Abstract: An advertising system logs performance data regarding user interactions with advertisements from a plurality of advertisers. The advertising system uses the performance data to calculate various performance metrics, which are, in turn, used to determine budget weighting values for each of the plurality of advertisers. The advertising system retrieves candidate advertisements from one or more databases based on the user's context (e.g., a user search request). The advertising system selects particular advertisements and/or sorts the advertisements using the budget weighting values, and then sends them to the user (e.g., for display on the user's terminal or device).

Abstract: A method for transferring funds, comprising defining a savings parameter associated with a first financial account and a second financial account, wherein the savings parameter adjusts over time based on the funds available in the first financial account and the second financial account, performing a transfer of funds from the first financial account to the second financial account for a transfer amount determined by the savings parameter, and displaying a progress report based on the transfer of funds.

Abstract: A request for content is received. First content is selected for the request. The first content is selected from among multiple content items based on information in the request, a characteristic of how the first content is to be presented, and a stored pricing threshold value selected based on the characteristic. The characteristic of how the first content is to be presented includes an amount of available space that is occupied by the first content when the first content is presented. The selected first content is provided for presentation by a publisher that provides second content.

Abstract: The disclosed computer system provides a selectively programmed Web architecture that implements a procedure and method for selectively serving to a Web page one or more electronic ads wherein the selection process is governed in part by application of a statistical algorithm. In a preferred embodiment of the inventive technology, the system manages and serves electronic ads for affiliated Web page publishers and advertisers. A computer-implemented method in accordance with the disclosed technology receives a request for an electronic advertisement for a Web page, wherein the Web page is associated with a Web page publisher, one or more electronic ads are selected using a statistics based approach, and the one or more electronic ads are communicated to the Web page for display.

Abstract: Computer-readable media and a computer system for correcting bid estimates that are calculated from stored data encompassing an incumbent customer's participation in a keyword auction are provided. Initially, input criteria is received, which includes customer-history data and a candidate position, within a ranking of incumbent customers competing to display an advertisement, that is attractive to the incumbent customer. A corrected rank model of the competing incumbent customers' ranking is generated, which effectively discounts the stored data related to the incumbent content provider. The corrected rank model is utilized to predict an adjusted average position of the incumbent content provider, within the ranking of the competing incumbent customers, without physically extracting stored data associated therewith. A corrected price model that ignores the influence of the incumbent customer's participation in the advertising auction is then constructed.

Abstract: Helping advertisers to control marketing expenditures by governing the delivery of an advertisement over a time period. Such governing may be accomplished by (a) determining an expected cost associated with delivering the advertisement, ungoverned, over the time period; and (b) governing the delivery of the advertisement based on the expected cost and a target cost. The delivery of the advertisement may be also governed based on time remaining in the time period, budget deficits from past periods, budget surpluses from past periods, a start date and an end date associated with the advertisement, time since a start date associated with the advertisement, and/or time until an end date associated with the advertisement. The target cost may be based on a predefined budget.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method for pricing user-related data including receiving first offers from advertisers for data related to a person. The data is a member of a set related to multiple persons. The data is provided by data providers. The method includes selecting one or more of the first offers. The method includes providing access to the data to the advertisers having the selected first offers. The method includes receiving second offers for an advertisement slot from at least the advertisers having the selected first offers. The advertisement slot is associated with the data related to the person. The method includes selecting at least one of the second offers. The method includes debiting the advertisers for the data. The method includes debiting an advertiser for the advertisement slot. The method includes compensating the data providers for the data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating, managing and optimizing online advertising campaigns include groups of independent human resources working through a marketplace to suggest and optimize appropriate choices for how, where and how much to pay for online advertising. Optimization is achieved through the use of market-based incentives that pay participants based on the quality, quantity and efficiency of the results of their suggestions. The systems and methods enable a marketplace that leverages the inherent knowledge of a large group of people to come up with all search terms, placements, targeting and advertisements that might be relevant to a product, and determine the optimal auction prices for these search terms, placements, targeting and ads on the search engine systems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assuring delivery of paid advertising to a user may involve asking a question about an advertisement or requiring data about the advertisement to be entered. In one embodiment, a human presence indicator, such as stylized letters, may be displayed during or after the presentation of an advertisement to be copied by a user to indicate presence during the advertisement. When the challenge relating to ad viewing is correctly answered, a value associated with viewing the ad may be credited to a user account, either locally or at a clearinghouse or other repository.

