-
`
`PCT
`
`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`international Bureau
`
`
`
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(51) Intel-national Patent Classification 7 =
`$312?" igigg: $3313, ¥2%0?ggofillllg§603
`HMM 11100
`
`[11) International Publication Number:
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`WO 00167976
`5 October 2000 (05.10.00)
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCTiU500t08351
`
`(22} International Filing Date:
`
`30 March 2000 (30.03.00)
`
`{30) Priority Data:
`091081.422
`
`30 March 1999 (30.03.99)
`
`US
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): SCIMARC
`LLC [UStUS]; 2250 Hickory Road #140. Plymouth Meeting.
`PA 19462 (US).
`
`(81) Designated States: AE. AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA. BB,
`BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ. DE, DK, DM,
`DZ, EE. ES, FI, GB. GD. GE. GH. GM, HR. HU, ID, IL,
`IN, IS. JP. KE, KG, KP, KR, Kz. LC, LK. LR. Ls. LT, LU,
`LV, MA, MD, MG. MK, MN, MW, MX. NO, NZ, PL, PT,
`RO. RU. SD. SE, SG, Si. SK. SI... TJ, TM, TR. TT, TZ,
`UA, UG, US. U22. VN, YU, 2A. ZW. ARIPO patent (GH.
`GM, KE, LS, MW. SD. SL, 52, 12. U6, ZW), Eurasian
`patent (AM. AZ, BY. KG. KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES. FI. FR, GB, GR.
`rE. lT, LU. MC, NL, PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ. CF.
`CG. CI, CM. GA. GN, GW, ML, MR, NE. SN, TD. TG).
`
`(72} Inventor; and
`(75] InventorIApplicant (for US only): IETER. John, T. [USIUS]; Published
`2250 Hickory Road #140, Plymouth Meeting. PA 19462
`With internationai search report.
`(US).
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of
`amendments.
`
`(74} Agents: BLASKO, John. P. et 31.: LP. Blasko Professional
`Corp.. 107 North Broad Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 (US).
`
`(54) Title:
`
`INTERACTIVE TARGETED MARKETING SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`
`
`mits a reward to survey participants.
`
`(57} Abstract
`
`A system and method for interactive mar-
`keting in the life sciences industries is disclosed.
`Targeted respondent data for a client company
`project is input to a system server (10) which
`is used to generate survey participation offers.
`The system server (10) transmits the participa-
`tion offers having a project identifier and respon-
`dent identifier to the respondents on an automated
`basis such as by facsimile transmission. When
`a survey participant responds, the system server
`(10) conducts an automated survey either by tele-
`phone or by electronic form using predetermined
`survey questions for the client company market—
`ing project. An audio or audiovisual market-
`ing message is selected and played to the survey
`participant based on either the participant‘s re-
`sponses to the selected survey questions or other
`profile data of the participant. The survey re-
`sponses are recorded and the response data. or
`processed statistical reports generated from the
`response data, are transmitted to the client com-
`pany. The response data and statistical reports
`may be generated and accessed on a real—time
`basis by the client company via a telecommunica-
`tions link (20) to the system server (10). Option-
`ally. the system server (10) generates and trans—
`
`lELECflHW-MCATIONS
`
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`

`

`Zimbabwe
`
`Albania
`Armenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Azerbaijan
`Bosnia and Henegovina
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faao
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Cfite d'Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Cuba
`Czech Republic
`GermanyI
`Denmark
`Estonia
`
`ES
`FI
`FR
`GA
`GB
`GE
`Gli
`GN
`GR
`
`IE
`IL
`IS
`IT
`JP
`KE
`KG
`K?
`
`KR
`KZ
`LC
`LT
`LK.
`LR
`
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Ghana
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Israel
`Iceland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgyzstan
`Democratic People's
`Republic of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazaltstan
`Saint Lucia
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`
`LS
`LT
`LU
`LY
`
`MD
`MG
`MK
`
`ML
`MN
`MR
`MW
`MX
`NB
`NL
`NO
`
`PL
`PT
`R0
`RU
`SD
`SE
`SG
`
`Lesotho
`Lithuania
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`Republic of Moldova
`Madagascar
`The former Yugoslav
`Republic of Macedonia
`Mali
`Mongolia
`Mauritania
`Malawi
`Mexico
`Niger
`Netl'terlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`
`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international applications under the PCT.
