Gift messaging based customer acquisition

Abstract

Contact information for a recipient and an audio recording of a message from a sender to the recipient are obtained from a network node in a communication session with a network node associated with the sender. Based on the contact information, a notification that the recorded audio message is available is sent the recipient. Based on receipt of a request in connection with the notification, an audio message including an invitation for the recipient to specify an opt-in preference regarding receipt of direct marketing communications is transmitted to the recipient. Receipt of an indication of the recipient's opt-in preference triggers both a playback of the audio recording of the message on the recipient's network node and the generation of a marketing preference record that includes an indication of the recipient's opt-in preference and information evidencing that indication.

1 . A method performed by a network service implemented by one or more computers in a network communications environment, the method comprising by the network service:
 in a communication session with a network node associated with a sender, obtaining from the network node contact information for a recipient and an audio recording of a message from the sender to the recipient;   based on the contact information, sending the recipient a notification that the recorded audio message is available;   based on receipt of a request in connection with the notification, transmitting to the recipient an audio message comprising an invitation for the recipient to specify an opt-in preference regarding receipt of direct marketing communications; and   in response to receipt of an indication of the recipient's opt-in preference, triggering both a playback of the audio recording of the message from the sender on a network node associated with the recipient and a generation of a marketing preference record comprising the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference received from the network node associated with the recipient and information evidencing the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marketing preference record comprises a recording of the recipient's specification of the opt-in preference. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the audio message to the recipient over a telephony connection with a telephony device associated with the recipient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the marketing preference record comprises an audio recording of the recipient's specification of the opt-in preference. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining is performed in the context of a purchase transaction between the sender and a vendor regarding at least one product designated as a gift for the recipient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, by the network service, sending to the sender an invitation to create a gift message for the recipient; wherein the obtaining is performed after the sender's acceptance of the invitation to create a gift message for the recipient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, in response to receipt of the recipient's opt-in preference authorizing receipt of direct marketing communications, delivering one or more direct marketing communications to the recipient. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising customizing the one or more direct marketing communications based on information about the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the audio message inviting the recipient to specify an opt-in preference regarding receipt of direct marketing communications is rendered on the network node associated with the recipient before the audio recording of the message from the sender to the recipient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending comprises sending the notification to a telephone number associated with the recipient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending comprises sending the notification to a messaging address associated with the recipient. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining an image-based recording of the sender, and the triggering comprises triggering the playback of both the audio recording of the message from the sender and the image-based recording in response to receipt of the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the image-based recording comprises a recorded video message from the sender, and the recorded audio message is a component of the recorded video message. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification that the recorded audio message is available is sent to the recipient in a text based communication. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after the recipient receives the message from the sender, enabling the recipient to transmit an electronic network communication responsive to the message from the sender. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending is performed on a date specified by the sender. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 in a communication session with a network node associated with a sender, obtaining from the network node an audio recording of a message from the sender to a recipient and contact information for the recipient;   based on the contact information, sending the recipient a notification that the recorded audio message is available;   based on receipt of a request in connection with the notification, transmitting to the recipient an audio message comprising an invitation for the recipient to specify an opt-in preference regarding receipt of direct marketing communications; and   in response to receipt of an indication of the recipient's opt-in preference, triggering both a playback of the audio recording of the message from the sender on a network node associated with the recipient and a generation of a marketing preference record comprising the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference received from the network node associated with the recipient and information evidencing the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the marketing preference record comprises a recording of the recipient's specification of the opt-in preference. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein, when executed by the one or more computers, the stored instructions cause the one or more computers to perform operations further comprising: delivering one or more direct marketing communications to the recipient in response to receipt of the recipient's opt-in preference authorizing receipt of direct marketing communications; and
 wherein the audio message inviting the recipient to specify an opt-in preference regarding receipt of direct marketing communications is rendered on a network node associated with the recipient before the audio recording of the message from the sender.   
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory computer storage media encoded with a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 in a communication session with a network node associated with a sender, obtaining from the network node an audio recording of a message from the sender to a recipient and contact information for the recipient;   based on the contact information, sending the recipient a notification that the recorded audio message is available;   based on receipt of a request in connection with the notification, transmitting to the recipient an audio message comprising an invitation for the recipient to specify an opt-in preference regarding receipt of direct marketing communications; and   in response to receipt of an indication of the recipient's opt-in preference, triggering both a playback of the audio recording of the message from the sender on a network node associated with the recipient and a generation of a marketing preference record comprising the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference received from the network node associated with the recipient and information evidencing the indication of the recipient's opt-in preference.