insights.
Nov 9th
QR Codes are starting to show up everywhere from direct mail to billboards in Times Square. Photo Credits: QRiousCODE
As we discussed recently in our post Guide to QR Codes for Direct Marketers, 2-dimensional barcode technology is making inroads into the United States after becoming mainstream in Asia and Europe. For direct marketers, these mobile-friendly codes offer a new way to integrate offline and online communications. Direct mail, print and TV ads, business cards, billboards… anything that can carry an image can now serve as a link to a response page, purchase page, contact information, video, or any other online content.
To help us stay on top of this ever-evolving technology, we recently interviewed Cynthia Artin, a thought leader in the QR Code community who helps organizations integrate QR Codes into their communication strategies. With Cynthia’s permission, we’ve included her responses below…
I began studying mobile codes two years ago, when one of my clients who made a substantial investment in the area asked my opinion on how the economics might play out. After spending time researching through the many special interest groups around the world as well as reading up on all the companies offering readers, platforms, campaign managers, campaign creative and more – I was hooked!
Embedded enterprise applications – B 2 C – which are tightly integrated into existing information systems, such as marketing, CRM, Point-of-Sale, publishing, ticketing, couponing and redemption.
We catch up when mobile devices come pre-loaded with readers that scan every type of code and when the applications become more useful and less “flash-in-the-pan.”
Open vs. closed systems work – and they always win out. As long as we have providers whose mobile codes work only when scanned by their readers, we will continue to frustrate consumers and deliver poor results to marketers.
Standardization is an often subjective term! Open is necessary – decoding is key. The winners I am seeing in the market are delivering readers that read all of today’s codes – and tomorrow’s. Ultimately all codes could work if code providers agree to open decoding. At that point, the best codes will win – those which are most intuitive, those that are most easily and quickly read by the cameras, those that do not destroy graphic design integrity.
Google's "Favorite Places" campaign sent out more than 100,000 store-front stickers to businesses across the country. When a user takes a photo of the personalized QR Code using a QR Code reader, they're directed to a description and reviews of the store or restaurant.
Add a mobile code to a direct mail piece with a simple, compelling call to action that immediately “gives back” a coupon, a virtual prize, something cool! Pick a great company, such as those in the above list, and have them walk you through the process – it is so easy, and the feedback is immediate!
About Cynthia ArtinCynthia Artin, President of ArtinArts, has been helping companies grow through sound investment, strategy and market positioning for 30 years. She supports a range of companies, from start-ups to multi-billion enterprises, in positioning mobile innovations and solutions, including mobile codes. Her primary passion is identifying and developing mobile applications that help people live happier, healthier lives – at scale, by bringing together teams from for-profit companies with teams from non-profit organizations to create communications and service delivery channels on a global scale.
To learn more about Cynthia or connect with her, visit her LinkedIn Profile.
Sep 23rd
Mobile web usage grew 110% last year (Quantcast). QR Code technology is helping direct marketers bridge the gap between traditional channels and the increasing number of smartphone users.
What’s black, white and read all over? It’s not the newspaper anymore; it’s the square 2D barcodes called “QR Codes” that have already taken over Asia and Europe, and are making strong inroads in the U.S.
Unless you’re looking for them, there’s a chance that you may have overlooked these small squares filled with seemingly-random black and white pixels. However, QR codes represent a lifeline for direct marketers looking to connect with an increasingly mobile, online audience.
In short, a QR code is a two-dimensional (2D) or “matrix” barcode containing data that can be read by scanners and mobile “smart” phones with cameras.
Standard structure of a QR Code. Attribution: Richard Wheeler (Zephyris) on Wikipedia.
While initially developed by a Toyota subsidiary to track car parts, direct marketers overseas, and then in the U.S., have quickly learned to use QR codes to add depth to their marketing communications.
QR Codes can be easily generated, and then printed or embedded on direct mail, email, landing pages, catalogs, postcards and more. Here are some of the many ways you can use QR Codes in your direct marketing:
QR Codes can contain more than 4,000 characters or 2,900 bytes, giving you plenty of room to embed information for use on your target’s mobile device, such as:
One of the most common data contained in a QR Code are web URLs, which serve as conduit between a static piece and an online, interactive asset, such as:
QR Codes can be used to provide immediate shopping and purchasing. For example, when someone is viewing your catalog, postcard, print ad, including a QR Code can link them directly to:
Generating and tracking responses is crucial for direct marketers, and is often done by using unique response pages and phone numbers for each marketing campaign. Similarly, actions such as a webpage visit and online purchase can be easy traced back to an individual QR code, allowing marketers to compare the effectiveness of different ads and channels.
Got your mobile phone handy? Scan the image above with your QR Code reader to be directed to www.mailprint.com.
Since QR Code technology is in the Public Domain, there are many different QR Code readers and generators. While some smart phones now come equipped with QR code readers, users can also easily install QR Code apps on their phone.
Please join in the conversation by adding a comment to this post.
There are some great insights in the “Comments” section of this post about the issues involved with QR Codes. I highly recommend checking them out and adding your own thoughts!
Aug 31st
Data rarely gets to be the star of the visual show. It takes people who are both creative and data-savvy to conceptualize how data points can be translated into visual appeal. Today’s marketers are increasingly in-tune to both left-brain and right-brain thinking, which makes this the perfect time to consider what data you have and how you are using it.
I recently wrote a report on using Data-Driven Charts and Graphs that is filled with examples, and also contains guidance on addressing common implementation challenges. This report is my attempt to help agencies and marketers plan how data-driven graphs and charts can be employed to make their direct marketing more relevant, more engaging and ultimately more effective.
