FIG. 5A, once the consumer 14 has completed
the information, he may be given a free gift or presented with a
choice of gifts. The choices may change based on who invited the
member and other factors. The gift may be fulfilled by various
means, such as a coupon code, reward points, or an actual item
delivered to the consumer 14. With the completion of a successful
enrollment, the invited consumer is now a member consumer 14.
[0041] FIG. 5I shows a screen display that informs the successfully
enrolled member consumer 14 that a $25 travel certificate will be
mailed to him as a welcome gift, and $5 of reward points has been
credited to a rewards account, which is maintained by the promotion
operator 18.
[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the sponsor/advertiser 16
can create a promotion campaign using a process 200 to send
promotions to the member consumers 14. At step 202, in the present
embodiment, a promotion is produced and delivered by the promotion
operator 18. At steps 204-216, the promotion operator 18
coordinates with the sponsor/advertiser 16 to determine the content
of the promotion, and to identify potential recipients of the
promotion. The promotion operator 18 may also use the marketing
database 30b to determine which member consumers 14 should receive
the promotion, discussed in greater detail below.
[0043] Various characterizations can be made concerning the
promotion. At step 206, it is determined whether the promotion has
been provided before. At step 208, the promotion is parameterized.
For example, is the promotion an especially good deal? Is it
expensive? This parameterization is used to judge the relative
effectiveness of the promotion and to enable the comparison of this
promotion with other promotions. At steps 210-216, an analysis
model is selected. The analysis model is used to select the group
of member consumers 14 (the "segment") to receive the
promotion.
[0044] At step 216, when a promotion and segment are created, the
promotion may be examined again to ensure a good segment is
created, and if so, the sponsor/advertiser may approve and issue a
purchase order to the promotion operator 18 (step 218). The
promotion operator 18 is now ready to execute the promotion.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 7, at step 212, the promotion is
assigned an identifier for identifying the promotion in later
analysis. If the promotion operator 18 issues the promotion, then
an email is created for the segment (step 214), the segment is
prepared for distribution (step 216), and a promotion website is
designed (step 218). If at step 220 the promotion website is
acceptable, then at step 222, the promotion website is placed on
the Internet. In addition, at steps 224-234, the promotion is
emailed to the member consumers 14 in the segment.
[0046] Referring now to FIG. 8A, the promotion operator 18 can
interact with each member consumer 14 using an interaction and
currency accrual process 250. The process 250 is, at least
initially, performed while the member consumer is reading the
emails or at the predetermined promotion websites. In addition, the
member consumer 14 can be rewarded at different points during the
process 250. The rewards may be given through "reward money" or
"reward points" which may represent credit or discounts for
purchasing goods or services.
[0047] At step 252, the member consumer 14 receives the promotion
offer via an electronic communication means and receives a first
amount of reward points. For the purpose of illustrating the
processes involved, the promotion is deemed to be delivered through
emails only although other electronic communication means such as
HTML emails can also be used. At step 254, the member consumer 14
accesses the promotion website, reviews the details about the
promotion, and receives more reward points. FIG. 8B illustrates a
screen display for one example of a promotion presented to the
member consumer 14 through a website operated by the promotion
operator 18.
[0048] At step 256 of FIG. 8A, the member consumer 14 may rate the
promotion or participate in other steps to evaluate the promotion.
FIG. 8C illustrates a website wherein the member consumer 14 is
asked to rate the promotion (such as the promotion in FIG. 8B)
about its richness and its relevance. The richness indicates how
valuable a promotion is to the member consumer, and the relevance
indicates how closely the promotion matches the interests of the
member consumer 14. These two parameters are two of various
indicators for the effectiveness of the promotion.
[0049] At step 256 of FIG. 8A, the promotion operator 18 may
solicit more information from the member consumer 14. The promotion
operator 18 may ask the member consumer 14 to describe the relative
value of the offered promotion. In addition, the promotion website
(e.g., FIG. 8B) may dynamically solicit the member consumer 14 for
information relating to other promotions (which may or may not be
related to the present promotion).
