Distribution request acceptance system, method, and program

Abstract

We provide a distribution request system that can calculate the advertising effectiveness of distributed materials and, based on the results, propose the optimal distribution area for the next distribution. [Solution] The distribution request reception system 2 acquires access information via an access code and calculates an advertising effectiveness index by comparing it with the distribution information. The proposal unit 25 identifies high-quality areas based on the calculated index and selects areas similar to the characteristics of those areas as recommended distribution areas. The request reception unit 26 receives new distribution requests from clients for the selected recommended areas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to at least one of a technology for calculating an advertising effect index by means of a distribution item, a technology for proposing a next distribution recommended area based on the calculated advertising effect index, and a technology for evaluating a person in charge of distributing the distribution item.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1 disclose a technology for receiving a distribution request for a distribution item. In this technology, a user can select an area where it is easy to acquire new customers and request distribution by uploading customer address data.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the technologies of Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1 did not have a sufficient mechanism for proposing an optimal area based on past distribution results.

[0006] Specifically, since it does not have a function for calculating an advertising effect index indicating how much response there was as a result of distribution, or a means for objectively evaluating whether the distribution work of the distributor was properly performed, it could not be effectively utilized for the next distribution plan.

[0007] The disclosed technology aims to provide at least one of the following: a technology for calculating advertising effectiveness metrics using distributed materials; a technology for suggesting recommended distribution areas for the next distribution based on the calculated advertising effectiveness metrics; and a technology for evaluating the personnel responsible for distributing the materials. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the disclosed technology is a distribution request acceptance system which includes: a distribution information storage unit that stores distribution information including the distribution quantity, distribution date and time, and distribution area associated with each distribution item; an access information acquisition unit that acquires access information including identification information of the distribution item and access date and time obtained by accessing the access code when an access is made from a user terminal via an access code attached to the distribution item, and including location information of the user terminal if available; an effect calculation unit that calculates an advertising effect index corresponding to the distribution area included in the distribution information using the access information and the distribution information obtained by referring to the distribution information storage unit using the identification information as a key; a proposal unit that selects a recommended distribution area from among candidate distribution areas based on the calculated advertising effect index; and a request acceptance unit that accepts distribution requests for areas including all or part of the recommended distribution area through operations using the client's input means. Area characteristics consist of at least one of demographic attributes or geographical characteristics. The proposal department identifies distribution areas where the calculated advertising effectiveness index is above a predetermined threshold or within a predetermined rank from the top as high-quality areas, extracts the area characteristics of these high-quality areas, and selects areas with similar characteristics to the extracted high-quality areas as recommended distribution areas from among the candidate distribution areas. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the disclosed technology, it has the effect of enabling the calculation of advertising effectiveness metrics for distributed materials, the effect of suggesting recommended distribution areas for the next distribution based on the calculated advertising effectiveness metrics, and the effect of enabling the evaluation of personnel responsible for distributing the materials. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the functional configuration of a distribution request acceptance system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the processing procedure for receiving distribution requests. [Figure 3]Figure 3 shows an example of a computer's functional configuration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that components having the same function are numbered identically in the drawings, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0013] [Distribution Request Acceptance System and Method] As shown in Figure 1, the distribution request acceptance system 2 includes, for example, a distribution information storage unit 21, an access information acquisition unit 22, an effect calculation unit 23, a display processing unit 24, a proposal unit 25, a request acceptance unit 26, a conversion information acquisition unit 27 (described later), a call information acquisition unit 28 (described later), a code generation unit 29 (described later), and a person in charge evaluation unit 210 (described later).

[0014] The distribution request acceptance system 2 may be connected to both user terminal 1 and client terminal 3 in a manner that enables data transmission and reception.

[0015] The distribution request acceptance method can be implemented, for example, by having each component of the distribution request acceptance system perform the processing shown in steps S22 to S26 in Figure 2.

[0016] <User Terminal 1> User terminal 1 is a terminal used by a user who intends to access the access code attached to the distributed materials. Specifically, user terminal 1 is an information processing device with communication capabilities. Examples of user terminal 1 include smartphones, tablet devices, mobile phones, PDAs, or personal computers. User terminal 1 may also be a wearable device such as smart glasses or a smartwatch.

[0017] Examples of distributed materials include flyers, newspaper inserts, street distribution, in-store placement and distribution, direct mail, and online distribution (digital flyers).

[0018] The user terminal 1 is equipped with communication means. The communication means communicates with an external server via a network. The user terminal 1 is equipped with a display unit and input means. The display unit is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an LED display, a plasma (PDP) display, or electronic paper. The input means is, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, or a tablet. It is assumed that user operations such as input, selection, click, and checking of check boxes are performed using this input means, for example.

[0019] The user terminal 1 is equipped with imaging means. The imaging means is, for example, a camera or a barcode reader. The imaging means is used to optically read an access code.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferable that the user terminal 1 has a position information acquisition function. The position information acquisition function measures the current position using a GPS signal or the like. In this embodiment, the user terminal 1 is mainly assumed to be a smart device. For example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal is assumed.

[0021] <Distribution information storage unit 21> The distribution information storage unit 21 stores distribution information including the distribution quantity, distribution date and time, and distribution area associated with each item to be distributed. These distribution information are stored in association with the identification information of the item to be distributed.

[0022] The distribution information may include information on the industry related to the item to be distributed (for example, pizza shop, real estate, learning school, etc.) and the distribution performance, which is information on the results after actual distribution. Specifically, the distribution information may be stored in association with basic information such as the distribution quantity, distribution date and time, and distribution area, as well as industry information and distribution performance such as the number of accesses, response rate, and advertising effect indicators obtained as a result of the distribution.

[0023] This enables the proposal unit 25, which will be described later, to select a recommended area considering the distribution performance.

