Invention for Method and system for automating cause marketing in local and regional business environments
Invented by Terrance Patrick Tietzen, Edatanetworks Inc
Cause marketing has become an increasingly popular strategy for businesses to not only promote their products or services but also make a positive impact on society. By aligning themselves with a cause or social issue, companies can engage with consumers on a deeper level and build a stronger brand reputation. However, implementing cause marketing campaigns can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially for local and regional businesses with limited budgets and manpower. This is where the method and system for automating cause marketing in local and regional business environments come into play.
The concept of automating cause marketing is relatively new but holds immense potential for businesses of all sizes. It involves utilizing technology and software to streamline and simplify the process of creating, managing, and tracking cause marketing campaigns. By automating various aspects of cause marketing, businesses can save time, reduce costs, and ensure a more efficient and effective execution of their initiatives.
One of the key benefits of automating cause marketing is the ability to identify and connect with relevant causes or nonprofit organizations. The method and system can utilize algorithms and data analysis to match businesses with causes that align with their values, target audience, and industry. This not only ensures a more authentic and meaningful partnership but also increases the chances of success for both the business and the cause.
Furthermore, automating cause marketing allows businesses to easily create and customize campaigns that resonate with their audience. With the help of user-friendly software, companies can design visually appealing and engaging content, including social media posts, email newsletters, and website banners. The system can also provide templates and pre-designed materials, making it even easier for businesses to get started with cause marketing.
Another significant advantage of automating cause marketing is the ability to track and measure the impact of campaigns. The system can provide real-time analytics and data on various metrics, such as engagement levels, donations generated, and brand sentiment. This allows businesses to assess the effectiveness of their cause marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions for future campaigns. Additionally, the system can automate the process of collecting and managing donations, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The market for method and system for automating cause marketing in local and regional business environments is poised for growth. As more businesses recognize the importance of cause marketing and its potential benefits, the demand for automated solutions will increase. This presents an opportunity for software developers and technology companies to create innovative and user-friendly platforms that cater specifically to the needs of local and regional businesses.
However, it is important to note that while automation can streamline the process, it should not replace the human element in cause marketing. Building authentic relationships with causes and engaging with the local community still require personal involvement and genuine commitment. The method and system for automating cause marketing should be seen as a tool to enhance and complement businesses’ efforts, rather than a complete replacement.
In conclusion, the market for method and system for automating cause marketing in local and regional business environments is a promising one. By leveraging technology and automation, businesses can efficiently and effectively implement cause marketing campaigns, ultimately making a positive impact on society while also benefiting their own brand. As the demand for cause marketing continues to grow, the development of user-friendly and comprehensive automated solutions will play a crucial role in supporting businesses in their cause marketing endeavors.
The Edatanetworks Inc invention works as follows
The present invention is a system, a method and a computer program that enables local or regional retailers to participate in ‘automated cause marketing (ACM). ACM is a program that can benefit several parties, including merchants, advertisers, supported organizations and individuals, who are involved in raising funds for one or multiple supported organizations. Merchants can access enhanced analytics about their transactions with ACM members and non-members and use this enhanced analytics to increase the number or revenue of transactions with ACM members. The present invention also teaches an advertising provider a method and system for acquiring and analyzing data related to consumer-merchant transaction. The present invention offers the above benefits optimally by using a mobile phone. The present invention may also enable a user to communicate their charitable preferences to other members of the electronic social network.
Background for Method and system for automating cause marketing in local and regional business environments
The methods of fundraising that are used by most organizations have evolved significantly over the past few years. Supported organizations, for example, traditionally raised funds from taxation, public donations and corporate donations. In recent years, some supported organizations have used lotteries as a way to raise funds. Online systems now allow for a substantial flow of donations to be made to supported organisations in conjunction with loyalty systems. Retail businesses can increase revenues by implementing these loyalty systems.
In another instance, private and public interest groups raised money by asking for donations and other forms of financial support from individuals and companies who shared their views.
Some of the most advanced loyalty programs may be referred to as automated cause marketing (ACM). ACM programs automate the distribution of benefits among several parties that are involved in fundraising. These include one or more supported organisations (for example charities), merchants and individuals. The ACM model maximizes the flow of benefits to supported organizations. In U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. No. “A Loyalty Engine to Automate Cause Management: A Method, System and Computer Program.
The ACM program can be administered in various ways by the organizations that are supported or an ACM administrator. This could be the same person or entity as the merchants themselves, the credit card companies, the loyalty providers, the online stores, the offline stores offering credit facilities, etc.
Consumers are usually attracted and join ACM programs based on which organizations they support. A consumer will often choose an ACM program to benefit an organization with which they have an emotional connection. “The consumer will often prefer to transact only with merchants who are registered in the ACM Program rather than with those not registered, so that these supported organizations benefit.
However… what hasn’t been considered is a system which considers the emotional connection a customer might have with a particular merchant. Many consumers have a preference for certain merchants. For example, local or regional businesses which are considered ‘institutions’ in their communities. In their local communities, it is well known that many consumers favor certain merchants. For example, they may prefer local or regional businesses which are?institutions? Local and regional businesses often refer to them as “mom-and-pop stores”, illustrating the family connection they feel with their customers.
