Systems and Methods for Determining and Sending a Preferred of Two Electronic Mail Communications

• US 20100312840A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Rocket Science Group, LLC (Intuit, Inc.)
• Inventors: Armstrong, Mark, Morris, Chadwick, Chestnut, Ben
• Granted Patent: US 9,911,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining and sending a preferred of two electronic mail communications or messages (emails) to a group to increase likelihood of its review. Information for conducting a test between two emails, referred to as A email and B email, is collected. The information may identify a particular group, and segments A and B of the group. The information may provide content for the emails and include differentiation information between the emails. Determination information on how to select one of the emails as the preferred email and when to select the preferred email may be collected. The information is used to send the A email to the segment A, to send the B email to the segment B, to determine the preferred email between the A email and the B email, and to send the preferred email to at least a portion of the particular group.

Claims

1. A method for determining and sending a preferred of two electronic mail messages (“

emails”

), comprising;

receiving information for conducting an A/B split test between two emails, respectively referred to as A email and as B email,

the information

identifying a particular group of recipients,

identifying a segment A of the particular group,

identifying a segment B of the particular group,

providing content for the two emails,

including differentiation information between the two emails, and

including determination information on how to select one of the two emails as the preferred email and when to select the preferred email;

using the information

to send the A email to the segment A,

to send the B email to the segment B,

to determine the preferred email between the A email and the B email, and

to send the preferred email to at least a portion of the particular group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises send information on when to send the preferred email to at least the portion of the particular group;

and

wherein the send information is used to send the preferred email to at least the portion of the particular group according to the send information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the differentiation information between the two emails comprises different subject lines respectively between the two emails.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the differentiation information between the two emails comprises different “

from”

names respectively between the two emails.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the differentiation information between the two emails comprises different delivery dates respectively between the two emails.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the differentiation information between the two emails comprises different delivery times respectively between the two emails.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating the identification of the segment A by providing a mechanism whereby a randomly chosen percentage of between about 5%-50% participants of the particular group is selectable to be identified as the segment A.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating the identification of the segment B by providing a mechanism whereby a randomly chosen percentage of between 5%-50% participants of the particular group is selectable to be identified as the segment B.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating the receipt of the determination information on how to select one of the two emails as the preferred email by providing one or more choices of a method of determination.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating the provision of the determination information on when to select one of the two emails as the preferred email by providing one or more time choices.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating the identification of the particular group by allowing a subset of a group of recipients to be selected as the particular group.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing the subset to be selected based on one, two or three common conditions.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating creation of the content for the two emails.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to using the information to send the A email to the segment A and the B email to the segment B, to determine the preferred email between the A email and the B email, and to send the preferred email to at least a portion of the particular group,

providing a pre-delivery checklist.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making status information relating to the A email and the B email available.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making final report relating to the A email and the B email available.

3. (canceled)

18. A method for determining which email of two or more emails is more likely to be reviewed by a group and sending that email to the group, comprising:

identifying a segment of the group to correspond respectively to each of the two or more emails;

selecting a characteristic to differ respectively among the two or more emails;

sending one of the two or more emails with the differing characteristics to each of the respective segments of the group;

determining which of the two or more emails with the different characteristics is reviewed by more members of its segment of the group than other segments; and

sending the determined email to one or more of the group.

19. A method for facilitating success of an email campaign by determining which of at least two electronic mail messages (“

emails”

) is acted on more than the other, comprising;

creating a first email and a second email, where the first email and second email differ by a selected characteristic;

sending the first email to a first segment of a group;

sending the second email to a second segment of the group;

determining which of the emails is acted on by more members of its respective segment; and

sending the email determined to be more acted to one or more members of the group.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

creating a third email where the third email differs from the first email and the second email by the selected characteristic; and

sending the third email to a third segment of the group