Advertising support methods, advertising support systems, programs, servers, and recording media

Abstract

To realize efficient advertisement processing using a message communication function of a communication network service such as an SNS to distribute advertisement information and grasp whether or not the advertisement information is viewed.SOLUTION: An advertisement support method causes a management server to perform the steps of: generating flyer information including advertisement information of a device to be sold or reading the flyer information from a flyer information database (10-2), extracting distribution destination information registered in association with device information from a customer information database (10-1), publicly disclosing the flyer information on a website, distributing to a customer terminal (6) notification information including information indicating that the flyer information is publicly disclosed on the website, recording a corresponding customer terminal on the customer information database when the notification information or flyer information is viewed through the customer terminal, determining whether or not the customer who has viewed the website and relates to the customer terminal satisfies a reward condition, and notifying the corresponding customer terminal of a message notifying the acquisition of reward information if the reward condition is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for promoting the advertisement of gas equipment and the like to gas suppliers such as LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).

Background Art

[0002] In sales stores that provide fuel gas, gas equipment, etc., they conduct promotional sales to customers, promoting the sale of new gas equipment and advertising the product to customers to encourage the introduction of new appliances or the replacement of existing equipment. Conventionally, for the promotion and sales of equipment, methods such as visits by responsible persons who understand the customer's situation, sending flyers printed on paper by mail, or sending information such as product information and the website selling the product to registered customers by email have been adopted.

[0003] Regarding the promotional function of products using such emails, for example, there are those that create and update advertising emails related to their own stores through operations on the web screen and send these emails to the registered customer mobile phones (for example, Patent Document 1). Also, there are those that add a unique identifier to the registered email addresses extracted from the email address file and send them, and save the access history information from the customers who received the emails (for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Traditional methods such as distributing printed flyers, placing advertisements in newspapers and magazines, and inserting flyers only provide one-way notification to a large, unspecified audience, making it difficult to gauge the effectiveness of these methods in converting customers into actual product purchasers. Furthermore, even when gas companies and equipment manufacturers distribute emails containing flyer information to registered email addresses, customers may not understand the email's content or may discard it without even opening it. Moreover, even if a customer opens the email, if it doesn't feature equipment that interests them, they won't access the website where the product is listed, resulting in a lack of advertising effectiveness relative to the cost. In addition, by inspecting or replacing gas appliances at regular intervals, the safety of the appliances can be maintained, and energy efficiency can be improved. These inspections and replacements of gas appliances are set at long intervals, such as every 5 or 10 years or more. Therefore, it has been difficult for gas appliance retailers to keep track of and manage all of their gas appliance purchasers.

[0006] The inventors of the present invention have learned that, in advertising such gas appliances, it is necessary to advertise products that are suitable for the customer, and to select and advertise suitable customers for each product, as well as to manage this process. Patent documents 1 and 2 do not disclose or suggest any solutions to these problems, and the configurations disclosed in patent documents 1 and 2 cannot solve these problems.

[0007] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to achieve efficient advertising processing by utilizing the message communication function of communication network services such as SNS (Social networking service) to distribute advertising information and to track whether or not that advertising information has been viewed. Furthermore, another objective of the present invention is to improve the safety and convenience of gas appliances owned by customers by providing advice and suggestions for replacing equipment based on how customers view promotional information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the advertising support method of the present invention, the management server performs the steps of: generating flyer information containing advertising information for the equipment to be sold, or reading the flyer information from a flyer information database; extracting distribution destination information registered in association with equipment information from a customer information database; publishing the flyer information on a website; distributing notification information to customer terminals associated with the distribution destination information, including information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website; recording the customer terminal in the customer information database when the notification information or the flyer information has been viewed by the customer terminal; and determining whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions. The process includes the management server notifying the relevant customer terminal of a message indicating the acquisition of reward information if the reward conditions are met.

[0009] In this advertising support method, the reward conditions may further include any or more of the following: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members associated with the customer, and the number of times friends have been added via message. In this advertising support method, the reward information may further include any or more of the following: reward points information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

[0010] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the advertising support system of the present invention, the system comprises a customer terminal to which the information is to be distributed, and a management server that generates flyer information containing advertising information for the equipment to be sold, or reads the flyer information from a flyer information database, extracts distribution destination information registered in relation to equipment information from a customer information database, publishes the flyer information on a website, distributes notification information to the customer terminal associated with the distribution destination information, includes information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website, records the customer terminal in question in the customer information database when the notification information or the flyer information is viewed by the customer terminal, determines whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions, and if the reward conditions have been met, notifies the customer terminal of a message informing it of the acquisition of reward information.

