Business method for promoting goods and services of providers

Abstract

A business method for promoting goods and services of providers includes the steps of designating a group of targeted recipients, and storing demographics information of each recipient in an electronic database. A plurality of direct mail items including provider promotions is generated, and each marked with a machine-readable ID code unique to each of the recipients. The direct mail items are sorted by their respective ID codes into cooperative mail packages, each mail package containing multiple items with common ID codes. The mail packages are then forwarded to respective recipients. After redemption of a direct mail item by a recipient, the ID code is read and electronically linked with the recipient's demographics information contained in the electronic database.

1 . A business method for promoting goods and services of providers, comprising:
 designating a group of targeted direct mail recipients, said recipients comprising new residents having relocated from one zip code to a predetermined zip code;   dividing the new residents into segments according to segmentation criteria selected from a group consisting of anticipated needs of the new residents, past behavior of the new residents, and demographic profiles of the new residents;   generating an electronic record for each recipient, each electronic record comprising provider promotions;   using the segmentation criteria, preselecting from the plurality of direct mail items provider promotions relevant to each of the segments of new residents having relocated to the predetermined zip code;   marking each of the preselected direct mail items with a machine-readable ID code unique to each of the new residents, sorting the preselected direct mail items by their respective ID codes into cooperative mail packages, each mail package containing multiple items with common ID codes;   forwarding the mail packages to respective new residents for redemption by the new residents;   after redemption of a direct mail item by a new resident, scanning the ID code using a reader and electronically linking it with the recipient's demographics information contained in the electronic database; and   generating a report based on the direct mail items redeemed, said report comprising at least one of a group consisting of:   (i) a geo-mapping report comprising a geographic map which plots respective geographic locations of new residents, and which utilizes a first visual code feature, visually coding geographic location points on the geographic map to visually distinguish various segments of new residents based on a selected demographic; and   a second visual code feature, further visually coding the geographic location points of new residents within the selected demographic based on a second selected demographic, such that new residents within the first selected demographic can be sub-segmented and visually distinguished on the geographic map; and   (ii) a customer segmentation report based on at least one of a plurality of variable selected from a group consisting of geographic variables comprising at least one of regions, region size, and climate; demographic variables comprising at least one of age, gender, family size, income, occupation, education, religion, nationality and race; psychographic variables comprising at least one of personality life-style, values, and attitudes; and behavioral variables comprising at least one of product usage rates, brand loyalty, and product end use.   
     
     
         2 . A business method according to  claim 1 , and comprising sorting the mail packages based on the number of direct mail items contained in each package, such that each package in a sorted group has an equal number of direct mail items. 
     
     
         3 . A business method according to  claim 1 , wherein the segmentation criteria comprises statistical data selected from a group consisting of age, gender, presence of children, and income. 
     
     
         4 . A business method according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable code comprises bar coding. 
     
     
         5 . A business method according to  claim 1 , and comprising forwarding the mail packages to recipients via a postal service. 
     
     
         6 . A business method according to  claim 1 , and comprising forwarding the mail packages to recipients via electronic mail. 
     
     
         7 . A business method according to  claim 1 , wherein the report comprises a secondary mailing report containing demographics information for at least a portion of the targeted group for purposes of generating additional direct mail items. 
     
     
         8 . A business method according to  claim 1 , and comprising forwarding redeemed direct mail items to a clearinghouse for reading respective codes. 
     
     
         9 . A business method according to  claim 1 , and comprising surveying the recipient after the direct mail item is redeemed. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A business method for promoting goods and services of providers, comprising:
 designating a group of targeted direct mail recipients, said recipients comprising new residents having relocated from one zip code to a predetermined zip code;   storing demographics information of each new resident in an electronic database;   dividing the new residents into segments according to segmentation criteria selected from a group consisting of anticipated needs of the new residents, past behavior of the new residents, and demographic profiles of the new residents;   generating an electronic record for each recipient, each electronic record comprising provider promotions;   using the segmentation criteria, preselecting from the plurality of direct mail items provider promotions relevant to each of the segments of new residents having relocated to the predetermined zip code;   marking each of the preselected direct mail items with a machine-readable ID code unique to each of the new residents;   sorting the preselected direct mail items by their respective ID codes into cooperative mail packages, each mail package containing multiple items with common ID codes;   forwarding the mail packages to respective new residents;   after redemption of a direct mail item by a new resident, scanning the ID code using a reader and electronically linking it with the recipient's demographics information contained in the electronic database; and   generating a report based on the direct mail items redeemed, said report comprising at least one of a group consisting of:
 (i) a geo-mapping report comprising a geographic map which plots respective geographic locations of new residents, and which utilizes a first visual code feature, visually coding geographic location points on the geographic map to visually distinguish various segments of new residents based on a selected demographic; and
 a second visual code feature, further visually coding the geographic location points of new residents within the selected demographic based on a second selected demographic, such that new residents within the first selected demographic can be sub-segmented and visually distinguished on the geographic map; and 
 
 (ii) a customer segmentation report based on at least one of a plurality of variable selected from a group consisting of geographic variables comprising at least one of regions, region size, and climate; demographic variables comprising at least one of age, gender, family size, income, occupation, education, religion, nationality and race; psychographic variables comprising at least one of personality life-style, values, and attitudes; and behavioral variables comprising at least one of product usage rates, brand loyalty, and product end use; and 
 (iii) a new resident report listing of new residents grouped into a plurality of lifestage classifications based on age and children. 
   
     
     
         12 . A business method according to  claim 11 , and comprising sorting the mail packages based on the number of direct mail items contained in each package, such that each package in a sorted group has an equal number of direct mail items. 
     
     
         13 . A business method according to  claim 11 , wherein the segmentation criteria comprises statistical data selected from a group consisting of age, gender, presence of children, and income. 
     
     
         14 . A business method according to  claim 11 , wherein the machine-readable code comprises bar coding. 
     
     
         15 . A business method according to  claim 11 , and comprising forwarding the mail packages to recipients via a postal service. 
     
     
         16 . A business method according to  claim 11 , and comprising forwarding the mail packages to recipients via electronic mail. 
     
     
         17 . A business method according to  claim 11 , wherein the report further comprises a secondary mailing report containing demographics information for at least a portion of the targeted group for purposes of generating additional direct mail items. 
     
     
         18 . A business method according to  claim 11 , and comprising forwarding redeemed direct mail items to a clearinghouse for reading respective codes. 
     
     
         19 . A business method according to  claim 11 , and comprising surveying the recipient after the direct mail item is redeemed. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)