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Buckslip lead generation systemRelated Patent Categories: Registers, Systems Controlled By Data Bearing RecordsBuckslip lead generation system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060208056, Buckslip lead generation system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is the first application filed for the present invention. MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0002] Not Applicable. TECHNICAL FIELD [0003] The present invention relates to retail systems and more particularly to a retail loyalty customer lead generation and tracking system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] The provision of goods (e.g. food and clothing) and services (e.g. insurance, medical services and banking) to today's consumers are manifested through a variety of channels and in a variety of different outlets including those of both retailers and service providers. A number of large scale retailers have attempted to branch out from solely offering goods to consumers and have expanded to offer services that are more traditionally provided by service providers. However, this latter strategy can be time consuming, costly and legally taxing for retailers because the sale of many of the services to consumers are subject to state legislation. [0005] The provision of services to consumers usually requires large sums of marketing expenses but with unknown returns. It would thus be highly advantageous to have a system or method for targeting marketing resources to interested customers. It would also be highly desirable if such a system or method provided a mechanism for generating and tracking sales leads. [0006] As is well known in the art, many retailers keep track of retail customers' buying habits through loyalty card programs that incorporate: the capture and storage of the individual name and contact details for each loyalty card member (LCM); the provision to each LCM of a unique alpha-numeric loyalty member identifier which may be recorded on a loyalty card provided to the LCM; and the retention of a retailer's database in which the name and contact details for each LCM are tied to the LCM's loyalty member identifier. These loyalty card programs are usually tied into the retail data management system, so that a LCM's loyalty card can be scanned at a point-of-sale terminal using a magnetic card reader or a universal product code (UPC) barcode scanner, during the checkout process, so that a LCM's purchases can be registered against the LCM's loyalty member identifier. [0007] It is also well known in the art to provide discount coupons to retail customers, to encourage them to purchase specific goods. Discount coupons typically promote a specific product and provide a discount price or other introductory offer when presented with the product at the time of purchase at a retailer. Traditional coupons are therefore used at a retailer, to promote sales of retail products carried by the retailer. [0008] It would be highly advantageous to provide a sales promotion mechanism to promote sales of services not usually carried by retailers. It would be further advantageous to provide a mechanism for generating targeted sales leads. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] The present invention provides retailers a system through which they may offer their loyalty card members (LCM) access to services provided by service providers while opening up new targeted marketing channels to LCMs. [0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sales promotion mechanism to promote sales of services not usually carried by retailers. [0011] In general terms, the present invention uses in-store brochures or buck-slips to promote a service not usually carried by a retailer. An example of such a service is pet health insurance promoted within a retail pet store. [0012] The brochure instructs an interested customer to scan the universal product code (UPC) barcode of the brochure at checkout. If the interested customer does not initiate contact with the service provider within a certain time period, the retailer will send the customer's contact information to the service provider. [0013] Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention provides a method of sales lead generation for a service provider from a customer interested in a promotion for a service. The method comprises steps of: recording a customer identifier at a retailer point-of-sale device; recording a promotion identifier code presented by the customer, at the point-of-sale device; retrieving customer contact information for the customer from a database, in response to recording the customer identifier and promotion identifier code; and sending the customer contact information to the service provider. [0014] In some embodiments, the step of recording a promotion identifier code comprises recording the promotion identifier code from a brochure. [0015] In some embodiments, the brochure contains directions for the customer to initiate the purchase of the service from the service provider. [0016] In some embodiments, the step of sending the customer contact information to the service provider occurs only if the customer does not initiate the purchase of the service within a predetermined period of time. [0017] In other embodiments, the promotion identifier code comprises a universal product code (UPC), and the step of recording the promotion identifier code from a brochure comprises scanning the UPC. [0018] In other embodiments, the step of recording the promotion identifier code from a brochure further comprises recording the UPC as a sale in a retail transaction system with a zero sale value. [0019] In still other embodiments, the step of recording a customer identifier comprises recording a loyalty customer number. Continue reading about Buckslip lead generation system... Full patent description for Buckslip lead generation system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Buckslip lead generation system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Buckslip lead generation system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Advanced gestational wheel calculator Next Patent Application: Device for reading information on part supply device Industry Class: Registers ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Buckslip lead generation system patent info. 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