Abstract:
An apparatus, method, computer program product and system are disclosed for collecting, soliciting and tracking sales leads via an electronic network like the Internet, and distributing commissions realized on said sales leads to multiple parties using a hierarchical, multi-level marketing (MLM) business structure. A central managing organization, or MLM structure, uses a uniquely configured data processing device and/or system (herein a “Maintenance Server”) to collect new sales leads from structured records and data in the possession of an actual customers who have been incorporated into the MLM structure, said records and data comprising third-party contact information, including personal and/or professional contacts of the actual customers. The Maintenance Server uniquely assists in the solicitation of the newly acquired sales leads to save the actual customers from having to perform the solicitation(s) themselves. Sales leads converted into actual customers are incorporated into the MLM structure and the newly generated commissions resulting therefrom are distributed by the Maintenance Server or MLM structure in accordance with a predetermined commission criteria.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to multi-level marketing, and more particularly relates to an apparatus, method, computer program product and data processing system for collecting, soliciting, tracking and distributing commissions within a hierarchical multi-level marketing business structure. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Consumer products are often sold and shipped within multi-level marketing (MLM) hierarchical business structures (hereinafter the “MLM structures”) that remunerate members of the MLM structures responsible for the sale of consumer products as well as certain members of the MLM structures responsible for bringing other member(s) into the MLM structure. Companies adopting MLM structures allow their members to profit not just from sales those members effectuate, but also from sales effectuated by newer members brought into the MLM structure by older members. 
         [0005]    MLM structures organize their members into hierarchical pay grades, or levels, and distribute commissions made on the sale of consumer products by trickling the commissions up to members in higher levels, particularly those members who were responsible for the incorporation of the members responsible for making sales. 
         [0006]    Often MLM structures will provide their members with printed instructions and/or training in methods of both selling consumer products and recruiting others into the MLM structure. Typical methods of recruiting others include conferences in which potential members, and contacts of members, are given the opportunity to socialize with experienced members, experience multimedia presentations of various species, hear testimonials of successful members, and become acquainted with the particular implementation of the MLM structure assumed by the company or organization distributing the one or more consumer product(s) underlying the MLM structure. 
         [0007]    Many companies implementing MLM structures have enjoyed remarkable success in years past, but other MLM companies have struggled due to the inability and/or reluctance of many members, and potential members, to participate in the MLM marketing programs. Many members and potential members are hesitant to recruit their personal and professional contacts into the MLM structure. Members may lack the ability to successfully recruit their contacts, or may be disinclined to strain relationships they have established with their contacts by subjecting those contacts to the rhetoric necessary to successfully recruit them. These members may be similarly disinclined to solicit sales of the consumer product(s) marketed by the MLM structure from their personal and professional contacts. 
         [0008]    Many members of MLM structures come to exist in name only, without realizing new member recruits or producing consumer product sales. These members may discontinue or dishonor obligations incidental to their membership in the MLM structure, such as membership fees or obligations to purchase MLM products. These problems inherent in traditional MLM structures have caused MLM structures to suffer low member retention rates, inefficient new member recruitment drives, and unproductive solicitation of new sales from member contacts. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for soliciting, managing, and remunerating potential MLM members and customers. The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art; and, in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available methods, systems and apparatus, and that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an apparatus, method, computer program product, and system for collecting, soliciting and tracking sales leads via an electronic network like the Internet, and distributing commissions realized on said sales leads to multiple parties using a hierarchical MLM business structure. 
         [0010]    A computer program product is disclosed comprising a computer readable medium having computer usable program code executable to perform operations for automatically collecting, soliciting and remunerating members of an MLM structure. The operations of the computer program product include incorporating a customer into an MLM structure by storing one or more of the customer&#39;s name, email, address, and phone number in persistent computer readable storage; and electronically accessing identifying information of one or more third-party contacts (hereinafter the “contact information”) in possession of the customer via a computer network, said contact information accessible only through a grant of permission of from the customer, said contact information structured in one or more computer readable files and comprising one or more of name, address, email, telephone number, employer, and profession. 
         [0011]    The operations of the computer program product further include storing the contact information on a tangible medium after electronically accessing the third-party contact information; and transmitting the contact information to one or more solicitors. The operations further include using an MLM identifier to track the customer with whom the contact information originated. The computer program product further comprises, in some embodiments, remunerating the customer for sales realized from the third-party contacts. 