[0011] In this management server, the reward conditions may include any or more of the following conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members associated with the customer, and the number of times friends have been added via message.

[0012] In this advertising support system, the aforementioned reward information may include any or more of the following: reward points information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

[0013] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the program of the present invention, a program to be executed by a computer includes the following functions: generating flyer information containing advertising information for equipment to be sold, or reading the flyer information from a flyer information database; extracting distribution destination information registered in association with equipment information from a customer information database; publishing the flyer information on a website; distributing notification information to customer terminals associated with the distribution destination information, including information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website; recording the customer terminal in the customer information database when the notification information or the flyer information is viewed by the customer terminal; determining whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions; and, if the reward conditions are met, notifying the customer terminal of the acquisition of reward information. In this program, the computer may be instructed to execute a function that uses one or more of the following conditions as reward conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members registered with the customer, and the number of friends added via message. In this program, the computer may be instructed to execute a function that uses any or more of the following as reward information: reward points information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

[0014] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, a server that performs advertising support processing in cooperation with a customer terminal to which the information is to be delivered includes a flyer information database storing flyer information containing advertising information for equipment to be sold, and a customer information database storing delivery destination information associated with equipment information, and includes a processing unit that generates the flyer information containing advertising information for equipment to be sold, or reads the flyer information from the flyer information database, extracts the delivery destination information registered in association with the equipment information from the customer information database, publishes the flyer information on a website, delivers notification information to the customer terminal associated with the delivery destination information, including information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website, records the customer terminal in the customer information database when the notification information or the flyer information is viewed by the customer terminal, determines whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions, and if the reward conditions have been met, notifies the customer terminal of a message informing it of the acquisition of reward information. In this server, the processing unit may use any or more of the following conditions as reward conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of times the customer has inquired about equipment, the number of times a customer associated with the customer has registered as a member, and the number of times a customer has added a friend via message. In this server, the processing unit may use any or more of the following in the reward information: reward point information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

[0015] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, the recording medium is a recording medium that stores the program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, one of the following effects can be obtained.

[0017] (1) By using the message communication function, it is possible to notify customers that the promotional information of the device has been uploaded to the website, thereby promoting the sales of new products and the like. (2) Based on the viewing status of the notification information using the message communication function or the promotional information on the website, it is possible to obtain the reaction results for the device. (3) By managing device information in association with customers, it is possible to conduct promotional advertisements for customers according to conditions such as the replacement time of the device. (4) By notifying the proposal information according to the presence or absence of the notification information and access to the website, it is possible to enhance the purchasing desire of customers. (5) By using the message communication function to notify customers that the promotional information of the device has been uploaded to the website, it is possible to reduce the losses caused by printing and sending advertising documents.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a flowchart showing the promotional support process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing the promotional support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the customer information database. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the flyer information database. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the message notification management database. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the promotional support system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the hardware of the management server and the management terminal. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing the flyer distribution destination extraction screen. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the message notification screen. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing the distribution screen of the flyer information. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing the notification screen showing the proposal information. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing the advertising support sequence. [Figure 13] This figure shows the advertising support process according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of a reward information display screen. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] [First Embodiment] Figure 1 shows the advertising support process according to the first embodiment. The processing content and process shown in Figure 1 are examples, and the present invention is not limited to such configuration. This advertising support process includes generating advertising information for the device (S101), extracting distribution destination information (S102), publishing the advertising information (S103), managing distribution (S104), activating the message notification function (S105), sending message notifications (S106), managing website browsing (S107), determining browsing status (S108), aggregating and recording browsing information (S109), aggregating and recording incomplete browsing (S110), and notifying proposed information (S111).

[0020] Generation of equipment promotional information (S101): The management server 4 generates flyer information containing promotional information for equipment selected by equipment sellers such as gas companies, gas equipment distributors, or equipment manufacturers, and stores it in the flyer information database (DB) 10-2. The equipment featured in this flyer information is selected from, for example, new products or equipment in the inventory held by the equipment seller. The generation of promotional information also includes the reuse of existing document information. Furthermore, the promotional information may include equipment common to all customers, or different equipment may be selected for each customer. Equipment information may include, for example, the product name and product model number, as well as comparative performance with similar older products and information on new features.

