Abstract:
A method for customizing direct marketing campaigns, by utilizing relationships within a computer social network and information that is known about the social network members to find the best opportunity to provide an offer for goods and services to potential customers; providing offers for the goods and the services via the computer based upon receiving recommendations from acquaintances of potential customers via the social networks; and sending offers to the potential customers via the computer on behalf of their acquaintance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to direct marketing campaign systems and methods and more particularly to systems and methods for customizing direct marketing utilizing mail pieces. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many companies throughout the United States use the delivery services of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to deliver direct mail marketing materials to their customers and potential customers. A company might employ a blanket direct mail campaign if they wish to reach each household in a given area. However, a targeted direct mailing campaign may be more cost effective. Accordingly, many companies utilize information processing systems to determine a targeted mailing list of a subset of households in a given area in order to optimize the cost of the mailing and expected response rate for a direct mail campaign. 
         [0003]    Companies may maintain customer profile data for their customers and may have a direct marketing mailing list comprising the current and/or past customers of the company. Additionally, such companies may advertise using targeted direct mail campaigns and might then rent access to a targeted list of potential customers from a mailing list broker using selection criteria that is typically based upon block group level U.S. Census Bureau data. Such advertisers often do not receive a list of the potential customers selected, but the direct mail company addresses and finishes the direct mail pieces and inducts them with the USPS. In certain campaigns, advertisers may have access to individual profile based demographic and or psychographic targeted marketing data. Such individual profile data may be found in the advertiser&#39;s customer files or in certain circumstances may also be available from third parties subject to appropriate privacy regulations. However, traditional direct mail campaign processes do not provide for creating a targeted marketing direct mailing list by adding to a customer mailing list an efficient number of additional names selected using targeted marketing techniques to optimize postage expense. 
         [0004]    Direct mail effectiveness depends on several factors including targeting the appropriate potential customers, providing an offer of sufficient value and using attractive design and content in the direct mail piece. Direct mail creation information processing systems now also provide at least a limited ability for providing personalized direct mail pieces using variable data printing. For example, the name of the targeted potential customer may be used in the advertising section of the direct mail piece to create a direct mail piece tailored for the individual potential customer. 
         [0005]    In traditional direct marketing campaigns mail pieces are prepared and delivered in bulk. Advertisers or companies marketeering goods and services pay for the bulk mailing which targets a list of potential customers. The foregoing approach does not take into account when the potential customers are likely to purchase goods and services. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there are several disadvantages of currently available systems and methods for customizing direct mail pieces. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    This present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by utilizing social networks to promote goods and services and using relevant data for direct marketing campaigns. The invention takes advantage of social networks by enabling a company to provide offers for goods and services by receiving recommendations from acquaintances of potential customers and sending offers to the potential customers on behalf of their acquaintance. Furthermore, the invention utilizes the relationships within a social network and information that is known about its members to find the best opportunity to provide the offer. For instance, if an acquaintance knows that a potential customer is going on a skiing vacation, the customer may want to receive offers regarding skiing equipment. Thus, the acquaintance may send a greeting card through the system of this invention to the potential customer that is sponsored by a ski equipment store. 
         [0008]    An advantage of the foregoing is that the ski equipment store sends a direct marketing offer to potential customers through the system of this invention when there is a higher probability of a sale, i.e., when the system receives a recommendation from an acquaintance about a potential customer for a particular offer. At this point in time the system would prepare and send a mail piece containing the ski stores offer to the potential customer as well as charge the ski store for the preparation and delivery of the mail piece. 