         [0012]    The customer may be remunerated in accordance with a predetermined commission criteria, and the computer program product may further comprise emailing the third-party contacts with MLM promotional information. Additionally, the computer program product comprises, in some embodiments, automatically incorporating the third-party contacts into the MLM structure. 
         [0013]    The computer program product further comprises notifying the customer that the one or more third-party contacts have been incorporated into the MLM structure, and the contact information can comprise a computer database entry stored in one or more computer readable files on a computer readable storage device in communication with a maintenance server. The maintenance server may allow the third-party contacts to place orders for a consumer product online via the Internet. 
         [0014]    An apparatus is disclosed, comprising a database server, processor, and a memory device, which apparatus is configured to perform operations that closely mirror the functions imparted to a computer by the computer program product. 
         [0015]    Additionally, a system to automatically collect, solicit and remunerate members of an MLM structure is disclosed which comprises modules functionally similar to those of the apparatus. A business method is disclosed for collecting, soliciting and remunerating members of an MLM structure. 
         [0016]    Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0017]    Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
         [0018]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1A  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a computer system that automatically collects, solicits and remunerates members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 1B  is a block diagram illustrating an MLM structure that collects, solicits, and remunerates members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an apparatus to automatically collect, solicit and remunerate MLM members in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a sales campaign comprising customer contact information structured within a computer readable file; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an MLM business structure in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of a computer system that automatically collects, solicits and remunerates members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a data flow chart of a method of collecting, soliciting and remunerating members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a process flow chart of a method of automatically collecting, soliciting and remunerating members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a business element framework that defines one embodiment of an MLM structure in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a user screen in a generic browser showing cost information associated with a plurality of sales leads in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0031]    The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. The apparatus modules recited in the claims may be configured to impart the recited functionality to the apparatus. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a computer system  100  that automatically collects, solicits and remunerates members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention. The computer system  100  comprises a maintenance server  102 , an Internet  104 , a consumer product  106 , a solicitor  108 , a customer  110  a contact  114   a,  a contact  114   b,  and a contact  114   c.    
         [0033]    The system  100  includes a maintenance server  102 . In the shown embodiment, the maintenance server  102  comprises a computer program running on one or more data processing devices (DPDs), such as a server, computer workstation, router, mainframe computer, or the like. In various embodiments, the DPD comprises one or more processors. The processor is a computing device well-known to those in the art and may include an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”). 
         [0034]    In the present invention, the maintenance server  102  may route contact information  116  to any DPD, device, person, company, organization, or the like in communication with the maintenance server  102 , including the solicitor  108 . 
         [0035]    In this embodiment, the maintenance server  102  communicates contact information  116  gathered from the customer  110  electronically to the solicitor  108 . In other embodiments, the solicitor  108  accesses the contact information  116  from the maintenance server  102  over a distributed network to which the solicitor  108  and maintenance server  102  are mutually coupled. In various embodiments, a plurality of customers  110  incorporated into an MLM structure may be in logical communication with the maintenance server  102  through a networked environment, such as local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), or the Internet  104 . 
         [0036]    In various embodiments, the maintenance server  102  may make available sales information to customers  110  and/or solicitors  108 . In various embodiments the sales information may comprise commissions paid, or to be paid, to the customer(s)  110  on sales realized as a result of the solicitation of one or more contacts  114   a - c.  In still further embodiments, the maintenance server  102  may automatically make commission payments to customers  110  incorporated into the MLM structure via means well-known to those of skill in the art, including PayPal®, credit card credits, direct bank deposits, and the like. Commission payments to customers  110  may be made in accordance with a predetermined MLM criteria. In some embodiments, the predetermined MLM criteria is dynamic, and optimized automatically through analysis of historical MLM sales data to maximize profits to the MLM structure and/or MLM members. 
         [0037]    In the shown embodiment, the maintenance server  102  interacts electronically with the customer  110  via the Internet  104  and offers the customer  110  a free consumer product  106  in exchange for the customer  110  providing, or allowing, access by the maintenance server  102  to, contact information  116  identifying contacts  114   a - c  associated with the customer  110 , the contact information  116  in the possession of the customer  110  in volatile or persistent computer readable storage. The identifying information  116  may comprise contact information useful in emailing the contacts  114   a - c  via email using variations of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol (POP), or other protocols well-known to those of skill in the art. The maintenance server  102  replicates the contact information  116  into computer readable storage to which the MLM structure has exclusive access. 
         [0038]    The system  100  includes an Internet  104 , well-known to those of skill in the art. The Internet  104  may comprise any collection of interconnected computers and computer networks linked by ethernet cables, wireless connections, and the like, such as the world-wide-web. 