[0050] In the example of FIG. 8C, the member consumer 14 is given
an opportunity to earn more reward points by clicking a button 259
labeled as "Earn More." By clicking on the button 259, the member
consumer is directed to a new website where more questions are
asked in exchange for reward points. Referring to FIG. 8D for
example, the questions may be a subset of those questions
previously asked during the enrollment process and/or may pertain
to a specific promotion (the present promotion or future
promotions). In this way, the questions can explore undetected
interests of the member consumer 14 which are logically connected
to the received promotion. The member consumer 14 can be rewarded
at the end of this dynamic solicitation process.
[0051] At steps 260-264 of FIG. 8A, if the member consumer 14 shows
interest in the promotion, reward points can be provided with each
affirmative step the member consumer performs. Referring also to
FIG. 8E for example, a website may be presented by the promotion
operator 18 to the member consumer 14 at the closing of the
promotion. The website of FIG. 8E indicates various amounts of
reward points that have been given to the member consumer 14 for
his various actions. The reward points are provided to the member
consumer 14 for receiving specific emails, reading the promotion,
rating the promotion, and updating (reinforcing) his personal
profile.
[0052] At step 260 of FIG. 8A, the member consumer 14 may access
the sponsor's website in order to get more information or to place
an order. The member consumer 14 can also receive reward points
just for accessing the sponsor's website (such as through a link on
the promotion website). After accessing the sponsor's website, at
step 262, the member consumer 14 may decide to purchase the
promoted product or service. For some promoted products, it can be
determined if the member consumer 14 actually "tried" the promoted
products. For example, if the sponsor is selling cars, the member
consumer 14 may receive reward points for test driving the car.
[0053] At step 263, a determination is made as to whether the
sponsor 16 is to direct the member consumer 14 to evaluate the
promotion. If so, the sponsor 16 may ask the member consumer 14 to
return to an evaluation website operated by the promotion operator
18. At step 264, the member consumer 14 may place a purchase order
for the goods or services offered as a part of the promotion.
[0054] Steps 266-276 relate to interactions between the promotion
operator 18 and the sponsor/advertiser 16. At step 266, a
determination is made as to whether the current promotion is an
"affiliated" promotion program. An affiliated promotion program
describes a long term engagement between the promotion operator 18
and the sponsor/advertiser 16 for multiple promotions. Otherwise,
the engagement between the promotion operator 18 and the sponsor
advertiser 16 is on a per-promotion basis. If the engagement is on
a per-promotion basis, then at step 268, the sponsor/advertiser 16
sends a compensation commission back to the promotion operator 18
based on the number of actual purchasers referred by the promotion
operator 18 through the promotion. If the engagement is long term
(affiliated), at step 270 the sponsor/advertiser 16 provides
information to the promotion operator 18 about interactive behavior
of the member consumers 14 while at web sites controlled by the
sponsor/advertiser.
[0055] The interactive behavior information may include
"clickstream" information (a recordation of links and items
selected by the member consumer) and purchase information. The
interactive behavior information indicates how the member consumer
14 responds to the promotion, and may include any or all activities
from receipt of the promotion email to actual purchases made at the
websites of the sponsor/advertiser 16. This information is useful
for evaluating the present promotion and for designing better
promotions in the future. For example, this information can act as
a barometer of how receptive the member consumer 14 is to online
marketing and promotion methods. If the member consumer 14 accepts
and reads delivered promotions for various kinds of products, this
information alone indicates that the member consumer is likely to
be influenced by internet promotions in general. If the member
consumer 14 always reads and accumulates reward points, but never
purchases any promoted items, the member consumer can be identified
as one who is only interested in getting free rewards, but is not a
serious buyer. The behavior information of the member consumer 14
can also be used to verify the accuracy or modify the true meaning
of the information the member consumer 14 voluntarily provides
during the enrollment process or other profile enrichment
processes.