Abstract: A community portal website system composed of multilevel community portal websites, employing a precision marketing method to pay resident members to look at advertisements placed by business members. Business members are able to specify a campaign period, a prepaid budget balance, and target consumer characteristics for the viewers of an advertisement. Resident members are paid by business members both directly and indirectly. Resident members who match the target consumer characteristics will be directly paid a fee for accessing an advertisement for a predetermined viewing time. Resident members are also paid indirectly by business members by means of a lottery fund. Business members contribute to the lottery fund every time their advertisements are viewed by resident members. A winner of the lottery fund is drawn regularly by the licensor or licensee, and the grand prize winner is paid a substantial amount.

Abstract: A method (400) and system (100) for providing a promotion plan (128) for merchandising products (600) receives base data (142) for the products (600) that includes allowable offers (204) and price rules (206) that affect the offers (204). A margin budget (146) is established for the promotion plan (128) that defines an amount of margin an enterprise is willing to forgo for a promotion event implementing the promotion plan (128). A scenario (406) is generated in response to the base data (142). The scenario (406) is optimized to obtain decisions (154) for the promotion plan (128) that are constrained by the margin budget (146). The promotion plan (128), indicating the obtained decisions (154), is presented for implementation by the enterprise during the promotion event. The obtained decisions (154) include a list of the products (600), each of which is associated with one offer (204) and one price rule (206).

Abstract: A method and system for content and application serving mechanism is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a tiered campaign is created that contains a plurality of advertisements. The plurality of advertisements is served in one or more sections of a web browser. Each of the assignments is assigned with a priority and preferences and served to the web browser based on the assigned preferences and priorities.

Abstract: Computer-implemented system and methods are disclosed for optimizing the relative positions of sponsored and organic search results on a search results page displayed to a user, including calculating, by a search engine, a degree of commerciality of a search query; receiving the search query from a user by the search engine; and delivering, by the search engine to a browser of a user, a plurality of sponsored search results in at least two columns and a plurality of organic search results in at least a third column of one or more search results pages, wherein a layout of the at least three columns depends on the degree of commerciality of the search query.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that can be used in advertising campaign management in connection with auction-based online advertising. A tool is provided, for use by advertisers or advertising campaign managers, for being provided with, in connection with specified parameters, an indication of a competitive bid and a non-competitive bid. The tool may also provide an actual, estimated, or projected bid, which may be associated with an advertising campaign or a portion thereof, for comparison with the competitive bid and the non-competitive bid. The tool may allow assessment of a competitive bid landscape and help allow determination of an optimal bid.

Abstract: Helping advertisers to control marketing expenditures by governing the delivery of an advertisement over a time period. Such governing may be accomplished by (a) determining an expected cost associated with delivering the advertisement, ungoverned, over the time period; and (b) governing the delivery of the advertisement based on the expected cost and a target cost. The delivery of the advertisement may be also governed based on time remaining in the time period, budget deficits from past periods, budget surpluses from past periods, a start date and an end date associated with the advertisement, time since a start date associated with the advertisement, and/or time until an end date associated with the advertisement. The target cost may be based on a predefined budget.

Abstract: A system for storing and redirecting an Internet user with an enhanced click traffic (ECT) unit between websites of interested parties which employs a distributed network of Click Generators to enhance click traffic and an intermediary website for registering interested partners and conducting an auction of the ECT, having the result of redirecting the Internet user to the most relevant online destination.

Abstract: A method for displaying advertisements on a user device. The method includes generating at least one window frame on the user device by an agent, wherein the at least one window frame is configurable by a user of the user device; periodically communicating with an advertisement management server (AMS) requesting to provide at least one advertisement and its associated metadata; displaying, upon determination that a user is interacting with the user device, the at least one advertisement on the at least one window frame based in part on the metadata; and generating a message of consumption for debiting an advertisement campaign account of the at least one advertisement for the viewing of the at least one advertisement and for crediting a user account of the user for the viewing of the at least one advertisement; and sending the message of consumption to the AMS.

