QR Codes

Written by George Friday, 16 September 2011 00:00

Our last email generated a lot of follow up questions about QR codes and how they could be used for specific industry applications. Although we really focused on Coupons and Direct Response methods, there is much more you can do with QR codes.

Below are some examples of how to use QR codes in a variety of applications. Although these are just examples, let us know if you have any questions about expanding the use of QR codes in your own marketing plan.

• Business Cards / Name Tags
  Links to all your business contact information
• Specs Page
  Place QR codes on labels of products of your retail products in stores. Customers can scan the QR codes and link to a page with full details or manuals of your products. Perhaps a video of your product in use.
• Print Ads

Hate buying a small 2 x 6 print ad and stuffing content? Add a QR code that brings people to a landing page with unlimited space.

• Luggage
  By putting a QR code on your luggage tags, you can embed an email prompt or Outlook vCard with your details.
• Prepopulate Tweets
  You can prepopulate a tweet message for your “brand ambassadors” to easily share messages about your product or service in an instant.
• Direct Mail
  Populate your direct mail pieces with mystery or specific call to actions through a QR code. Get users to interact from print to web.
• Payment or PayPal links
  Sell products? Putting QR codes next to each item in a print catalog can link users to a payment gateway to instantly order a product.
  
• iCal Event Promotions
  Trying to spread the word about an event? Link a QR code to a iCal event that automatically places an event in someone’s calendar.
• Leasing Offices / Real Estate
  Place QR codes on your materials so that interested parties can quickly grab more information on locations that caught their eye. Even place photo galleries – making follow-ups easier for them to recall.
• Geo-based reviews and Tours
  Provide an easy avenue for your clients to leave feedback and share their experience

The big picture is simple.

QR codes link your target consumer to an online destination and engage them instantly with rich online media (or whatever your selected content is). With the snap of your camera on a smartphone, you can link the QR code to a specific destination.

Additional Thoughts:

• Mobile Browsing Has Increased By More Than 90% Last Year
• 99.6 Million Smart phones were sold in the first quarter of 2011

Because it is a highly personal communications tool, the mobile web is the most effective way to present relevant information to users on the go.

Facts and Figures

• The mobile phone may be the most prolific consumer product ever invented
• 1.08 Billion Smartphones worldwide
• By 2014, mobile internet should overtake desktop usage
• One half of all local searches are performed on mobile devices
• 86% of mobile internet users are using their device while watching TV
• 29% of mobile users are open to scanning a mobile tag to get a coupon.
• On average Americans spend 2.7 hours per day socializing on a mobile device
• 91% of mobile internet access is to socialize
• Over 1/3 of Facebook’s 600 million+ user base users Facebook Mobile
• 200 million+ YouTube views occur on mobile devices per day
• Women aged 35-54 are the most active group in mobile socializing