IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,244,573

Granted Patent B2

US 8,244,573 · App. 12/689,988 · Granted Aug 14, 2012

Dynamic marketing system and method

Assignee: Appature Inc.

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 8,244,573
App. No.: 12/689,988
Granted: Aug 14, 2012
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Provided herein are systems and methods for providing access to marketing data via a reduced-complexity marketer GUI for dynamically defining market segments for use in marketing campaigns. The systems and methods provide a searchable list of person-related and entity-related pluralities of market segmentation criteria, obtain a market segmentation definition comprising a search key corresponding to selected market segmentation criteria, and perform a series of steps to obtain a first market-segment snapshot.

Claims (183)

1. A method of reduced-complexity access to marketing data, the method being implemented by a market-segmentation computer communicatively coupled to a database server and a marketer terminal, the database server hosting a marketing database populated with a first population including a plurality of person records and a plurality of entity records, each of the plurality of person records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of person-related market-segmentation criteria, each of the plurality of entity records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of entity-related market-segmentation criteria, the method comprising:

providing, by the market-segmentation computer to a reduced-complexity marketer GUI displayed at the marketer terminal, a searchable list of the person-related and entity-related pluralities of market-segmentation criteria;

obtaining, by the market-segmentation computer from the marketer terminal via said reduced-complexity marketer GUI, a market-segment definition comprising at least one search key corresponding to a selected criterion from among the person-related and entity-related pluralities of market-segmentation criteria;

performing steps i-iii, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, to obtain a first market-segment snapshot:

i) identifying, in a current population of the marketing database, a first set of records corresponding to said market-segment definition;

ii) automatically determining a plurality of query criteria to identify additional records in said current population of the marketing database, said additional records being associated with members of said first set of records; and

iii) identifying a second set of records according to said automatically-determined plurality of query criteria, the first and second sets of records comprising a current market-segment snapshot corresponding to said market-segment definition and said current population of the marketing database;

providing, by the market-segmentation computer to the marketer terminal for display in said reduced-complexity marketer GUI, a summary including metadata corresponding to said first market-segment snapshot;

storing, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, a reusable dynamic-market-segment definition corresponding to said market-segment definition; and

updating the marketing database, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, with at least a selected one of a new person-related market-segmentation criterion and a new entity-related market-segmentation criterion;

wherein automatically determining query criteria to identify additional records in said current population of the marketing database comprises:

obtaining a current set of person-related market-segmentation criteria;

obtaining a current set of entity-related market-segmentation criteria;

dynamically identifying at least one mapping between a first criterion from among said current set of person-related market-segmentation criteria and a second criterion from among said current set of entity-related market-segmentation criteria;

automatically generating a query to identify said additional records according to said dynamically identified at least one mapping.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, the marketing database with a second population including a second plurality of person records and a second plurality of entity records;

obtaining, by the market-segmentation computer from the database-management computer, said reusable dynamic-market-segment definition;

performing steps i-iii, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, to obtain a second market-segment snapshot according to said stored market-segment definition and a current population of the marketing database, said second market-segment snapshot differing from said first market-segment snapshot.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the market-segmentation computer causing a marketing message to be communicated to individuals associated with a majority of records of said second market-segment snapshot.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

automatically determining, by the market-segmentation computer on an ongoing basis, a plurality of response metrics associated with said marketing message; and

after a pre-determined period of time:

automatically selecting, by the market-segmentation computer according to said plurality of response metrics, at least one non-responsive record of said majority of records; and

automatically causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a second marketing message to be communicated to individuals associated with said selected at least one non-responsive record.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

automatically selecting, by the market-segmentation computer, first and second subsets of records from said second market-segment snapshot;

causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a first marketing message to be communicated to individual persons associated with a majority of records of said first subset of records of said second market-segment snapshot; and

causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a second marketing message to be communicated to individual persons associated with a majority of records of said second subset of records of said second market-segment snapshot.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

automatically determining, by the market-segmentation computer, a first and a second plurality of response metrics associated with said first and second marketing messages; and

