SELF-SERVE DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MAIL MARKETING SERVICE

• US 20090182615A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pai, Samarth Sharath
• Application Number:
  US12/013,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20090182615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing a self-serve direct-to-consumer mail marketing service. A unified mail marketing service is provided through which a user can generate a postal or e-mail mailing without the need to consult multiple independent service providers. The mail marketing service provides a single point of contact for creating demographics, identifying potential customers that satisfy the demographics, creating the mailing, creating and monitoring points of contact to measure the success of the mailing, and for printing and sending the mailing.

Claims

1. A method for providing a self-serve direct-to-consumer mail marketing service, the method comprising:

providing a first user interface for specifying information about a business on behalf of which a mailing is to be sent;

receiving the information about the business via the first user interface;

generating demographic data corresponding to one or more potential customers of the business, the demographic data being generated based upon the information about the business supplied via the first user interface;

identifying the one or more potential customers of the business based upon the generated demographic data;

providing a second user interface for specifying a layout and content for the mailing;

receiving a layout and content for the mailing via the second user interface;

providing a third user interface for defining a schedule for sending the mailing; and

sending the mailing to the one or more potential customers of the business based upon the schedule, the mailing comprising the layout and content defined utilizing the second user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the business received on the first user interface comprises contact information for the business, geographic information for the one or more potential customers of the business, and one or more categories to which the business belongs.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising following generating demographic data corresponding to a group of potential customers of the business:

providing a fourth user interface through which a user can modify the demographic data; and

receiving one or more modifications to the demographic data through the fourth user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user interface for specifying a layout and content for the mailing comprises a user interface through which a user can select a template for the mailing, the template comprising content including a pre-defined message and call to action.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a fifth user interface for defining a unique point of contact for the mailing; and

receiving input via the fifth user interface defining the unique point of contact for the mailing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the unique point of contact for the mailing comprises a telephone number associated with the mailing.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring the telephone number to determine a number of calls received on the telephone number; and

providing a sixth user interface for indicating the number of calls received on the telephone number.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the unique point of contact comprises a unique World Wide Web (Web) address associated with the mailing.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

monitoring the Web address to determine a number of requests received for the Web address; and

providing a sixth user interface for indicating the number of requests received for the Web address.

10. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive input defining information about a business on behalf of which a mailing is to be sent;

generate demographic data corresponding to a group of potential customers of the business based upon the received information about the business;

identify one or more potential customers of the business based upon the generated demographic data;

receive input defining a layout and content for the mailing;

receive input defining a schedule for sending the mailing; and

to

send the mailing to the one or more potential customers of the business based upon the schedule, the mailing comprising the layout and content.

11. The computer storage medium of claim 10 comprising further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to receive input defining a unique point of contact associated with the mailing.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to monitor the point of contact to determine a number of responses to the mailing.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein the unique point of contact associated with the mailing comprises a unique telephone number associated with the mailing.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein the mailing comprises one of a postal mailing or an electronic mailing.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 14, comprising further computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to receive input defining one or more modifications to the generated demographic data.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the information about the business comprises contact information for the business, geographic information for the one or more potential customers of the business, and one or more categories to which the business belongs.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to receive input defining a layout and content for the mailing by receiving input defining a template for the mailing, the template comprising content including a pre-defined message and call to action.

18. A method for providing a self-serve direct-to-consumer mail marketing service, the method comprising:

receiving a request to generate a mailing;

in response to receiving the request, providing a unified World Wide Web (Web) site operative to receive input defining information about a business on behalf of which the mailing is to be sent, to generate demographic data corresponding to a group of potential customers of the business based upon the received information about the business, to identify one or more potential customers of the business based upon the generated demographic data, to receive input defining a layout and content for the mailing, to receive input defining a unique point of contact associated with the mailing, to receive input defining a schedule for sending the mailing, to send the mailing to the one or more potential customers of the business based upon the schedule, and to monitor the point of contact to determine a number of responses to the mailing.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mailing comprises one of a postal mailing or an electronic mail mailing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the unique point of contact comprises one of a unique telephone number associated with the mailing or a unique Web address associated with the mailing.