System and method for profiling customers for targeted marketing

Abstract

A targeted marketing system and method are provided that provide a customer with customer questions, receive responses to the customer questions from the customer, and store data associated with the responses. The customer is provided with a feedback page that graphically illustrates data associated with the customer's standing in a selected peer group. The customer is provided with options operable to adjust the customer's actual demographic to a hypothetical demographic, and data associated with hypothetical demographic changes from the customer is received and processed. Hypothetical feedback information is then displayed that graphically illustrates the hypothetical standing of the customer within the selected peer group such that the customer can see the effect of the hypothetical demographic changes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 966,845 filed Sep. 28, 2001.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to the field of data processing and more particularly to a system and method for profiling customers for targeted marketing.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Businesses have a need to market their products and services to potential customers. Currently, some of them rely on non-targeted advertising systems such as mass mailings to a general geographic area. However, this approach lacks the ability to target specific potential customers for specific products or services.[0004]Alternatively, some businesses purchase previously compiled statistical data. However, the data obtained by this method is limited in that the research is typically based on small samples of the population and is typically historical data. Thus, the data is generalized and does not give the businesses any in...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]An important technical advantage of the present invention is that a business may obtain information from customers that allows the business to target its marketing efforts for specific products and services to specific customers who are more likely than the general population to purchase those products and services. One important aspect of the present invention is that the customer is encouraged to provide data to the customer survey system because the customer is provided with interesting and useful information in exchange for that data, such as relative and hypothetical situation information and information relating to setting and achieving goals.

is that a business may obtain information from customers that allows the business to target its marketing efforts for specific products and services to specific customers who are more likely than the general population to purchase those products and services. One important aspect of the present invention is that the customer is encouraged to provide data to the customer survey system because the customer is provided with interesting and useful information in exchange for that data, such as relative and hypothetical situation information and information relating to setting and achieving goals.

Problems solved by technology

However, this approach lacks the ability to target specific potential customers for specific products or services.

However, the data obtained by this method is limited in that the research is typically based on small samples of the population and is typically historical data.

Thus, the data is generalized and does not give the businesses any information regarding the desires or needs of specific potential customers.

Although telemarketing may be used to sell products and services to willing customers, this approach requires businesses to contact all potential customers without any knowledge as to the likelihood that any particular one will purchase a specific product or service.

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