Systems and methods for identifying business opportunities

• US 20090327040A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: McInerny, Jeffrey Francis
• Application Number:
  US12/216,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying a business opportunity in a target market. In one embodiment, a business may implement a method to define a target market based on one or more business characteristics. The method may include receiving a first set of company data for companies associated with the target market and building an industry profile associated with the target market based on the first set of company data. The method may also include generating a second set of company data based on the industry profile, the second set of company data reflecting the business opportunity in the target market. The method may further include summarizing the first set and the second set of company data based on the business characteristics associated with the target market, and presenting the business opportunity in the target market based on the one or more business characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a business opportunity in a target market, comprising:

defining the target market based on one or more business characteristics;

receiving a first set of company data for companies associated with the target market;

building an industry profile associated with the target market based on the first set of company data;

generating a second set of company data based on the industry profile, the second set of company data reflecting the business opportunity in the target market;

summarizing the first set and the second set of company data based on the business characteristics associated with the target market; and

presenting the business opportunity in the target market based on the summarization of the first set and the second set of company data and the one or more business characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

building a division profile associated with the first set of company data; and

building the industry profile based on the division profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first set of company data for companies associated with the target market includes receiving the company data from a plurality of data sources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein building the industry profile includes building the industry profile based on the first set of company data from at least two data sources.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the second set of company data includes deriving sales data based on the industry profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more business characteristics include an industry code.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting the business opportunity includes presenting the business opportunity based on one or more division profiles and industry profiles.

8. A computer system for identifying a business opportunity in a target market, the system including:

a processor; and

a memory storing data including customer data records, wherein the processor is configured to;

define the target market based on one or more business characteristics;

receive a first set of company data for companies associated with the target market;

build an industry profile associated with the target market based on the first set of company data;

generate a second set of company data based on the industry profile, the second set of company data reflecting the business opportunity in the target market;

summarize the first set and the second set of company data based on the business characteristics associated with the target market; and

present the business opportunity in the target market based on the one or more business characteristics.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more business characteristics include an industry code.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more business characteristics further include a product division.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the company data from a plurality of data sources.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to build the industry profile based on the first set of company data from at least two data sources.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the second set of company data by deriving sales data based on the industry profile.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to present the business opportunity based on one or more product divisions.

15. A computer-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform a method for identifying a business opportunity in a target market, the method comprising:

defining a target market based on one or more business characteristics;

receiving a first set of company data for companies associated with the target market;

building an industry profile associated with the target market based on the first set of company data;

generating a second set of company data based on the industry profile, the second set of company data reflecting a business opportunity in the target market;

summarizing the first set and the second set of company data based on the business characteristics associated with the target market; and

presenting the business opportunity in the target market based on the one or more business characteristics.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more business characteristics include an industry code.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the first set of company data for companies associated with the target market includes receiving the company data from a plurality of data sources.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein building the industry profile is based on the first set of company data from at least two data sources.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating the second set of company data includes deriving sales data based on the industry profile.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more business characteristics include a product division, and presenting the business opportunity further includes presenting the business opportunity based on one or more product divisions.