         [0009]    An additional advantage of this invention is that it enables local companies to reach customers that are not in the companies&#39; geographic area and outside their traditional marketing campaign. For example, the potential customer lives in Connecticut and is traveling to Colorado for a ski vacation. The local ski equipment company in Colorado that is a member of the system of this invention may be given an opportunity to send direct mailing offers to this customer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a drawing of the front of a customized post card; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a drawing of the back of a customized post card; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1C  is a drawing of a customized mail piece; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of this invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  is a flow chart of the register a new member program contained in computer  51 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  is a flow chart of the send a greeting program contained in computer  51 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3C  is a flow chart of the greeting wizard program contained in computer  51 ;  FIG. 3D  is a flow chart of the offer matching program contained in computer  51 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart that takes place when an offer is used, which is part of the Vendor point of sale computer  58  and Computer  51 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  a flow chart of the program that registers a new vendor in the application, which is part of Vendor Management System, Computer  56 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  depicts the program to scan member profiles, which runs inside Computer  51 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to  FIG. 1A , the reference character  11  represents the front of a post card having a left portion  12  and a right portion  13 . Right portion  13  of post card  11  has a subscriber or recipient address field  14 , an indication of postal payment  15  and a unique number that is contained in bar code  18 . Left portion  12  of post card  11  has a greeting from a friend or acquaintance  16 , and an offer  17  for the purchase of goods or services. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1B  is a drawing of the back of post card  11  containing greetings  26 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 1C  is a drawing of a customized mail piece  30 . The front of mail piece  30  in the form of an envelope contains recipient address field  31  and an indication of postal payment  32 . The information contained in left portion  12  of post card  11  and the greetings  26  indicated on the back of post card  25  may be combined to form a booklet, card, sheet of paper or multiple sheets of paper and then inserted into customized mail piece or envelope  30 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of this invention. A social network  50  like Facebook, Twitter, etc. is coupled to postal greetings application computer  51 . Social Network  50  contains member profiles (including privacy preferences) and member connections. Computer  51  is coupled to mailing campaign fulfillment  52 , business intelligence system  25 , application database  54  and vendor database  70 . Psychographic Database  53  contains preferences and profiles of potential customers for different types of goods and/or services based upon where the goods and/or services are located. Data base  54  contains Member (Recipient/Sender) data; preferences; mined preferences; extended demographics (beyond serial number profile); greeting opportunities and application permissions. Database  70  contains: offers; vendor or business data; account data; payment preferences; campaigns; campaign results and tracking information. Psychographic database  53  is coupled to business intelligence system  25  and system  25  is coupled to vendor management computer  56  and vendor data base  70 . 
         [0024]    A financial institution  55  like a bank or Pay Pal is coupled to postal application computer  51 , vendor point of sale system  58  and vendor management computer  56 . Computer  56  is coupled to business intelligence system  25 , database  70  and database  70  is coupled to mailing campaign fulfillment  52 . Mailing campaign fulfillment  52  will produce post card  11  with an appropriate indication for the payment of postage as well as the material being inserted into envelope  30  and envelope  30 . Mailing campaign fulfillment  52  will deposit post card  11  and/or envelope  30  with carrier  57 . Carrier  57  may be the United States Postal Service, a courier, or private delivery service, i.e., Federal Express®, United Parcel Service®, DHL®, Emory®, Airborne,®, etc. Post card  11  and/or envelope  30  are delivered to a recipient  71 . Recipient  71  will bring post card  11  and/or envelope  30  to vendor/store bar code scanner  72 . Bar code scanner  72  is coupled to Vendor point of sale computer  58 . Computer  58  is coupled to vendor database  70 . Post card  11  and/or envelope  30  will be registered by computer  58  and reported to vendor data base  70  for further processing. 
         [0025]    For the sake of clarification the subscriber is the sender of postcard  11  and/or envelope  30  and the subscriber&#39;s friend is the recipient of postcard  11  and/or envelope  30 . Someone on social network  50  subscribes to the services of postal greetings application computer  51 . Computer  51  will notify one of the subscribers to computer  51  that there is an opportunity to send a greeting to the subscriber&#39;s friends. If the subscriber desires to accept the notification, the postal greetings application computer  51  will prepare the greeting  16 ,  26  ( FIGS. 1A and 1B ) selected by the subscriber. The subscriber will also select the offer  17  of the vendor that is sponsoring the greeting. 
         [0026]    The subscriber submits the greeting for delivery to the friend via computer  51 . Then the postal greetings application computer  51  sends the greetings in electronic format to mailing campaign fulfillment  52  where post card  11  and/or envelope  30  is printed and addressed using standard mail finishing, sorting, inserting and metering equipment manufactured by Pitney Bowes, Inc. of One Elmcroft Drive, Stamford, Conn. Then post card  11  and/or envelope  30  is deposited with carrier  57  for delivery to the subscriber/recipient. The subscriber/recipient will subsequently, review the greetings and offer appearing in post card  11  and/or envelope  30 . 
