SYSTEM TO GENERATE REAL ESTATE LEADS AND RELATED METHODS

Abstract

A method to generate real estate leads includes publishing a plurality of marketing items for a real estate listing with a telephone number and a unique code printed thereon. The unique code is configured to be transmitted by a mobile communication device and the unique code printed on each piece of the plurality of marketing items is different. The method also includes sending the plurality of marketing items to a plurality of street addresses, where the unique code is assigned to a particular street address of the plurality of street addresses. In addition, the method includes receiving a communication from the mobile communication device at the remote device associated with the telephone number, where the communication includes the unique code, and in response to receiving the unique code, determining the particular street address assigned to the unique code and creating a file that stores data of the communication.

Claims

1. A method to generate real estate leads, the method comprising: publishing a plurality of marketing items for a real estate listing with each having a telephone number and a unique code printed thereon, wherein the unique code is configured to be transmitted by a mobile communication device to a remote device associated with the telephone number; sending the plurality of marketing items to a plurality of street addresses, wherein the unique code is assigned to a particular street address of the plurality of street addresses; receiving a communication from the mobile communication device at the remote device associated with the telephone number, wherein the communication includes the unique code; and in response to receiving the unique code, determining the particular street address assigned to the unique code, and creating a file that stores data of the communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique code comprises alphanumeric characters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is a smartphone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique code printed on each piece of the plurality of marketing items is different.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique code is randomly generated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the marketing item comprises a post card.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication from the mobile communication device is a text message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of the plurality of marketing items to the plurality of street addresses comprises using a mailing service to deliver the plurality of marketing items.

9. A system to generate real estate leads, the system comprising: a plurality of marketing items for a real estate listing with each having a telephone number and a unique code printed thereon, wherein the unique code is configured to be transmitted by a mobile communication device to a remote device associated with the telephone number; a server comprising a microprocessor and a memory that stores the unique code assigned to a particular street address of the plurality of street addresses, the microprocessor configured to receive a communication from the mobile communication device at the remote device associated with the telephone number, wherein the communication includes the unique code; and in response to receiving the unique code, determining the particular street address assigned to the unique code, and creating a file that stores data of the communication.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the unique code comprises a text message comprising alphanumeric characters.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a smartphone.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the unique code printed on each piece of the plurality of marketing items is different.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the unique code is randomly generated.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the marketing item comprises a post card.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication from the mobile communication device is a text message.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the sending of the plurality of marketing items to the plurality of street addresses comprises using a mailing service to deliver the plurality of marketing items.

17. A method to generate real estate leads, the method comprising: publishing a plurality of marketing items for a real estate listing with each marketing item having a randomly generated unique code printed thereon, wherein the unique code is configured to be transmitted by a mobile communication device to a remote device; receiving a communication from the mobile communication device at the remote device, wherein the communication includes the unique code; and in response to receiving the unique code, determining a particular street address assigned to the unique code using a relational database, and creating a file that stores data of the communication.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mobile communication device is a smartphone.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the unique code printed on each piece of the plurality of marketing items is different.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication from the mobile communication device is a text message.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The aspects and the attendant advantages of the embodiments described herein will become more readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a particular illustrative embodiment of a method to generate real estate leads;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a particular illustrative embodiment of a system to generate real estate leads;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a general diagram of a system incorporating a microprocessor and a memory in which the system and method of FIGS. 1 and 2 to generate real estate leads may be used; and

[0021] FIG. 4 is a particular illustrative embodiment of a marketing item that may be used with the system and method to generate real estate leads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0023] Referring initially to FIG. 1, a method to generate real estate leads is generally designated 100. The method begins with publishing a plurality of marketing items for a real estate listing with each having a telephone number and a unique code printed thereon, at 102, where the unique code is configured to be transmitted by a mobile communication device to a remote device associated with the telephone number. The unique code may be randomly generated by a random generator. Moving to 104, the method includes sending the plurality of marketing items to a plurality of street addresses, where each unique code is assigned to a particular street address of the plurality of street addresses. The sending of the plurality of marketing items to the plurality of street addresses comprises using a mailing service to deliver the plurality of marketing items to the plurality of street addresses, for example the U.S. Postal Service.

[0024] In addition, the method includes, at 106, receiving a communication from a mobile communication device at a remote device associated with the telephone number, where the communication includes the unique code. The method also includes in response to receiving the unique code, determining the particular street address assigned to the unique code, at 108.

[0025] The method includes creating a file that stores data of the communication, at 110, that can be used to direct more marketing to the resident of the particular street address that responded.

[0026] A system to generate real estate leads is shown in FIG. 2 and designated 200. The system 200 includes a remote computer 202 in communication with a printer 204. The remote computer 202 stores a database of unique codes that are assigned to street addresses in a relational database. For example, a first unique code is assigned to a first street address, and a second unique code is assigned to a second street address, and so on. The printer 204 is used to publish (or print) the marketing materials 206, 208, 210. Each piece of marketing material includes a street address for a home 226, 228, 230.

[0027] Accordingly, a first piece of marketing material 206 includes a first unique code 216 and the first street address for the home 226. The first unique code is xct123498. The first piece of marketing material is then mailed to the first street address 226. Similarly, a second piece of marketing material 208 includes a second unique code 218 and a second street address for the home 228. The second unique code is yre0143678. Likewise, the third piece of marketing material 210 includes a third unique code 220 and a third street address for the home 230. The third unique code is lij985620. The unique codes can be randomly generated, or sequential, for example.

[0028] When a resident of the home that received the marketing material wants more information about the listing printed thereon, the recipient can use a mobile communication device 240 to text a phone number with a message having the unique code. The unique code can then be correlated with the respective street address stored in the remote computer using the relational database in order to determine the resident that is responding.

[0029] For example, in FIG. 2 the mobile communication device 240 from the second street address 228 is texting the message yre0143678. Thus, when that text message is received, that unique code can be correlated to whatever street address to which it was assigned. Subsequently, additional marketing material can be directed to the second street address as a lead who is interested in buying or selling a home.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a general diagram of the remote computer 202, which includes a microprocessor and a memory 250. The memory 250 is used to store the unique codes assigned to the respective particular street addresses, and also listing information 254 and any other information related to the real estate. A format module 256 includes an algorithm that is executed by the microprocessor in order to format the unique codes and the listing information and any other information related to the real estate into the desired marketing format. The remote computer 202 transmits the formatted marketing material to a printer 204 that generates the physical marketing materials, which can then be delivered to desired recipients.

[0031] Referring now to FIG. 4, a postcard is illustrated as an example of the marketing material 208. The postcard includes listing information for the second home 228 and also the telephone number that a recipient can text the message yre0143678, which is the second unique code 218. As explained above, once a message is received with the unique code, the broker can determine from which street address the message was received. The unique code can also be correlated with the particular listing, or the telephone number can be used as the identifier of a particular listing.

[0032] Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, configurations, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, configurations, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0033] The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a computing device or a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a computing device or user terminal.

[0034] The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosed embodiments. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope possible consistent with the principles and novel features as defined herein.