[0056] Additional information can be received through
post-promotion evaluations and follow-up surveys. The promotion
operator 18 may also combine related promotions in a single
follow-up survey. With the profile information and the interactive
behavior information on hand, the promotion operator 18 can, at
step 272, poll the member consumers 14 about the promoted products
and services. Various questions can be designed and asked for the
member consumer 14 so that the promotion operator 18 can obtain
information about the "decision making process" of the member
consumers 14. At step 274, an evaluation of the promotion can be
derived and at step 276, a report can be generated and delivered to
the sponsors/advertisers 16.
4. Enrichment and Analysis of the Profile Database
[0057] Once the profile database 30 has been created, it can be
continuously enriched and analyzed to provide important information
to the promotion operator 18. The profile database 30 is more
effective if it can provide recent and accurate profile information
for each member consumer 14. Therefore, it is important that the
profile database 30 be continually maintained and enhanced.
[0058] An incentive driven member enrollment program, such as
described and illustrated in FIG. 5A-5I above, collects information
about a member consumer, such as demographic information, area of
interest, purchase behavior, and major purchases or life events.
With this initial process completed, the profile database 30 has a
core content base that is valuable to the sponsor/advertiser 16 and
the promotion operator 18. However, having the initial enrollment
information alone may not be sufficient to assure that the profile
database 30 will be used effectively for the purpose of targeted
marketing. For example, if it is found that a particular member
consumer is interested in electronic products in general, without
further investigation or tracking of his post-enrollment on-line
promotion review or purchase behavior, it is difficult to ascertain
what specific types of electronic devices in which the member
consumer may be interested.
[0059] Referring now to FIG. 9, several processes can be used to
further enrich, analyze, and utilize the profile database 30. At
step 324, after the creation of 25 the profile database, a profile
enrichment process 326 may be implemented to follow up with the
member consumer 14 to further investigate his evolving personal
interests, and thus provide more accurate profile information to
enrich the profile database 30.
[0060] The profile enrichment process 326 interacts with the member
consumer 14 in multiple occurrences provided by the promotion. By
taking every opportunity to obtain the member consumers' feedback,
the profile database 30 is constantly supplied with and modified by
the newest information from the member consumers and reflects the
updated interests of each member consumer 14.
[0061] Referring now to FIG. 10, the profile enrichment process 326
includes at least four processes that may be used to enrich the
profile database 30. One process is a dynamic personal profile
enrichment process 330 which continually enriches a personal
profile of each member consumer 14 stored in the profile database.
A separate behavioral analysis process 331 is used to extract
useful information from a member consumer's behavior relating to
the promotion. Another process is a promotion result verification
process 332 which verifies the results of specific promotions with
the sponsor/advertiser 16. A fourth process is a periodic profile
updating process 334 which may be performed through incentive
driven surveys. Each of these processes 330, 331, 332, and 334 are
discussed in greater detail below.
[0062] The dynamic personal profile enrichment process 330 is
geared towards asking the member consumer 14 predetermined
questions and returning updated profile information to the profile
database from the answers provided by the member consumer 14. For
example, in the websites operated by the promotion operator, the
member consumer may be directed to rate a specific promotion offer
in exchange for an incentive such as reward points. Consider for
example that the member consumer 14 accesses a website that
promotes a particular model (Brand X) computer. The promotion
operator 18 questions the member consumer 14 to see how he rates
this particular offer in comparison with computer offers of other
competitive brands or to other Brand X computers. Other questions
regarding the relevance and the richness of the promotion can also
be asked so that the promotion operator 18 can obtain information
about how close the promotion relates to the interests of the
member consumer 14 and how valuable the promotion has presented
itself to the member consumer 14. Examples are also shown in FIGS.
8C and 8D, discussed above.
[0063] Furthermore, the promotion operator 18 can provide
historical information from the profile database 30 to the member
consumer 14 to inform the member consumer how he has rated similar
promotion offers for this type of product. This gives the member
consumer 14 a clear picture to do a "vertical" comparison. By
having the member consumer 14 reflect on his past promotion related
behavior, and thus provide a more accurate assessment of the
quality of the current promotion offer, several benefits are
achieved. For one, the profile database 30 gains a most recent
update on the evolving interest of this member consumer 14.