[0024] <Access Information Acquisition Unit 22> The access information acquisition unit 22 acquires access information related to an access when an access is made from the user terminal 1 via the access code attached to the distributed material (step S22).

[0025] An example of an access code is a QR code (registered trademark). Alternatively, the access code may be any other type of two-dimensional code. For example, Data Matrix (registered trademark), Aztec Code (registered trademark), or PDF417 (registered trademark) may be used. Alternatively, a one-dimensional barcode such as a JAN code may be used. Furthermore, invisible digital watermarks or AR markers may also be used. In short, the access code can be any code or image as long as it is readable by the user terminal 1 and allows for the acquisition of identification information.

[0026] Access information includes identification information and access date and time of the distributed material obtained by accessing the access code, and, if available, location information of user terminal 1. The identification information and access date and time of the distributed material are obtained by accessing the access code.

[0027] For example, when the user terminal 1 reads the access code, the access information acquisition unit 22 does not immediately redirect to the final destination URL specified by the client, but first displays an intermediate page on the user terminal 1's display that requests permission to send location information.

[0028] On the intermediate page, a message is displayed requesting the user's permission to transmit the location information of user terminal 1. If the user grants permission, the location information of user terminal 1 is transmitted from user terminal 1 to the access information acquisition unit 22. On the other hand, if the user does not grant permission, the location information of user terminal 1 is not transmitted from user terminal 1 to the access information acquisition unit 22. The access information acquisition unit 22 may also acquire user attribute information when access is received from user terminal 1. Attribute information may include, for example, gender, age (or age group), residential area, occupation, and at least one of interests. As a specific acquisition method, the access information acquisition unit 22 may display a questionnaire form on the intermediate page requesting the user to input attribute information and acquire the entered information. Alternatively, if the user accesses the site while logged into a specific service (such as an SNS or membership site), the user profile information provided by that service may be acquired as attribute information. After that, the user is redirected from the intermediate page to the final destination URL specified by the client.

[0029] If the user terminal 1 is initially configured to allow the transmission of location information, the prompt for permission may be omitted. In this case, the location information of the user terminal 1 is transmitted to the access information acquisition unit 22 without obtaining permission from the user each time.

[0030] The identification information and access date and time of the distributed material may be obtained by the access information acquisition unit 22 when displaying the intermediate page. In this case, the access date and time may be the system time of the distribution request acceptance system.

[0031] The access information acquisition unit 22 may acquire the identification information of the distributed material and the date and time of access by receiving them from the user terminal 1 along with the location information of the user terminal 1.

[0032] Furthermore, if location information transmission is permitted, a message may be displayed indicating that the user will receive a reward. This message may be displayed on the distributed material itself or on an intermediate page. An example of a reward is a discount coupon for a product corresponding to the distributed material, or the provision of a service. If location information transmission is permitted, the access information acquisition unit 22 transmits data related to the reward (e.g., an electronic coupon) to the user terminal 1.

[0033] If attribute information has been acquired, the access information acquisition unit 22 may send different rewards to the user terminal 1 according to the acquired attribute information. Specifically, the access information acquisition unit 22 refers to a reward management table (not shown) that associates attribute information with reward data and selects a specific reward that matches the acquired attribute information.

[0034] For example, if the attribute information is "female, in her 20s," a sample coupon for a specific cosmetic product is sent, and if the attribute information is "male, in his 50s," a discount coupon for health food is sent. By providing personalized benefits based on the user's attributes in this way, it is possible to improve the response rate to distributed materials and increase the efficiency of driving conversions.

[0035] The access information acquisition unit 22 counts the number of accesses to the distributed item when it acquires access information. That is, each time access information is acquired, the access information acquisition unit 22 increments the number of accesses to the corresponding distributed item by one.

[0036] The access information acquisition unit 22 may determine that multiple accesses from the same user terminal 1 (or the same IP address) within a predetermined time period constitute an inflated record and may exclude subsequent accesses from the count or add an inappropriate flag to the access log.

[0037] <Effect Calculation Unit 23> The effect calculation unit 23 uses the acquired access information and the distribution information obtained by referring to the distribution information storage unit 21 using the identification information as a key to calculate an advertising effect index corresponding to the distribution area included in the distribution information (step S23).

[0038] An advertising effectiveness metric is an indicator that shows the effectiveness of an advertisement. An advertising effectiveness metric may include, for example, the response rate or at least one of CPS (Cost Per Session). An advertising effectiveness metric may also be the number of accesses per predetermined aggregation unit. The aggregation unit may be, for example, a day, a week, a month, a day of the week, or a time of day.

[0039] The advertising effectiveness metric may be calculated for each distribution area. Alternatively, the advertising effectiveness metric may be calculated for the entire target distribution area.

[0040] The response rate indicates the ratio of accesses to the number of distributed materials in the distribution area. For example, the response rate can be calculated using the following formula (1).

[0041] Response rate = (Number of accesses / Number of distributed materials) × 100 ... (1)

[0042] CPS is the value obtained by dividing the distribution cost in the distribution area by the number of accesses. For example, CPS can be calculated using the following formula (2).

[0043] CPS = Distribution Cost / Number of Accesses ... (2)

[0044] Here, for example, distribution cost = distribution quantity × unit price per item distributed.

[0045] Furthermore, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may weight the advertising effectiveness indicator according to the quality of the acquired access information. Specifically, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 determines whether or not location information is included in the access information. If location information is included in the access information, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may determine that the reliability of the access is higher than if location information is not included. Alternatively, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may determine that the likelihood of a store visit is high for the access. In this case, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 adjusts the value of the advertising effectiveness indicator based on the access to be higher. For example, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may count an access including location information as more than a normal single access (for example, as 1.2 accesses). On the other hand, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may count an access not including location information as less than a normal single access (for example, as 0.8 accesses).