`
`SI
`SK
`SN
`52
`TD
`TG
`TJ
`TM
`TR
`1"?
`UA
`UG
`US
`UZ
`VN
`YU
`
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Swaziland
`Chad
`Togo
`Tajikistan
`Turkmenistan
`Turkey
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
`Viet Nam
`Yugoslavia
`
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`_ wo 00157976
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`PCTIUSOOIGS35]
`
`INTERACTIVE TARGETED
`
`MARKETING SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`Field Of The Invention
`
`The present
`
`invention relates to targeted marketing and
`
`feedback on an interactive basis, and more particularly,
`
`to a
`
`system and method for dynamic and automated targeted marketing
`
`and marketing measurement
`
`in the life sciences industry.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Background Of The Invention
`
`Marketing programs and advertising delivery systems,
`
`particularly in the life sciences industries such as the
`
`pharmaceutical and agricultural science industries,
`
`tend to be
`
`expensive and inefficient. Often, it is also difficult,
`
`if
`
`not
`
`impossible,
`
`to measure the success or failure of a
`
`particular marketing program.
`
`For example, pharmaceutical companies typically market
`
`their products through a network of sales representatives who
`
`provide detailed information about a product directly to a
`
`purchase decision—maker, such as a prescribing physician in a
`
`practice. This is known as “detailing."
`
`They also market
`
`products through direct mail advertising,
`
`through
`
`advertisements in scientific journals, or through general
`
`advertising to consumer—patients in general circulation
`
`25
`
`periodicals or on television.
`
`Each of these means of
`
`marketing is expensive and, except for the detailing procedure
`
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`PCTIUSUOIOSBSI
`
`and direct mail advertising, cannot be focused on specific
`
`purchase decisionemakers.
`
`Detailing involves a brief oral presentation of
`
`information by the pharmaceutical company's sales
`
`representative to a physician along with written information,
`
`samples and the like.
`
`A detailing session will generally take
`
`place in the physician's office during business hours and last
`
`from ten to twenty minutes. Because of the labor—intensive
`
`nature of detailing,
`
`the cost of this marketing mechanism is
`
`expensive.
`
`The sales representatives must be thoroughly
`
`educated and trained with respect to the detail message
`
`intended to be delivered to the physician and, of course, must
`
`be provided with the necessary logistic support such as
`
`transportation, communications equipment and product
`
`literature.
`
`Even though detailing may be targeted to a
`
`specific group of physicians,_it is generally not
`
`the practice
`
`to customize the detail message and effectively the same
`
`message is delivered to all the physicians. Also, because of
`
`10
`
`15
`
`the limitations on maintaining a sales force of
`
`20
`
`representatives, e.g., size and expense, each sales
`
`representative must visit a number of physicians.
`
`It may
`
`therefore take weeks or even months to deliver the detail
`
`message to all the physicians the pharmaceutical company wants
`
`to reach. Because of the expense of detailing,
`
`this marketing
`
`method is usually limited to use only in connection with the
`
`top—selling products of the company which may comprise two to
`
`five percent of the products in a company’s product line.
`
`-2—
`
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`Permsoommm
`
`Another potential drawback to using the detailing
`
`mechanism is the requirement that the message delivered to the
`
`physician must generally comply with government regulations
`
`governing the message content.
`
`For example, many governments
`
`require that the message must be “balanced” and that the
`
`message does not
`
`include any “off label” claims.
`
`In other
`
`words,
`
`the sales representatives must not make any claims or
`
`representations in person which would not be permitted on the
`
`labeling of the pharmaceutical product. Also the message must
`
`contain the same sort of balance betWeen the positive and
`
`negative attributes of the product as the label or other
`
`written advertising would contain. Obviously, since each
`
`detail session is a personal presentation to a physician,
`
`Ln
`
`10
`
`there is the risk that the message could contain a mistake or
`
`15
`
`even an unauthorized “off label" claim.
