Method and system for demand pricing of leads

• US 20060195352A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zoomnia Corp.
• Original Assignee: Zoomnia Corp.
• Inventors: Goldberg, David, Wolk, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/351,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195352A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A method of demand dependent lead generation includes receiving a question from a consumer and forwarding the question to one or more subscribers. Preferably, the subscribers may review the question(s) from the consumers and individually determine whether to respond to one or more of the received questions. The subscribers are charged a price to respond to the question. The subscribers may review the question(s) from the consumers and individually determine whether to respond to one or more of the received questions. The price for responding is determined based on measured demand for responding to a plurality of questions. The consumer is notified of the responses from the subscribers that choose to respond. Alternatively, the responses are presented to the consumer. In one embodiment, the subscribers are charged the fee when the response is presented to the consumer that asked the question.

Claims

1. A method of demand dependent lead generation comprising:

(a) receiving a question from a consumer;

(b) forwarding the question to one or more subscribers;

(c) charging at least one of the subscribers a price to respond to the question, wherein the price is determined based on measured demand for responding to a plurality of questions; and

(d) notifying the consumer of the response from the at least one of the subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the measured demand is determined over a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) assigning the question to at least one category, wherein the question is forwarded to the one or more subscribers based on the assigned at least one category.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) presenting the question to the subscribers; and

(f) determining an interest level of the subscribers in responding to the question, wherein the measured demand is based on the interest level of the subscribers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more subscribers individually determine whether or not to respond to the question.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is based on human analysis of the content of the question.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is customized based on the content of the question.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the response includes an advertisement related to the at least one of the subscribers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the response to the question is attributed to the at least one of the subscribers.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the subscribers has been certified to respond to the question.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the subscribers is charged only if the response is presented to the consumer.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is provided with respect to the service location of the at least one of the subscribers.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is provided with respect to a geographic region designated by the consumer.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the geographic region is designated with respect to the content of the question.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the forwarding of the question maintains the anonymity of the consumer.

16. A method of demand dependent lead generation comprising:

(a) receiving a question from a consumer;

(b) assigning the question to at least one category;

(c) forwarding the question to one or more subscribers;

(d) charging at least one of the subscribers a price to respond to the question, wherein the price is determined based on the measured demand of questions within the category; and

(e) notifying the consumer of the response from the at least one of the subscribers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the measured demand is determined over a period of time.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the question is forwarded to the one or more subscribers based on the assigned at least one category.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

(f) presenting the question to the subscribers; and

(g) determining an interest level of the subscribers in responding to the question, wherein the measured demand is based on the interest level of the subscribers.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more subscribers individually determine whether or not to respond to the question.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the response is based on human analysis of the content of the question.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the response is customized based on the content of the question.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the response includes an advertisement related to the at least one of the subscribers.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein the response to the question is attributed to the at least one of the subscribers.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one of the subscribers has been certified to respond to the question.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one of the subscribers is charged only if the response is presented to the consumer.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein the response is provided with respect to the service location of the at least one of the subscribers.

28. The method of claim 16 wherein the response is provided with respect to a geographic region designated by the consumer.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the geographic region is designated with respect to the content of the question.

30. The method of claim 16 wherein the forwarding of the question maintains the anonymity of the consumer.

31. A method of demand dependent lead generation comprising:

(a) receiving a question from a consumer;

(b) forwarding the question to one or more subscribers;

(c) charging at least one of the subscribers a price to respond to the question;

(d) automatically adjusting the price based on measured demand for responding to a plurality of questions; and

(e) notifying the consumer of the response from the at least one of the subscribers.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the measured demand is determined over a period of time.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the price is adjusted based on attaining a predetermined number of responses per question.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

(f) assigning the question to at least one category, wherein the question is forwarded to the one or more subscribers based on the assigned at least one category.

35. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

(f) presenting the question to the subscribers; and

(g) determining an interest level of the subscribers in responding to the question, wherein the measured demand is based on the interest level of the subscribers.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein the one or more subscribers individually determine whether or not to respond to the question.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the response is based on human analysis of the content of the question.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein the response is customized based on the content of the question.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein the response includes an advertisement related to the at least one of the subscribers.

40. The method of claim 31 wherein the response to the question is attributed to the at least one of the subscribers.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein the at least one of the subscribers has been certified to respond to the question.

42. The method of claim 31 wherein the at least one of the subscribers is charged only if the response is presented to the consumer.

43. The method of claim 31 wherein the response is provided with respect to the service location of the at least one of the subscribers.

44. The method of claim 31 wherein the response is provided with respect to a geographic region designated by the consumer.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the geographic region is designated with respect to the content of the question.

46. The method of claim 31 wherein the forwarding of the question maintains the anonymity of the consumer.

47. A method of demand dependent lead generation comprising:

(a) receiving a question from a consumer;

(b) forwarding the question to one or more subscribers;

(c) charging at least one of the subscribers a price to respond to the question, wherein the price is determined based on measured demand for responding to the question; and

(d) notifying the consumer of the response from the at least one of the subscribers.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising:

(e) assigning the question to at least one category, wherein the question is forwarded to the one or more subscribers based on the assigned at least one category.

49. The method of claim 47 further comprising:

(e) presenting the question to the subscribers; and

(f) determining an interest level of the subscribers in responding to the question, wherein the measured demand is based on the interest level of the subscribers.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein the one or more subscribers individually determine whether or not to respond to the question.

51. The method of claim 47 wherein the response is based on human analysis of the content of the question.

52. The method of claim 47 wherein the response is customized based on the content of the question.