[0046] Furthermore, if the effectiveness calculation unit 23 determines, based on the location information and IP address included in the access information, that the access originates from outside a pre-defined trading area (for example, overseas or a location extremely far from the distribution area), it may exclude the access from the calculation of the advertising effectiveness index or give it less weight than other accesses (for example, counting it as 0.1 accesses). This makes it possible to measure effectiveness precisely by excluding noise data from travelers, etc.

[0047] Furthermore, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may calculate the advertising effectiveness index by further considering, in addition to access information, at least one of the conversion information obtained by the conversion information acquisition unit 27 and the call information acquisition unit 28, as described later.

[0048] For example, the effectiveness calculation unit 23 may calculate an output value when at least one of the access count, call count, conversion count, and distribution quantity is input to a predetermined function that does not decrease the access count, call count, and conversion count, and does not increase the distribution quantity, and use this as an advertising effectiveness indicator. This makes it possible to quantify advertising effectiveness in a more practical way, reflecting not only the viewing status of advertisements, but also results directly linked to actual inquiries and sales.

[0049] Here, the specified function has the property that its output does not decrease with increasing input access counts, call counts, and conversion counts, and that its output does not increase with increasing distribution quantities. A specific example of such a function is a linear function that divides the sum of values ​​obtained by multiplying each response metric by a predetermined weighting coefficient by the distribution quantity. Alternatively, it may be a step function that gradually increases the evaluation only when a specific metric exceeds a predetermined threshold, or a nonlinear function (including logarithmic and exponential functions) that reflects the interaction of each metric. This allows for flexible and precise measurement of advertising effectiveness and evaluation of distribution personnel, tailored to the client's industry and the purpose of the distributed materials, rather than being limited to a simple calculation of "response count ÷ distribution quantity".

[0050] <Display Processing Unit 24> The display processing unit 24 causes the advertising effectiveness indicator and information based on the advertising effectiveness indicator to be displayed on the display unit of the client terminal 3 (step S24).

[0051] Client terminal 3 is a terminal used by the client who requested the distribution of the materials. Specifically, client terminal 3 is an information processing device with communication capabilities. Examples of client terminal 3 include smartphones, tablet devices, mobile phones, PDAs, or personal computers.

[0052] Client terminal 3 is equipped with communication means. These means communicate with an external server, such as a distribution request acceptance system, via a network. Client terminal 3 is equipped with a display unit and input means. The display unit is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), LED display, plasma display (PDP), or electronic paper. The input means is, for example, a touch panel, keyboard, mouse, or pen tablet. Client operations such as input, selection, setting, specification, clicking, and checking checkboxes are performed using these input means.

[0053] The display processing unit 24 will display at least one of the following (1) to (5) examples of advertising effectiveness indicators and information based on advertising effectiveness indicators on the display unit of the client terminal 3.

[0054] (1) Map display

[0055] The display processing unit 24 displays a map including the distribution area. The display processing unit 24 overlays markers (pins) based on location information included in the access information onto this map. In this case, the display processing unit 24 may also plot and display product identification information (e.g., product ID or product name) corresponding to the accessed distributed items on the map in association with the location information. This allows the client to visually grasp at a glance which specific products received responses at which locations. The display processing unit 24 may also display a heat map that changes color on the map according to the number of accesses.

[0056] (2) Graph display

[0057] The display processing unit 24 displays a graph showing the trend of access counts for each aggregation unit (e.g., daily or hourly). At this time, the display processing unit 24 may also acquire external factor data, including at least one of weather data, day of the week information, or news information, and display it together with the graph. This allows the client to analyze the impact of weather and social events on access counts. The external factor data may be acquired by a generating AI or from a pre-prepared database.

[0058] (3) Display of indicators and attributes

[0059] The display processing unit 24 displays the calculated response rate and CPS as numerical values. The display processing unit 24 may also display the regional characteristics of the distribution area where access occurred. Regional characteristics may include, for example, the population distribution of the distribution area, the gender ratio, or the cluster classification of residents (classification based on lifestyle and purchasing trends). Regional characteristics may be obtained by a generating AI or from a pre-prepared database.

[0060] (4) Comparison display

[0061] The display processing unit 24 may compare and display the advertising effectiveness indicators for the current distribution with those for past distributions. Alternatively, the display processing unit 24 may compare and display the advertising effectiveness indicators for the current distribution with average indicators for the same or similar industries. This allows the client to objectively evaluate the success of the current distribution campaign.

[0062] (5) Analysis results

[0063] The display processing unit 24 may display the advertising effectiveness indicator and the analysis results obtained from at least one of the above (1) to (4). These analysis results can be obtained, for example, using a generating AI. In this case, the input prompt may include at least one of the following (i) to (ix) as the analysis item.

[0064] (i) Competitive analysis by store name / service name

[0065] (ii) Analysis by industry

[0066] (iii) Correlation between the total number of distributed items per day and the number of QR sessions per day

[0067] (iv) Total distribution quantity per town / district (grouped by prefecture, city, ward, town, and district)

[0068] (v) Correlation with the number of responses in each town / district

[0069] (vi) Analysis by day of the week

[0070] (vii) Correlation with the weather on the distribution date

[0071] (viii) Correlation with major news on the distribution date

[0072] (ix) Characteristics of areas where location information could be obtained via QR code

[0073] (6) Search and extraction functions

[0074] The display processing unit 24 may, in response to an operation from the client terminal 3, filter and display (search) the accumulated access information based on specific conditions. Specifically, the display processing unit 24 may accept searches specifying specific product identification information (product ID or product name, etc.) or searches specifying the date and time (year, month, day, day of the week, time, etc.) when the access code was read by the user terminal 1, and extract and display only the access information that matches the conditions. This makes it easy for the client to perform multifaceted analysis, such as "in which areas was a particular product viewed most frequently during a particular period."