[0021] Extraction of distribution destination information (S102): The management server 4 extracts distribution destination information registered in relation to the equipment information owned by the customer registered as a customer from the customer information DB 10-1. In this extraction process, for example, customers whose registered equipment information matches the equipment on which the promotional information was generated, or who have the same type of equipment registered, are extracted. Publication of promotional information (S103): The management server 4 publishes promotional information for the equipment by uploading flyer information to a website managed or operated by the equipment vendor, for example. Distribution Management (S104): Management Server 4 manages the distribution destinations of extracted customers, document information content, message notifications, etc., in order to distribute the promotional information published on the website.

[0022] Activation of message notification function (S105): When the management server 4 publishes flyer information containing promotional information on the website, it activates the message notification function for customer terminals 6. Sending a message notification (S106): The management server 4 sends a message notification to the customer terminal 6 associated with the device information, which includes a message informing the customer terminal 6 that promotional information has been published on the website and encouraging it to view.

[0023] Website browsing management (S107): After a message notification, the management server 4 monitors website browsing from the customer terminal 6 that received the notification. Viewing determination (S108): The management server 4 determines whether there is a view from the corresponding customer terminal 6. Aggregation and recording of browsing information (S109): If there is a browsing activity from the relevant customer terminal 6 (YES in S108), the management server 4 aggregates information such as the date and time of the browsing and which promotional information from the flyer was accessed, and records it in the message notification management DB 10-3. Furthermore, the management server 4 may, for example, monitor access to the website via the message communication function, and record that the user viewed the promotional information as well as the notification information distributed using the message communication function. The notification information distributed using the message communication function should, for example, contain a link that allows direct access to the website.

[0024] Summary and recording of incomplete viewing (S110): The management server 4 sets a predetermined period, and if there is no access from the customer terminal 6 that delivered the message within this period (NO in S108), it generates incomplete viewing information and records this incomplete viewing information in the message notification management DB 10-3. Notification of Proposal Information (S111): The management server 4, using the messaging function, sends a message to customers who have received notification information, either in place of or along with the promotional information, containing proposal information that encourages them to access the website. This proposal information may include, for example, information on the functions, performance, and price of equipment associated with the customer, or a suggestion to encourage the customer to replace the equipment they are currently using. This proposal information may include, for example, a link that allows direct access to the website. This proposal information may also include common proposal information regardless of whether the customer accesses the website, or the content may differ depending on whether the customer accesses the website.

[0025] <Promotional Support System 2> Figure 2 shows the advertising support system 2. The configuration shown in Figure 2 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. This advertising support system 2 includes a management server 4 and multiple customer terminals 6 (=6-1, 6-2, ..., 6-N), and the management server 4 and each customer terminal 6 are connected to the network 8 via wired or wireless connection. The management server 4 is equipped with a customer management DB 10. This customer management DB 10 includes customer information DB 10-1, flyer information DB 10-2, message notification management DB 10-3, and so on. Customer terminal 6 is an information terminal such as a mobile phone or smartphone. Network 8 is, for example, a public telephone network.

[0026] <Information processing on management server 4> Management server 4 has the following information processing functions, for example: a) Generation and recording of flyers containing promotional information. i) Recording and management of customer information (c) Extraction and recording of delivery destination information based on device information held in customer information. e) Websites for publishing flyers and their access management O) Generating, recording, and notifying message notifications. (c) Registration of customer terminal 6 k) Generation of proposal information and management of access to the website where the proposal information is published.

[0027] <Customer information DB10-1> Figure 3 shows an example of customer information DB10-1. This customer information DB10-1 is the source of customer information and stores registration information about customers. This customer information DB10-1 contains multiple customer information files 12 (=12-1, 12-2, ..., 12-N). Each customer information file 12 contains a customer information section 14, an equipment usage information section 16, and a flyer information section 18.

[0028] The customer information section 14 contains the customer's name section 14-1, address section 14-2, terminal information section 14-3, etc. The name section 14-1 stores identification information such as the customer's name to identify the customer. Customers registered here include, for example, customers who have previously purchased equipment from the equipment seller, those who have registered on the seller's website, and those who have added the seller as friends using the messaging communication function. The address section 14-2 stores information such as the customer's location, address, and residence. The terminal information section 14-3 stores the address of the customer terminal 6 used by the registered customer, telephone number, account information for using the messaging communication function, etc.

