Dynamic selection of outbound marketing events

• US 20060253469A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Selby, David A., Ramsey, Mark S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A database system and method for ordering marketing events for offering to a candidate. The database system comprises a database manager software application, a first database structure storing a first list identifying marketing events, and a second database structure storing a second list of candidates. The database manager software application is stored on a computer readable medium. The database manager software application comprises an optimization tool. Each marketing event from the first list comprises a marketing offer and an identified channel means for communicating the marketing offer. The optimization tool is for optimizing and sorting, the marketing events from the first list for a first candidate from said second list.

Claims

1. A database system, comprising:

a first database structure storing a first list identifying marketing events, wherein each marketing event from said first list comprises a marketing offer and an identified channel means for communicating said marketing offer;

a second database structure storing a second list of candidates; and

a database manager software application stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said database manager software application comprises an optimization tool, and wherein said optimization tool is for optimizing and sorting, said marketing events from said first list with for a first candidate from said second list.

2. The database system of claim 1, wherein said first database structure further stores a third list of value scores, wherein each value score from said third list is associated with a marketing event from said first list, wherein said database manager software application further comprises a computing tool for computing a ranking score for each of said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list, wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function of a value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event from said first list for said first candidate, and wherein said marketing events from said first list are optimized and sorted for said first candidate by optimizing and sorting said ranking scores for each of said marketing events.

3. The database system of claim 2, further comprising a third database structure storing at least one data model, wherein said computing tool is for computing response probability scores for said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate, wherein each of said response probability scores are computed using said at least one data model, and wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function said value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event and a response probability score from said response probability scores for said associated marketing event.

4. The database system of claim 1, wherein said optimization tool is for generating a priority list comprising said sorted marketing events, and wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events from said first list to said first candidate.

5. The selection system of claim 2, wherein said optimization tool is for generating a priority list comprising a first group of marketing events from said sorted marketing events that fall within a specified set of constraints, and wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events from said first group of marketing events to said first candidate.

6. The database system of claim 5, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise timing conflicts related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

7. The database system of claim 5, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise budget constraints related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

8. The database system of claim 1, wherein said first list of candidates comprises existing customers of an entity that is offering said marketing events from said first list.

9. The database system of claim 1, wherein said marketing events are sorted and optimized essentially simultaneously.

10. The database system of claim 1, wherein each marketing offer is selected from the group consisting of a product offer and a service offer.

11. The database system of claim 1, wherein each identified channel means is selected from the group consisting of a telephone call, an email, a text message, and standard mail.

12. A selection method, comprising:

providing a database system comprising a database manager software application, a first database structure storing a first list identifying marketing events, and a second database structure storing a second list of candidates, wherein said database manager software application is stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said database manager software application comprises an optimization tool, and wherein each marketing event from said first list comprises a marketing offer and an identified channel means for communicating said marketing offer;

optimizing by said optimization tool, said marketing events from said first list for a first candidate from said second list; and

sorting by said optimization tool, said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first database structure further stores a third list of value scores, wherein each value score from said third list is associated with a marketing event from said first list, wherein said database manager software application further comprises a computing tool, and wherein said method further comprises:

computing by said computing tool, a ranking score for each of said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list, wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function of a value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event from said first list for said first candidate, and wherein said marketing events from said first list are optimized and sorted for said first candidate by optimizing and sorting said ranking scores for each of said marketing events.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a third database structure storing at least one data model; and

computing by said computing tool, response probability scores for said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate, wherein each of said response probability scores are computed using said at least one data model, and wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function said value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event and a response probability score from said response probability scores for said associated marketing event.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating by the optimization tool, a priority list comprising said sorted marketing events, and wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events to said first candidate.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating by the optimization tool, a priority list comprising only a first group of marketing events from said sorted marketing events that fall within a specified set of constraints, wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events from said first group to said first candidate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise timing conflicts related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise budget constraints related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said first list of candidates comprises existing customers of an entity that is offering said marketing events from said first list.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said marketing events are sorted and optimized essentially simultaneously.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein each marketing offer is selected from the group consisting of a product offer and a service offer.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein each identified channel means is selected from the group consisting of a telephone call, an email, a text message, and standard mail.