Abstract: A method for integrating television brand advertising with promotional marketing includes providing an image to be displayed in different television commercials for products from different advertisers, the image indicating a website; and providing at the website coupon offers for the products from the different advertisers. The image will alert a viewer of the television commercial that a special coupon offer is available at a website. The viewer will go to the website and be able to select from one or more coupon offers available to consumers in their market area. The consumer then prints the coupons, or adds credit to a coupon card, which is then redeemed at the retailer. The system allows for Point Of Sale (POS) redemption, or more traditional redemption through a coupon clearinghouse.

Abstract: A system and method for managing avails on advertisement wheels in different retail chains may include establishing a first and second number of avails on first and second display networks in first and second retail chains. The first number of avails may be less than the second number of avails. Total audience delivery of the first and second display networks may be determined. In response to an avail being booked, avail count of at least a portion of the first and second number of avails may be reduced. A determination that the avail count of the at least a portion of the first number of avails (e.g., national avails) on the first display network has reached zero may be made. The total audience delivery may be reduced by the audience delivery available to the first display network, and displayed to a next advertiser seeking to book an avail on the first and second display networks.

Abstract: A method for acquiring marketing information from a marketing call center. The method involves a setting of a marketing information trigger based on a pre-determined event corresponding to at least one of a vehicle and an in-vehicle telematics unit, and an initiation of a call to the marketing call center to acquire the marketing information in response to an occurrence of the pre-determined event.

Abstract: Helping advertisers to control marketing expenditures by governing the delivery of an advertisement over a time period. Such governing may be accomplished by (a) determining an expected cost associated with delivering the advertisement, ungoverned, over the time period; and (b) governing the delivery of the advertisement based on the expected cost and a target cost. The delivery of the advertisement may be also governed based on time remaining in the time period, budget deficits from past periods, budget surpluses from past periods, a start date and an end date associated with the advertisement, time since a start date associated with the advertisement, and/or time until an end date associated with the advertisement. The target cost may be based on a predefined budget.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for increasing advertiser utility in broad match auctions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from an advertiser, a set of keywords; accessing a linear program for a keyword language auction; determining a solution to the linear program; determining, based on the solution to the linear program, a proper subset of the keywords that increases the advertiser's utility relative to the advertiser's utility for the set of keywords; and generating utility bids for each of the keywords in the subset, each utility bid corresponding to one of the keywords in the subset and being a bid price for the keywords.

Abstract: Provided is a keyword advertising system for extracting search listings in response to a search request. The system comprises a memory for storing a search information database; a bid control module selecting a predetermined number of search listings primarily according to the bid amount and an estimated advertising period; a ranking module generating an ordered search result list; and a computation control module computing the advertising period for the received bids. The ranking module orders the selected search listings in the search result list according to the selected search listings' respective bid amounts and the estimated advertising period and the computation control module estimating advertising costs uses the bid amount of the advertiser and average number of clicks information during a predetermined previous period. The computation control module further calculates the estimated advertising period using deposit from the advertiser and the estimated advertising costs.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a publisher subsystem configured to communicate with an access device and an advertiser device over a data communication network. The publisher subsystem includes a publish module, a session module, and an allocation module. The publish module is configured to publish content over the data communication network, the content including an advertisement. The session module is configured to detect a selection of the advertisement, initiate a session between the access device and the advertiser device in response to the selection, the advertiser device being associated with the advertisement, and receive feedback from the advertiser device. The allocation module is configured to allocate revenue based on the feedback. In some examples, the amount of the revenue is independent of the feedback.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (information processing system) for overcoming deficiencies and inefficiencies in the current paid search engine keyword bidding market, by providing keyword bidders with information they need to better optimize their use of paid search engines. The system accumulates bid amounts for a plurality of target keywords at one or more paid Internet search engines, and presents the bid amounts to a user, enabling the user to evaluate and optimize bids on those keywords. The system also presents bid amounts for a keyword at one or more paid Internet search engines, in a manner highlighting one or more selected bid amounts of interest to a potential bidder. This permits a bidder to identify the bidder's own bid, and/or to identify a differential in bid amounts that indicates an opportunity for bid optimization. The system further monitors keyword bids at one or more paid Internet search engines to identify bid changes of interest to a potential bidder.