`
`Direct mail advertising can be targeted to specific
`
`physicians, but it is often viewed as ineffective because,
`
`20
`
`25
`
`unlike detailing,
`
`there is no assurance that the advertisement
`
`is receiving the attention of the physician. Because of the
`
`static visual nature of most direct mail advertising and the
`
`busy schedules of most physicians, direct mail advertising
`
`cannot be relied upon to convey important product
`
`information
`
`in the same manner as detailing. Direct mail advertising is
`
`also competing with the advertising of both competitive and
`
`unrelated products for the attention of a physician.
`
`In order
`
`to compete for what little attention the physician may give to
`
`direct mail advertising,
`
`the advertising must be designed to
`
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`_ wo 00157976
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`Penman/03351
`
`stand apart from other solicitations which obviously increases
`
`the expense.
`
`Advertising in scientific journals, general circulation
`
`periodicals and on television is not very focused on a
`
`specific set of purchase decision—makers by its nature and is
`
`generally expensive.
`
`The message must be carefully developed
`
`and is often tested well
`
`in advance of publication in order to
`
`accommodate these mass market mechanisms. Generally,
`
`there
`
`are relatively long lead—times required before the
`
`advertisement is published and, if it is determined that the
`
`message was ineffective in, or detrimental
`
`to, promoting
`
`sales,
`
`the cempany has little ability to halt or alter the
`
`mass marketing process.
`
`The publications of the message have
`
`been made and cannot be rescinded. Further,
`
`in the case of
`
`television, only relatively short, uncomplicated messages can
`
`be delivered.
`
`The above—noted marketing methods also do not provide a
`
`mechanism for accurately and quickly assessing the
`
`effectiveness of a marketing project.
`
`In some instances, such
`
`as after the use of detailing, a company can correlate product
`
`purchases or prescriptions with the visit of its sales
`
`representative. However, generally speaking,
`
`the company must
`
`rely on other market research techniques to attempt to assess
`
`the results of its efforts.
`
`In the case of pharmaceutical
`
`companies, it is a common practice to survey the prescribing
`
`physicians.
`
`The surveys are either in the form of a
`
`questionnaire delivered by mail
`
`to the physician or in the
`
`-4—
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
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`_ W0 0057976
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`PCTIUSDOIOS3SI
`
`form of telephone interviews conducted by live operators.
`
`The
`
`cooperation of the physicians may be secured by rewarding them
`
`for participating in the survey,
`
`for example, by paying the
`
`physicians an honorarium. However, since the company will
`
`typically engage in a number of marketing projects
`
`simultaneously, it is often not possible to accurately assess
`
`the effectiveness of a particular project and,
`
`in the case of
`
`mass marketing projects,
`
`there may be no assurance that the
`
`physician was exposed to the effects of the marketing project.
`
`Summary Of The Invention
`
`In view of the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art
`
`marketing systems, it is an object of this invention to
`
`provide a system and method for carrying out focused marketing
`
`in a cost~efficient manner and to provide a mechanism for
`
`accurately and swiftly assessing the efficacy of the
`
`marketing.
`
`The newly developed automated marketing system of
`
`the present invention achieves these objectives.
`
`The system
`
`conducts an automated survey of the intended recipient of the
`
`marketing message through a telecommunications link, e.g., via
`
`telephone or over a network such as the Internet, and delivers
`
`the marketing message to the respondent during or following
`
`the survey.
`
`The system allows the marketing message to be
`
`targeted to specific sets or subsets of purchase decision—
`
`makers or purchase influencers such as physicians, scientists,
`
`technical directors, purchase agents,
`
`farmers or consumers in
`
`the life sciences industries.
`
`The system selects the
`
`-5—
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
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`_ we 0057976
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`Formsoomsssl
`
`marketing message based on predetermined criteria such as a
`
`respondent’s answer to particular survey questions to
`
`determine which message is the most appropriate to deliver.
`
`The message can be carefully controlled to insure its
`
`integrity and compliance with government regulations.
`
`The
`
`system of the present
`
`invention also provides for real—time
`
`feedback on the effectiveness of a marketing project and the
`
`purchase attitudes of the purchase decision-makers being
`
`surveyed.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Targeted respondent data.for a client company project is
`
`input to a system server which is used to generate survey
`
`participatiOn offers.
`
`The system server transmits the
`
`participation offers having a project identifier and
`
`respondent identifier to the respondents on an automated basis
`
`such as by facsimile transmission. When a survey participant
`
`responds,
`
`the system server conducts an autOmated survey
`
`either by telephone or by electronic form using predetermined
`
`survey questions for the client company marketing project.