[0029] The Equipment Information Section 16 stores, for example, information about the equipment currently being used by the registered customer. This Equipment Information Section 16 includes sections such as Equipment Type Section 16-1, Model Name Section 16-2, Gas Consumption Section 16-3, Installation Date Section 16-4, and Warranty Expiration Section 16-5. The Equipment Type Section 16-1 registers information such as the type of equipment that uses gas as fuel, such as water heaters, gas air conditioners, gas heaters, and gas stoves. The Model Name Section 16-2 stores identification information such as the product name and model number to identify the installed model. The Gas Consumption Section 16-3 stores information such as gas consumption. The Installation Date Section 16-4 stores equipment information such as the equipment used by the customer and its purchase date. The Warranty Expiration Section 16-5 stores the warranty expiration information for the equipment. The flyer information section 18 stores management information such as whether or not a recipient is eligible to receive promotional information and the distribution history of promotional information. This flyer information section 18 includes, for example, a target device section 18-1 and a reception history section 18-2. The target device section 18-1 registers information on whether or not a recipient owns a device that is identical or has the same functions or uses as the device selected as a target for sale and from which promotional information was generated. The management server 4 may, for example, refer to the registered contents of the target device section 18-1 to determine whether or not a recipient is eligible to receive flyers. The reception history section 18-2 stores history information on when flyer information containing promotional information has been received, for example, through the reception of notification information using the message communication function or by accessing a website.

[0030] <Flyer Information DB10-2> Figure 4 shows an example of the flyer information DB 10-2. This flyer information DB 10-2 stores information such as promotional information for equipment, distribution deadlines and distribution destinations via websites. This flyer information DB 10-2 includes a title information section 20, equipment information section 22, expiration date information section 24, distribution destination information section 26, and distribution history information section 28. The title information section 20 stores information such as the title to identify the flyer or promotional information, the type of equipment being promoted (e.g., water heaters, air conditioners, gas heaters), and information appealing to customers (e.g., improved gas efficiency, lower prices, improved functionality). The equipment information section 22 stores the name and model name of the equipment being promoted. The expiration date information section 24 stores conditional information such as the sales promotion period set by the seller, or the period during which the service details described in the flyer apply. The management server 4 can use the expiration date set in the expiration date information section 24, for example, as a deadline for determining whether the customer who received the message viewed the website. The distribution destination information section 26 stores information about customers who accessed the site through the message communication function. The management server 4 can use the information in the distribution destination information section 26, for example, to distribute the flyer or specific promotional information data to the customer terminal 6 used by the customer, making it viewable. The distribution history information section 28 stores a history of whether or not the customer viewed the flyer or promotional information after it was distributed to them.

[0031] <Message Notification Management DB10-3> Figure 5 shows an example of the message notification management DB 10-3. This message notification management DB 10-3 stores, for example, management information related to the transmission of notification information to customers via the message communication function and the notification of proposal information.

[0032] This message notification management DB10-3 is configured with a recipient information section 30, a notification date information section 32, a message information section 34, a suggestion information section 36, and a history information section 38. The recipient information section 30 stores recipient information extracted from customer information. This extraction process is based, for example, on the degree of matching or relevance between the equipment included in the promotional information and the equipment information owned by the customer. The notification date information section 32 stores information on the notification date of the message related to the promotional information of the flyer or equipment. The message information section 34 stores promotional information, flyers, and other messages that will be sent to the recipients. The suggestion information section 36 stores suggestion messages to be sent to the customer terminal 6 that has viewed the message or website. The history information section 38 stores history information such as the message notification history.

[0033] <Effects of the First Embodiment> According to this first embodiment, one of the following effects can be obtained: (1) By generating promotional information for the equipment designated for sale, uploading flyers containing this promotional information to the website, and then sending messages to customer distribution channels related to the equipment being sold, it is possible to efficiently advertise to customers who are interested in the equipment information. (2) By using the messaging function to inform customers that promotional information about the equipment has been uploaded to the website, losses due to printing and sending advertising documents can be reduced. (3) By having users browse a website via the messaging function, it is possible to understand their response to promotional information sent via message, their level of interest, etc. (4) By combining information from message communication functions with website access history, etc., it is possible to understand customer reactions to the devices being sold. (5) By managing equipment information in association with customers, advertising can be directed to customers based on conditions such as when they are due to replace their equipment. (6) By notifying customers of suggested information based on whether they have received notifications or accessed the website, it is possible to increase their willingness to purchase.

[0034] [Second Embodiment] Figure 6 shows an advertising support system 2 according to a second embodiment. The configuration shown in Figure 6 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. In Figure 6, parts common to Figure 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. This advertising support system 2 uses a computer as a support means to assist gas companies, gas distributors, equipment manufacturers, and others in sales advertising and management of gas appliances through information processing. This embodiment of the advertising support system 2 includes a gas management system 40, a network system 42, and multiple customer terminals 6.