updating, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, the marketing database according to said first and second pluralities of response metrics.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing, by the market-segmentation computer to the marketer terminal for display in said reduced-complexity marketer GUI, a reporting display graphically depicting a comparison of said first and said second plurality of response metrics.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, the marketing database with a second population including a particular record;

automatically determining, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, that said particular record corresponds to said stored dynamic-market-segment definition;

automatically identifying, by the market-segmentation computer, an ongoing marketing campaign associated with said stored dynamic-market-segment definition; and

automatically causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a first marketing message associated with said ongoing marketing campaign to be communicated to an individual associated with said particular record.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, the occurrence of a triggering event associated with said ongoing marketing campaign and said particular record; and

in response to the determined occurrence, automatically causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a second marketing message associated with said ongoing marketing campaign to be communicated to an individual associated with said particular record.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said triggering event comprises a lapse of time since said updating the marketing database with said second population including said particular record.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, by the market-segmentation computer, a plurality of records of said first market-segment snapshot for display;

identifying, by the market-segmentation computer, at least one person record among said selected plurality of records;

determining, by the market-segmentation computer, that said at least one person record satisfies a restricted-identification criterion;

anonymizing, by the market-segmentation computer, identifying data corresponding to said at least one person record;

providing, by the market-segmentation computer to the marketer terminal for display in said reduced-complexity marketer GUI, a market segment display listing data corresponding to said selected plurality of records, including said anonymized identifying data.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a personalized marketing message to be communicated to said identified at least one person, having provided only anonymized identifying data for display in said reduced-complexity marketer GUI.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying in said first population at least two records having at least partially matching data;

determining a duplication score for said at least two records;

determining that said duplication score exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

consolidating said at least two records into a consolidated record.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said determining a duplication score for said at least two records comprises:

for each market-segmentation criterion shared between said at least two records:

classifying the current shared market-segmentation criterion into a similarity class selected from at least a perfect-match class, a partial-match class, and a no-match class;

selecting a match-score for the current shared market-segmentation criterion according to said classified similarity class and the current shared market-segmentation criterion; and

accumulating said selected match-score into the duplication score for said at least two records.

15. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform a method of reduced-complexity access to marketing data, the method being implemented by a market-segmentation computer communicatively coupled to a database server and a marketer terminal, the database server hosting a marketing database populated with a first population including a plurality of person records and a plurality of entity records, each of the plurality of person records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of person-related market-segmentation criteria, each of the plurality of entity records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of entity-related market-segmentation criteria, the method comprising:

performing steps i-iii, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, to obtain a first market-segment snapshot:

i) identifying, in a current population of the marketing database, a first set of records corresponding to said market-segment definition;

storing, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, a reusable dynamic-market-segment definition corresponding to said market-segment definition; and

wherein automatically determining query criteria to identify additional records in said current population of the marketing database comprises:

obtaining a current set of person-related market-segmentation criteria;

obtaining a current set of entity-related market-segmentation criteria;

automatically generating a query to identify said additional records according to said dynamically identified at least one mapping.

16. A computing apparatus comprising a processor and a storage medium including instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to perform a method of reduced-complexity access to marketing data, the method being implemented by a market-segmentation computer communicatively coupled to a database server and a marketer terminal, the database server hosting a marketing database populated with a first population including a plurality of person records and a plurality of entity records, each of the plurality of person records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of person-related market-segmentation criteria, each of the plurality of entity records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of entity-related market-segmentation criteria, the method comprising:

performing steps i-iii, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, to obtain a first market-segment snapshot:

i) identifying, in a current population of the marketing database, a first set of records corresponding to said market-segment definition;

storing, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, a reusable dynamic-market-segment definition corresponding to said market-segment definition; and

wherein automatically determining query criteria to identify additional records in said current population of the marketing database comprises:

obtaining a current set of person-related market-segmentation criteria;

obtaining a current set of entity-related market-segmentation criteria;

automatically generating a query to identify said additional records according to said dynamically identified at least one mapping.