`An
`audio or audi0visual marketing message is selected and played
`
`to the survey participant based on either the participant’s
`
`responses to selected survey questions or other profile data
`
`of the participant.
`
`The survey responses are recorded and the
`
`reSponse data or processed statistical reports generated from
`
`the reaponse data is transmitted to the client company.
`
`The
`
`response data and statistical reports may be generated and
`
`accessed on a real—time basis by the client company via a
`
`telecommunications link to the system server. Optionally,
`
`the
`
`-6-
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`L W0 00.357976
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`PCTIU590108351
`
`system server generates and transmits a reward to survey
`
`participants.
`
`In another aspect, it is an object of the system and
`
`method of the present invention to provide a means for
`
`refining and tailoring the marketing message to the profile of
`
`the/intended recipient.
`
`The message may be customized based
`
`on the profile data previously established for the individual
`
`or data established by the individual’s responses to the
`
`survey questions.
`
`In yet another aspect,
`
`the invention provides feedback
`
`mechanisms to the client company so that it can evaluate the
`
`effectiveness of the project or modify the marketing messages
`
`according to the results of the survey.
`
`The present invention
`
`provides for delivery of the results data to the client
`
`company and for the generation of reports statistically
`
`correlating the survey results or other data.
`
`The data and
`
`reports can be printed on paper, delivered on storage media
`
`such as magnetic or cd—rom disks, or accessed in real time via
`
`a telecommunications link.
`
`These and other features and objects of the invention
`
`will be more fully understood from the following detailed
`
`description of the preferred embodiments which should be read
`
`in light of the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
`
`Brief Description Of The Drawings
`
`The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
`
`form a part of the specification,
`
`illustrate the embodiments
`
`_7_
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
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`_ wo 0057976
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`Pcnusoomsasl
`
`of the present invention and,
`
`together with the description
`
`serve to explain the principles of the invention.
`
`In the drawings:
`
`FIG.1 is a flowchart of the method according to the
`
`invention;
`
`FIG.
`
`2 is a diagram of the overall physical architecture
`
`of the interactive marketing system of the invention;
`
`FIG.
`
`3 depicts an overview of the flow of information in
`
`the interactive marketing system of the invention;
`
`10
`
`FIG.
`
`4A is an example of the log—on screen for accessing
`
`response data and statistical reports on response data via a
`
`telecommunications link;
`
`FIG.
`
`4B is an example of an onhscreen statistical report
`
`generated by the system server cross—correlating responses to
`
`15
`
`two questions from a survey accessible via a
`
`telecommunications link according to the invention;
`
`FIG.
`
`5 is a block diagram representation of a
`
`configuration of the interactive marketing system of the
`
`present invention wherein multiple client company projects are
`
`simultaneously undertaken by the system server;
`
`FIG.
`
`6 illustrates a database structure for an exemplary
`
`target respondent database;
`
`FIG.
`
`I illustrates a database structure for project data,
`
`according to one embodiment;
`
`FIG.
`
`8 illustrates a database structure for project data,
`
`20
`
`25
`
`according to one embodiment;
`
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`_ we ours-ms
`
`PCTIU800108351
`
`FIG.
`
`9 illustrates an exemplary list of typical marketing
`
`survey question topics; and
`
`FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary marketing survey.
`
`Detailed Description
`
`Of The Preferred Embodiment
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention
`
`illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be used
`
`for the sake of clarity. HowEVer,
`
`the invention is not
`
`intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and
`
`it is to be understood that each specific term includes all
`
`technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to
`
`accomplish a similar purpose.
`
`With reference to the drawings,
`
`in general, and FIGS.
`
`1
`
`through 5 in particular,
`
`the system and method of the present
`
`invention is disclosed.
`
`An Overview of the architecture and general method of the
`
`invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1,
`
`2 and 3.
`
`In a preferred embodiment,
`
`the system uses a computer
`
`system server 10 connected via a telecommunications link 20 to
`
`telecommunication devices at a client company location 30 and
`
`25
`
`a respondent location 40. Any suitable computer system server
`
`such as a personal computer, microcomputer or server as are
`
`well known in the art may be used.
