Business method for promoting goods and services of providers

• US 20100153186A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welcomemat Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Welcomemat Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Fain, Edward Joseph, Mattingly, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• 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 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement

Abstract

A business method for promoting goods and services of providers includes the steps of designating a group of targeted recipients, and storing demographics information of each recipient in an electronic database. A plurality of direct mail items including provider promotions is generated, and each marked with a machine-readable ID code unique to each of the recipients. The direct mail items are sorted by their respective ID codes into cooperative mail packages, each mail package containing multiple items with common ID codes. The mail packages are then forwarded to respective recipients. After redemption of a direct mail item by a recipient, the ID code is read and electronically linked with the recipient'"'"'s demographics information contained in the electronic database. A report is generated based on the direct mail items redeemed.

Claims

1. A business method for promoting goods and services of providers, comprising:

designating a group of targeted direct mail recipients, said recipients comprising new residents having relocated from one zip code to a predetermined zip code;

storing demographic information of each new resident in an electronic database said demographics information comprising at least recipient name and address;

generating a plurality of direct mail items comprising provider promotions, and preselecting from the plurality of direct mail items only those provider promotions relevant to the new residents relocated to the predetermined zip code;

marking each of the preselected direct mail items with a machine-readable code unique to each of the new residents;

sorting the preselected direct mail items by their respective codes into cooperative mail packages, each mail package containing multiple items with common codes;

forwarding the mail packages to respective new residents;

after redemption of a direct mail item by a new resident, scanning the code using a reader and electronically linking it with the new resident'"'"'s demographics information contained in the electronic database; and

generating a report based on the direct mail items redeemed.

2. A business method according to claim 1, and comprising sorting the mail packages based on the number of direct mail items contained in each package, such that each package in a sorted group has an equal number of direct mail items.

3. A business method according to claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code comprises bar coding.

4. A business method according to claim 1, and comprising forwarding the mail packages to new residents via a postal service.

5. A business method according to claim 1, and comprising forwarding the mail packages to new residents via electronic mail.

6. A business method according to claim 1, wherein the report comprises a secondary mailing report containing demographics information for at least a portion of the targeted group for purposes of generating additional direct mail items.

7. A business method according to claim 1, wherein the report comprises a trending report including a redemption ranking of direct mail items for goods and services classified by subject matter.

8. A business method according to claim 1, wherein the report comprises demographic information for new residents redeeming the direct mail items.

9. A business method according to claim 1, and comprising forwarding redeemed direct mail items to a clearinghouse for reading respective codes.

10. A business method according to claim 1, and comprising surveying the new residents after the direct mail item is redeemed.

12. A business method according to claim 1, wherein generating the direct mail items comprises printing sheets of paper coupons, each sheet comprising first and second coupon sections.

13. A business method according to claim 12, and comprising stacking the sheets such that the first coupon sections and the second coupon sections are arranged, respectively, in vertical registration.

14. A business method according to claim 13, and comprising collating the coupons such that respective cooperative mail packages are assembled in sequence from coupons cut from the first coupon section of each stacked sheet, and after the first coupon sections are exhausted, from the second coupon section of each stacked sheet.