[0075] The display processing unit 24 may provide the calculated advertising effectiveness index, or information based on the advertising effectiveness index (for example, at least one of the aforementioned map display, graph display, comparison display, and analysis results), in a file format that can be downloaded from the client terminal 3.

[0076] The downloadable file format may be, for example, a text data format such as CSV or TXT, or it may be a PDF, an image file format (PNG, JPEG, etc.), or a format editable with spreadsheet software.

[0077] This allows clients to save the analysis results they view on the system to their own devices and easily use them for offline review, creating internal reports, or integrating data with other marketing systems.

[0078] The display processing by the display processing unit 24, as well as the processing by the proposal unit 25 and the request acceptance unit 26 described later, may be performed when the client uses the distribution request acceptance system using the client terminal 3.

[0079] The following scenario assumes that a client who has previously requested distribution will use the distribution request system to request new distributions. The distribution request system is, for example, the system described in the background technology section. The client will use the distribution request system by operating client terminal 3.

[0080] <Proposal section 25> Based on the calculated advertising effectiveness indicators, the proposal unit 25 selects recommended distribution areas from among the candidate distribution areas and proposes these recommended distribution areas to the client (step S25).

[0081] The selected recommended distribution area is displayed on the display unit of client terminal 3.

[0082] For example, the proposal unit 25 identifies distribution areas where the calculated advertising effectiveness index meets a predetermined standard as "high-quality areas." For example, the proposal unit 25 identifies distribution areas where the calculated advertising effectiveness index is above a predetermined threshold as "high-quality areas." The proposal unit 25 may also identify A distribution areas with the highest calculated advertising effectiveness index as "high-quality areas." The proposal unit 25 may also identify B% of distribution areas with the highest calculated advertising effectiveness index as "high-quality areas." The predetermined threshold, A, and B are set appropriately to obtain the desired results.

[0083] When selecting recommended distribution areas, the proposal unit 25 may, in addition to considering advertising effectiveness indicators linked to the identification information of the current distribution, refer to the distribution information storage unit 21 and extract and consider the distribution performance of other distribution materials (past distribution projects, etc.) associated with the same or similar industries as the current distribution material. For example, even if sufficient access information regarding the current distribution material has not been accumulated, the proposal unit 25 can select areas in the same industry that have a track record of exceeding a predetermined standard in the past as recommended distribution areas for the current distribution. Furthermore, the proposal unit 25 may compare the advertising effectiveness indicators of the current distribution material with the advertising effectiveness indicators of other distribution materials in the same industry (industry average values, etc.) and, based on the difference, prioritize selecting areas that are judged to have room for further growth in response rates. This makes it possible to make precise area proposals that reflect industry characteristics without being overly dependent on data from specific projects.

[0084] The proposal unit 25 then extracts the area characteristics of the identified high-quality area, searches for areas with similar characteristics to the extracted high-quality area from among the distribution candidate areas, and selects them as recommended distribution areas. Area characteristics are at least one of demographic attributes and geographical characteristics. Generative AI may be used for extracting area characteristics and selecting recommended areas.

[0085] The area that can be considered for distribution is, for example, an area that is within a distance zone of a predetermined location. The predetermined location is, for example, the location of a client's store that has been set in advance. The predetermined location may also be the center point of the previous distribution area. The client may be able to set the predetermined location and predetermined distance using the input means of the client terminal 3. The area that can be considered for distribution may also include the previous distribution area. For example, if the previous distribution area was within Shinjuku Ward, the area that can be considered for distribution will be the entire area within Shinjuku Ward. The area that can be considered for distribution may also be selectable by the client using the input means.

[0086] Here, "area" refers to a region divided based on predetermined criteria. These predetermined criteria are, for example, designated administrative divisions such as districts, cities, towns, or prefectures. An area may be a district-level area, a city, town, or village-level area, or a prefecture-level area. Furthermore, an area may be a block-level area, a street address-level area, or a designated regional block-level area. In some regions, there may be a defined area where each flyer distributor is permitted to distribute flyers. In this case, the area may be a region where each flyer distributor is permitted to distribute flyers. Thus, there may be multiple units for an area. In other words, there may be multiple ways to divide an area. The client may be able to select the unit of area using an input method.

[0087] Cluster analysis may be used to extract area characteristics and select recommended areas.

[0088] In this case, the proposal unit 25 identifies the cluster to which the area identified as a high-quality area belongs. Then, the proposal unit 25 selects areas from among the areas that are candidates for distribution that belong to the same or similar cluster as the identified cluster.

[0089] For cluster analysis, existing cluster data may be used, or original cluster data may be used.

[0090] When selecting recommended distribution areas, if there are multiple areas whose similarity to the extracted area characteristics (or cluster characteristics) meets a predetermined standard, the proposal unit 25 may determine the priority of those areas based on their distance from a predetermined location (for example, the location of a store or a pre-designated central point).

[0091] Specifically, the proposal unit 25 may extract areas from the candidate distribution areas that meet a predetermined similarity standard, and sort the extracted areas in order of proximity from the predetermined location. The proposal unit 25 may then prioritize selecting areas in order of proximity and sequentially extract recommended distribution areas until a predetermined number is reached, thereby constructing a distribution plan.

[0092] This makes it possible to prioritize proposing nearby areas that have high potential for generating a positive response based on past performance, and that offer convenient access to stores and service provision. Furthermore, it allows for the provision of distribution plans that efficiently cover areas within the trading area that are expected to yield a higher return on investment (ROI), even within budget and distribution quantity constraints.

[0093] The number of recommended distribution areas selected by Proposal Department 25 is, for example, a predetermined number which is a predetermined natural number.

