Method and system for presenting a sales incentive

• US 20030187732A1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SETA Corporation (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SETA Corporation (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Seta, Joseph D.
• Application Number:
  US10/113,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0218 based on score

Abstract

A method for presenting a sales incentive is disclosed. Initially, a sales call is received from a client. After the sale to the client is completed, the client is offered the opportunity to play a sales incentive game such as answering a trivia question. If the client declines the offer the sales call is terminated. If the client chooses to listen to the question, the client receives a sales incentive, if the client provides the correct answer to the question. If the client provides an incorrect answer, no sales incentive is offered.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a sales incentive comprising:

receiving a sales call from a client;

completing a sale to the client and offering the opportunity to participate in a sales incenitve game;

playing the sales incentive game; and

presenting the sales incentive to the client if the client is successful in the sales incentive game.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of playing the sales incentive game further comprises asking the client a trivia question.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of asking the client a trivia question further comprises allowing the client to chose a subject category from which the trivia question will be selected.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of asking the client a trivia question further comprises allowing the client to choose the difficulty level of the trivia question and wherein the difficulty level of the question is associated with the value of the sales incentive.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of asking the client a trivia question further comprises asking a series of trivia questions and rewarding the client based on the number of correct answers, the number of correct responses determining the value of the sales incentives.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of asking the client a trivia question further comprises asking a series of questions allowing the client to chose, after each correct answer to a question to stop and receive a current sales incentive or to continue to answer questions, the value of the sales incentive associated with the number of questions answered.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sales incentive is the opportunity to buy an item at a reduced price.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the sales incentive is a percent discount off a future purchase.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of playing the sales incentive game further comprises paying a game of chance.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of playing the sales incentive game further comprises playing a game of skill.

11. An apparatus for presenting a sales incentive comprising a sales terminal operable to take orders from a client, the terminal further operable to present a sales incentive game to the client and upon a successful result in the sales incentive game offer the sales incentive.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales incentive game is a trivia game in which the client is asked a trivia question.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales terminal is a live operator.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales terminal is an interactive voice response unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales terminal is a computer operable to take orders for goods from a client computer coupled to the computer via a computer network.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the client chooses a subject category from which the trivia question will be selected.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein further client chooses the difficulty level of the trivia question and the difficulty level of the question is associated with the value of the sales incentive.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a series of trivia questions are asked and the number of correct responses determines the value of the sales incentives.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the client chooses, after each correct answer, to either stop and receive a current sales incentive or to continue to answer questions to obtain a better sales incentive.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales incentive is the opportunity to buy an item at a reduced price.

21. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales incentive is a percent discount off a future purchase.

22. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales incentive game is a game of skill.

23. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sales incentive game is a game of chance.

24. A method of communicating a sales incentive to a consumer comprising:

communicating to the consumer an invitation to play a sales incentive game in order to receive the sales incentive;

receiving an acceptance from the consumer indicating the consumer wants to play the sales incentive game;

playing the sales incentive game; and

offering the sales incentive if the sales incentive game is successfully played by the consumer.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of playing the sales incentive game comprises asking a trivia question.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of communicating to the consumer comprises sending an offer to the consumer to play a sales incentive game via electronic mail.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of communicating comprises sending an offer to the consumer to play a sales incentive game via mail.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating to the consumer an invitation using an advertisement.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of communicating comprises asking the consumer to play a sales incentive game after the consumer has purchased goods or services.

30. The method of claim 25 where the step of asking a trivia questions further comprises allowing the consumer to chose a subject category from which the trivia question will be selected.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of asking a trivia question further comprises allowing the consumer to choose the difficulty level of the trivia question and wherein the difficulty level of the question is associated with the value of the sales incentive.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of asking a trivia question further comprises asking a series of trivia questions and rewarding the consumer based on the number of correct answers, the number of correct responses determining the value of the sales incentives.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of asking a trivia questions further comprises asking a series of questions allowing the consumer to chose, after each correct answer to a question to stop and receive a current sales incentive or to continue to answer questions, the value of the sales incentive associated with the number of questions answered.

34. The method of claim 24 wherein the sales incentive is the opportunity to buy an item at a reduced price.

35. The method of claim 24 wherein the sales incentive is a percent discount off a future purchase.

36. A sales incentive presentation apparatus comprising a means for playing a sales incentive game with a consumer and a means for presenting a sales incentive to the client if the client wins the sales incentive game.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sales incentive game is a trivia game in which the client is asked a trivia question.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the client chooses a subject category from which the trivia question will be selected.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the client chooses the difficulty level of the trivia question and the difficulty level of the question is associated with the value of the sales incentive.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein a series of trivia questions are asked and the number of correct responses determines the value of the sales incentives.

41. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the client chooses, after each correct answer, to either stop and receive a current sales incentive or to continue to answer questions to obtain a better sales incentive.

42. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sales incentive is the opportunity to buy an item at a reduced price.

43. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sales incentive is a percent discount off a future purchase.

44. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sales incentive game is a game of skill.

45. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sales incentive game is a game of chance.

46. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method for communicating a sales incentive to a consumer comprising:

playing a sales incentive game with a consumer; and

offering the sales incentive to the consumer if the consumer wins the sales incentive game.