Methods for developing a multilevel person to person affiliate marketing network using electronic communications

• US 20070219871A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gofiniti LLC
• Original Assignee: Gofigure LLC A Missouri Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Rolf, Devon, Burrell, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method for developing a direct person-to-person multilevel direct affiliate marketing network using electronic communications makes a first person an affiliate member of an affiliate marketing program via an online registration process. An electronic communication is generated that has a unique hyperlink that, when selected, links to a source associated with the affiliate marketing program and identifies the first person so that a commission can be allocated to the first person based upon purchases made at the source as a result of access to the source via the link. The first person can forward the electronic communication to others who can use the link to access the source and purchase products or services and/or become an affiliate member. A person that becomes a new affiliate member as a result of accessing the source via the link is placed in a developing network organization of the first person. The process repeats by generating a unique hyperlink for the second person, thereby allowing the new affiliate member to forward electronic communications having his or her unique identifying link to others.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

making a first person a member of an affiliate program;

sending a first electronic communication to an electronic address associated with said first person, said electronic communication including a link to a source associated with said affiliate program;

providing access to said source to a second person, wherein said second person accesses said source via a link to said source found in a second electronic communication that is said first electronic communication forwarded to said second person from said first person;

making said second person a member of said affiliate program;

considering said first person to be a direct sponsor of said second person.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising allocating to said first person a commission on purchases made by said second person from said source.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising allocating a commission to said first person on purchases made at said source by others who have received a forwarded version of said first electronic communication.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising sending said second person a third electronic communication to an electronic communication address associated with said second person, said electronic communication including a link to said source.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 further comprising providing access to said source to a third person, wherein said third person accesses said source via a link to said source found in a fourth electronic communication that is said third electronic communication forwarded to said third person from said second person.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 further comprising:

considering said second person to be a direct sponsor of said third person;

considering said third person to be on a second level of said first person;

allocating to said first person a commission on purchases made at said source by said second person and said third person; and

allocating to said second person a commission on purchases made at said source by said third person.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising:

providing access to said source to others to whom said members of said affiliate program have forwarded electronic communications and who are attempting to access said source via a link provided in an electronic communication received from a one of said members; and

allocating commissions to at least some of said members for purchases made by said others at said source.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said link in said first electronic communication is coded with a unique identifier associated with said first person to enable said source to associate said second person with said first person.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein, when said first person forwards said first electronic communication to another person, said coded link remains in said forwarded email and when said another person accesses said source, said another person is associated with said first person and said first person is allocated a commission on purchases made by said another person even though said another person has not become a member of said affiliate program.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising providing access to each individual accessing said source via a link in an electronic communication that is been forwarded to him or her and that contains said coded link identifying said first person, said method further comprising allocating a commission to said first person on purchases made at said source by said each individual.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising providing the ability for each said individual to become a member of said affiliate program and considering each said individual that does choose to become a member of said affiliate program to be directly sponsored by said first person.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising allocating commissions to each affiliate member on purchases made by individuals that are associated with any affiliate member in said affiliate member'"'"'s organization down through a selected number of levels of that organization.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising providing a web-based electronic communications tool and placing in said electronic communication a forward link which, when selected, accesses a web-page associated with said web-based electronic communications tool and comprising a template for use in forwarding said electronic communication to at least one other person.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising providing an anti-scripting feature.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising placing in said forwarded electronic communication a link to said source that identifies said first person and that identifies the particular forwarding step being undertaken.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising providing in said electronic communication a voice-link which, when selected, establishes at least one of a voice link and a video link with said source.

17. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of making said second person an affiliate member comprises using a payment account as identifying information.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said step of using said payment account comprises using a payment account that maintains the anonymity of the account holder when used.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 further comprising providing said payment account.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising placing at least one advertisement in said electronic communication, wherein said advertisement is not an advertisement of the offerings of the source.