`
`The server 10 typically
`
`_9_
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`L WO 00157976
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`PCTFUSBUIOBHI
`
`comprises one or more microprocessors,
`
`temporary storage media
`
`such as RAM memory, and other storage media such as magnetic
`
`hard drives or tape drives or optical drives such as cd—rom
`
`drives for storing digital data.
`
`The server 10 may be a
`
`single computer or a plurality of computers that are
`
`networked, as is well known in the art.
`
`The computer system server 10 has a means for connecting
`
`to the telecommunications link 20 and communicating with
`
`devices at
`
`the Client company location 30 and the respondent
`
`locations 40.
`
`The communications means may be any suitable
`
`computer telephony communications card. Voice, data and fax
`
`processing cards are well known in the art and are available,
`
`for example,
`
`from Dialogic Corporation, 1515 Route Ten,
`
`Parsippany, New Jersey, USA.
`
`These cards are typically
`
`connected to the microprocessor via an interface and may be
`
`dedicated to the processing of a single type of communication,
`
`such as voice or data or fax. Alternatively, cards are
`
`available having combined processing capabilities.
`
`The system server 10 may communicate with devices at the
`
`client location 30, such as personal computer 32 or with
`
`devices at respondent locations 40,
`
`such as fax machine 42,
`
`telephone 44 or personal computer 46.
`
`The telecommunications
`
`link 20 may be established across any suitable network such as
`
`the Public Switched Network (PSN),
`
`the Internet,
`
`a proprietary
`
`(.n
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`network or combinations thereof.
`
`According to the system and method of the invention,
`
`project data is input into the system Server 10.
`
`As shown in
`
`-10_
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`_ wo 0057976
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`pcnusuomsssl
`
`block 11 of the flowchart in FIG. 1,
`
`the project data includes
`
`target respondent data.
`
`The respondent data may include data
`
`such as the name, address,
`
`telephone number,
`
`facsimile machine
`
`number and the like for each target respondent. This data may
`
`be stored in a relational database as is commonly known in the
`
`art.
`
`In a preferred embodiment,
`
`the data is stored in an
`
`xbase format such as a Clipper—compatible database format.
`
`The respondent data may also include additional profile
`
`information such as the target respondent's field of specialty
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`or similar information concerning the nature of the
`
`respondent’s medical practice or business.
`
`The database structure for an exemplary target respondent
`
`database is shown in FIG. 6. _The target respondent database
`
`table includes the field RESPID to record a unique respondent
`
`identifier for each target respondent and the field STUDY to
`
`record a project identifier for current marketing project.
`
`The respondent data may be transmitted from the personal
`
`computer 32 at the client company location 30 via
`
`telecommunications link 20 as shown by arrow 22 of FIG. 3.
`
`Alternatively,
`
`the target respondent data may be input
`
`from
`
`another source or may be resident on the system server 10 from
`
`a previous marketing projectr
`
`Block 12 of the flowchart
`
`in FIG.
`
`1 shows that other
`
`project data such as survey question data and marketing
`
`message data are input into the system server 10 shown by
`
`arrow 24 in FIG. 3. This data may be transmitted via the
`
`telecommunications link 20 from the client company location 30
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`or they may be input
`
`from other sources.
`
`The project data may
`
`include survey questions, marketing messages, question and
`
`message file identity and location, and data necessary for
`
`executing the marketing message selection.
`
`The respondent database illustrated in FIG.
`
`6 also
`
`includes fields Q01 through Q99 for recording the respondent’s
`
`responses to survey questions 1 through 99 respectively.
`
`In
`
`this example,
`
`the response data is recorded in the same
`
`database table that contains the respondent contact data, but
`
`it will be recognized that response data could be recorded in
`
`a separate database table.
`
`The respondent database alSO
`
`includes fields for recording communications with the target
`
`reSpondent such as the date the survey participation offer is
`
`sent to the target respondent,
`
`the date of the survey
`
`interview,
`
`the interview duration, and the amount and date of
`
`the reward sent to the respondent for completing the survey
`
`interview.
`
`Since it is contemplated in the illustrated
`
`embodiment that the system will determine which one of several
`
`marketing messages is the most appropriate for the respondent,
`
`the respondent database table includes field MSGPLAY to record
`
`which message was transmitted to the target respondent during
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`or after the survey.
