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Network based system and method for marketing management

  • US 7,526,434 B2
  • Filed: 01/30/2002
  • Issued: 04/28/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for managing marketing using a network-based marketing business system including a server coupled to a centralized interactive database and at least one client system in order to measure and manage a development of a relationship between a business and a contact, said method comprising:

  • creating, using the server, a unifying framework to manage contact Acquisition, Closing, and Retention as a continuum;

    creating using the server, consistent contact relationship metrics across the unifying framework to measure progress in relationship development;

    establishing, using the server, a deliberate, systematic process using the unifying framework and metrics to develop relationships and execute strategy, wherein the framework, metrics and process are stored in the database on the server;

    creating and storing, using the server, a plurality of contact relationship levels representative of a customer lifecycle for the framework within the database, wherein each contact relationship level is assigned to at least one of a plurality of marketing phases including Acquisition, Closing and Retention;

    anticipating in advance and populating, using the server, the database with a plurality of potential interactions between the business and the contact necessary within each contact relationship level to execute a predetermined strategy to develop the relationship between the business and the contact;

    predefining, using the server, and storing in the database at least one trigger interaction within the plurality of potential interactions that enables movement of the contact from a first contact relationship level of the plurality of contact relationship levels to a second relationship level of the plurality of relationship levels and from a first marketing phase to a second marketing phase;

    assigning, using the server, and storing in the database a predetermined relative interaction value based on an anticipated relative impact and relationship enhancement capabilities of each of the plurality of potential interactions between the business and the contact, the relative interaction value serving as a basis of measuring interaction effectiveness and progress in developing the relationship between the business and the contact;

    assigning, using the server, and storing in the database a predetermined variable cost to each of the plurality of potential interactions between the business and the contact;

    measuring, using the server, progress in relationship development for the contact within each contact relationship level by receiving over a network and recording the consistent contact relationship metrics of interactions, relative interaction value, and interaction variable cost associated with each actual interaction between the business and the contact in an ongoing interaction record stored in the database on the server, wherein each actual interaction has an associated relative interaction value and variable cost;

    continually assigning, using the server, the contact to a contact relationship level of the plurality of contact relationship levels as each actual interaction is recorded in the database on the server such that the assigned contact relationship level remains the same until the predefined definition of the at least one trigger interaction required for movement of the contact between contact relationship levels occurs;

    continually updating in the database on the server a cumulative relative interaction value and cumulative variable interaction cost for the contact as each actual interaction occurs within the assigned contact relationship level based on the relative interaction value and variable cost associated with each actual interaction;

    developing, using the server, an operational data stream in the database on the server for the contact, wherein the data stream tracks a cause and effect relationship between the recorded actual interactions and the corresponding relative interaction value of each recorded actual interaction and tracks the variable cost of each recorded actual interaction;

    running, using the server, a computer-generated summary report for the contact, the summary report based on the data stream for the contact and transmitted by the server for display on said at least one client system, wherein the report includes operational interaction flow summaries and patterns;

    based on the report, making real-time day-to-day decisions and process improvements regarding the profitability and effectiveness of the chosen strategy and analyzing and producing long-term planning of the profitability and effectiveness of alternative marketing strategies by aggregating and correlating the operational interaction flow summaries and patterns with data acquired from other decision support systems and transaction processing systems.

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