Abstract: Systems and methods for allocating space for advertisements in a network of electronic display devices are provided. Attribute information indicating retailer and categories of products available for purchase in the vicinity of a display device is maintained for each device in a database. Advertisers may upload advertisement messages to a server specifying information such as budget, price per impression, preferred billboards and/or other constraints. One or more keywords or other descriptors are specified for each advertisement message. The system then generates an advertising campaign specifying where the advertisement message is to be output and send the messages to the specified displays. The output may consist of various forms including video, audio, printed incentive, interactive data transfers and/or combinations of these.

Abstract: There is provided a method of broadcasting advertisements comprising calculating online scheduling values in proportion to preferences of users in each area of advertisement display devices for advertisement items; calculating a standard deviation between the online scheduling values of the advertisement display devices; selecting an advertisement item having a maximum standard deviation; selecting an advertisement display device having a maximum online scheduling value; transmitting the selected advertisement item to the selected advertisement display device; and excluding advertisement display devices for the selected advertisement item and advertisement items for the selected advertisement display device.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a weight module, a performance module and an allocator module. The weight module calculates a weight for each segment from a set of segments of potential advertisement placements matching a criterion. The weight for a segment is based at least partially on (1) a budget score for an advertisement campaign and (2) a number of potential placements for the segment. The performance module calculates a performance score for the advertisement campaign at each segment from the set of segments. The performance score of the segment is based on a success metric for an advertisement at the segment and a number of impressions for the segment. The allocator module presents the advertisement at a placement associated with the segment if the weight for the segment is greater than a first threshold and the performance score for the segment is greater than a second threshold.

Abstract: A system for transmission, reception and accumulation of the knowledge packets to plurality of channel nodes in the network operating distributedly in a peer to peer environment via installable one or more role active Human Operating System (HOS) applications in a digital devise of each of channel node, a network controller registering and providing desired HOS applications and multiple developers developing advance communication and knowledge management applications and each of subscribers exploiting the said network resources by leveraging and augmenting taxonomically and ontologically classified knowledge classes expressed via plurality search macros and UKID structures facilitating said expert human agents for knowledge invocation and support services and service providers providing information services in the preidentified taxonomical classes, wherein each of channel nodes communicating with the unknown via domain specific supernodes each facilitating social networking and relationships development leadi

Abstract: The present teachings provide methods for a user (e.g., content contributor) of an online digital content platform to earn revenue on a per click-and-view business model by embedding their online digital content into an advertisement frame. In various embodiments, the user of the online digital content platform will choose an advertisement frame from a given category prior to distributing her online digital content. The selected advertisement frame can be shown during the entire viewing of the online digital content by a third party viewer. For each click-and-view by a third party viewer, the user will receive compensation from the advertiser. The payment system for the revenue sharing scheme can be provided by the online digital content platform.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating, managing and optimizing online advertising campaigns include groups of independent human resources working through a marketplace to suggest and optimize appropriate choices for how, where and how much to pay for online advertising. Optimization is achieved through the use of market-based incentives that pay participants based on the quality, quantity and efficiency of the results of their suggestions. The systems and methods enable a marketplace that leverages the inherent knowledge of a large group of people to come up with all search terms, placements, targeting and advertisements that might be relevant to a product, and determine the optimal auction prices for these search terms, placements, targeting and ads on the search engine systems.

Abstract: A method includes generating a test model based on at least one of test group dependencies and test group constraints and generating a resource base. The method includes generating a cost model and generating a resource allocation plan based on the test model, the resource base, and the cost model.

Abstract: The invention is a software system capable of managing advertisement campaigns across remote digital signage advertising participating locations. The system provides interfaces for advertisers, locations, system administrators and consumers. Central to the system is an algorithm that ensures advertising budgets are dispersed across a specified timeframe. This algorithm adapts to changes in campaign timeframes, price per advertisement impression, number of active locations, average display frequency per location and addition, revision or removal of advertisements.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, improved capabilities are described for refining an economic valuation model, through machine learning, to evaluate information relating to a plurality of available placements, and predicting an economic valuation for each of the plurality of placements in response to receiving a request to place an advertisement for a publisher. In embodiments, the refinement through machine learning may include comparing economic valuation models by retrospectively comparing the extent to which the models reflect actual economic performance of advertisements. In embodiments, the economic valuation model may be used to select at least one of the plurality of available placements and present it to the publisher seeking to place an advertisement.