[0035] The gas management system 40 is a computer system belonging to a gas company, gas sales manager, equipment manufacturer, etc., and includes a management server 4 and a management terminal 44. The management server 4 stores customer information DB 10-1, flyer information DB 10-2, and message notification management DB 10-3. The management terminal 44 serves as both an information display means for the management server 4 and an information input means. The network system 42 is a system that handles public information communication through computers equipped with communication functions, and is linked to the network 8 (Figure 2) described above. This network system 42 is equipped with a management server 46.

[0036] <Hardware of management server 4 and management terminal 44> Figure 7 shows an example of the hardware of the management server 4 and the management terminal 44. The management server 4 is a computer with communication capabilities and includes a processor 48, a storage unit 50, an information input / output (I / O) unit 52, a communication unit 54, and a timer 56. The processor 48 is an example of a processing unit that executes the OS (Operating System) and advertising support programs located in the memory unit 50. The memory unit 50 is an example of a recording medium that stores various programs used for advertising support. Memory elements such as ROM (Read-Only Memory) and RAM (Random-Access Memory) are used in this memory unit 50.

[0037] I / O 52 outputs and acquires various types of information under the control of the processor 48. The communication unit 54 establishes wireless or wired communication with the management terminal 44, while also sending and receiving various types of information with various information devices and network systems 42 via wired or wireless connections under the control of the processor 48. Timer 56 is an example of a means for timing the period for distributing flyers to customers via the website, or a determination period set to determine whether or not a customer has accessed the site. For example, a hardware timer installed on the management server 4 or a software timer executed by the processor 48 may be used.

[0038] The management terminal 44 is a computer equipped with communication functions, similar to the management server 4, and includes a processor 58, a storage unit 60, an I / O unit 62, a communication unit 64, an information input unit 66, and an information presentation unit 68. The processor 58, storage unit 60, I / O unit 62, and communication unit 64 have the same functions as the management server 4, so their explanation is omitted. The information input unit 66 is used for inputting information to the management server 4. The information presentation unit 68 may be used to present information from the management server 4, including promotional information on flyers.

[0039] <Screen 70 for extracting flyer distribution destinations> Figure 8 shows the flyer distribution target extraction screen 70, which is displayed on the information presentation unit 68 under the control of the management server 4. This flyer distribution target extraction screen 70 is an example of a screen used to extract customers who own the same type or related equipment as the equipment targeted for sale, and utilizes a screen generated for example to promote the sale of equipment in use. This flyer distribution target extraction screen 70 includes, for example, a function title section 71, an extraction condition section 72, a target customer section 73, and a message communication section 74. The title section 71 displays title information of processing functions that the management server 4 can execute. The extraction condition section 72 is an input section into which conditions are entered for extracting customers associated with equipment information corresponding to the equipment that generates the promotional information. In addition to customer-side conditions such as fuel (gas) or other supply type information, household classification, number of family members, and number of rooms, the extraction condition section 72 can also be set with equipment usage condition section 75, equipment information condition section 76, and repair information condition section 77. The Equipment Usage Conditions Unit 75 is an example of a condition input unit for identifying the equipment used by the customer, and information such as the type of equipment, manufacturer name, fuel type, model name, and equipment consumption can be entered. The Equipment Information Conditions Unit 76 can be used to input customer-specific information about the equipment identified in the Equipment Usage Conditions Unit 75, such as the installation date, warranty expiration date, serial number, and manufacturing date. In addition, the Repair Information Conditions Unit 77 can be used to input information on past repair and adjustment processes. The Target Customer Section 73 is an example of a function that displays customer information extracted according to extraction conditions. The seller can display the extracted customer information by selecting the Target Customer Section 73 tab on the Flyer Distribution Target Extraction Screen 70. The Message Communication Section 74 is an example of an operation means that starts the message communication function on the management server 4 and connects to the selected customer terminal 6. This Message Communication Section 74 may, for example, use device information entered or registered on the Flyer Distribution Target Extraction Screen 70, or other device information obtained from an external database, to automatically generate notification information and send it to the customer using the message communication function. In this advertising support process, the management server 4 extracts customers who have conditions that may attract their interest in the devices to be sold, such as customers who have used a specific device for a long time or customers who have a device repair history.