         [0027]    Since the offer was received from the subscriber and the offer has been specially chosen by the subscriber the friend is more likely to act on the offer. The reason for the foregoing may be that the greeting or offer is for the friend&#39;s birthday, a holiday, anniversary, birth of a child, graduation or other special event of the subscriber, i.e., planned vacation or sporting event, etc. When the friend decides to act on the offer, then the friend will bring the greeting and the offer to the sponsoring vendor or store. Using bar code scanner  72  and the vendor point of sale system  58  an employee of the sponsoring vendor or store will scan the offer and bar code  18  containing a unique encrypted number and determine the offers authenticity. Upon verification of bar code  18  utilizing database  70  the sponsoring vendor or store may honor the offer and complete the sale of the selected goods and/or services. When the offer is validated a notification is sent to vendor management computer  56  via vendor point of sale system  58  and data base  70 . Vendor management computer  56  tracks all outstanding offers. This allows the sponsoring vendor or store to track the success rate or response rate of mailing campaigns containing specific offers. 
         [0028]    Subscriber&#39;s can pay additional money to give the friend a better offer by depositing money with financial institution  55  or loaning money from financial institution  55  or paying later. The sponsoring vendor or store may go to financial institution  55  to receive a loan to fund a mailing campaign. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  is a flow chart of the register a new member program contained in computer  51 . The program begins in block  150 , when the member logs into the social network, and follows with step  152 , where the sender receives an invitation to install or add the application into his/her social network profile. If the member decides not to install the application, the program continues to block  176 , where the program ends. If the member decides to accept the invitation the program goes to block  156  where the member is added to the application database  54 , using default preferences and no events. The program continues to block  158 , where the member is given the option of setting preferences and if the member decides to set preferences, the program continues in block  160 , where the member specifies preferences. The program then continues in block  162 , where the member is given a choice for adding events (greeting opportunities, i.e., it is my birthday, anniversary, graduation, I purchased a new house, I purchased a new car, etc.), and if the member decides to add new events, the program continues in block  164 . In block  164 , for each event added by the member, the member specifies the name of the event, date, location, and a description of the event (text, keywords, tags, etc.) 
         [0030]    Then in block  166 , the member is asked if he/she wants to recommend the application to friends in his/her social network. If the member wants to recommend the application, the process follows with step  168 , where a list of friends on the members social network is displayed. Then in block  170 , the member selects the friends that will receive the recommendation. Then in block  172 , if at least one member was selected, the program goes to step  174 , where the notification is sent to the selected members. If the member decides not to recommend the application, or if no friends are selected by the member, the program continues to step  176 , where the program ends. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3B  is a flow chart of the send a greeting program contained in computer  51 . The program begins in block  200  where the sender logs on to social network  50  ( FIG. 2 ). Then in block  202  the post card greeting application is initiated. Next the program goes to decision block  204 . Block  204  determines whether or not there are opportunities to send a greeting. If block  204  determines that there are no opportunities to send a greeting the program ends in block  206 . If block  204  determines that there are opportunities to send a greeting the program obtains greeting opportunity application data from application data base  54 . Data base  54  contains a limitation on the number of greetings the recipient may receive. Then the program goes to block  210 . Block  210  displays a list of friends that can receive greetings. Then the program goes to decision block  212 . Decision block  212  determines whether or not the sender picks a friend/recipient to send a greeting to. If block  212  determines that the sender did not pick a friend/recipient to send a greeting to the program ends in block  206 . If block  212  determines that the sender picked a friend/recipient to send a greeting to the program goes to block  214 . Block  214  flags the greeting in preparation and receives information from block  208 . 
         [0032]    At this point the program goes to block  216  to present the greeting wizard to the sender so that the sender may create a greeting. The greeting wizard program is described in the description of  FIG. 3C . Then the program goes to decision block  218 . Decision block  218  determines whether or not the sender cancelled the greeting. If block  218  determines that the sender cancelled the greeting the program ends in block  206 . If block  218  determines that the sender did not cancel the greeting the program goes to block  220 . In step  220 , a unique barcode is generated for the greeting. In addition, the greeting is added to the list of greetings associated with the offer used in this greeting that is stored in vendor database  70 . Now the program goes to block  222  to update greeting opportunities or rules for the friend/recipient so that a recipient will not receive an excessive number of greetings. Some of the greeting opportunities are: how many greetings can the recipient receive, free offers are limited but dollar offers are not; how do you manage free offers, i.e., per recipient ip address, per store, per region, etc. Then in step  223  the greeting is saved in applications data base  54  and vendor&#39;s account in financial institution  55  ( FIG. 2 ) is charged for the greeting funds. Now the program goes to block  223  where bar code  18  is generated for the greeting. The identification, i.e., unique number contained in bar code  18  is tied to the selected offer that is stored in vendor database  70  and the new greeting is stored with its corresponding unique number in application database  54 . Then the program goes to block  224  to submit the greeting to mailing campaign fulfillment  52  ( FIG. 2 ). Next the program ends in block  226 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3C  is a flow chart of the greeting wizard program contained in computer  51 . The program begins in block  300  where the available greeting templates are retrieved from Application Data  54  and displayed to the sender. The process follows with block  302 , where the sender picks one of the available greeting templates. The greeting template will specify the layout and the design of the image that will be displayed in the greeting. Then in block  304 , the sender types a message for the recipient. The process then follows with block  306 , Match recipient with related offers, where the offers that are most appropriate or best suited for recipient are retrieved. See  FIG. 3D  Match Offers for details. Then in block  308 , Display offers to Sender, the list of offers that were matched for the recipient are displayed to the sender and in block  310 , the sender picks one of the suggested offers. Given the sender has personal knowledge of the recipient, his/her tastes, likes/dislikes, it is possible that the sender may be able to provide an even better recommendation than what was matched. In that case, if the sender does not choose one of the recommended offers, the process continues in block  312 , Let sender suggest/search for another offer, where the sender is allowed to type in a keyword to search, or to browse through the offers stored in Vendor database  70 . 
