This week on the #Davecast, it is just me, but that does not mean that it is any less informative.
Well, a few weeks ago, I skyped it up with Harrison Painter and Ricky Lee Potts about QR Codes, but somewhere along the line it was deleted and lost to the digital world. I did my best to recreate the talk and post some of the highlight here.
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QR Code: the Who, What, Why and Where
Who?
Created QR Codes – a subsidiary of the Toyata Corp called Denso in 1994. They have never exercised their patent rights on them.
What?
They are called quick response codes, QR for short. They are a 2 dimensional barcode, a barcode on steroids. QR Codes can store vast amounts of data and trigger a response out of the scanning device most likely a cell phone like launch a video, v-card application, a website or launch a mp3.
Why?
QR Codes can really be used in all aspects of your business from inventory to marketing. We mostly will talk marketing here on the #Davecast.
Here are some statistics from June 2011
- 14 million scans
- 58% from home
- 39% from retail stores
- 53% were men ages 18 to 34
Among the battle of the sexes it is
- Males – 60.5%
- Female-= 39.5%
Where are they using QR Codes?
- Home – 57%
- Work – 22%
- Outside – 20%
- Retail – 17%
- Supermarket – 17%
- Restaurant -5%
A grocery store in Korea set up a virtual store in a subway station and it allowed people to avoid going to the grocery store and shop online so much easier.
As far as I can tell using a QR Code is free, you can them online, and if you use the google url shortner you can even track it for free in analytics.
Where?
Almost anywhere from billboards (USAF in South Bend), Real Estate Agents on using them on sale signs, tracking of shipments, and last year when I attended a Verizon event they scanned the back of the name badge to check me in.
QR Mistakes:
- No mobile landing page
- No data signal where the QR code is displayed
- Not testing the code
- To fancy – t-shirts, reflective surfaces and alike
- No value, not giving me a good reason to scan the code.
What Content to offer?
- Video or video tour of a home
- V-card
- Mobile enabled sites or blogs
- Contests
- Coupons
- Free mp3
Where you can use them
- TV, magazine, newspaper (some believe that qr codes make some print advertising relevant)
- Product packaging
- Storefronts
- Business Cards and Brochures
- Posters
- Websites and email
Tips & To Do’s:
- Test and retest
- Use a URL shortner (use google and QR on the back to track)
- Make them easy to scan, avoid reflective surfaces and at least 1x1inch
Please leave any questions or comments down below.
Have great week and sorry I was delayed
Dave
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