23. A process for integrating computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer-readable code into a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system comprises a database system comprising a database manager software application, a first database structure storing a first list identifying marketing events, and a second database structure storing a second list of candidates, wherein said database manager software application is stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said database manager software application comprises an optimization tool, and wherein each marketing event from said first list comprises a marketing offer and an identified channel means for communicating said marketing offer, and wherein the code in combination with the computing system is adapted to implement a method for performing the steps of:

optimizing by said optimization tool, said marketing events from said first list for a first candidate from said second list; and

sorting by said optimization tool, said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list.

24. The process of claim 23, wherein said first database structure further stores a third list of value scores, wherein each value score from said third list is associated with a marketing event from said first list, wherein said database manager software application further comprises a computing tool, and wherein said method further comprises:

computing by said computing tool, a ranking score for each of said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list, wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function of a value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event from said first list for said first candidate, and wherein said marketing events from said first list are optimized and sorted for said first candidate by optimizing and sorting said ranking scores for each of said marketing events.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein said database system further comprises a third database structure storing at least one data model, and wherein said method further comprises:

computing by said computing tool, response probability scores for said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate, wherein each of said response probability scores are computed using said at least one data model, and wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function said value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event and a response probability score from said response probability scores for said associated marketing event.

26. The process of claim 23, generating by the optimization tool, a priority list comprising said sorted marketing events, and wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events to said first candidate.

27. The process of claim 23, wherein said method further comprises generating by the optimization tool, a priority list comprising only a first group of marketing events from said sorted marketing events that fall within a specified set of constraints, wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events from said first group to said first candidate.

28. The process of claim 27, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise timing conflicts related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

29. The process of claim 27, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise budget constraints related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

30. The process of claim 23, wherein said first list of candidates comprises existing customers of an entity that is offering said marketing events.

31. The process of claim 23, wherein said marketing events are sorted and optimized essentially simultaneously.

32. The process of claim 23, wherein each marketing offer is selected from the group consisting of a product offer and a service offer.

33. The process of claim 23, wherein each identified channel means is selected from the group consisting of a telephone call, an email, a text message, and standard mail.

34. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm adapted to implement a method for ordering a list identifying marketing events within a database system, said database system comprising a database manager software application, a first database structure storing a first list identifying marketing events, and a second database structure storing a second list of candidates, wherein said database manager software application is stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said database manager software application comprises an optimization tool, and wherein each marketing event from said first list comprises a marketing offer and an identified channel means for communicating said marketing offer, said method comprising the steps of:

optimizing by said optimization tool, said marketing events from said first list for a first candidate from said second list; and

sorting by said optimization tool, said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein said first database structure further stores a third list of value scores, wherein each value score from said third list is associated with a marketing event from said first list, wherein said database manager software application further comprises a computing tool, and wherein said method further comprises:

computing by said computing tool, a ranking score for each of said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate from said second list, wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function of a value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event from said first list for said first candidate, and wherein said marketing events from said first list are optimized and sorted for said first candidate by optimizing and sorting said ranking scores for each of said marketing events.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein said database system further comprises a third database structure storing at least one data model, and wherein said method further comprises:

computing by said computing tool, response probability scores for said marketing events from said first list for said first candidate, wherein each of said response probability scores are computed using said at least one data model, and wherein each of said ranking scores are computed as a function said value score from said third list with respect to it'"'"'s associated marketing event and a response probability score from said response probability scores for said associated marketing event.

37. The computer program product of claim 34, generating by the optimization tool, a priority list comprising said sorted marketing events, and wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events to said first candidate.

38. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein said method further comprises generating by the optimization tool, a priority list comprising only a first group of marketing events from said sorted marketing events that fall within a specified set of constraints, wherein said priority list prioritizes an order in which to offer each of said marketing events from said first group to said first candidate.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise timing conflicts related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

40. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein said specified set of constraints comprise budget constraints related to offering all of said marketing events from said first list.

41. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein said first list of candidates comprises existing customers of an entity that is offering said marketing events.

42. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein each of said ranking scores are computed essentially simultaneously.

43. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein each marketing offer is selected from the group consisting of a product offer and a service offer.

44. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein each identified channel means is selected from the group consisting of a telephone call, an email, a text message, and standard mail.