These local and regional businesses might not have an electronic or interne connection to the outside world. These businesses have never had the opportunity to integrate into loyalty programs such as ACM. Ironically, this type of business will also tend to donate to organizations that they support and with whom they have an emotional connection, so their customers have not been fully encouraged to join ACM programmes. They will be more inclined to join an ACM program when the local or regional businesses are involved.
It is difficult to include these merchants and organizations in current ACM programs. ACM programs are typically run on a national scale to provide the exposure and revenue that will benefit all parties. It may not be economically feasible to include regional or local merchants, and organizations supported by ACM programs. ACM programs are often burdened by their involvement. ACM programs tend to focus on a small number of organizations supported and businesses aligned to these organizations who operate on a regional or national basis. ACM programs of the prior art, therefore, fail to maximize the activity directed at these supported organizations as well as a large proportion of businesses who would support them that operate on a local or regional basis.
Another problem with current ACM programs is that they are not well known to consumers who don’t actively seek out ways to donate to the organizations supported. ACM programs aren’t well known to many consumers, nor is the ACM concept in general. ACM programs are not well-known to consumers. Typical advertising is also not practical, as many charities and supported organizations do not have the funds necessary for marketing. In this respect, there has not been a technique developed to enhance customer acquisition on a massive scale.
Therefore, an ACM Program is needed that allows local and regional businesses to participate in order to maximize their inclusion in the ACM Program to increase customer acquisition. It is also necessary to have a system which leverages existing relationships in order to make consumers aware of ACM and the benefits that they offer to supported organizations.
The present invention is a computer-implementable method of providing a program of loyalty to promote contributions to one supported organization or organizations. The method includes: (a), linking one user to a program of loyalty established by an administrator, and establishing users as members; (b), linking one local or region merchant to the program; (c), associating transactions between one member and one local or region merchant to the program, and enabling recording information for each transaction; (d), defining rules to make contributions to one supported organization based
The present invention also provides system for providing a program to promote contributions to supported organisations, the system being characterized by (a) web server;(b) loyalty engine linked to web server and established by an admin; (c), one or multiple point of sales facilities for accepting payments, each linked to one of more merchants linked to loyalty program; (d), a way to associate a plurality transactions occurring at one or several point of sales facilities with the engine; (e), a database that allows the recording of data for each of a
The present invention also provides a computer software program that comprises computer instructions, which when loaded onto a server computer connected with the Internet can be used to create a web app defining a loyal engine for promoting donations to supported organisations. Characterized in that the loyalty engine may define a program by performing steps such as: (a), linking one of more users to a program created by an administrator; (b), linking one of more local merchants or merchants; (c), associating transactions between one or multiple members and one local or local merchants and local or
Before describing in detail at least one embodiment, you should understand that the invention does not limit its application to construction details and the arrangement of components as described in the description below or shown in the drawings. The invention can be embodied in other ways and practiced or carried out differently. It is important to note that the terminology and phraseology used herein are intended for description only and not as a limitation.
Overview
The present invention is a system, a method and a computer program that attracts businesses to a cause-marketing environment (called an ACM herein) provided by a loyal engine. The ACM program provides enhanced analytics to businesses that they would not otherwise have access to without significant costs.
The enhanced analytical information provided to the business will help increase customer retention, and maximize revenue. This is achieved by providing the business with information about its customers’ preferences, their response to previous promotions (which indicates their likelihood to use those or similar promotional offers in future transactions), and ways to attract new and existing clients to transact. The interface of this invention allows the business to use analytics to offer these methods to attract customers. The ACM program can increase the number or revenue of transactions for a business, and this in turn benefits all other parties involved.
The ACM program is particularly advantageous to include local or regional businesses. They may only be brick and mortar shops, but they do not usually have an online presence. The present invention allows them to benefit from real-time analytical information about their customers and transactions, even though they may not have an online presence (they could be strictly?brick and mortar stores? The term “local and regional business” should be understood. This is not meant to be restrictive in any way. The analytics presented here would be beneficial to a national company, but what is known as a “local” business? Local or regional businesses, independent business owners, franchisees and other small businesses would benefit from the analytics presented herein. Business or independent businesses or franchisees would benefit in a manner that they could not with prior ACM programs.
In exchange for attracting local businesses and regional businesses, ACM increases its scope. A supported organization can realize additional revenue streams due to the inclusion local and regional business.
Merchants are the businesses that participate in ACM. While customers are called’members’. The system of the invention ideally includes a webserver and a point-of-sale facility for each merchant that is in communication with the server. The ACM is a web-based loyalty engine that’s linked to a web server. It provides an ACM interface for features such as rewards notification, dissemination, events, surveys, offers, and analytics. The transactions between members and merchants that are made using point-of-sale facilities and payment methods can be recorded, or linked, to a database, for referrals by merchants, administrators, or intermediaries. Members can complete surveys related to merchants and transactions. The surveys can generate reviews for merchants. When other members search for merchants, these members will be presented with completed reviews.
The present invention provides a method and system for increasing the number of customers in an ACM. These customers can be added individually to the ACM using novel technologies and methods as described in greater detail below or they can be added in batches or sets by leveraging the user base of other systems.
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