Moreover, with the evaluation information from each member consumer
in the selected segment for the particular promotion, the promotion
operator 18 can understand how the selected member consumer segment
evaluates the promotion under study in view of promotions in a
similar category so that a similar future promotion offer can be
designed better for the same segment or a sub-segment of member
consumers.
[0064] The design of the survey questions are also valuable for
investigating the true interests of the member consumers 14. In one
embodiment, there are three categories of questions that are
prompted to the member consumers. The first category includes
promotion specific questions, such as those discussed above. The
second category includes profile specific questions. This may
include questions that were skipped during the initial enrollment
process, "breadth" questions which are not related to the
particular promotion under study (e.g., "do you plan on acquiring a
new pet?"), and "depth" questions which can be associated with the
promotion under study (e.g., "do you already have an internet
service provider?"). The third category includes questions that
delve into the member consumer's interest levels for new types of
promotion offers (e.g., "would you consider planning a vacation
over the internet?"). Moreover, the promotion operator 18 can
monitor how the member consumer has acted after receiving the
promotion, and obtain clickstream data containing the member
consumer's interactive behavior information which compliments and
validates the information gathered from the aforementioned three
categories of questions.
[0065] All the questions can be prioritized so that the promotion
operator 18 can have a better control of all consumer interactions.
Various questions can be generated and provided to the member
consumer dynamically in accordance with the priority status of
each. For example, if a member consumer is reading about promotion
emails regarding airline tickets (which is considered as a
subcategory of a larger category regarding travel), he may be asked
questions related to the airline ticket sales. Also, questions
skipped in the enrollment process but related to the travel
category may be asked.
[0066] The behavioral analysis process 331 is responsive to how a
particular member consumer 14 interacts with on-line promotions of
the sponsor/advertiser 16 through promotion emails and multiple web
sites of the promotion operator. In one example, the member
consumer 14 may read emails that contain brief descriptions about
products in which he may be interested, and then is directed to the
websites which provide more detailed information about such
products. The mere fact that the member consumer 14 opts to view
certain emails among numerous delivered promotion emails is already
an indication of where his interests lie. When the member consumer
14 decides to click through the selected emails to reach
corresponding websites, it should be clear to the promotion
operator that the member consumer's interests in the products
presented in these websites are one level higher than before.
Hence, the information derived from the member consumer's
interactive behavior will be stored for reflecting the interests of
the member consumer 14 and for enriching the profile database. For
example, each website is assigned an identification number (WebiD),
and whenever a website is accessed by a member consumer 14, the
promotion operator 18 stores the WebiD in connection with the
member consumer's own account identification. Therefore, a study of
consumer behavior can be conducted on a personal level.
[0067] The promotion result verification process 332 may also be
performed by the promotion operator 18 to verify promotion results
from both the member consumer 14 and the sponsor/advertiser 16.
Continuing with the prior example, on the website advertising the
Brand X computer, the promotion operator 18 uses incentives to ask
the member consumer 14 about his past promotion-based purchase
behavior. For instance, while the member consumer 14 is in the
website reading about the Brand X computer, questions may be asked
to determine whether the member consumer has purchased any computer
related equipment after reading the promotion offers sent by the
promotion operator 18. Alternatively, the promotion operator 18 may
obtain a list of purchasers from the sponsor/advertiser 16 (Brand X
in this example) through on-line or off-line communication channels
to determine whether this particular member consumer 14 has indeed
purchased anything from Brand X due to successful promotions
"pushed" by the promotion operator. In addition, the promotion
operator 18 may still get available interactive behavior
information of the member consumer regardless of whether or not a
purchase is eventually made.
[0068] These activities help to enrich the profile database 30 by
coordinating purchase behavior to the member consumer's behavior in
reading prior promotions. In the Brand X example, it is possible
for the promotion operator 18 to store information in the profile
database 30 to reflect which promotion emails advertising computers
this member consumer 14 has read and which model of computer he
eventually purchased. If the member consumer 14 has purchased a
promoted "Brand Y" computer in lieu of a Brand X computer, the
profile database 30 can provide information for a comparison
between these two different promotions and give an indication about
why the member consumer made his decision. For the promotion
operator 18, it would be important to know whether the purchase
decision of the member consumer 14 is swung by the design of the
promotion, price of the promoted products, or any other
factors.