Abstract: A method for transacting an advertisement transfer is disclosed which facilitates expressing the rate structure for the individual advertisement as a function of a profile of the individual potential customer; and which is directed to the creation of a mechanism from the vantage of an Internet site that is being visited. It should be appreciated that this must include the participation of other entities in the Internet (such as distributors, clients, intermediary agencies, etc.).

Abstract: Systems and methods of marketing to mobile devices are provided. Other methods, apparatus, and computer readable media are also provided.

Abstract: Helping advertisers to control marketing expenditures by governing the delivery of an advertisement over a time period. Such governing may be accomplished by (a) determining an expected cost associated with delivering the advertisement, ungoverned, over the time period; and (b) governing the delivery of the advertisement based on the expected cost and a target cost. The delivery of the advertisement may be also governed based on time remaining in the time period, budget deficits from past periods, budget surpluses from past periods, a start date and an end date associated with the advertisement, time since a start date associated with the advertisement, and/or time until an end date associated with the advertisement. The target cost may be based on a predefined budget.

Abstract: Provided in some embodiments is a method of apportioning marketing resources. The method in some embodiments includes storing a marketing objective for a marketing metric, storing a plurality of marketing allocation options, storing one or more piecewise linear response functions of the marketing metric versus one or more of the plurality of marketing allocation options, providing to a computer system a linear problem incorporating one or more special ordered sets and based at least in part on the marketing objective, one or more of the plurality of marketing allocation options, and one or more of the piecewise linear response functions, and solving the linear problem to generate a solution indicative of an apportionment of marketing resources among marketing allocation options that satisfies the marketing objective. In some embodiments, marketing resources can be allocated based on the solution.

Abstract: A Unique E-Retail System for Customers of Branded Products and Services that Serves as a Point of Purchase Advertising Medium that identifies ‘interested’ Customers based on an uniquely tracked Brand Choice Behavioral Targeting software program and further inducing them to take buying decisions in a brand's favor by offering Brand wise Sales Incentives calculated based on a forward Action Algorithm in proportion to the Ad Spends by each brand on the site, which in effect leads to better Price Deals to Customers on these Branded Products and Services.

Abstract: Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices for responding to advertising inventory queries that specify frequency caps limiting the number of impressions that are shown to a unique user. Impression logs are retrieved from logging servers and processed to generate a unique user distribution that provides information regarding the numbers of unique users that receive ad impressions at a specified location and during a specified time period. Estimates of frequency-capped capacity to fulfill a booking request and estimates of frequency-capped availability of inventory are computed using the unique user distribution.

Abstract: A system (10) and method (200) for presenting digital media for promotion thereof provides for presentation of promotional media elements (32) associated with advertisements (52) and campaigns (48) defined by promoters to users on end-user computers (20) by presentation of the promotional media elements (32) from a media provider (18) thereon. Presentation of the promotional media elements (32) is based upon advertisement parameters (66, 78, 92, 96, 100, 106, 108, 112, 114, 116, 172, 270, 280) defined for the advertisements (52) and campaigns (48) by the promoters. The promotional media elements (32) may be submitted by the promoter to the media providers (18) and may be proposed to end-users with greater or lesser degrees of prominence (233), also based upon advertisement parameters (66, 78, 92, 96, 100, 106, 108, 112, 114, 116, 172, 270, 280). Compensation for presentation of the promotional media elements (32) for advertisements (52) and campaigns (48) is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing UGC including a UGC manager storing UGC provided from UGC creators and making a list of UGC provided, an advertisement manager receiving advertisements and advertising information from sponsors attempting to combine an advertisement to a specific UGC, making a list of advertisements and advertising information, and providing the list of advertisements and advertising information to the UGC creators, a UGC provider inserting an advertisement selected by the UGC creator into the UGC, removing the advertisement from the UGC when a total advertising budget is exhausted or in response to a request from a sponsor, and providing the UGC to a user in response to a request from the user, and an advertisement exposure calculator calculating an advertising price by counting mere exposure and click-through exposure of the advertisement combined to the UGC.