[0094] The predetermined number may be the number of areas whose similarity is equal to or greater than the predetermined similarity.

[0095] For example, each area may be associated with a planned distribution quantity. In this case, the predetermined number may be the number of areas selected from those with higher similarity so that the sum of the planned distribution quantities associated with each area approaches the distribution quantity specified by the client. The similarity of an area may be, for example, the similarity between the area characteristics of a selected high-quality area and the area characteristics of that particular area, or the similarity between a cluster of selected high-quality areas and a cluster of that particular area.

[0096] The predetermined number may be the number of areas where, when areas are selected based on their similarity, the total number of planned distribution copies associated with each selected area first exceeds the distribution quantity specified by the client.

[0097] If multiple high-quality areas are identified, the proposal unit 25 may calculate a "representative area characteristic" for the distribution material by statistically processing the area characteristics of these multiple high-quality areas (for example, calculating the mean, median, or mode of each attribute value). The proposal unit 25 may then select areas from among the distribution candidate areas that have a similarity to the representative area characteristic that exceeds a predetermined standard as recommended distribution areas.

[0098] The proposal unit 25 may individually calculate the similarity between each of the identified high-quality areas and the areas that are candidates for distribution. In this case, the proposal unit 25 selects areas whose similarity to any of the high-quality areas exceeds a threshold as recommended distribution areas. This makes it possible to make recommendations that cover the characteristics of both different target groups (e.g., both high-income areas and young family areas) when multiple different target groups respond.

[0099] If there are multiple desirable areas, the proposal unit 25 may classify them into multiple clusters based on the similarity of their area characteristics. For example, if the 10 identified desirable areas are classified into "Cluster A," which has a high proportion of single-person households, and "Cluster B," which has a high proportion of homeowners, the proposal unit 25 will search for areas similar to Cluster A and Cluster B, respectively. This allows the client to be presented with "multiple recommended area groups with different response patterns."

[0100] Based on the calculated advertising effectiveness indicators, the proposal unit 25 may, in addition to selecting recommended distribution areas, calculate at least one of the recommended distribution timing and recommended distribution quantity, and propose a distribution plan (distribution plan) combining these to the client terminal 3.

[0101] In calculating the recommended distribution period, the proposal unit 25 may analyze the correlation between the advertising effectiveness indicator and the date and time (day of the week, time of day, month, season, peak season, or specific period such as a long holiday) when the advertising effectiveness indicator exceeded a predetermined standard in past distribution results. Alternatively, the proposal unit 25 may acquire external factor data such as weather data (temperature, precipitation, index, etc.), event information, or sales information from nearby stores, and identify the period when the highest response is expected as the recommended distribution period based on these external factors and past response trends. For example, if the proposal unit 25 determines, based on past data, that "the response rate is higher than a predetermined value on sunny days than on rainy days," it may propose a day when sunny weather is expected based on the latest weather forecast as the recommended distribution period.

[0102] In calculating the recommended distribution quantity, the proposal unit 25 may calculate the necessary distribution quantity based on the target number of results (target values ​​for access, call volume, or conversion) entered via the client terminal 3. For example, the proposal unit 25 may use the predicted response rate expected in the selected recommended distribution area to calculate the distribution quantity necessary to obtain the target number of results using the following formula (3), and propose this as the recommended distribution quantity.

[0103] Recommended distribution quantity = Target number of results / Predicted response rate ... (3)

[0104] Furthermore, the proposal unit 25 may calculate the recommended distribution quantity based on the budget limit entered by the client. In this case, the proposal unit 25 may determine the quantity that is expected to yield the best results, provided that the product of the distribution unit price and the calculated recommended distribution quantity does not exceed the budget limit.

[0105] In this way, by having the proposal department 25 propose a combination of area, timing, and quantity, clients can immediately obtain a concrete distribution plan specifying "when, where, and how many flyers should be distributed." This reduces the time and effort required to develop a distribution plan while supporting the implementation of distribution that maximizes advertising effectiveness.

[0106] <Request Reception Department 26> The request reception unit 26 receives requests from clients to distribute materials for areas that include all or part of the selected recommended distribution area, through operations performed by the client terminal 3 using the input means (step S26).

[0107] Furthermore, users may be able to add or remove areas where they wish to distribute materials from the selected recommended distribution areas. In this case, the request reception unit 26 may be able to receive distribution requests from clients for areas that have been added or removed by the client.

[0108] For example, a client can add or delete an area by clicking on it.

[0109] The request receiving unit 26 may accept distribution requests that include all or part of the distribution plan proposed by the proposal unit 25 (a distribution plan that includes at least one of the recommended distribution area, recommended distribution period, and recommended distribution quantity) via operations on the client terminal 3.

[0110] Specifically, the request receiving unit 26 may display the distribution plan calculated by the proposal unit 25 on the display unit of the client terminal 3, and when the client performs an approval operation (for example, clicking the "Request with this plan" button), it may confirm the distribution request based on that plan.

[0111] Furthermore, the request receiving unit 26 may accept a request with modifications made by the client to a portion of the distribution plan proposed by the proposal unit 25. For example, the request receiving unit 26 may accept operations such as selecting only specific areas from the proposed recommended distribution areas, adjusting the proposed recommended distribution timing forward or backward, or increasing or decreasing the proposed recommended distribution quantity. In this case, the request receiving unit 26 will accept a distribution request for the modified areas, timing, and quantity.

[0112] Furthermore, when receiving a distribution request, the request reception unit 26 may calculate an estimated amount (such as the distribution unit price multiplied by the distribution quantity) based on the finalized distribution plan and present it to the client terminal 3. This allows the client to smoothly place an order for distribution after making minor adjustments to the proposed optimal plan to suit their own budget and circumstances.