[0069] Referring also to FIG. 11A, in addition to the above
mentioned profile database enrichment processes 330 and 332, the
periodic profile updating process 334 may be performed through
incentive driven surveys. At step 336, the promotion operator 18
determines whether the periodic profile updating process 334 should
be triggered based on some predetermined criteria. If so, several
different surveys may be implemented.
[0070] FIG. 11B illustrates a website to which the member consumer
is directed during the various profile database enrichment
processes or the periodic profile updating process 334. The member
consumer 14 can be further directed to answer questions such as
those described in FIGS. 11C-11D from which the newest information
about the member consumer 14 can be derived.
[0071] A monthly follow-up survey 338 presents a list of all
promotion offers that have been sent to the member consumer 14 in
the past month (or other period of time) and checks whether the
member consumer has made any purchase based on these promotion
offers. The member consumer 14 can be directed to a website to
provide his feedback as shown at step 340. The member consumer 14
may then fill out a form that indicates whether he has purchased
the promoted product, purchased a competing product, still
considers to purchase the product, or is not presently interested
in the product at all. In exchange for the member consumer's
response, an incentive, e.g. reward points, may be given to the
member consumer 14 which can be redeemed on another website run by
the promotion operator 18.
[0072] A quarterly follow-up survey 342 may also be used. In this
survey, the promotion operator 18 offers the member consumer 14
rewards in return for revisiting and updating his profile. At step
344, the member consumer 14 may update the profile database 30 in
response to various questions. The profile may use the questions
that have been asked during the previous quarter, as well as new
questions that the promotion operator 18 believes to be important
for enhancing the accuracy of the profile database 30. It is
understood that the follow-up survey can be conducted in different
time periods as well, as long as it provides current updates to the
profile database 30.
[0073] A periodic service driven survey 346 is directed to member
consumers 14 who have shown a negative interest in the promotions,
such as those who have not clicked through promotion emails to the
websites that describe details of the offers, or who have given low
ratings for certain promotions. At step 348, a compiled list of
previous promotions may be presented to the member consumer 14,
including his past actions regarding these promotions. Further, the
survey asks questions to confirm whether the member consumer 14
indeed has no interest in this type of product, or whether his
rejections of these promotions are due to higher-than-expected
prices, or any other reasons.
[0074] Referring again to FIG. 9, a promotion report 350 can use
the profile database 30 for reporting the effect of promotions for
the benefit of the sponsor/advertiser 16 and the promotion operator
18. The effectiveness of any promotion can depend on how closely
the segment of member consumers 14 can be identified. A
post-promotion report on how well the promotion has impacted the
member consumers 14 may be important and valuable to future
promotions and product sales. The profile database 30 allows the
promotion operator 18 to analyze all important aspects of the
profile information and compile a report assessing the quality of
the promotion offers.
[0075] Still taking the Brand X computer promotion offer as an
example, for each member consumer 14, the promotion operator 18 can
find out the rating of each related computer promotion offer in
which the member consumer has given. For instance, if a promotion
for BrandY computers was rated at 2.5 points, a promotion for Brand
Z computers was rated at 4.5 points, and a promotion for Brand X
computers was rated at 3.5, it becomes evident that this member
consumer gives a 3.5 average rating for computer associated
promotions. Another member consumer may have a different average
rating number for the same three rounds of promotions. Then, the
promotion operator 18 can also compile various reports based on
statistical distributions of data. For instance, a normalized value
of average ratings for all computer promotions by all the member
consumers who have received these promotions can be obtained. A
report showing the normalized value for the Brand X computer
promotion can then be produced. Further, a variance or standard
deviation can also be created based on the data stored in the
profile database to show a rating gap among the member
consumers.
[0076] The promotion operator 18 can also generate a report showing
an average rating of all the promotions a particular member
consumer has received and rated in a predetermined time period.
This provides a clear picture of where the current promotion stands
in a spectrum of promotions for this member consumer. FIGS. 12A-12C
illustrate websites including the reports on the promotions. FIG.