Abstract: A method for selecting at least one message from a playlist including a plurality of messages to be played by a message playing device to an exposed audience, each message directed to a target audience. The method comprises choosing a utility function, depending on one or more audience parameters, for each of the messages, periodically measuring the audience parameters pertaining to the exposed audience, calculating utility for each of the messages using the utility function, based on the audience parameters as periodically measured, and selecting a message to play from the playlist based on a cumulative gain attributed to each message from the playlist that has played, wherein the gain is updated with respect to the calculated utility for that message. Other methods and systems are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method for transacting an advertisement transfer is disclosed which facilitates expressing the rate structure for the individual advertisement as a function of a profile of the individual potential customer; and which is directed to the creation of a mechanism from the vantage of an Internet site that is being visited. It should be appreciated that this must include the participation of other entities in the Internet (such as distributors, clients, intermediary agencies, etc.).

Abstract: Helping advertisers to control marketing expenditures by governing the delivery of an advertisement over a time period. Such governing may be accomplished by (a) determining an expected cost associated with delivering the advertisement, ungoverned, over the time period; and (b) governing the delivery of the advertisement based on the expected cost and a target cost. The delivery of the advertisement may be also governed based on time remaining in the time period, budget deficits from past periods, budget surpluses from past periods, a start date and an end date associated with the advertisement, time since a start date associated with the advertisement, and/or time until an end date associated with the advertisement. The target cost may be based on a predefined budget.

Abstract: A system for performing adaptive bidding to secure Internet advertising impressions in an auction. Included are systems for analyzing advertising campaign objectives, including a campaign period, a target number of impressions, a target budget. An exemplary technique defines a bidding agent for performing the adaptive bidding seeking the minimum target spending of the budget. Objective results of the campaign such as average cost per won impression, total campaign duration relative to desired campaign period, and total expenditure relative to campaign budget can be optimized based on an empirically determined forecast. Techniques for adapting bids include statistically modeling winning bids during an exploration bidding phase, performing iterations for adjustment of the bid amounts using learn-while-bid adaptive bidding, learn-then-bid adaptive bidding, and guess-double-adjust adaptive bidding.

Abstract: The apparent print quality of transaction promotions are matched to their recipients such that those more likely to respond favorably receive higher quality materials. Of the documents people receive, many, such as certain billing statements, also contain transaction promotions. Submitting a print job to a printer instructs it to produce a document by processing a document description. The document description can include a transaction promotion description. The transaction promotion can be printed at one of a number of predetermined quality levels by varying the document description, the print job, or the transaction promotion description. Knowledge of the intended recipient allows for the determination of a recipient quality level matching one of the predetermined quality levels. The document is then produced with a transaction promotion having a recipient based quality level.

Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving at a server information indicating activity levels of users of a computer-implemented social network or acquaintance relationships of the users on the computer-implemented social network. The method further includes generating by the server influence scores for the users based on the received information. The method also includes recursively propagating by the server an ad through the computer-implemented social network between users having an acquaintance relationship by transmitting the ad from a propagating user to a recipient user when a difference between a first influence score of the propagating user and a second influence score of the recipient user is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods directed to online media advertising are provided. Through the use of the present invention, one may more effectively use competitive analysis, build a media plan, generate a creative piece from the scratch for an advertising campaign, purchase media across multiple publishers and track the campaign through a single web-based platform. The system being a computer system having a memory, a processor, input/output devices, a system bus operatively coupling the computer system components, a plan module adapted to receive one or more user-defined campaign criteria from a user and prepare a media plan satisfying the user-defined campaign criteria, and a purchase module adapted to receive one or more inputs from the user and automatically create one or more media booking orders based on the inputs.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing and sequencing marketing events for offering to candidates. The system comprises a software application stored on a computer readable medium. The software application comprises an optimization tool and a timing tool. The optimization tool optimizes marketing events from a first list for candidates from a second list. Each marketing event from the first list comprises a marketing offer and an identified channel means for communicating the marketing offer. The timing tool determines an optimal sequence for offering each of the optimized marketing events to the candidates.