Interactive Sales Funnel Visualization for Buyer Needs Assessment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sales funnel systems fail to provide consumers with the opportunity to choose based on their individual buying criteria and sellers are unaware of what buyers consider important, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal sales conversions.

Innovation Solution

An interactive sales funnel system utilizing a graphical interface with a product need visualization wheel and visual questionnaire allows consumers to perform a customized product needs assessment, displaying a visual depiction of relationships between inputs to facilitate informed purchasing decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional sales funnel systems are used, then the sales process can proceed through standard stages, but consumers cannot actively define their individual needs and sellers remain unaware of buyer priorities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuyer needs informationVSAvoidsales process simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables consumers to self-assess their own product needs through an interactive interface that guides them through need assessment categories. The consumer actively defines their requirements without seller intervention, transforming the information gathering process from seller-driven to buyer-driven, thus resolving the information asymmetry while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements real-time feedback mechanisms where consumer inputs about their needs are immediately processed and reflected in the visual depiction. This continuous feedback loop allows the system to adapt to consumer preferences dynamically, ensuring that sellers receive accurate information about buyer priorities without complicating the sales process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If consumers are given tools to assess their needs, then purchasing decisions become more informed, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneeds assessment accuracyVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The needs assessment is divided into distinct categories (e.g., product features, price sensitivity, timing) that are presented separately to the consumer. Each category can be assessed independently, allowing for precise measurement of specific needs while keeping the overall system structure manageable through modular organization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses visual depictions that transform multi-dimensional needs data into a two-dimensional graphical representation. This dimensional transformation allows complex needs assessment results to be displayed intuitively on a screen, maintaining measurement precision while reducing the perceived system complexity for the user

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of information

If visual depictions of need relationships are displayed, then consumer understanding improves, but the interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsumer understandingVSAvoidinterface design
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The visual depiction utilizes color variations to represent different levels of need intensity or relationship strengths between product features. This visual encoding allows consumers to quickly grasp complex relationships without requiring complex interface elements, maintaining clarity while managing interface complexity through intuitive visual cues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

Complex relationships between multiple product needs are projected onto a two-dimensional visual display, allowing consumers to perceive multi-dimensional relationships in a simplified graphical format. This dimensional reduction maintains comprehensive information while presenting it in an intuitively understandable form

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Productivity

If personalized needs assessments are implemented, then conversion rates improve, but the time required for the sales process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesales conversion rateVSAvoidassessment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary needs assessment before the actual sales conversation, allowing consumers to define their requirements in advance. This preliminary action captures essential information that would otherwise require lengthy discussions during the sales process, thereby improving conversion rates while actually reducing total time required

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The needs assessment is designed as a continuous, engaging process that maintains consumer interest and momentum. By presenting assessment categories in a logical flow with immediate visual feedback, the system keeps consumers engaged throughout, reducing abandonment and ensuring the assessment is completed efficiently without unnecessary delays

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12400253B1Interactive sales funnel system and method
Publication Date: 2025.08.26 HASAN RICKY
  • US12400253B1 patent drawing
  • US12400253B1 patent drawing
  • US12400253B1 patent drawing

AI summary

An interactive sales funnel system and method that provides for delivery, execution, management, and optimization of an interactive sales funnel associated with the offering for sale of a product and/or service to a third party. The interactive sales funnel system employs a graphical interface for display on a display device comprising a product need visualization wheel together with a visual questionnaire that are utilized by a consumer to perform a customized product needs assessment. Based on that customized product needs assessment, the graphical interface is updated to show a visual depiction of a relationship between respective consumer inputs, as a function of specific product need assessment categories, received in relation to each other. The consumer then makes an informed purchasing decision based on the depicted visual relationship.