12A gives the promotion operator 18 a summary view of a series of
promotions regarding their "click-through" effects. FIG. 12B
illustrates detailed statistical data about a particular promotion.
The statistical data includes the number of emails sent, the number
of emails returned, the richness and relevance rating information
provided by the member consumers of the segment, and graphical
presentations of this data. FIG. 12C is directed to a cost analysis
report to the promotion operator for the promotion under study.
[0077] In addition to the promotion report 350, the promotion
operator 18 or the sponsor/advertisers 16 can use a future
promotion process 352 to focus on a highly selective segment of
member consumers 14 by providing certain selection criteria for a
future promotion. For example, the advertiser/supplier 16 of Brand
X can simply ask the promotion operator 18 to target member
consumers 14 who have consistently given a rating above 3.5 for
computers. The promotion operator 18 can also analyze the
effectiveness of past promotions in depth and utilize the profile
database in future promotions for focusing on a premiere segment of
member consumers 14. It is evident that selection criteria may not
be limited by rating numbers alone, and various factors can also be
used.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 13, the profile database can also be
analyzed using a graphical user interface 400. In one embodiment of
the present invention, a graphical user interface 400 incorporating
"drag & drop" technology to determine a segment or a targeted
group of member consumers 14. The graphical user interface 400 can
intelligently characterize sub-segments of the member consumers
contained in the profile database 30 by presenting "Buttons"
(402-408), each indicating a sub-segment of the member consumers
sharing a common characteristic. These Buttons can be predetermined
by the promotion operator, or can be defined by the promotion
operator dynamically in the design stage of each promotion. In
addition, certain "core" Buttons may be constantly available, while
the promotion operator 18 still has the freedom of defining new
Buttons based on the characteristics of the promotion in design.
For example, Button 402 represents (links to) all member consumers
who enjoy an annual income of more than $50 k, Button 404
represents the member consumers who have indicated that they love
music, Button 406 shows those who have bought items through online
transactions, and Button 408 connects to those who have expressed
their interests in travel. The graphical user interface 400 can
have as many Buttons as the profile database 30 can be divided by
single features. The promotion operator 18, in order to identify a
targeted group for a promotion, needs only to drag and drop
selected Buttons to a predetermined area 410 on the computer
screen. An overlapping area 412 among these dropped Buttons
represents member consumers who share the selected features.
Consequently, a segment of the member consumers 14 is defined by
the overlapping area 412.
[0079] The analysis may also include various attempts to achieve an
optimal segment of the member consumers, including predicting the
response from the member consumers 14 (which may later be compared
with the actual results to further improve the prediction process).
This analysis may also be used to determine a cost of the
promotion, which may then be forwarded to the sponsor/advertiser
16.
[0080] As mentioned above, to mitigate the possibility that some
member consumers 14 may be unwilling to spend time and effort to
disclose their evaluation of the promotions or their purchase
behavior, an incentive such as reward points may be provided. The
accumulated reward points can be 25 redeemed for products in a
website operated by the promotion operator 18. This also
establishes a relationship between the promotion operator 18 and
the member consumers 14, which in turn ensures that the member
consumers are more likely to be associated with the promotion
operator for an extended period of time. By having the member
consumers 14 access the promotion operator's websites as often as
possible, the relationship is enhanced as the consumer feels more
and more comfortable in dealing with the promotion operator 18. As
a result, the member consumer 14 will be more likely to participate
in the promotions and be more willing to disclose their comments
and evaluations of the promotions.
[0081] In some embodiments, the member consumer 14 is granted
access to his own profile as stored in the profile database 30. A
log-in name and password protection, or similar privacy protection
mechanism, is used to ensure that there is no excessive exposure or
illegal use of the stored information. While accessing his own
profile, the member consumer 14 can view all historical changes
that have been made to his profile. The member consumer 14 may also
have the ability to inform the promotion operator 18 that he does
not wish to receive future promotion emails, or not for a
predetermined period of time.
[0082] While the invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention, as set forth in the following
claims.
* * * * *