         [0034]    The process continues in block  314 , Sender previews greeting, where a preview of the front and back of the greeting ( FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B ) is presented to the sender for approval. The preview will show the greeting to the sender, as it would be seen by the recipient, including the design chosen by the sender, the sender&#39;s message, and the offer by the vendor that is sponsoring the greeting. Then in block  316 , Sender approves greeting, the sender can decide to make changes before sending the greeting. If the sender decides to edit the greeting, then the process follows with block  300  where the sender will be given the option to make changes to any part of the greeting: the template/design, the message, or the offer that was chosen. If the sender approves the greeting, the process continues to block  318 , where control returns to the Send a Greeting flow chart. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3D  is a flow chart of the Match Offers program contained in computer  51 . The program begins in block  400  where the approach for matching offers is determined. This can be based on preferences stated by the vendor or recipient, or by choosing the approach that has previously given the best response rate for the vendor, type of product, or type of recipient. For example, psychographic matching may work better for 30 year old males living in California, but member preferences may work better for 20 year olds. Also dinner offers perform better if they are selected only by the sender. If psychographic matching is used, the process continues in block  402  where the recipient&#39;s psychographic profile is retrieved from Business Intelligence System  25 , which in turn receives data from psychographic database  53 . The process then continues with block  404 , where available offers are retrieved from Vendor database  70 . Offers are matched based on the location of the recipient, or the recipient&#39;s event, characteristics of the offer, the vendor, and characteristics of the recipient. If the matching approach allows for using shopping patterns, the process also continues in block  406 , where shopping patterns for people similar to the recipient are retrieved from Vendor database  70 , using the recipient&#39;s psychographic profile that is retrieved from Business Intelligence System  25 . Then in Block  408 , offers from Vendor database  70 , are matched based on the location of the recipient, or the recipient&#39;s event, and similarities to offers in the shopping patterns retrieved in block  406 . For example, people with similar psychographic data backgrounds purchase golf clubs, then offers for golf clubs or related products would be matched. 
         [0036]    If the matching approach allows for using recipient based preferences, the process continues in block  410 , where the recipient&#39;s matching preferences are retrieved from Application database  54 . And then in block  412 , where offers are retrieved and matched from Vendor database  70 , using characteristics about the offer, location of the recipient, or the recipient&#39;s event, and recipient matching preferences. For example, if the recipient specifies a preference for sporting goods, then offers for sporting goods would be retrieved. If the matching approach allows for using data mining this may also require the recipient&#39;s permission to allow mining of their profile on the social network. The process also continues with block  414 , where data mined from the recipient&#39;s profile on the social network is retrieved from Application database  54 . The data that is mined will provide keywords indicating recipient&#39;s tastes, preferred activities, foods, places, etc. Then in block  416 , offers are retrieved from Vendor database  54 , and matched using characteristics about the offer, location of the recipient, or the recipient&#39;s event, and keywords mined from the recipient&#39;s social network profile. Once all matching approaches are performed, the process continues in block  418 , combine offers, where a list of all the offers that were matches is prepared. The offers that are duplicated (i.e. returned by more than one approach) are placed at the top of the list. The process finished with block  420 , where the list of matched offers is returned. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart that takes place when an offer is used, which is part of the Vendor point of sale computer  58  and Computer  51  ( FIG. 2 ). The process begins in block  450  when the recipient received the greeting/offer. The fact that the greeting comes from one of the recipient&#39;s friends, will make the offer that is attached to the greeting more compelling to the recipient. The process continues in block  452 , when the recipient visits the vendor&#39;s store. The recipient will have an opportunity to take advantage of the offer that was attached to the greeting, as well as purchase additional products/services. Then, the process continues in block  454 , when the recipient has completed his/her purchases, he/she presents the offer to the store clerk, and then continues in block  456 , when the offer is scanned by Barcode Scanner  72 . The offer is also updated in the Vendor Database  70 , to indicate that one of the associated barcodes for the offer was scanned. This allows for the vendor to track offers that were scanned, even if the purchase was not completed. The process then continues in block  458 , where the purchase is completed through the Vendor point of sale computer  58 . 