17. A method of reduced-complexity access to marketing data, the method being implemented by a market-segmentation computer communicatively coupled to a database server and a marketer terminal, the database server hosting a marketing database populated with a first population including a plurality of person records and a plurality of entity records, each of the plurality of person records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of person-related market-segmentation criteria, each of the plurality of entity records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of entity-related market-segmentation criteria, the method comprising:

performing steps i-iii, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, to obtain a first market-segment snapshot:

i) identifying, in a current population of the marketing database, a first set of records corresponding to said market-segment definition;

storing, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, a reusable dynamic-market-segment definition corresponding to said market-segment definition;

identifying in said first population at least two records having at least partially matching data;

determining a duplication score for said at least two records;

determining that said duplication score exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

consolidating said at least two records into a consolidated record;

wherein said determining a duplication score for said at least two records comprises:

for each market-segmentation criterion shared between said at least two records:

classifying the current shared market-segmentation criterion into a similarity class selected from at least a perfect-match class, a partial-match class, and a no-match class;

selecting a match-score for the current shared market-segmentation criterion according to said classified similarity class and the current shared market-segmentation criterion; and

accumulating said selected match-score into the duplication score for said at least two records.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

obtaining, by the market-segmentation computer from the database-management computer, said reusable dynamic-market-segment definition;

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the market-segmentation computer causing a marketing message to be communicated to individuals associated with a majority of records of said second market-segment snapshot.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

automatically determining, by the market-segmentation computer on an ongoing basis, a plurality of response metrics associated with said marketing message; and

after a pre-determined period of time:

automatically selecting, by the market-segmentation computer according to said plurality of response metrics, at least one non-responsive record of said majority of records; and

automatically causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a second marketing message to be communicated to individuals associated with said selected at least one non-responsive record.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

automatically selecting, by the market-segmentation computer, first and second subsets of records from said second market-segment snapshot;

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

automatically determining, by the market-segmentation computer, a first and a second plurality of response metrics associated with said first and second marketing messages; and

updating, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, the marketing database according to said first and second pluralities of response metrics.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising providing, by the market-segmentation computer to the marketer terminal for display in said reduced-complexity marketer GUI, a reporting display graphically depicting a comparison of said first and said second plurality of response metrics.

24. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

updating, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, the marketing database with a second population including a particular record;

automatically determining, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, that said particular record corresponds to said stored dynamic-market-segment definition;

automatically identifying, by the market-segmentation computer, an ongoing marketing campaign associated with said stored dynamic-market-segment definition; and

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said triggering event comprises a lapse of time since said updating the marketing database with said second population including said particular record.

27. The method of claim 17 , further comprising updating the marketing database, by the market-segmentation computer in communication with the database server, with at least a selected one of a new person-related market-segmentation criterion and a new entity-related market-segmentation criterion.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein automatically determining query criteria to identify additional records in said current population of the marketing database comprises:

obtaining a current set of person-related market-segmentation criteria;

obtaining a current set of entity-related market-segmentation criteria;

automatically generating a query to identify said additional records according to said dynamically identified at least one mapping.

29. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

selecting, by the market-segmentation computer, a plurality of records of said first market-segment snapshot for display;

identifying, by the market-segmentation computer, at least one person record among said selected plurality of records;

determining, by the market-segmentation computer, that said at least one person record satisfies a restricted-identification criterion;

anonymizing, by the market-segmentation computer, identifying data corresponding to said at least one person record;

30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising causing, by the market-segmentation computer, a personalized marketing message to be communicated to said identified at least one person, having provided only anonymized identifying data for display in said reduced-complexity marketer GUI.

31. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform a method of reduced-complexity access to marketing data, the method being implemented by a market-segmentation computer communicatively coupled to a database server and a marketer terminal, the database server hosting a marketing database populated with a first population including a plurality of person records and a plurality of entity records, each of the plurality of person records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of person-related market-segmentation criteria, each of the plurality of entity records comprising data corresponding to a plurality of entity-related market-segmentation criteria, the method comprising: