Patent EA-003965-B1 (EA)
Title: System and method of targeted marketing
Inventor: EGINTON WILLIAM A
IPC: G06Q10/06
Filed: 1998-10-26
Abstract: 1. A computer-implemented method for the targeted marketing of goods and services comprising the steps of: accessing a data base wherein transaction histories and demographic data are stored for each of a plurality of consumers; generating an offer for a good or service to be made to one of said plurality of consumers in said data base; performing a valuation score calculation for said one of said plurality of consumers, wherein said valuation score is based on the transaction history and demographic data stored in said database for said one of said plurality of consumers; selecting a channel of communication via which said offer will be made to said one of said plurality of consumers; accepting an input indicative of a net present value (NPV) threshold; performing an NPV calculation for said offer based on said valuation score and said selected channel of communication; and presenting said offer to said one of said plurality of consumers, via said selected channel of communication, when the result of said NPV calculation is at or above said NPV threshold; whereby the likelihood that said one of the plurality of consumers responds positively to said offer is increased. 2. The method of Claim 1, wherein said channel of communication is the global, public Internet and said presenting step includes the step of generating an electronic mail message containing said offer. 3. The method of Claim 1, wherein the demographic data stored in said database for each of said plurality of consumers includes at least one of the following: annual income; credit rating; amount of debt; amount of available credit; and family status. 4. The method of Claim 1, wherein the transaction history stored in said database for each of said plurality of consumers includes a list of past purchases of goods and services. 5. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of: storing, in said database, a plurality of offers for goods and services from a plurality of content providers. 6. The method of Claim 1, wherein said performing an NPV calculation step comprises the step of evaluating the cost of delivery of said selected channel of communication. 7. The method of Claim 1, wherein said performing an NPV calculation step comprises the step of evaluating an incentive offered to said one of the plurality of consumers to purchase said good or service included in said offer. 8. The method of Claim 1, wherein said performing an NPV calculation step comprises the step of utilizing said valuation score, an offers-specific value and an cost-of-offer value in said NPV calculation. 9. A system for performing targeted marketing of goods and services to increase the likelihood that consumers respond to offers from content providers, comprising: a database for storing transaction histories and demographic data for each of a plurality of consumers, and for storing a plurality of offers for goods and services from a plurality of content providers; and a terminal having a processor, wherein said processor: generates an offer for a good or service to be made to one of said plurality of consumers in said database; performs a valuation score calculation for said one of said plurality of consumers, wherein said valuation score is based on the transaction history and demographic data stored in said database for said one of said plurality of consumers; selects a channel of communication via which said offer will be made to said one of said plurality of consumers; accepts an input indicative of a net present value (NPV) threshold; performs an NPV calculation for said offer based on said valuation score and said selected channel of communication; and causes said offer to be presented to said one of said plurality of consumers, via said selected channel of communication, when the result of said NPV calculation is at or above said NPV threshold. 10. The system of Claim 9, wherein said channel of communication is the global, public Internet and said processor generates an electronic mail message containing said offer. 11. The system of Claim 9, wherein the demographic data stored in said database for each of said plurality of consumers includes at least one of the following: annual income; credit rating; amount of debt; amount of available credit; and family status. 12. The system of Claim 9, wherein the transaction history stored in said database for each of said plurality of consumers includes a list of past purchases of goods and services. 13. The system of Claim 9, wherein said processor evaluates the cost of delivery of said selected channel of communication during said NPV calculation. 14. The system of Claim 9, wherein said processor evaluates an incentive offered to said one of the plurality of consumers to purchase said good or service included in said offer during said NPV calculation. 15. The system of Claim 9, wherein said processor utilizes said valuation score, an offers-specific value and an cost-of-offer value during said NPV calculation.