         [0039]    The consumer product  106  may comprise any valuable item which can be purchased, tangible or intangible. Examples of consumer products  106  may include fruit drinks, vitamins, cleaners, cars, computers, tools, and the like. The consumer product  106  may be intangible, and comprise video, audio, digit text files, or the like. 
         [0040]    The system  100  includes a solicitor  108 . The solicitor  108  may comprise a DPD, a company or organization which solicits customers  110 , an individual, or any combination of the above. In the shown embodiment, the solicitor  108  comprises a DPD controlled by an MLM structure interested in soliciting potential MLM members and/or customers  110 . In some embodiments, the solicitor  108  is configured to interact with a customer  110  through a graphical user interface (GUI) coupled to a DPD or the maintenance server  102 . The solicitor  108  is configured to retrieve and/or receive the contact information  116  from, or through, the maintenance server  102 . In some embodiments, the solicitor  108  may be configured to receive the contact information  116  as an email attachment using variations of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol (POP), or other protocols well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0041]    In some embodiments, the solicitor  108  in communication with the maintenance server  102  may be assigned a unique identifier used to track the solicitor&#39;s  108  efficiency and/or the solicitor&#39;s  108  success soliciting new customers  110  and/or effectuating new sales. 
         [0042]    The solicitor  108  contacts the potential customer  102  by phone, email, facsimile or the like. The solicitor  108 , in alternative embodiments, may comprise an auto-emailer. The solicitor  108  may be internal or external to the maintenance server  102 . By transferring solicitation duties from the customer  110  to the solicitor  108  that would normally be incumbent upon the customer  110  to receive financial remuneration by the MLM structure, the present invention overcomes weaknesses in the prior art that limit the efficiency of traditional MLM structures through the automated process herein disclosed which modifies the traditional MLM structure. 
         [0043]    The customer  110  may be any person, company or organization that is potentially a customer of another person, company or organization. A customer  110  may purchase one or more consumer products  106  and become “incorporated” into an MLM structure, or the customer  110  may purchase the consumer product  106  and not become incorporated. For the purposes of this patent, the terms “incorporate” and “incorporation” denote the act of formally enrolling an individual or organization into an MLM structure such that the individual or organization receives commissions on down stream sales (sales realized as a result of the efforts of contacts of the individual or organization which are later incorporated), through a mutually recognized business relationship with the MLM structure. 
         [0044]    For the purposes of this patent, the term “MLM structure” denotes a multi-level marketing business structure that incorporates its members in hierarchical pay grades, or levels, and remunerates commissions to members in higher levels for the sales of consumer products  106  realized by members in lower levels whom have been incorporated into the MLM structure as a result of the efforts of members in the higher levels. MLM structures are well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0045]    The contact information  116 , in this embodiment, comprises information about the contacts  114   a - c  with whom the customer  110  associates. The contact information  116 , in this embodiment, comprises a computer readable file transmittable over a signal bearing medium like the Internet  104  and storable on a computer readable storage. The contact information  116  may also comprise information about individuals and organizations not associated with the customer  110  but in the customer&#39;s  110  possession on computer readable storage. The contact information  116  may include one or more of: age, address, gender, credit rating, email, telephone number, income, education, and purchasing practices. In typical embodiments, the contact information  116  is stored in customer-side email databases by programs well-known to those of skill in the art, such Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, Yahoo! Mail, and the like. 
         [0046]    The contacts  114   a - c  are individuals or organizations like the customer  110  whose identifying information is stored on a customer&#39;s  110  computer readable storage and who have not yet purchased a consumer product  106  from the MLM structure or been incorporated by the MLM structure. Contacts  114   a - c  may be solicited after their identifying information is received by the maintenance server  102  after the customer  110  is solicited through any number of processes well-known to those of skill in the art, including through cost-per-click (CPC) advertising or cost-per-impression (CPI) advertising on the Internet  112 , through automated telephonic communications initiated by the solicitor  108  or another party, direct mailers, and the like. In the preferred embodiment the solicitor  108  automatically emails the contacts  114   a - c.    
         [0047]    The system  100  may comprise a cumulative cost indicator. The cumulative cost indicator keeps a running tally of the costs incurred in generating and/or soliciting the one or more contacts  114   a - c.  In the some embodiments, the cumulative cost indicator may comprise an array of cumulative cost indicators for tracking costs of a plurality of contacts  114   a - c.    