`
`In-a preferred embodiment, a survey participation offer
`
`is transmitted to each target respondent as shown in block 13
`
`of FIG.
`
`1 and arrows 26 in FIG. 3.
`
`The participation offer
`
`may be printed by the system server 10 and sent by mail or
`
`courier to the target respondent.
`
`In a preferred embodiment,
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`the offer is sent by facsimile transmission to the facsimile
`
`machine 42 at the respondent
`
`location 40 using software for
`
`generating the participation offer from the target respondent
`
`data and for initiating and transmitting the offer to each
`
`respondent on an automated basis.
`
`Software for this purpose
`
`is generally known in the art and is available,
`
`for example,
`
`from Parity Software Development Corporation,
`
`3 Harbor Drive,
`
`Sausalito, California USA under the trademark VOS.
`
`The
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`software is used to program system server 10 to generate
`
`participation offers from the data in the target respondent
`
`database and to send the offers using the fax processing card
`
`via the telecommunications link 20 to the respondents. Upon
`
`successful transmission of the offer,
`
`the date of the offer is
`
`recorded in field DATEwF in the target respondent database.
`
`The participation offer includes the project identifier,
`
`a
`
`unique respondent identifier for the targeted respondent, and
`
`any other pertinent information and terms, such as the study
`
`topic or the terms of the reward for survey participation.
`
`The offer may be transmitted by other means such as via email
`
`or the like to respondent’s personal computer 46.
`
`It is
`
`preferred that the offer is generated by the system server 10
`
`on an automated basis.
`
`Where the survey is conducted as an automated telephone
`
`survey,
`
`the survey questions and messages are stored as
`
`digital audio files on the system storage media to be
`
`processed by the system server 10. When the respondent uses
`
`her personal computer or other electronic appliance having
`
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`audiovisual capabilities,
`
`the survey questions are stored as
`
`digital text, audio or audiovisual files and the marketing
`
`messages are stored as audio or audiovisual files.
`
`FIGS.
`
`? and 8 illustrate the database structures for
`
`5
`
`database tables for the project data.
`
`In this illustration,
`
`it is contemplated that the selection of the marketing message
`
`will be based on the responses during the survey interview of
`
`two of the survey questions. However, it should be understood
`
`that the project data may include only one marketing meSsage
`
`10
`
`that is used for all respondents. Where the project includes
`
`more than one marketing message,
`
`the selection may be based on
`
`survey responses to two or more survey questions or based on
`
`reSpondent profile criteria or a combination thereof.
`
`The
`
`client project database illustrated in FIG.
`
`7 includes field
`
`15
`
`STUDY for the project identifier and fields for recording the
`
`file identities and locations for the audio or audiovisual
`
`messages which may be transmitted during the automated survey
`
`interview.
`
`In a preferred embodiment,
`
`the system server 10 is
`
`20
`
`programmed using computer telephony Software such as the
`
`trademarked VOS software to conduct an automated telephone
`
`survey when a targeted respondent initiates a survey session
`
`in response to a participation offer.
`
`The respondent
`
`initiates the Survey session by telephoning the system server
`
`25
`
`telephone number identified in the participation offer and,
`
`after a greeting message,
`
`inputting the project identifier and
`
`the respondent's unique respondent identifier as indicated by
`
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`arrow 28 of FIG. 3. Thereafter,
`
`the system server 10 conducts
`
`the survey on a question—bquuestion basis using the question
`
`data established for the client company project specified by
`
`the respondent as shown on block 14 of FIG. 1.
`
`As is known in the art,
`
`the system server 10 uses audio
`
`or voice files to generate question messages and the
`
`respondent responds to question messages or response commands
`
`either by using tOuch tones of the telephone or voice
`
`commands.
`
`The respondent’s responses are recorded in the
`
`appropriate fields Q01 through Q99 of the target respondent
`
`database.
`
`The system server 10 is also programmed to track
`
`the last answered question in field LASTQ.
`
`In this manner,
`
`if
`
`the respondent terminates the survey session and re—initiates
`
`a subsequent survey session,
`
`the system server 10 is
`
`programmed to resume the survey at the first unanswered
`
`question or at some previous point in the survey such as the
`
`beginning of the survey at the option of the respondent. Data
`
`relating to the questions for the client company project are
`
`stored in the project-specific question database having a data
`
`structure, such as that shown in FIG. 8.
