There's a new(er) kid on the block in the world of marketing - the QR (quick response) code.The QR code is a small square barcode that many smartphone cameras can scan to reveal videos, coupons, text, music and more. Its purpose is in its name - to encourage a quick response from the people receiving it. QR codes originated in Japan, where they have become increasingly popular over the last few years, and where now all mobile phones sold contain QR code reader software. Large U.S. companies such as Pepsi, Coca Cola, and McDonald's have been using QR codes overseas to offer discounts and freebies, and with great success.
Not surprisingly, the cutting-edge television network, HBO recently decided to give the QR code a whirl. In May, the network-giant cleverly embedded a QR code in a "True Blood" commercial that allowed scanners to access an
exclusive preview of its Season 3 hit. This in itself is smart, but placing the commercial during the series finale of "Lost" (in select locations) was ingenius. It became a puzzle in a puzzle. Arguably, you had to have recorded the show to pause and capture the code, and a lot of people are still unaware of the exisence of QR codes, but kudos to HBO for possibly kicking off the U.S. craze.
So as a growing number of U.S. companies begin to consider this new marketing trend, the question becomes what are some quick and easy ways you can successfully incorporate QR codes into your marketing plans? For starters, you can...
- Add a code to your marketing materials - Hosting an event or seminar? Include a QR code on your evites and direct mailings that direct people to your registration page or allow them to view the agenda, location map, etc. Getting ready to launch a new product or service? Include a code that directs people to a sneak peek page or offers them a discount.
- Add a QR code to your business cards that leads people to your LinkedIn or Facebook page, to your website or to a white paper. Be creative - the sky's the limit.
- "Borrow" HBO's idea of adding a fun surprise or secret message to a QR code.
- A newer concept is to add a QR code to your store-front window. People can scan a decal to receive a freebie upon entering. For example, restaurants are using the window decal codes to offer free sodas with the purchase of a sandwich when they show the cashier their code reader message.
And when creating QR codes for your marketing, please remember to do the following for greater success:
- Make sure your message and the action required is clear to your recipients. QR codes are still new to many people in the U.S., so please don't assume they'll know what to do when they see it.
- Know your targeted audience. Know their interests and what motivates them to act. Are they 18-year-old extreme sports fanatics, or 50-year-old quilters? Your message behind the code would, obviously, need to be quite different.
- Make your offer valuable, and mix it up. People like to receive something of value, and that doesn't always mean free or discounted. Give your recipients a mix of discounts and plain-old important information that would help them in some way.
- Beware of over-kill. Not every marketing piece you put into the world needs to contain a QR code. Just a nice call-to-action works well too.
Now that you've got the Do's and Dont's of QR codes, how do you implement it? As a business looking to create codes for your marketing, you'll need a QR code generator. All of them are easy to use. The main differences lie in their tracking capabilities. Some of the most popular include:
In order to access the info behind the code, smartphone users need a QR Code Reader program. Once installed on their device, users simply open the app and take a snaphot of the code. The program reads and launches the info attached to it. I use
QuickMark on my iphone and it works great, but there are plenty of others:
Considering that most people are never too far from their mobile device, it makes sense to add QR codes to your marketing; and I imagine that their use will gain wide-spread popularity throughout the U.S. But I'd be interested to hear what you think.
Are you or will you use QR codes in your marketing? What are some creative ways you've come up with or seen?
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