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIG. 1B , a block diagram illustrating an MLM structure that collects, solicits, and remunerates members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention. Unlike  FIG. 1A ,  FIG. 1B  presents an embodiment of the present invention that is not entirely automated within a computer system. Some, or all, functions of the system  150  may be manually performed by one or more individuals associated with the MLM structure  152  and/or one or more customers  110 . 
         [0049]    In  FIG. 1B , the process of collecting the contact information  116  is substantially the same as  FIG. 1A  but the contact information is stored on a tangible medium that is not necessarily computer readable, and the storage may effectuated by an incorporated MLM member, or human being, within the MLM structure  152 . The consumer product  106  may be shipped manually by a human being, and the solicitation performed by the solicitor  108  may also be non-automated. 
         [0050]    The MLM structure  152  is substantially described above in relation to  FIG. 1A . 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an apparatus  200  to automatically collect, solicit and remunerate MLM members in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus  200  includes an incorporation module  202 , accessor module  204 , storage module  206 , and a transmitter module  208 . 
         [0052]    In the shown embodiment, the incorporation module  202  incorporates contacts  114   a - c  into the MLM structure  152 , at which time they become customers  1   10  in the shown embodiment. The incorporation module  202  stores identifying information for the customer  110  in a computer readable file to which the maintenance server  102  and/or the MLM structure  152  have exclusive access (described below in relation to  FIG. 3 ). In various embodiments, the incorporation module  202  creates a logical pay grade, or level, in which the incorporation module  202  registers, or recognizes, the customer  110  for later use in remuneration and MLM structuring purposes. 
         [0053]    The apparatus  200  includes an accessor module  204  for accessing the contact information  116 . The accessor module  202  may comprise the hardware, software and/or firmware necessary to read block storage or content-addressable storage as will be recognizable to those of skill in the art. The accessor module  204  accesses contact information  116  identifying contacts  114   a - c,  which contact information  116  and contacts  114   a - c  are substantially described above in relation to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0054]    In the shown embodiment, the contact information  116  comprises a computer readable file written in computer readable storage after being accessed by accessor module  204 . More detail on the computer readable file is shown and described below in relation to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0055]    The storage module  206  stores the contact information  116  in persistent storage to which the maintenance server  102  has exclusive access. The storage module  206  may comprise a peripheral device which is internal or external to the maintenance server  102 , such as a disk-drive. 
         [0056]    The transmitter module  208  is configured to transmit the contact information  116  from the storage module  206  to the solicitor  108  through means well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0057]    In certain embodiments, the apparatus  200  includes a remuneration module for automatically collecting funds from customers  110  and remunerating commissions to other customers  110  within the MLM structure  152  in accordance with the wishes of a predetermined MLM structure  152  substantially described above in relation to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0058]    In still further embodiments, the apparatus  200  comprises a communication module to communicate sales information to customers  110  and/or solicitors  108 . The communication module, in this embodiment, comprises the hardware, software and/or firmware necessary to effectuate the communication. The communication module may also direct contacts  114  to websites hosted by the maintenance server  102  and to unique landing pages automatically customized for the contact  114  visiting using the contact information  116 . A unique tracking link emailed to the contact  114  by the communication module may effectuate this direction. The landing page may welcome the contact  114  by name, and display products or offers to the contact  114  determined from analyzing the buying preferences or demographic information of other contacts and/or customers  110  associated with the contact  114 . 
         [0059]    The landing page may prompt the contact  114  to permit access to contact information  116  in the possession of the contact  114  after the contact  114  is incorporated as a customer  110 . The communication module may then access, or grab, contact information  116  from the customer using means known to those skill in the art. In still other embodiments, the landing page may prompt the customer  110  to manually enter the contact information  116  into the landing page for relay to storage module  206 . 
         [0060]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a computer readable file  300 , accessible by a computer program product, storable on a tangible medium for recording contact information  116 .  FIG. 3  depicts one embodiment of a sales campaign  302 , the sales campaign  302  comprising contact information  116   a - b,  the contact information  116   a - b  comprising a name  322 , a parent ID  324 , an email  326 , and a telephone number  328 . 
         [0061]    The sales campaign  302  may comprise all contact information  116   a - b  collected over a predefined or undefined period of time by the accessor module  204  or only contact information  116   a - b  that satisfies a predetermined distribution criteria, such as contact information  116   a - b  scheduled to be routed to a particular solicitor  108 . 
