Web-based financial services and products client lead generation system and method

• US 20080221976A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher J Cunningham, David Paul Winterbourne, Matthew Robert Olsen, Stephen P. Henrie
• Original Assignee: Christopher J Cunningham, David Paul Winterbourne, Matthew Robert Olsen, Stephen P. Henrie
• Inventors: Winterbourne, David Paul, Cunningham, Christopher J., Olsen, Matthew Robert, Henrie, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US12/074,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221976A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A web-based method for customer lead generation employing a system of need-based calculators which when chosen by a consumer identify a product or service need without the consumer having to actively do so. The user-specific calculators provide the consumer with calculations to be considered for a specific product or service being considered for purchase. Data entry windows in the calculator provide the consumer input positions for data needed for the calculations and concurrently capture data for a potential vendor to employ in making a bid. The consumer thereby identifies a need for a product or service and provides data for use in providing that service that may be forwarded to vendors.

Claims

1. A web-based method for customer lead generation employing the steps of:

from a remote computer communicating over a network, offering a consumer visiting a website, a plurality of different need-specific calculators to enable said client to make calculations on the consumer'"'"'s computer;

each of said plurality of different need-specific calculators providing calculations one a product or service thereby allowing said consumer to identify need data as their need for a product or service by the need-specific calculator they choose from said plurality;

allowing the consumer to choose the need-specific calculator from said plurality most appropriate to their current real-time need thereby identifying said need data of products or services needed by that consumer;

providing text input boxes in each said need-specific calculator for data input by said consumer;

providing at least one said text input box for said consumer to input an identifier, said identifier providing means for contact with said consumer;

providing a means to indicate the consumer wishes to make a calculation on the chosen need-specific calculator;

allowing said consumer to activate said means to indicate, thereby triggering a transmission of captured data from said text input boxes of the chosen said need-specific calculator;

transmitting said captured data to a subscribing provider of products or services of a type identified by said consumer'"'"'s choice of need-specific calculator; and

allowing said subscribing provider to provide a response to said consumer.

2. A web-based method for customer lead generation of claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of:

employing a set of rules for said response, said rules provided by said subscribing provider to whom said captured data is transmitted, to dictate an appropriate said response from a plurality of responses including one or a combination of email, direct mail, telephone calls, and online immediate two-way communication.

3. A web-based method for customer lead generation of claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of:

based on the type of product or service identified as needed by the consumer'"'"'s choice of a said need-specific calculator, providing links to other web pages in a subsequent computer generated screen presented to said consumer subsequent to said consumer triggering said transmission.

4. A web-based method for customer lead generation of claim 2 additionally comprising the steps of:

based on the type of product or service identified as needed by the consumer'"'"'s choice of a said need-specific calculator, and said rules provided by said subscribing provider, providing links to other web pages in a subsequent computer generated screen presented to said consumer subsequent to said consumer triggering said transmission.

5. A web-based method for customer lead generation of claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of:

employing software adapted to the task to input said captured data, and thereafter determine a segmentation for said consumer'"'"'s need identified by said choice of a need-specific calculator; and

communicating said captured data, and said identifier, to a provider of services or products matching the segmentation determined for said consumer, whereby said provider may initiate a timely said response with said consumer regarding said products or services.

6. The web-based method for customer lead generation of claim 5 additionally comprising the steps of:

employing a set of rules for said response, said rules provided by said subscribing provider to whom said captured data is transmitted, to dictate an appropriate said response from a plurality of responses including one or a combination of email, direct mail, telephone calls, and online immediate two-way communication.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said services are loans and said segmentation is one of a plurality of different types of loans from different of said providers.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said services are loans and said segmentation is one of a plurality of different types of loans from different of said providers.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said services are loans and said segmentation includes separating loans needed in a near term from loans identified as needed in a later term;

and

directing one type of response for said loans needed in the near term and a second type of response for said loans needed in said later term.