`
`The project
`
`identifier is stored in field STUDY and the question
`
`identifier is stored in field QUEST.
`
`The type of question,
`
`e.g., whether the question responSe will require only one
`
`response command such as “Choose response from one through
`
`five.” or whether the question response may require multiple
`
`response commands such as “Enter the number of patients you
`
`have treated for this condition,” is stored in field TYPE.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
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`This example question database also has three indicator fields
`
`PLAYTOP, PLAYPRO and ETAIL which the system server 10 is
`
`programmed to recognize.
`
`If the indicator is set to other
`
`than the default,
`
`the system server 10 will transmit
`
`the
`
`corresponding message after the question such as a topic
`
`message, a product—related message or a marketing message,
`
`respectively.
`
`The field QVOX contains the name of the audio
`
`or voice file on the system server 10 for the question which
`
`the system server 10 processes when it is time to present the
`
`10
`
`question.
`
`15
`
`20
`
`The survey questions are directed to topics such as are
`
`known in the art for measuring awareness, attitudes and
`
`receptivity of the respondent to a product or therapy that is
`
`the subject of the marketing project.
`
`By way of example,
`
`a
`
`list of typical marketing survey question topics is set forth
`
`in FIG. 9.
`
`An example of an automated telephone interview
`
`script for an agricultural sciences marketing project is set
`
`forth in FIG. 10.
`
`The project database table illustrated in FIG.
`
`7 contains
`
`the file names of the set of pro—recorded marketing messages
`
`in fields MSGOl
`
`through M8609.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, at
`
`least one of these audio or voice files is processed and
`
`transmitted by the system server 10 when the ETAIL field noted
`
`above for a particular question is set to other than default.
`
`Fields MSGQl, MSGlLOW, MSGlHIGH, MSGlVLU and MSGQZ, MSGELOW,
`
`MSGZHIGH, MSGZVLU relate to data used by the system server 10
`
`#16...
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`to determine which marketing message to transmit to the
`
`respondent and are discussed in greater detail below.
`
`In an alternative embodiment,
`
`the automated survey is
`
`conducted by an electronic form, when the targeted respondent
`
`initiates the survey session using her personal computer.
`
`The
`
`use of such electronic forms is well known in the art. When
`
`the survey responses are submitted in electronic form such as
`
`over the Internet,
`
`the system server 10 is programmed to
`
`review and validate the survey question responses and,
`
`thereafter,
`
`to process and transmit an audio or audiovisual
`
`marketing message to the respondent based on predetermined
`
`logic as discussed below.
`
`The respondent may access the
`
`system server 10 using widely available browser software such
`
`as trademarked Internet Explorer software available from
`
`Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, USA or trademarked
`
`Netscape Communicator software available from Netscape
`
`Communications Corporation, California, USA.
`
`The audio or
`
`audiovisual messages may be heard or viewed,
`
`for example,
`
`using browser add-on software such as trademarked RealPlayer
`
`(J1
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`software available from RealNetworks,
`
`Inc.
`
`In the system according to the present invention,
`
`a
`
`project may have only a single pre—recorded marketing message
`
`which is delivered after a designated question or validation
`
`of the survey questions responses. However, it is preferred
`
`25
`
`that that the interactive marketing System selects a
`
`particular marketing message from a set of marketing messages
`
`based 0n pre—determined factors and logic.
`
`The selection of
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`the desired marketing message may be determined from the
`
`reSpondent’s response to one or more survey questions and a
`
`set of logical rules based on the substance of the questions.
`
`Alternatively,
`
`the system may also be programmed to not
`
`deliver any marketing message at all based on the respondent’s
`
`question responses. This might be an appropriate choice where
`
`the respondent has indicated in her response to survey
`
`questions that she is not receptive to listening or viewing a
`
`marketing message.
`
`The message selection may also be based
`
`upon profile information about the respondent that is already
`
`known by the client company such as the geographic location of
`
`the respondent,
`
`the respondent’s experience,
`
`the respondent’s
`
`practice or business specialty.
`
`In another embodiment,
`
`the system may include multiple
`
`s