         [0062]    The sales campaign  302 , in the shown embodiment, comprises a database record identifying one or more contacts  114 . The sales campaign  302  preferably comprises a structured computer-readable file, but may also comprise a book, audio recording, video, digital image, or the like. The sales campaign  302  may comprise a relational computer database managed by a relational database management system (RDBMS) or a database management system (DBMS), such as Oracle, DB2, Firebird, SQL, or other DBMSs as well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0063]    In this embodiment, the contact information  116   a - b  comprises parent IDs  324   a - b.  The parent IDs  324   a - b  comprise unique indentifiers which specify the customer  110 , or incorporated MLM member, who is responsible for supplying the contact information  116   a - b  of which the parent IDs  324   a - b  form part. The parent IDs  324   a - b  in the sales campaign  302  and the contact information  116   a - b,  may be used by the remuneration module and the MLM structure  152  to identify MLM pay grades, or levels, and to calculate commissions in accordance with the predetermined MLM criteria. The contact  114  identified in the contact information  116   a - c  becomes a “child” of the contact  110  identified in a particular parent ID  324 . B-tree graphs may be generated showing parent and child contacts  110  using the parent IDs  324   a - b.    
         [0064]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an MLM structure in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 4  highlights the pay grades, or levels, that exist in various embodiments of the MLM structure  152 . The MLM structure  152  illustrated in  FIG. 4  comprises a maintenance server  102 , a solicitor  116 , commissions  304 , contact information  116 , customers  110   a - 1 , and three pay grades, or levels, level one  406 , level two  408 , and level three  409 . 
         [0065]    In the shown embodiment, customer  110   a,  also an incorporated MLM member, is in the highest pay grade, level one  406 . Customer  110   a  is responsible, directly or indirectly, for the incorporation of customers  110   b - 1  and hence, is remunerated for revenue generated on the sale of consumer product  106  realized by customers  110   b - 1  or their contacts  114 , regardless of whether those customers are in level two  408 , level three  410 , or subsequent level added as the MLM structure  152  grows. 
         [0066]    In the shown embodiment, customer  110   b  is responsible for the incorporation of customers  110   d - f,  and sits in level two  408 . Customer  110   b  receives commissions  304  only for sales of consumer product  106  realized by customers  110   d - f  in level three  410 , and contacts  114  of customers  110   d - f  whom customers  110   d - f  later incorporate. 
         [0067]    The maintenance server  102 , in the shown embodiment, collects sales revenue directly from customers  110   d -l and distributes commissions  304  based on the sales revenue to the MLM members in level one  406 , and level two  408 . As the MLM structure grows, customers  110   d - 1  are likewise remunerated for sales effectuated by new levels, or pay grades, logically created and populated within computer readable storage on the maintenance server  102 . 
         [0068]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of a computer system  500  that automatically collects, solicits and remunerates members of a MLM structure in accordance with the present invention. The system  500  includes a consumer product  106 , customers  110   a - c,  a plurality of contact information  116   a - c,  and a maintenance server  102 . 
         [0069]    In the shown embodiment, a consumer product  106  originating with the maintenance server  102  is distributed free of charge to customers  110   a - c.  The customers  110   a - c  accept this free product  106  in exchange for transmitting, or providing access to, contact information  116   a - c  to which the maintenance server  102  would not have access without the customer&#39;s  110   a - c  permission. In this embodiment, the contact information  116   a - c  is replicated and stored in persistent storage external to the maintenance server  102  within a computer readable database formatted as shown above in relation to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0070]      FIG. 6  is a data flow chart of a means for collecting, soliciting and remunerating members of a MLM structure  152  in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of a method of processing data by an MLM structures in accordance with the present invention. Among the functions and processes shown,  FIG. 6  illustrates that certain automated, or non-automated, functions of the MLM structure may be performed concurrently, or non-sequentially. For instance, after a customer  110  enters payment information  602  for a consumer product  106 , the payment information  110  is stored and customer contacts  114  are accessed  606  simultaneously. Likewise, after customer contacts  114  are accessed, the MLM structure may forward those contacts  608  to one or more solicitors  108  while simultaneously saving the contacts  114  on computer readable storage coupled to the maintenance server  102 . 
         [0071]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a method  700 .  FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a method of automatically collecting, soliciting and remunerating members of a MLM structure in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The method  700  substantially includes the embodiments and modules described above with regard to the apparatus, computer program product, and system depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
         [0072]    The method  700  begins and a new customer  110  is incorporated  702  into the MLM structure. The customer  110  may have been a contact  114  of another customer  110 , or may be an individual or organization solicited by the solicitor  108  through other means substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-6 . In the preferred embodiment, the incorporation  702  takes place when the customer  110  agrees to receive a free consumer product  106  in exchange for providing contact information  116 . 
