US 8,799,208 B2 · 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.

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Claims26

Dependent claims

A method for improving online market research, said method comprising:

receiving, from a first advertiser, a first request to complete a first survey, said first survey associated with requirements of online users qualified to participate in said first survey;
retrieving, from a user profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality of online users, wherein:
said plurality of online users previously enrolled in an online survey program by submitting user profile information comprising demographic information relating to said user;
determining a plurality of online users having certain features such that users having said certain features qualify to receive said first survey on behalf of said first advertiser;
creating a first online user segment of qualifying online users, wherein:
said first online user segment is created using a selected analysis model that compares said requirements to said retrieved user profile information;
transmitting said first survey to said first online user segment;
measuring at least the content of a response of one or more users in said first online user segment;
measuring at least one of response and behavior of one or more users in said first user segment;
in response to said measuring, refining said user profile information to update said user profile database, said refining comprising:
performing a user personal profile enrichment process by (1) asking the user promotion-specific questions, profile-specific questions, and questions relating to the user's interest in new promotions, and (2) providing information relating to historical behavior of said one or more users to prompt said one or more users to provide more accurate responses to said first survey;
performing a user behavioral analysis process by recording (1) at least one email viewed by said one or more users, (2) and at least one website identification number accessed by said one or more users in conjunction with viewing said at least one email;
performing a user promotion result verification process by confirming if said one or more users has made past purchases of products or services relating to said first survey;
and
performing a periodic profile updating process by periodically offering said one or more users incentives to provide additional information;
receiving, from a second advertiser, a second request to complete a second survey, said second survey associated with requirements of online users qualified to participate in said second survey;
retrieving, from said updated user profile database, refined user profile information relating to a plurality of online users;
defining a second user segment from said refined user profile information and using a selected analysis model;
and
transmitting said second survey to said second user segment.

17 more elements

A system for improving online market research, said system comprising:

a receiver for receiving, from a first advertiser, a first survey, said first survey associated with requirements of online users;
logic coupled to said receiver for retrieving, from a user profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality of online users, wherein:
said plurality of online users previously enrolled in an online survey program by submitting user profile information comprising demographic information relating to said user, and said retrieved user profile information comprises at least some of said demographic information relating to said online users;
logic for determining a plurality of online users having certain features such that users having said certain features qualify to receive said survey on behalf of said advertiser;
a segment engine for creating an online user segment of qualifying online users, wherein:
said online user segment is created using a selected analysis model that compares said requirements to said retrieved user profile information;
a transmitter for transmitting a first survey to said online user segment, said first survey being relevant to said advertiser;
logic for measuring the content of a response of one or more users in said online user segment;
logic for, in response to said measuring, refining said user profile information to update said user profile database, said refining comprising:
performing a user personal profile enrichment process by (1) asking the user promotion-specific questions, profile-specific questions, and questions relating to the user's interest in new promotions, and (2) providing information relating to historical behavior of said one or more users to prompt said one or more users to provide more accurate responses to said first survey;
performing a user behavioral analysis process by recording (1) at least one email viewed by said one or more users, (2) and at least one website identification number accessed by said one or more users in conjunction with viewing said at least one email;
performing a user promotion result verification process by confirming if said one or more users has made past purchases of products or services relating to said first survey;
and
performing a periodic profile updating process by periodically offering said one or more users incentives to provide additional information;
and
said transmitter further transmitting said measured response behavior to said advertiser.

13 more elements

A method for improving online market research, said method comprising:

receiving, from an first advertiser, a plurality of online user requirements to qualify as a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of said first advertiser;
in response to said receiving, retrieving, from a user profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality of online users, wherein said user profile database comprises:
a transaction database storing information specific to said online users that is obtained from interactions between said online users and said advertiser, and
a marketing database, in communication with said transaction database, storing information specific to said advertiser and extracts of data from said transaction database;
creating, using information read from said marketing database, an online user segment, said online user segment comprising a subset of said plurality of online users sharing said qualification requirements;
transmitting said first survey to said online user segment, said first survey being relevant to said qualification requirements;
receiving, at least partially in response to said transmitting said survey, user response information from at least one user in said online user segment;
creating, from said user response information, a first survey report, said first survey report reflecting the degree to which said first survey impacted one or more users in said first user segment and comprising of said first survey an average rating all surveys said one or more users has received and rated in a predetermined time period;
and
transmitting said first survey report to said first advertiser.

7 more elements

A system for improving online market research, said system comprising:

a receiver for receiving, from an advertiser, a plurality of online user requirements to qualify as a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of said advertiser;
logic for, in response to said receiving, retrieving, from a user profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality of online users, wherein said user profile database comprises:
a transaction database storing information specific to said online users that is obtained from interactions between said online users and said advertiser, and
a marketing database, in communication with said transaction database, storing information specific to said advertiser and extracts of data from said transaction database;
logic for creating, using information read from said marketing database, an online user segment, said online user segment comprising a subset of said plurality of online users sharing said qualification requirements;
a transmitter for transmitting a first survey to said online user segment, said first survey being relevant to said qualification requirements;
said receiver further receiving, at least partially in response to said transmitting said survey, user response information from at least one user in said online user segment;
logic for creating, from said user response information, a first survey report, said first survey report reflecting the degree to which said first survey impacted one or more users in said first user segment and comprising of said first survey an average rating all surveys said one or more users has received and rated in a predetermined time period.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description7,727 words

Summary681 words

#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.

#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.

#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.

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#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.

#FIG. 2 illustrates an incentive driven on-line product promotion system and method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

#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.

Detailed description6,880 words

#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.

#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

Facts

Application

09/519,266Filed 7 Mar 2000

Published

US 2002/0161779 A131 Oct 2002

Granted

5 Aug 2014

Term ended

7 Mar 2020

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination. Patent term adjustment is unavailable; no adjustment was added.

Classification10 codes

G06Q 30/0245
Determining effectiveness of advertisements: surveys
G06Q 30/02
Commerce: marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
G06Q 30/0211
Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates: determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
G06Q 30/0217
Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates: involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards

Method and system for evaluating, reporting, and improving on-line promotion effectiveness

Life of this patent

Method and system for evaluating, reporting, and improving on-line promotion effectiveness

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims26

Description7,727 words

Drawings

Description7,727 words

Classification10 codes

Life of this patent