| Get your free QRCode |
| Get your free QRCode |
Once again… the fashionistas are taking the lead! Recently Calvin Klein used a racy new ad, the side of a building & a few thousand dollars to launch a new brand! They received over 1 million views! How in the world did they do it?
QR Codes and creativity
Our tech-savvy friends in Japan are very used to to seeing QR Codes on everything they come into contact with —billboard signs, subway advertisements, Starbucks receipts, T-shirts, clothing tags, McDonald’s big mac packaging, food and beverage containers, and believe it or not… a 3 story QR Codes on the side of a downtown building!
QR Codes are here to stay
By simply scanning the qr code you can get great special offers, exclusive product/service content, price quotes, nutrition facts, pricing options and even the ability to make an appointment with your favorite hair stylist. Many QR Codes also give you the chance to easily add the contact information from the qr code directly into your phone without typing!
QR codes didn’t catch on right away but they are growing rapidly in America. Marketing professionals around the country agree that it isn’t whether these funny square bar codes willequal the level of commonality found in Japan; rather, it’s how quickly will they be a part of every day life, similar to visiting a websites URL. Verizon wireless is predicting that 50,000,000 (yes, that says MILLION) qr codes will be scanned everyday in the US by the end of 2011.
“They are hiding in plain sight,” says B.L. Ochman, managing director of emerging media at Proof Integrated Communications. “Once you start looking, you’re going to see them on your shampoo, on your bill, in theaters. All kinds of companies are using them.”
QR codes are easy for your customers to use and the cost of creating them is free. When executed properly, adding a tiny square qr code to your packaging can open up a whole new level of direct interaction with your current & potential customers. It goes WAY beyond the realm of traditional marketing. Imagine incorporating audio and video that the scanner can view immediately on their smartphone. This interaction creates a sense of fun that turns advertising from a passive observation to an enjoyable interactive experience.
In the very near future, marketing experts can see Americans paying for cab & bus fares, buying a Coca Cola, and boarding their next flight by using their phone. We are living in the future!
Today, the intelligent companies are using qr codes and smartphone enable sites (very important… you don’t want to send your customer to your website… their smart phone can’t view/navigate it properly) to improve the customer experience . When you are ready to give it a go, please keep these great tips in mind:
Creating a Code
Use QR Codes… they are the most prevalent and the easiest to read. Many companies have created great FREE readers available for use with smart phones and tablets. (Scan Life is a great option) You can also create a free QR Code @ www.QRCodeGenius.com. They are TRUE genius’ by the way!
Content is key
Do NOT send them to your website! Create a smartphone enabled website specifically for viewing on a smartphone. There are a number of great companies already creating customized QR Codes and Smart Sites (smart phone enabled websites). We found a few that give you the chance to create your own site in a few minutes for only $99.
Keep it fresh
It is imporant, and quite simple, to keep you content new, current, vibrant and relative!
“A lot of people think they can just put the bar code on wherever they want and leave it there,” Jordan says. “Lots of campaigns fail because there’s a call to action, and the call to action is poor.”
Bonterra, for instance, alters its outgoing content to match changing wine varietals or seasonal pairings. “The options are unlimited with the tags,” McGuire says. “We can change what’s on the back end of the tag any time.”
Instructions are important
QR codes are still quite a new phenomenon in the United States, so customers are still becoming aware of what they are, how they work and what they need to scan them. We recommend including instructions along with your qr code (within your ad campaign) to let your customers know how to use the qr code.
Gather Data
The best campaigns we have seen (like the Calvin Klein ad… pictured) are finding ways to get their customers to give them their email address, LIKE them on facebook or FOLLOW them on twitter! If you can do this you have created an extremely successful campaign.
“You need to collect analytics to justify to boss why you didn’t waste their money,” Whiting says. “You know whether it worked or not. If that is the case, you have the opportunity to build your list”
IF you want an awesome customized Smartphone enabled website (Smart Site) visit one of the sites mentioned above or you can also try www.BuildYourOwnSmartSite.com
I wanted to leave a little comment to support you and wish you a good continuation. Wishing you the best of luck for all your blogging efforts.
This is revolutionizing the fashion industry and changing the way we do everything!
Excellent blog here! Also your web site loads up very fast! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my site loaded up as fast as yours lol
This is a really great blog. Thx to the auther
Good post! I have a random question for you. How do you get your blog indexed by bing? I have a related web blog.
I will invite all my friends to your blog, you really got a great blog.;*”‘”
This was novel. I wish I could read every post, but i have to go back to work now… But I’ll return.
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