Method for promoting goods and services of providers

Abstract

A 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. The mail packages are then forwarded to respective recipients. A report is generated based on the direct mail items redeemed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A 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;   electronically storing demographic information of each new resident in an electronic database, said demographic information comprising at least a recipient name and address;   generating a plurality of direct mail items comprising provider promotions, and preselecting from the plurality of direct mail items only those provider promotions relevant to the new residents relocated to the predetermined zip code, wherein generating the direct mail items comprises:   (i) using a printer, printing sheets of paper coupons;   (ii) marking each of the preselected direct mail items with a machine-readable code unique to each of the new residents;   sorting the preselected direct mail items into cooperative mail packages relevant to the new residents relocated to the predetermined zip code;   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 machine-readable code using a reader and electronically linking it with the new resident's demographic information contained in the electronic database;   generating a report based on the redeemed direct mail items, wherein said report comprises:   a secondary mailing report containing demographic information for at least a portion of the targeted group for purposes of generating additional direct mail items; and   (ii) demographic and address information for new residents redeeming the direct mail items.