INTERACTIVE ONLINE CLOSED LOOP MARKETING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110145056A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Spiceworks, Inc. (Ziff Davis, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spiceworks, Inc. (Ziff Davis, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abel, Scott, Schell, Kevin, Sullivan, Francis
• Application Number:
  US12/967,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145056A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

An interactive online closed loop marketing system and method for marketing of a technical product or service product to companies and/or users of a plurality of network management systems is provided. A database populated with anonymous aggregate IT asset inventory information, user information, and company information (gathered and aggregated through the network management systems) is queried by a third party to evaluate and analyze the potential market for the technical product or service. The system and method further permit the third party to develop a survey and deliver the survey to users of the network management system via the network management system thereby permitting the third party to further quantify and analyze the potential market opportunity. Additionally, the system and method permit the third party to target advertising for the product or service directly to end users via the network management system while tracking the effectiveness of the advertising campaign.

Claims

1. An interactive online closed loop marketing method for marketing of a technical product or service to users of a plurality of network management systems, the method comprising the steps of:

requesting data from a database associated with the network management systems in response to a query from a third party, said database containing information relating to users and their IT asset inventory information;

receiving said data from said database;

storing said data on a tangible computer readable medium; and

displaying said data to said third party via an online graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the following steps:

displaying a survey data subset according to a first criteria, said first criteria received from said third party, said survey data subset at least a portion of said data;

assisting said third party in designing a survey, said survey regarding the technical product or service;

allowing said third party to select at least one survey recipient, wherein said survey recipient is at least one of the users associated with said survey data subset;

delivering said survey to said survey recipient via the network management systems;

receiving at least one survey response from said survey recipient;

storing said survey response on said tangible computer readable medium; and

displaying said survey response to said third party via said online graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the network management systems perform the following steps:

initiating an inventory of a plurality of IT devices associated with a local IT network;

generating a profile associated with at least a subset of IT devices from said plurality of IT devices, said profile comprising device information regarding said subset of IT devices;

determining the operational status of said subset of IT devices; and

monitoring said operational status of said subset of IT devices.

4. The method of claim 2, additionally comprising the following steps:

requesting an advertising data subset from said database, said advertising data subset according to a second criteria, said second criteria received from said third party;

displaying said advertising data subset via said online graphical user interface;

allowing said third party to select at least one advertising recipient, wherein said advertising recipient is at least one of the users associated with said advertising data subset;

delivering an advertisement to said advertising recipient via the network management systems;

tracking the results of said advertisement, said results including impressions, clicks, and/or sales associated with said advertisement;

storing said results on said tangible computer readable medium; and

displaying and/or reporting said results to said third party via said online graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the network management systems perform the following steps:

initiating an inventory of a plurality of IT devices associated with a local IT network;

generating a profile associated with at least a subset of IT devices from said plurality of IT devices, said profile comprising device information regarding said subset of IT devices;

determining the operational status of said subset of IT devices; and

monitoring said operational status of said subset of IT devices.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the following steps:

requesting an advertising data subset from said database, said advertising data subset according to a second criteria, said second criteria received from said third party;

displaying said advertising data subset via said online graphical user interface;

allowing said third party to select at least one advertising recipient, wherein said advertising recipient is at least one of the users associated with said advertising data subset;

delivering an advertisement to said advertising recipient via the network management systems;

tracking the results of said advertisement, said results including impressions, clicks, and/or sales associated with said advertisement;

storing said results on said tangible computer readable medium; and

displaying and/or reporting said results to said third party via said online graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the network management systems perform the following steps:

initiating an inventory of a plurality of IT devices associated with a local IT network;

generating a profile associated with at least a subset of IT devices from said plurality of IT devices, said profile comprising device information regarding said subset of IT devices;

determining the operational status of said subset of IT devices; and

monitoring said operational status of said subset of IT devices.

8. An interactive online closed loop marketing platform, the platform comprising:

an online graphical user interface providing third party access to a database containing information from a plurality of network management systems, wherein said user interface comprises;

a user access component providing said third party access to said user interface;

a data component, said data component requesting and receiving data from a database according to a set of criteria, said database containing information relating to users and their IT asset inventory information gathered from said network management systems, said criteria provided by said third party; and

a display component, said display component displaying said received data.

9. The platform of claim 8, wherein each of said network management systems comprises:

an inventory component, said inventory component taking an inventory of a plurality of IT devices associated with a local IT network;

a profile generation component, said profile generation component generating a profile, said profile associated with at least a subset of IT devices from said plurality of IT devices, said profile comprising device information regarding said subset of IT devices;

a status component, said status component determining and monitoring the operational status of said subset of IT devices;

an information component, said information component accepting input from a user of said network management system, said input including user information, said user information associated with said local IT network.

10. The platform of claim 8, wherein said user interface additionally comprises a survey component assisting said third party in designing and delivering a survey to a pre-defined first subset of said users, said survey delivered via said network management systems.

11. The platform of claim 10, wherein each of said network management systems comprises:

an inventory component, said inventory component taking an inventory of a plurality of IT devices associated with a local IT network;

a profile generation component, said profile generation component generating a profile, said profile associated with at least a subset of IT devices from said plurality of IT devices, said profile comprising device information regarding said subset of IT devices;

a status component, said status component determining and monitoring the operational status of said subset of IT devices;

an information component, said information component accepting input from a user of said network management system, said input including user information, said user information associated with said local IT network.

12. The platform of claim 10, wherein said user interface additionally comprises:

an advertisement component providing advertisement delivery to a pre-defined second subset of said users, said advertisement delivered via said network management system; and

a reporting component providing tracking and result information relating to said survey and said advertisement.

13. The platform of claim 12, wherein each of said network management systems comprises:

an inventory component, said inventory component taking an inventory of a plurality of IT devices associated with a local IT network;

a profile generation component, said profile generation component generating a profile, said profile associated with at least a subset of IT devices from said plurality of IT devices, said profile comprising device information regarding said subset of IT devices;

a status component, said status component determining and monitoring the operational status of said subset of IT devices;

an information component, said information component accepting input from a user of said network management system, said input including user information, said user information associated with said local IT network.

14. The platform of claim 8, wherein said user interface additionally comprises:

an advertisement component providing advertisement delivery to a pre-defined second subset of said users, said advertisement delivered via said network management system; and

a reporting component providing tracking and result information relating to said survey and said advertisement.

15. A method for the closed loop marketing of an IT product or service to users of a plurality of online network management systems, comprising the steps of:

compiling data relating to the users of said online network management systems in a database, wherein the online network management systems provides an IT inventory monitoring and reporting platform for a plurality of local IT networks;

displaying said data in a user interface allowing third parties to sort said data;

surveying a selected group of the users of said network management systems through a user interface of said online marketing platform;

displaying the results of said surveys in said user interface;

delivering an advertisement directly to targeted users of said network management systems through said user interface associated with said online network management systems;

tracking the sales results of the IT product or service to said targeted users of said network management systems; and

displaying the sales results as a report in said user interface.