You can download the report at www.mailprint.com/charts. I’d be delighted to have your feedback. Please feel free to email me directly at rhondab(at)mailprint(dot)com.
Jul 27th
According to new research by Aberdeen Group, Print On-Demand (also called POD, web-to-print or print automation) provides a dramatic improvement in customer retention and ROMI (Return on Marketing Investments). As an underwriter of Aberdeen’s research, we’re pleased to provide exclusive access to their findings.
From research by Aberdeen Group: Users of Print On-Demand achieved a 42% higher customer retention rate than non-users.
Among their findings was a correlation between companies that use a Print On-Demand solution and a dramatic improvement in customer retention. In an economy where every customer counts, a 42% higher customer retention rate among Print On-Demand users is more than noteworthy. But what’s the correlation? How does POD impact on customer retention so significantly?
Follow this link to download a free report including additional findings from Aberdeen: Print On-Demand: Driving Efficiency and Revenue Growth with Organizational Print Portals.
Many times when a company moves to a Print On-Demand or web-to-print solution, another significant shift happens. They move from static off-set printing to digital printing. Several years ago many marketing professionals questioned the quality of digital print. Today, to the naked eye, it is practically impossible to tell the difference between commercial off-set printing and digital.
Using advanced digital printing and marketing automation technology, the delivery of printed materials becomes as easy as sending personalized, triggered email. In fact, the use of both mail and email together becomes fast, efficient and very impactful.
Many companies have found it helpful to integrate their Marketing Asset Management solution with email and automated print deployment, making the creation and execution processes streamlined and efficient. In fact, in addition to improved customer retention, many companies save hundreds of thousands of dollars by moving to an integrated POD system. (See case studies at www.mailprint.com)
Thanks to the Aberdeen Group for investing in the research that quantifies what was previously suspected: POD improves customer retention and bolsters ROMI by putting a serious dent in marketing execution costs.
Apr 20th
Duplicate prospect and customer data is a nightmare for IT and Database Marketing departments, but a requirement for some direct marketing systems. The solution? Integrated systems that use live data feeds.
There is no doubt that an enterprise data warehouse has helped countless organizations consolidate their information into one central database allowing for better analysis and use of the data. This has certainly been the case for improving targeting and segmenting of direct marketing efforts. It has also been a boon to being able to use varying messaging, imagery, offers, and even formats to improve relevancy to the targeted audiences.
Increased availability of data has lead to the usage of 10s, 100s or 1000s of variables within an individual campaign. It has also lead to a new level of complexity for automating a successful ongoing campaign that uses these variables.
Good direct marketing service providers, whether it be print, email, text messaging or direct mail, can work magic with the data… after all the data is brought into their system via a data pipe or XML stream. This often causes IT departments and data analysts to cry “Foul! You just created redundant data from what was supposed to be a single data warehouse.”
So what’s the next step in email and print automation to make sure that redundant data sources are not created? Creating a live feed that continually calls to and from your data warehouse.
We have a client who utilizes a proprietary segmentation model, as well as geographic overlays, and purchase history to determine the targeting of direct mail and email campaigns. After combining this with localized ordering, they have a wonderfully targeted, relevant communications strategy that works like magic. And best of all, their data and segmentation resides with them.
Building a continual data retrieval system is not the easiest way to feed data for automated marketing communications, but is the best way to maintain the integrity of your data warehouse.
Mar 11th
Successful personalized marketing mixes right brain logic and left brain creative.
Highly-personalized marketing with relevant messaging, images and offers dramatically increases response rates… everyone agrees on this now, right? I mean, we’ve all read the case studies and white papers that prove it.
So why isn’t everyone doing it? For one, creating a highly-personalized marketing piece requires a creative staff brave enough to reach into the cold, sterile world of databases, segmentation and matrices, and then blend the two together. This is a serious feat of right brain/left brain, inspiration/intel, balance that can be difficult to achieve. But, as the research shows, double-digit response rates are attainable….
So I cornered several of our clients that create and produce highly-personalized marketing campaigns, and asked them for the top things they’d tell creatives about creating relevant, database-driven communications.
Here are their top five suggestions, ready for you to share with your design and marketing creatives:
Get a sample of your marketing database, and review all the options available to you. A good database could include information about their purchase history, preferences, and demographics; all info you can use to make your piece more relevant. Even simple databases can be segmented to create versioned messages and images; try region, number of employees and industry.
When adding variable fields to your designs, it’s important to know just how long – or short – the text may be that pulls in for each field. Ask your database team for a report of the longest and shortest entries for each variable field, and then proof your designs with these extremes included.
Splashing your recipient’s name across your creative can definitely capture their attention, and can be done very creatively and effectively. But some of the most effective personalized communications include hundreds or thousands of variables. If you have a strong database, some internal expertise, and a good partner, it’s time to test an intensely-variable piece.
Sooner, rather than later, call the Variable Data Printer, email service provider or direct mail marketer of your choice : ), and grill them on the process your creative will go through to be produced. Chances are, there are choices you’ll make that could negatively or positively affect the resulting pieces. Special Note: Make sure to ask them the best file formats for their workflow!
As you can tell, there’s a reason personalized marketing isn’t used by all of your competitors: it’s hard. But, it’s a lot easier once you’ve done it a few times. So start by working a couple of variables into piece before advancing to that dynamic, 1,000-variable piece you’ve been dreaming of. Starting simple will also ensure your process and hardware is correct and will prevent a server meltdown (ask me about that story sometime).
Haven’t read one of those reports about personalized marketing improving response rates? Let me recommend this case study or this white paper. Want to know more or add something to the list? Use the handy comment tool below.
Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dierkschaefer/ / CC BY 2.0