Does QR stand for Quasi-Ridiculous? (an analysis)
Posted on 18. Jul, 2011 by Jay Baer in Blog, exacttarget, Microsoft Tag, mobile, QR codes, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing
I understand QR codes are the new “it” thing, the Taylor Lautner of calls-to-action. And indeed, given the increasing ubiquity of smart phones (41% in the U.S. according to new research by my client ExactTarget), many of your potential customers have the capacity to interact with your QR code.
But whether they will or not isn’t about technology adoption, it’s about design, relevance, ease-of-use, and suitability of purpose.
The example above is a bit of mixed bag in this regard.
Design
You certainly know that this ad features a QR code. In fact, the QR code itself is substantially larger than the logo of the company (Crowne Plaza Hotels). If you want to run an expensive national print ad campaign to make sure people think your hotel is all post-modern and zeitgeisty, then I guess this qualifies as killer graphic design. From a branding and behavior likelihood perspective (the QR code dwarfs the URL, which is more likely to be used), this is misplaced design priorities, Exhibit A.
Relevance
Once I get out my magnifying glass to realize this is a promotion for Crowne Plaza hotels, I’m more interested in the overall premise. It took me quite a while to figure out the mechanics of this offer, however. The ginormous headline doesn’t explain anything, and the body copy talks about $75, $300 and includes an asterisk, a URL, two font colors and capitalization on Vacation Pay. Whaaa?
Reading the mouse type at the bottom of the ad tells me the opportunity window for this promotion is until August 31, but it still never explains the $300 reference. After a bit of pondering, I’ve come to believe it means that you can only use this promotion 4 times. Why they wouldn’t say it that way – and why it needs to be said at all in the body copy – is a mystery to me.
Ease-of-Use
Scanning the QR code with your smartphone takes you to a simple form where you ostensibly add your first name, last name, zip, and email address (twice). I tried to submit this form five times, and got an error message every time. Ultimately, I had to go to the website and register there, which negates the advantage of QR in every possible way.
Suitability of Purpose
The only field required on the form is email address. That’s commendable, as we all know that EVERY data point you request has a negative impact on your conversion rate. But if Crowne Plaza only needs email address to register you for this promotion, why use QR at all?
It would be substantially easier – and you’d have a much larger potential audience – if you asked people to simply text message in their email address to sign up. 89% of Americans 15 or older have a phone capable of this action, it would take a lot less of their time to participate, and they wouldn’t get a broken sign-up form.
In fact, I wrote a post years ago about US Airways using SMS to allow passengers to sign up for their frequent flyer program. But that’s when SMS was still cool. QR gets all the love now, and stole the hype from text messaging seemingly overnight.
And marketers are buying it in bulk. I’m as guilty (probably more so) than you, as we included 22 Microsoft Tags (QR’s urbane, proprietary cousin) in our book The NOW Revolution.
I like QR. I like it’s interactivity and tracking and multi-media capabilities. But I don’t like it just to be able to check off “Put a Huge QR Code in Our Print Ad” in a Powerpoint presentation of marketing “wins”. So before you take your mobile efforts to QR-ville, make sure you understand when, why, and how it makes sense.
Agreed?
Why Use QR Codes? A Destination Marketer’s Dream
Posted on 23. Jun, 2011 by Joe Pulizzi in Blog, content marketing, CVB, destination marketing organizations, DMOs, Fun Stuff, QR codes, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing
In seemingly every content marketing presentation I do, someone asks about QR Codes and why to use them.
The Content Marketing Institute has some great resources for QR code implementation, including:
- 4 Tips to Creating and Releasing QR Codes
- 7 Reasons to Add QR Codes to Content Marketing
- Making Your Content Mobile-Friendly
Specifically for destinations, there are some great ideas where you can use QR codes to extend your customer’s specific experience. Here are three. What can you think of?
IDEA: Tell the Story
Have you ever done a walking tour at a museum where they handed you a listening device for your self-guided tour? Sometimes that is just not possible if you are Yosemite National Park.
What do all your visitors have on them at all times? Yes, a smartphone.
For particular parts of the park, small signage with a QR code can take visitors to a video, blog post or additional experience that details what happened at that particular portion of the park. It’s like a walking History Channel tour.
Just think if you were at the Battle of Gettysburg. You could have QR codes that take visitors to in-depth videos or interviews or more.
IDEA: End of the Email Signup Form
You’ve seen it a hundred times, right? An email signup form at an event or store location. Problem for merchants is that someone then has to take that information and put that into the database. Have you ever tried to make out someone else’s handwriting on those forms?
Instead, have them scan the QR code which takes them to a form and a special offer. Done and done.
IDEA: Bringing Print Alive
USA Today and the Wall Street Journal do this all the time…a story in print is made of words and images. But what if there are more pictures and some compelling video? Just place the QR code within the copy of the story and take them to the specialized content.
Here’s the point: the best reason for using QR code is to extend the content experience and engagement with your brand. How can you leverage them for your business?
Need more? Below is a full presentation with more ideas specifically for DMOs and CVBs.
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