[0040] <Presentation of message information to the customer terminal 6> FIG. 9 shows an example of a message notification screen 82 in which the notification information of the message distributed from the management server 4 is expanded on the display unit 80 of the customer terminal 6. On this message notification screen 82, for example, as shown in A of FIG. 9, as a message communication function, a message application such as LINE (registered trademark) is used, and an advertising message 84 including notification information from the management server 4 side and a flyer message 86 including distributed advertising information are displayed. The advertising message 84 includes, for example, a message notifying the extracted customer of the progress information of the owned device and the distribution of the flyer. The management server 4 generates notification information automatically or by using the input information of the salesperson and the information registered in the customer information DB 10-1 of the extracted customer according to the operation of the message communication unit 74. Further, the flyer message 86 displays a screen in which the flyer screen is reduced, or a screen generated separately from the flyer screen, and stores link information that allows the customer to directly access the website by tapping the display unit 80 of the customer terminal 6.

[0041] In addition, as shown in B of FIG. 9, for example, the message notification screen 82 displays a link screen 88 that allows access to the seller's website other than the flyer screen. This link screen 88 stores link information that allows the customer terminal 6 to access, for example, the membership service screen, the top screen of the website, and other procedure and inquiry screens.

[0042] <Flyer screen 92 published on the website> FIG. 10 is an example of the flyer screen 92 displayed on the customer terminal 6. On the display unit 80 of the customer terminal 6, for example, a browser program 90 for browsing a website is launched, and a flyer screen 92 linked to message information is displayed. This flyer screen 92 displays title information such as "Two problems with hot water... water heaters solve them" as the title section 94 of the flyer. The flyer screen 92 also contains multiple pieces of promotional information 96 (96-1, 96-2, etc.). These promotional pieces 96-1 and 96-2 contain, for example, link information to the product pages of each device being promoted. Furthermore, the flyer screen 92 includes a function description section 98. This function description section 98 contains information corresponding to the promotional pieces 96-1 and 96-2, respectively, and includes descriptions of the device's functions, performance, and suggestions.

[0043] <Presenting suggestion message information to customer terminal 6> Figure 11 shows an example of a proposal message screen 100 displayed on the customer terminal 6. The display unit 80 of the customer terminal 6 displays a suggestion message screen 100 containing suggestion information about the advertised device on the message notification screen 82. This suggestion message screen 100 includes, for example, performance information of the device the customer owns, or a similar model (collectively referred to as the old product), such as energy consumption information, price, and function information, as well as a comparison result with the advertised device (new product), and messages encouraging the customer to introduce or replace the advertised device. This message notification screen 82 is sent, for example, after the customer receives a message notification. The content of the message notification screen 82 may differ depending on whether, for example, the customer terminal 6 has viewed an advertising message 84, a flyer message 86, or a website, or it may have the same content regardless of whether the message has been viewed. Furthermore, the decision of whether to view the promotional message 84 or the flyer message 86 can be made using, for example, the "read" or "unread" detection function included in the message communication function.

[0044] <Promotional support sequence> Figure 12 shows the advertising support sequence. In this advertising support sequence, information is exchanged between the management server 4 and management terminal 44 and the customer terminal 6. The management server 4 generates promotional information for the equipment (S201), extracts distribution destination information from customer information (S202), and publishes flyers containing the promotional information on the website (S203). The management server 4 manages the distribution of the flyers (S204). If the management terminal 44 issues a message notification instruction to the management server 4, for example (S205), the management server 4 sends a message notification to the customer terminal 6 associated with the distribution destination information (S206). The message is displayed to the customer terminal 6 that receives the message notification (S207).

[0045] Customer terminal 6 accesses the website using the link function in the displayed message (S208). The management server 4 manages site browsing through customer terminals 6 and determines whether the customer terminal 6 has viewed a public site (S209). The management server 4 aggregates whether or not the relevant customer terminal 6 has viewed the content and records the viewing information in the message notification management DB 10-3 (S210). When the management terminal 44 outputs a message notification instruction to the management server 4 (S211), the management server 4 generates proposal information for the customer terminal 6 and notifies it using the message communication function (S212).

[0046] <Effects of the second embodiment> With this configuration, one of the following effects can be obtained. (1) The same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. (2) By notifying customers who have received notification of the publication of promotional information of the equipment being promoted, and by further notifying them of suggested information that is related to the equipment being promoted and the equipment the customer is using, it is possible to attract the customer's interest in the promotional information and improve the effectiveness of the promotion. (3) The advertising support system enables the generation of unique proposal information for each customer, thereby reducing the management burden on sellers and the workload of creating advertising messages. (4) By using the repair history information of owned equipment to extract recipients of flyers, it is possible to identify customers who are likely to be interested in new equipment for the purpose of replacing or adding equipment, and to distribute flyers efficiently.