[0113] [System and method for calculating advertising effectiveness metrics] The advertising effectiveness metric calculation system includes the distribution information storage unit 21, the access information acquisition unit 22, and the effectiveness calculation unit 23 described above. The advertising effectiveness metric calculation system may further include a display processing unit 24, and a conversion information acquisition unit 27 and a call information acquisition unit 28, which will be described later.

[0114] The advertising effectiveness index calculation system calculates the advertising effectiveness index based on the distributed materials by comparing the distribution information stored in the distribution information storage unit 21 with the information obtained by the access information acquisition unit 22 (and the conversion information acquisition unit 27 and the call information acquisition unit 28) in the effectiveness calculation unit 23. The advertising effectiveness index calculation method is realized by each of these components executing the processes described in this embodiment.

[0115] [Distributor Evaluation System and Methods] The distribution personnel evaluation system includes, in addition to the distribution information storage unit 21 and access information acquisition unit 22 described above, a personnel evaluation unit 210. The distribution personnel evaluation system may further include a conversion information acquisition unit 27 and a call information acquisition unit 28, which will be described later. The distribution personnel evaluation method is realized by each of these components executing the processes described in this embodiment.

[0116] The distribution information storage unit 21 also stores distribution staff information, which identifies the person responsible for distributing each distributed item (distribution staff identification information). Distribution staff information includes, for example, staff ID and name. This records "when, in which area, who distributed what number of items."

[0117] The personnel evaluation unit 210 uses access information and distribution information obtained by referring to the distribution information storage unit 21 using identification information as a key to calculate an index based on the relationship between the distribution quantity and the number of accesses for each personnel, and outputs the calculated index as the evaluation index for the distribution personnel.

[0118] An example of an evaluation metric is the response rate for each distributor. The distributor evaluation unit 210 may calculate the evaluation metric by considering not only access information but also at least one of call information and conversion information. For example, the evaluation metric may be the output value when at least one of the access count, call count, conversion count, and distribution quantity for each distributor is input into a predetermined function that does not decrease the access count, call count, and conversion count, and does not increase the distribution quantity.

[0119] The personnel evaluation unit 210 may determine that a particular distributor's evaluation indicator is significantly lower than the average evaluation indicator recorded by other distributors in the same or similar area or industry, and that there is a possibility that the distributor's distribution work was not performed properly (for example, discarding or distributing distributed materials unevenly).

[0120] The personnel evaluation unit 210 may compare the GPS log (distribution trajectory) of the terminal held by the distribution officer with the location information and time when access was made from the user terminal 1. For example, if concentrated access occurs in the vicinity of a particular distribution officer at approximately the same time that the officer is moving in that area, the personnel evaluation unit 210 may determine that there is suspicion of "self-serving" reading (inflated data fraud) by the distribution officer themselves, and may lower the evaluation indicator of the distribution officer or notify the administrator of an alert.

[0121] Furthermore, the personnel evaluation unit 210 may compare the location information of user terminal 1 included in the access information with the distribution area included in the distribution information. If the percentage of access from outside the distribution area exceeds a predetermined amount, the personnel evaluation unit 210 may determine that the distribution officer has made distributions outside the designated area and calculate a lower evaluation index.

[0122] The calculated evaluation indicators are output to or displayed on client terminal 3 or a terminal used by the distribution manager (not shown). The output format may be a ranking format for each person in charge, a score format, or a mapping format on a map. This allows the client to objectively evaluate the work quality of the distributors and use this information to select the next distribution person, provide incentives to distributors, and provide guidance. The calculated evaluation indicators may be stored in a database as needed.

[0123] [Differentiation] The disclosed technology is not limited to the embodiments described above. The disclosed technology may be modified as appropriate without departing from its spirit.

[0124] The display processing unit 24 may further display the distribution history of other distributed materials associated with the same or similar industries as the industry related to the current distribution request. The industry related to the current distribution request may be, for example, the industry related to the distributed material that received access, or the industry of a predetermined client. The distribution history may be, for example, at least one of the following: distribution quantity, distribution date and time, distribution area, distribution period, number of accesses, response rate, and advertising effectiveness indicator. This allows the client to consider the current distribution plan while checking the general response trends and success stories of their own industry.

[0125] The distribution request acceptance system may further include a conversion information acquisition unit 27. The conversion information acquisition unit 27 acquires information (conversion information) related to conversions, which are outcome points set by the client, such as the purchase of products related to the distributed materials, the contract of services, membership registration, or visit to a facility. The conversion information includes at least the number of conversions. The number of conversions is the total number of times the outcome point associated with the identification information of the distributed materials is reached. The number of conversions includes at least one of the following, for example, the number of transactions completed on a website, the number of coupons used at a physical store, the number of requests for materials, or the number of reservations to visit. The conversion information may also include the date and time, location, and attribute information of the user terminal 1 when the conversion occurred. The conversion information acquisition unit 27 acquires conversion information from an external server (for example, an e-commerce site server, a payment system, or a customer management system (not shown)) via a network. The conversion information acquisition unit 27 may also acquire data such as purchase log data output from a store's POS system or a list of successful customers entered by the client, either directly or via a storage unit. The conversion information acquisition unit 27 may perform a process to identify which distribution (identification information) caused the conversion by comparing the user identification information (member ID, email address, telephone number, etc.) included in the acquired conversion information, or the identification code used at the time of conversion, with the access information.

[0126] In this case, the display processing unit 24 may further display conversion information for products corresponding to the accessed distributed materials. This allows the client to objectively evaluate not only the access (awareness / interest) stage but also the contribution to final sales and results (action). The display processing unit 24 may also aggregate and display conversion information by distribution area and industry, making it possible to compare which areas and target groups had active purchasing behavior.