         [0038]    Then in step  460 , the offer is updated in vendor database  70 , to indicate that a purchase was completed. In addition the date/time of the purchase, recipient and sender characteristics, and any other merchandise or services that were purchased along with dollar amounts for what was purchased, and any other relevant information associated with the sale. The process now continues from computer  51 , in block  462 , where the sender is charged for upgrading the offer, if the sender paid to upgrade the offer. Then in block  464 , the vendor is charged for closing the sale, in the event the vendor agreed to pay an additional fee for offers that are converted to sales. Then in block  466 , a “Thank You” notification is sent to the sender on behalf of the recipient. The process then ends in block  468 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 5  a flow chart of the program that registers a new vendor in the application, which is part of Vendor Management System, Computer  56 . The program begins in block  500  when the Vendor opens the registration page, which is followed by block  502 , where a registration form is presented to the vendor. Then the vendor fills the registration form in block  504  by providing the Vendor name, description of the business, location, keywords about the vendor&#39;s business, psychographic information about the businesses customers or potential customers, to help with matching with offers, authentication credentials for the vendor&#39;s account, and contact information. Then in block  506 , the form is validated and if invalid, the process will continue with block  504 , so that the vendor can update incorrect information in the form. If the form is valid, then in block  508 , the vendor is created and added to the Vendor Database  70 . Then in block  510 , the vendor is logged into the account, so that registration can proceed. It is also possible, under different embodiments, to send a confirmation email, to verify the vendor&#39;s contact information before allowing access to the new account. 
         [0040]    The program follows with block  512 , where the vendor can choose to fund his account. Then in block  514 , the vendor adds funds to his account through Financial Institution  55 . The program follows with block  516 , where the vendor can choose to create an offer, which will be promoted on a social network. To create the new offer, the process continues in block  518 , where a new offer form is displayed to the vendor and in block  520 , where the vendor fills out the form by specifying the offer name, description, and location of the offer—if different from the vendor&#39;s location, graphic images, and keywords, to describe the offer. The vendor also provides general psychographic matching criteria for likely consumers of the offer as well as the social networks where the offer should be marketed, such as Facebook, Myspace, HiS, etc. Then in block  522 , the new offer is created in Vendor Database  70 . The process continues in block  524 , Monitor campaigns, where the vendor can choose to view the results/status of campaigns, where offers are being actively marketed. In block  526 , Monitor campaign performance, the vendor can view how each offer is performing, for example, see how many times the offer has been matched, printed on a greeting, and actually converted to a sale. The vendor will also be able to see which matching approach provided best results, whether it was though the psychographic matching approach, or sender suggestions, etc. Finally, in block  528  the process ends. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  depicts the program to scan member profiles, which runs inside Computer  51 . This program executes for each social network where the application has been deployed to. The program begins in block  600 , at a scheduled application cycle. For example, at 30 minute intervals, or hours, etc intervals. Alternatively, the scan can occur after a change to a member&#39;s social network profile, in the event the social network provided such a notification to the application. The program continues in block  602 , where a scan is performed for each member that has registered to use the application, until there are no more members remaining. When no more members remain, the process will end in block  614 . In block  604 , a check is made if the member has given permission to have their profile scanned. If permission is not granted, the program ends in block  614 . If permission was granted, the program continues in block  606 , where the member&#39;s profile is retrieved from Social Network  50 , and then in block  608 , the profile that was retrieved is scanned for keywords and events of interest. The scanning is done using data mining techniques. Then in block  610  any keywords that were retrieved are stored in the member&#39;s profile in Application Database  54 . Then in block  612 , any events that were found are added to the events (greeting opportunities) associated with the member in Application Database  54 . 
         [0042]    The above specification describes a new and improved method for utilizing social networks to promote goods and services and using relevant data for direct marketing campaigns. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.