METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DEVELOPING AN AUDIENCE OF BUYERS AND SELECTING LEADS BASED ON THEIR BEHAVIORAL PREFERENCES

• US 20070255614A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BD Metrics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BD Metrics Incorporated
• Inventors: JANUARIO, Timothy, JOHNSON, David, OUREDNIK, Patricia, LEISTER, Dennis, MAHONEY, Don
• Application Number:
  US11/683,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead from a plurality of attendees participating in an event in order to drive behaviors that lead to meetings between the attendee and at least one of a plurality of business entities. The business entity can compile profiles of participants attending an event based on demographics and/or behaviors associated with each of the plurality of attendees. The business entity can then define lead characteristics that enable such business entity to target each attendee of the event in order to develop business opportunities. Such targeting can be based on matching information deduced from the compiled profiles and the defined lead characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead from a plurality of attendees participating in an event, comprising:

compiling profiles with a plurality of attendees attending an event based on demographics and/or behaviors of each of the plurality of attendees;

defining lead characteristics in accordance with features determined by at least one exhibitor of the event; and

targeting at least one of the plurality of attendees as a lead in accordance with the defined lead characteristics, the targeting including matching information deduced from the compiled profiles and the defined lead characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

qualifying leads in accordance with the defined lead characteristics; and

classifying the qualified leads into distinct groups in order to develop a lead list so that best leads can be determined.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

communicating with different leads on the lead list for a predetermined period of time in order to develop business opportunities, the predetermined period of time configured to be based on a start and/or end of the event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the communicating comprises a default invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the communicating comprises a customized invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the communicating can be enabled or disabled.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

updating a statistics report to reflect a current outreach of communication to leads and/or lead response performance.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

qualifying and ranking each of the plurality of attendees in accordance with scores allotted to each attendee in a plurality of lead profile areas when the match is determined.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sorting the qualified and ranked attendees into distinct groups in order to develop a lead list; and

establishing a communicating channel with attendees listed on the lead list in order to develop business opportunities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the compiled profiles comprise at least one of normalized products of interest, primary businesses, primary job functions, search keyword, and/or product category search behaviors an attendee, associated with each respective attendee.

11. A system for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead form a plurality of attendees participating in an event, comprising:

at least one processor to;

collect profiles associated with the plurality of attendees attending an event

compile the collected profiles based on demographics and/or behaviors of each of the plurality of attendees,

define lead characteristics in accordance with features determined by at least one exhibitor of the event, and

compare the compiled profiles with the defined lead characteristics, and

determine a match based on information deduced from the compiled profiles and the defined lead characteristics.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor to also:

qualify leads in accordance with the defined lead characteristics, and

classify the qualified leads into distinct groups in order to develop a lead list so that best leads can be determined.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor to also:

enable communication with different leads on the lead list for a predetermined period of time in order to develop business opportunities, the predetermined period of time configured to be based on a start and/or end of the event.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication comprises a default invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invention to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication comprises a customized invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication can be enabled or disabled.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

updating a statistics report to reflect a current outreach of communication to leads and/or lead response performance.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor to also:

qualify and rank each of the plurality of attendees in accordance with scores allotted to each attendee in a plurality of lead profile areas when the match is determined.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor to also:

sort the qualified and ranked attendees into distinct groups in order to develop a lead list; and

establish a communication channel with attendees listed on the lead list in order to develop business opportunities.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the compiled profiles comprise at least one of normalized products of interest, primary businesses, primary job functions, search keywords, and/or product category search behaviors an attendee, associated with each respective attendee.

21. A method for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead from a plurality of attendees participating in an event, comprising:

defining characteristics relating to an exhibit lead profile for an event;

evaluating the plurality of attendees by matching a compiled profile associated with each of the plurality of attendees with the defined characteristics;

targeting as a lead at least one of the plurality of attendees associated with the event based on the evaluation;

qualifying and ranking each of the targeted leads in order to develop a lead list; and

displaying the lead list in order to develop business opportunities.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

qualifying and ranking each of the plurality of attendees in accordance with scores allotted to each attendee in a plurality of lead profile areas when the match is determined.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

sorting the qualified and ranked attendees into distinct groups in order to develop a lead list; and

establishing a communicating channel with attendees listed on the lead list in order to develop business opportunities.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the compiled profiles comprise at least one of normalized products of interest, primary businesses, primary job functions, search keywords, and/or product category search behaviors an attendee, associated with each respective attendee.

22. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

classifying the qualified leads into distinct groups so that best leads can be determined.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

communicating with different leads on the lead list for a predetermined period of time in order to develop business opportunities, the predetermined period of time configured to be based on a start and/or end of the event.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the communicating comprises a default invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the communicating comprises a customized invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the communicating can be enabled or disabled.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

updating a statistics report to reflect a current outreach of communication to leads and/or lead response performance.

31. A method for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead from a plurality of attendees participating in an event, comprising:

further comprising;

compiling profiles with a plurality of attendees attending an event based on demographics and/or behaviors of each of the plurality of attendees;

qualifying and ranking each of the plurality of attendees based on a plurality of lead profile areas;

sorting the qualified and ranked attendees into distinct groups; and

displaying the sorted attendees in order to develop business opportunities.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the distinct groups comprise hot leads, qualified leads and/or prospects.

33. A system for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead form a plurality of attendees participating in an event, comprising:

at least one processor to;

compile profiles associated with a plurality of attendees attending an event based on demographics and/or behaviors of the attendees,

qualify and rank each of the plurality of attendees based on a plurality of lead profile areas, and

sort the qualified and ranked attendees into distinct groups; and

an output device to display the sorted attendees in order to develop business opportunities.

34. A system for selecting via a communication network, at least one lead form a plurality of attendees participating in an event, comprising:

an evaluation mechanism for evaluating a plurality of attendees by matching a compiled profile of each attendee with defined lad profile characteristics;

a qualifying and ranking mechanism for qualifying and ranking each of the plurality of attendees based on a plurality of lead profile areas in order to develop business opportunities; and

a communication mechanism to communicate automatically with leads on the lead list in order to develop business opportunities, the communication configured to be achieved independent of exhibitor personnel.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the lead profile areas comprise criteria specified by an exhibitor so that leads can be identified from the attendees.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the communication mechanism generates a default invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the communication mechanism generates a customized invitation message to describe reasons a lead is receiving the invitation, business information of a related exhibitor, an invitation to the lead to visit the exhibitor at a desired location, and/or a link provided for the lead to activate so that the lead can view information related to an exhibitor.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the communication mechanism can be enabled or disabled.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is also:

update a statistics report to reflect a current outreach of communication to leads and/or lead response performance.