[0127] The distribution request acceptance system may further include a call information acquisition unit 28. The call information acquisition unit 28 acquires call information related to an incoming call when a call is received from a terminal with telephone functionality, such as a user terminal 1, to a telephone number listed on the distribution item. The call information includes at least the number of calls made. The number of calls is the total number of incoming calls to the telephone number associated with the identification information of the distribution item. The number of calls may include not only the number of valid calls that connected to an operator, but also the number of missed calls that were disconnected after ringing, or the number of calls that were busy. The call information may also include the identification information of the specified distribution item, the date and time the call was received, the originating telephone number, and the duration of the call. The telephone number listed on the distribution item may be a unique number assigned to each distribution item's identification information (e.g., distribution area, distribution period, or industry, etc.) (e.g., a measurement number used in a CTI system, etc.). The call information acquisition unit 28 identifies the identification information of the distribution item related to the incoming call by referring to the distribution information storage unit 21 using the incoming telephone number as a key. Furthermore, the call information acquisition unit 28 may acquire the telephone number of the user terminal 1, which is the call originator, as part of the call information if it is possible to obtain it through caller ID or the like.

[0128] In this case, the display processing unit 24 may further display call information related to the incoming call. This makes it possible to grasp not only digital responses such as website access, but also analog responses such as telephone inquiries in a unified manner, and to analyze the overall advertising effect of the distribution of materials from a more multifaceted and precise perspective.

[0129] The distribution request acceptance system may further include a code generation unit 29. The code generation unit 29 generates an access code to be attached to a distribution request for a distribution item. Specifically, when the code generation unit 29 receives a new distribution request from a client or updates an existing distribution request, it generates an access code embedded with identification information that uniquely identifies the request.

[0130] The code generation unit 29 provides the generated access code to the client via a screen managed by the display processing unit 24. Specifically, it displays an operation icon for issuing or obtaining an access code on the display screen of the "Advertising Effectiveness Indicators" or "Information Based on Advertising Effectiveness Indicators (Analysis Results, Comparative Display, etc.)" displayed on the display unit of the client terminal 3.

[0131] When the client operates the operation icon, the code generation unit 29 provides the access code in a downloadable format (e.g., image file format or PDF format) within the display screen. Alternatively, the operation icon may transition the user to another screen, such as a screen dedicated to downloading the access code or a screen for setting up the next distribution request, and the access code may be provided through that destination screen.

[0132] In this way, by configuring the system so that new access codes can be obtained directly from the display screen showing the analysis results, or through a simple transition, clients can quickly move on to preparing the next distribution materials (flyers, etc.) that reflect the results immediately after checking the effectiveness of past advertising. This makes it possible to efficiently run the PDCA cycle of advertising measures. In addition, since a code with individual identification information can be issued for each distribution request (campaign), the accuracy of measuring the effectiveness after distribution can be ensured.

[0133] Furthermore, the code generation unit 29 may acquire the original document data of the distributed material uploaded from the client terminal 3 (for example, image data of a flyer, PDF data, or layout data, etc.) and perform a process to automatically insert (combine) the generated access code into a predetermined area within the original document data. The position and size of the inserted access code may be a fixed position set in advance by the system, or it may be a position specified by the client via the client terminal 3.

[0134] The code generation unit 29 may provide the distribution data, after the access code has been inserted, to the client in a downloadable format via a screen managed by the display processing unit 24.

[0135] By automating the insertion of codes into manuscript data in this way, the client no longer needs to paste the codes, significantly reducing the production time for handouts. Furthermore, it prevents human errors such as incorrect code placement and ensures reliable linking of handouts to identifying information (area, time, etc.).

[0136] Proposal Unit 25 may, when identifying high-quality areas, place importance on the number of conversions, the number of calls made, or their rates, which are included as components of the calculated advertising effectiveness indicators. Specifically, Proposal Unit 25 may identify distribution areas as "high-quality areas" if, even if the number of accesses themselves is average, the conversion rate (CVR) or call rate relative to the number of accesses exceeds a predetermined standard.

[0137] This allows for the selection of recommended areas that are more likely to lead to conversions, tailored to the client's business type (e.g., industries where telephone orders are the primary source of business). Furthermore, by prioritizing areas that contribute significantly to the final conversion point, rather than simply gaining awareness (access), the proposal department 25 can maximize the return on investment of the distribution plan.

[0138] Each of the distribution information storage unit 21, access information acquisition unit 22, effect calculation unit 23, display processing unit 24, proposal unit 25, request acceptance unit 26, conversion information acquisition unit 27, call information acquisition unit 28, and code generation unit 29, which may be included in the distribution request acceptance system 2, may be implemented in different devices.

[0139] For example, the display processing unit 24, the request reception unit 26, and a part of the code generation unit 29 (such as the download interface) may be implemented on a client terminal 3 such as a PC, smartphone, or tablet owned by a client requesting the distribution of materials, while the other components (for example, the distribution information storage unit 21, the access information acquisition unit 22, the effect calculation unit 23, the proposal unit 25, the conversion information acquisition unit 27, and the call information acquisition unit 28, etc.) may be implemented on the server. An example of the screen of the client terminal 3 is the screen of the web browser on the client terminal 3, or the screen of a dedicated application installed on the client terminal 3. In this case, communication between the client terminal 3 and the server is carried out, for example, via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0140] The various processes described in the embodiments of the disclosed technology may be performed not only in chronological order according to the order described, but also in parallel or individually as required by the processing capacity of the device performing the processes.

[0141] All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually described as being incorporated by reference.

[0142] Furthermore, the present invention may also include a device (terminal) for using the apparatus, system, or method of the present invention via a network (telecommunication line). The "device (terminal) for use" may be equipped with functions necessary to obtain the effects of implementing the apparatus, system, or method of the present invention (for example, control functions, decoding functions, restoration functions, input / output functions, etc.).