21. A method comprising:

developing a direct marketing organization via an email campaign by;

sending a first electronic communication including a link to a source to a plurality of recipients;

making an affiliate member each of those recipients of said plurality of recipients that communicate with said source via said link and elect to become an affiliate;

sending a specialized electronic communication to each of said affiliate members, wherein each said specialized electronic communication contains a link to said source that has been tagged with an identifier that uniquely corresponds with the affiliate receiving the specialized electronic communication;

providing access to said source to people who communicate with said source via a one of said uniquely tagged links obtained from an electronic communication that is forwarded from a one of said affiliate members; and

allocating commissions to said affiliate members for purchases at said source that are made by said people accessing said source, wherein said commissions are allocated based upon the association of a person making a purchase with a one of said affiliates.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

offering said people the opportunity to become an affiliate member; and

making a new affiliate member of each said person who chooses and qualifies to become an affiliate member, wherein each said person is placed on a first level of a direct marketing organization of the particular affiliate member corresponding with the uniquely tagged link that the person used to access said source.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising sending an electronic communication to each said new affiliate member, wherein said electronic communication contains a link to said source and further includes a unique identifier for identifying the new affiliate receiving the electronic communication.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, said method comprising access to additional people who are accessing said source via a link provided to them in an electronic communication from a one of said new members and allocating a commission to the said new member associated with the link with which access is made.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said electronic communication to each new affiliate member includes information regarding the opportunity to become an affiliate member so that those to whom the electronic communication is forwarded are made aware of the opportunity.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25 further comprising paying commissions to said developed direct marketing organization on sales made at said source by individuals accessing said source via a link in an electronic communication that has been forwarded by an affiliate member, wherein said commission to a particular affiliate member is paid on purchases made by individuals associated with any affiliate member linked to the particular affiliate member through a selected level from said particular affiliate member.

27. The method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising requiring a payment to become an affiliate member.

28. A method comprising:

making a first person a member of an affiliate program;

upon said first person becoming a member of said affiliate program, assigning a unique identifier to said first person and automatically sending a first electronic communication to an electronic address associated with said first person, said electronic communication including a link to a source associated with said affiliate program and also including said electronic identifier;

providing access to said source to a second person, wherein said second person accesses said source via a link to said source in a received electronic communication that is said first electronic communication that has been forwarded.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28 further comprising making said second person a member of said affiliate program and considering said second person to be on a first-level of an affiliate marketing network of said first person.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29 further comprising:

upon said second person becoming an affiliate member of said affiliate program, assigning a second unique identifier to said second person and automatically sending a second electronic communication to an electronic address associated with said second person, said second electronic communication including a link to said source and also including said second unique identifier; and

allocating commissions to said first person for purchases made at said source by anyone who accesses said source via a link containing said unique identifier and by anyone who accesses said source via a link containing another unique identifier that is within a downstream affiliate network of said first person.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30 wherein said downstream affiliate network includes a preselected number of affiliate levels from said first person.

32. The method as set forth in claim 28 further comprising providing the ability in said electronic communication to establish a voice link between a recipient of said electronic communication and said source.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32 further comprising in said electronic communication a link that accesses a page at said website for use by a recipient of said electronic communication in forwarding said electronic communication to others.

34. The method as set forth in claim 33 further comprising modifying the link in said forwarded electronic communication by adding a tag to identify the particular forwarding action.

35. The method as set forth in claim 28 further comprising providing a user-account to said first person.

36. The method as set forth in claim 28 further comprising registering said second person as an affiliate member by using an anonymous payment account as identification.

37. The method as set forth in claim 36 further comprising depositing commission payments for said second person into said payment account.

38. The method as set forth in claim 28 further comprising, in a step not associated with registering a new affiliate member, sending an electronic communication to each affiliate members to stimulate commerce with the source, wherein each electronic communication sent includes a link to the source that includes a reference tag to the particular affiliate member receiving the electronic communication.

39. The method as set forth in claim 38 further comprising including in each said electronic communication content that is based upon information obtained from the affiliate member to receive the electronic communication or from past activity by the affiliate member to receive the electronic communication.