         [0073]    The method  700  progresses and the accessor module  204  accesses  704  third-party contact information  116  in the possession of the customer  110  to which the accessor module  204  would not have access without customer&#39;s  110  permission. 
         [0074]    Next, this contact information  116  is stored  706  in persistent storage on a maintenance server  102  where it can be eventually or immediately transmitted to  708 , or accessed by, a solicitor  108 . 
         [0075]    Finally, the solicitor  108  automatically solicits the contacts  114  identified in the contact information  116 . Those contacts  114  whom are successfully solicited by the solicitor  108  are incorporated into the MLM structure  152  and the method  700  begins again  702 . 
         [0076]    In alternate embodiments, the method  700  includes remuneration step in which a customer  110 , or member of the MLM structure, is automatically remunerated by the remuneration module. 
         [0077]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a user screen  900  showing sales commissions displayed in a computer environment by a maintenance server.  FIG. 9  is a user screen in a generic web browser showing the operations of a computer program product embodiment of the present invention. The user screen  900  includes a sample web browser window  902  comprising an address bar  904 , a view total leads button  506 , a view total members button  508 , a view sales button  510 , a date range comprising a ‘from’ field  912  and a ‘to’ field  914 , and a commissions report  914  comprising rows representing customers  110   a - c  and columns month  1 , month  2 , month  3 , and month  4 . 
         [0078]    The operations of the computer program product shown on the sample browser window  902  on a graphic user interface (GUI) in one embodiment. The sample browser window  902  displays commission reports  914  relating to customers  110   a - c.  The commission reports  914  comprise information collecting over period of time defined in the from field  912  and to field  914  (hereinafter the “defined period”). The commission reports  914  may comprises total commissions earned by customers  110   a - c  over the defined period, or they may comprises the commissions  304  earned by an MLM member on sales effectuated by customers  110   a - c.  In the shown embodiment, the sample browser  902  is showing a commission report  914  for an MLM member logged into a secure account on the maintenance server  102  over the Internet  104 . The sample browser window  902  is displaying commission reports  914  comprising commissions  304  earned on the sales of MLM members whom were incorporated by the MLM member logged into the maintenance server  102 . The maintenance server  102  transmits the cost information to the sample browser window  902  via the Internet  104  to help MLM members track commission information by viewing commission reports  914 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the MLM member logged into the maintenance server  102  may create a predetermined commission criteria which applies to the entire MLM structure  152  based on information viewed in the commission reports  914 . In other embodiments, the MLM member logged into the maintenance server  102  may create a predetermined commission 
         [0079]    A web browser, such as the sample browser window  902 , is a well-known to those of skill in the art. A web browser is a software application that displays and interacts with human beings using text, video, audio, and the like, usually received over the Internet  104  or a LAN. Examples of web browsers include Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari and the like. Web browsers typically communicate using hyper-text transfer protocol (HTTP), but may communicate in other protocols well-known to those of skill in the art. The sample browser window  902 , in this embodiment, contains several functional and non-functional elements described below. The sample browser window  902 , in some embodiments, is populated by a display module within an apparatus embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0080]    Included in the sample browser window  902  is an address bar  904 . The address bar  904  indicates the uniform resource locator (URL) with which the sample web browser  902  is communicating. 
         [0081]    Included in the sample browser window  902  is a view total leads button  906 , which changes the sales report  914  to show the total leads  116  collected from customers  110   a - c  respectively. 
         [0082]    Included in the sample browser window  902  is a view sales lead button  508 , which changes the grid  514  to show the costs associated with the sales leads  104 . 
         [0083]    Included in the sample browser window  902  is a view sales button  910 , which changes the commission reports  914  to show total sales associated with each respective customer  110   a - c  rather than the commissions  304  garnered for a particular MLM member from the sales. 
         [0084]    In alternative embodiments, other buttons might be included in the sample browser window  902 , such as buttons enabling the display of costs associated with a particular sales campaign  302 , associated with consumer product(s)  106 , or only customers  110   a - c  located in a certain geographic area, and the like. 
         [0085]    In the shown embodiments, the commission report  914  comprises commission information related to customers  110   a - c.  In other embodiments of the present, the commission report  914  comprises information related to sales campaigns  302 , different predetermined commission criteria, different sales products, and the like. 
         [0086]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.