[0143] [Programs, recording media] The functions realized by the components described herein may be implemented in a circuitry or processing circuitry, including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), CPUs (a Central Processing Unit), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, programmed to realize the functions described herein. A processor includes transistors and other circuits and is considered a circuitry or processing circuitry. A processor may be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in memory.

[0144] In this specification, circuitry, unit, and means are hardware programmed to perform or execute the functions described herein. Such hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein, or any hardware known to be programmed to perform or execute the functions described herein.

[0145] If the hardware is a processor that is considered to be a type of circuitry, then the circuitry, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to constitute the hardware and / or processor.

[0146] The various processes described above can be carried out by loading a program that executes each step of the above method into the recording unit 2020 of the computer 2000 shown in Figure 3, and then causing the control unit 2010, input unit 2030, output unit 2040, display unit 2050, etc. to operate.

[0147] The program describing this process can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Any computer-readable recording medium can be used, such as a magnetic recording device, optical disc, magneto-optical recording medium, or semiconductor memory.

[0148] Furthermore, this program may be distributed, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending portable recording media such as DVDs or CD-ROMs on which the program is recorded. Alternatively, the program may be stored in the storage device of a server computer and distributed by transferring the program from the server computer to other computers via a network.

[0149] A computer executing such a program may, for example, first store the program recorded on a portable storage medium or a program transferred from a server computer in its own storage device. Then, when processing is to be executed, the computer reads the program stored on its own storage medium and executes the processing according to the read program. Alternatively, the computer may directly read the program from the portable storage medium and execute the processing according to that program, or it may sequentially execute the processing according to the received program each time a program is transferred to it from a server computer. Furthermore, the processing may be executed by a so-called ASP (Application Service Provider) type service, where the processing function is realized only by execution instructions and result acquisition, without transferring the program from the server computer to this computer. Furthermore, the processing may be executed using a so-called SaaS (Software as a Service) type service, where a part of the server computer is made available to the user along with the program. In this form, the program includes information used for processing by an electronic computer that is equivalent to a program (data that is not a direct instruction to the computer but has the property of defining the computer's processing).

[0150] Furthermore, in this configuration, the device is configured by executing a predetermined program on a computer, but at least a part of these processes may be implemented in hardware.

Claims

1. A distribution request acceptance system that uses materials distributed to various locations within the distribution area, A distribution information storage unit stores distribution information, including the quantity distributed, date and time of distribution, and distribution area associated with each distributed item. An access information acquisition unit acquires access information, including the identification information of the distributed material and the date and time of access obtained by accessing the access code, and, if available, the location information of the user terminal, when an access is made from a user terminal via an access code attached to the distributed material. An effectiveness calculation unit calculates an advertising effectiveness index corresponding to the distribution area included in the distribution information, using the access information and distribution information obtained by referring to the distribution information storage unit using the identification information as a key. Based on the calculated advertising effectiveness indicators, the proposal department selects recommended distribution areas from among the candidate distribution areas. A request reception unit that receives requests for the distribution of materials for an area including all or part of the aforementioned recommended distribution area, through operations using the client's input means, Includes, Area characteristics are at least one of the following: demographic attributes, geographical characteristics, The proposal unit identifies distribution areas where the calculated advertising effectiveness index is above a predetermined threshold or within a predetermined rank from the top as superior areas, extracts the area characteristics of the superior areas, and selects areas with similar characteristics to the extracted superior areas from among the distribution candidate areas as recommended distribution areas. Distribution request acceptance system.

2. A distribution request acceptance system according to claim 1, The effect calculation unit calculates the advertising effect index higher when the acquired access information includes the location information compared to when the location information is not included. Distribution request acceptance system.

3. A distribution request acceptance system according to claim 1, When selecting the recommended distribution areas, the proposal unit extracts areas that meet a predetermined standard in terms of similarity to the area characteristics of the extracted superior areas, and then selects the recommended distribution areas by prioritizing the extracted areas in order of proximity to a predetermined location. Distribution request acceptance system.

4. A distribution request acceptance system according to Claim 1, The effect calculation unit, based on the location information or IP address included in the access information, determines that the access originates from outside a pre-defined trading area, and either excludes the access from the calculation of the advertising effect index, or calculates the advertising effect index by reducing the weight of the access compared to other accesses. Distribution request acceptance system.

5. A distribution request acceptance method executed by a distribution request acceptance system that uses materials distributed to each point within the distribution area, The distribution information storage unit stores distribution information, including the quantity distributed, the date and time of distribution, and the distribution area, which are associated with each distributed item. The access information acquisition unit acquires access information when an access is made from a user terminal via an access code attached to the distributed material, including the identification information of the distributed material and the date and time of access obtained by accessing the access code, and, if available, the location information of the user terminal. The steps include: the effect calculation unit calculates an advertising effect index corresponding to the distribution area included in the distribution information using the access information and the distribution information obtained by referring to the distribution information storage unit using the identification information as a key; The proposal department selects recommended distribution areas from among the candidate distribution areas based on the calculated advertising effectiveness indicators, The request reception department receives requests for the distribution of materials for an area that includes all or part of the aforementioned recommended distribution area, through an operation using the client's input means. Includes, Area characteristics are at least one of the following: demographic attributes, geographical characteristics, The proposal unit identifies distribution areas where the calculated advertising effectiveness index is above a predetermined threshold or within a predetermined rank from the top as superior areas, extracts the area characteristics of the superior areas, and selects areas with similar characteristics to the extracted superior areas from among the distribution candidate areas as recommended distribution areas. How to submit a distribution request.

6. A program for causing a computer to perform each step of the distribution request acceptance method described in claim 5.

Images