[0047] [Third Embodiment] Figure 13 shows the advertising support process according to the third embodiment. The processing content and process shown in Figure 13 are examples, and the present invention is not limited to such configurations. This advertising support process is an example of the advertising support method and program of the present invention. This advertising support process assumes that the device shown in the first or second embodiment performs processes such as generating advertising information, extracting distribution destination information, publishing advertising information, managing distribution, activating the message notification function, sending message notifications, managing website browsing, and determining browsing status. This explanation will be omitted. This advertising support process shows an example of the process for managing website browsing after a message notification has been sent.

[0048] The management server 4 records browsing information (S301) when a customer terminal 6 accesses the website and receives a flyer, for example, as shown in Figure 13. The management server 4 then determines whether the customer who viewed the website has met the predetermined setting conditions (S302). If it determines that the setting conditions have been met (YES in S302), it notifies the customer terminal 6 of the acquisition of reward information (S303) and records the acquisition of the reward information and the details of the reward in the customer information DB 10-1 (S304). The setting conditions for granting rewards include, for example, the number of times the website where the flyer is posted is viewed and the record of accessing the product page from the promotional information. Other reward setting conditions include, for example, making a product inquiry to the seller using the message communication function or the inquiry function set on the website, or registering a new customer as a member or adding a message friend in association with the customer.

[0049] <Presenting a reward message to customer terminal 6> Figure 14 shows an example of a message notification screen 102 of reward information distributed from the management server 4. This message notification screen 102 is displayed as text on the message notification screen 82, for example, as shown in Figure 14, indicating that points for members, which are a reward, will be awarded. The rewards awarded include, for example, those that can be used for discounts on equipment purchases or prize exchanges on the seller's website, or points, gift certificates, and vouchers that can be used for services operated by others.

[0050] <Effects of the third embodiment> With this configuration, one of the following effects can be obtained. (1) The same effects as those of the first and second embodiments can be obtained. (2) By providing reward information, customer interest in message notifications, including promotional information, can be increased, thereby improving the effectiveness of advertising. (3) By increasing customer engagement with promotional messages, it is possible to increase customer interest in the devices they own. [Variation]

[0051] Modifications of the embodiments described above are listed below.

[0052] (1) In the above embodiment, the management server 4 is shown to notify customer terminals 6 of pre-configured promotional information using a message communication function, but it is not limited to this. The management server 4 may, for example, notify registered customer terminals 6 that are recipients of promotional messages according to the conditions of each customer via the management terminal 44, or it may exchange messages with customer terminals 6 such as questions or customer requests.

[0053] (2) In the above embodiment, a message containing additional suggestion information is notified regardless of whether the customer terminal 6 has viewed the website or not, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The management server 4 may, for example, notify the destination of customer terminal 6 that has not accessed the website, or the destination of customer terminal 6 that has accessed the website, or only one of the two. This reduces the message creation load on the management server 4.

[0054] (3) The management server 4 may, for example, compare the performance of devices registered in the customer information DB 10-1, predict and determine whether there have been any changes in the customer's family structure or lifestyle, and generate promotional information and send message notifications based on the results of that determination. This promotional information and notification information may, for example, suggest devices suitable for the customer based on the prediction results.

[0055] As described above, the most preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained. The present invention is not limited to the above description. Various modifications and changes are possible for those skilled in the art based on the gist of the invention as described in the claims or disclosed in the embodiments for carrying out the invention. It goes without saying that such modifications and changes are within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0056] According to the present invention, advertising efficiency can be increased by delivering promotional messages to customers who purchase the equipment and the distribution information associated with that equipment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 2. Advertising support system 4. 46 Management Server 6, 6-1, 6-2, ..., 6-N Customer Terminals 8 Networks 10 Customer management DB 10-1 Customer information DB 10-2 Flyer Information Database 10-3 Message Notification Management DB 12, 12-1, 12-2, ..., 12-N Customer Information File 14 Customer Information Department 14-1 Name Section 14-2 Address Section 14-3 Terminal Information Section 16 Equipment Information Department 16-1 Category Section 16-2 Model Name Section 16-3 Gas Consumption Section 16-4 Installation date section 16-5 Warranty Period Section 18 Flyer Information Department 18-1 Target Equipment Section 18-2 Reception History Section 20 Title Information Section 22 Equipment Information Department 24 Expiry Information Section 26 Distribution Information Department 28 Distribution History Information Department 30 Notification Information Department 32 Notification date information department 34 Message Information Department 36 Proposal Information Department 38 History Information Department 40 Gas Management Systems 42 Network Systems 44 Management terminals 48, 58 processors 50, 60 storage section 52, 62 Information Input / Output Section (I / O) 54, 64 Communications Department 56 Timer 66 Information Input Section 68 Information presentation section 70. Flyer distribution destination extraction screen 71, 94 Title Section 72 Extraction condition part 73 Target Customer Department 74 Message Communications Department 75 Equipment conditions section 76 Device information condition section 77 Repair information condition section 80 Display section 82 Message notification screen 84 Promotional Message 86 Flyer Message 88 Link Screen 90 Browser Programs 92 Flyer screen 96, 96-1, 96-2 Promotional Information 98 Function Description Section 100 Proposal Message Screen 102 Message notification screen

Claims

1. The management server generates flyer information containing promotional information for the equipment to be sold, or reads said flyer information from a flyer information database. The management server performs the following steps: extracting distribution destination information registered in association with device information from the customer information database; The management server publishes the flyer information on a website, The management server distributes notification information to customer terminals associated with the distribution destination information, including information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website. The management server, when the notification information or flyer information is viewed on the customer terminal, records the corresponding customer terminal in the customer information database. The management server performs the step of determining whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions, The management server, if the reward conditions are met, notifies the relevant customer terminal of a message indicating the acquisition of reward information; A method of supporting advertising, characterized by including the following:

2. Furthermore, the advertising support method according to claim 1 is characterized in that the reward conditions include any or more of the following conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members associated with the customer, and the number of times friends have been added via message.

3. Furthermore, the advertising support method according to claim 1 is characterized in that the reward information includes any or more of the following: reward points information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

4. The customer's terminal to which the delivery will be made, A management server generates flyer information containing promotional information for equipment to be sold, reads the flyer information from a flyer information database, extracts distribution destination information registered in association with equipment information from a customer information database, publishes the flyer information on a website, distributes notification information to the customer terminal associated with the distribution destination information, includes information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website, records the customer terminal in the customer information database when the notification information or the flyer information is viewed by the customer terminal, determines whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions, and if the reward conditions are met, notifies the customer terminal of a message informing it of the acquisition of reward information. An advertising support system characterized by having the following features.

5. The advertising support system according to claim 4, characterized in that the reward conditions include any or more of the following conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the website has been accessed by the customer's terminal, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members registered with the customer, and the number of friends added via message.

6. The advertising support system according to claim 4, characterized in that the aforementioned reward information includes any or more of the following: reward points information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

7. A program that is executed by a computer, A function to generate flyer information containing promotional information for the equipment to be sold, or to read said flyer information from a flyer information database, A function to extract delivery destination information registered in association with device information from the customer information database, The aforementioned flyer information has a function to be published on a website, A function to deliver notification information to customer terminals associated with the aforementioned distribution destination information, including information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the aforementioned website, When the aforementioned notification information or flyer information is viewed on the customer terminal, the function records the corresponding customer terminal in the customer information database. A function to determine whether the customer whose terminal viewed the aforementioned website meets the reward conditions, If the aforementioned reward conditions are met, the function notifies the relevant customer terminal of a message indicating the acquisition of reward information, A program that causes the aforementioned computer to execute.

8. Furthermore, the program according to claim 7, which causes the computer to execute a function that uses one or more of the following conditions as reward conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members registered with the customer, and the number of friends added via message.

9. Furthermore, the program according to claim 7 causes the computer to execute a function that uses any or more of the following as reward information: reward points information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

10. A server that performs advertising support processing in conjunction with the customer's terminal where the content is delivered, A server comprising a processing unit that includes a flyer information database storing flyer information containing promotional information for equipment to be sold, and a customer information database storing distribution destination information associated with equipment information, wherein the processing unit generates the flyer information containing promotional information for equipment to be sold, reads the flyer information from the flyer information database, extracts the distribution destination information registered in association with the equipment information from the customer information database, publishes the flyer information on a website, delivers notification information to the customer terminal associated with the distribution destination information, includes information indicating that the flyer information has been published on the website, records the customer terminal in the customer information database when the notification information or the flyer information is viewed by the customer terminal, determines whether the customer whose terminal viewed the website has met the reward conditions, and if the reward conditions are met, notifies the customer terminal of a message informing it of the acquisition of reward information.

11. The server according to claim 10, characterized in that the processing unit uses one or more of the following conditions as reward conditions: the number of times the website has been viewed, the number of times the customer's terminal has accessed the website, the number of inquiries about the equipment, the number of customer members registered with the customer, and the number of friends added via message.

12. The server according to claim 10, characterized in that the processing unit uses any or more of the following in the reward information: reward point information, purchase discount information, prize exchange information, and related service information.

13. A recording medium characterized by storing the program described in any one of claims 7 to 9.

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