Quick Resonse (QR) Tattoo
What do Lady Gaga, P.F. Changs, and tattoos have in common? And how are they influencing destination marketing? QR tags; two dimensional barcodes of the future.
Lady Gaga recently teamed up with Starbucks using QR tags printed on coffee cups to promote her latest album. P.F. Changs is using QR tags on their drink coasters to link to interactive wine pairing information with their menu. And tattoo artists all over the country are now offering personalized QR tag tattoos that can link to your personal mobile web site or Facebook page.
These are just a few of the many interesting examples of how QR tags are working their way into the consumer mass consciousness. The widespread use of QR tags is quickly establishing them as an essential element of integrated marketing campaigns and in particular for destination marketing. To use QR tags successfully you need a robust, easy to use, mobile content delivery platform.
Bridging the Gap between Your Offline and Online Marketing
If you haven’t started using QR tags in your advertising don’t worry, you’re not alone. But you may be soon. It seems to get harder all the time to cut through the advertising clutter to get the attention of your target audience. When you do break through and have their attention, wouldn’t you like to make it easy for them to take immediate action towards becoming a customer? That is where QR tags come in.
QR tags transfer your audience from your offline ads to your online marketing platform where you can track user behavior, collect information, and ultimately convert them into a customer. It doesn’t take much commitment on the part of your audience to scan your QR tag. Rewarding them with engaging content, directions to your location, a contest entry, or simply an easy way to save your contact information for later is an easy first step towards making a new customer.
QR Tags for Destination Marketing
QR Tag Mobile Contenst Entry Page
As with most things, there is a right way and a wrong way to use QR tags in your marketing. Don’t make the same mistakes of others. Whether it is an attempt to save money or simply a lack of creativity, some advertisers have simply linked their QR tags in ads to a mobile version of the company’s home page. That’s the equivalent of advertising in the newspaper that you also have a yellow page ad. Do your advertising readers care at that point? I doubt it.
What consumers want to see when they scan your QR tag is something unique, and something that has meaning and relevancy to the context in which they found it. If a print ad is promoting a vacation package, it should link to a mobile page that allows readers to get more details about the package with links to an information request form. If you are promoting a contest, it should link to a mobile contest entry form. If you are trying to direct people to visit you, it should link to a mobile map and directions.
There are endless possibilities for using QR tags in your advertising and marketing, limited only by your creativity. There are two key times, however, when you have the greatest opportunity to engage your destination visitors using QR tags; getting them to the destination, and assisting them at your destination.
Use QR tags in your advertising to link to engaging content that will lead people to take action, indicating a desire to visit your destination including:
- Video content
- Special package deals or coupons
- A link to your Facebook page or your “Like” button
- Customized promotional landing pages
- Contest entry forms
Once a visitor is at your destination, they use their smart phone as a mobile information guide. Build your brand loyalty by improving their experience. Make it easy for them to stay connected to you by using QR tags in your signage and on-site marketing materials by linking them to:
Mobile Content Linked from a QR Tag
- Directions and way finding
- Last minute specials
- Fun scavenger hunts or self-guided tours
- Events calendars
- Local area information and resources
- Content that provides a more rich experience at your points of interest
- Historical information
Whatever you do, don’t take the easy way out and link to content your visitors can easily find any other number of ways. Make it unique. Make it relevant. Make it easy for your target audience to take the next step towards engagement with you.
Don’t Get Left Behind
According to the telecom industry, 91% of Americans own cell phones and by the end of 2011, it is predicted that the number of smart phones will have surpassed the number of traditional cell phones. That means 45% of Americans are expected to be using smart phones by the end of 2011. Knowing half of your target audience is capable of interacting with your brand through their phone, are you prepared to give them what they are looking for?
Mobile Web Platforms for Destination Marketing
In order to link your advertising to your digital content, you need a solid mobile website platform that works alongside your primary website. And it shouldn’t simply be a miniature version of your primary website.
Your mobile platform should include a content management solution that makes it easy for you to create custom landing pages, forms, Google mapping, and digital business cards. It should allow you to link to your destination database, your events calendar, and online packages.
And don’t forget about tracking. Your mobile platform should allow you to track visitors from your QR tags through their visit to your mobile site and to conversion.
Consumers are ready for digital content. Make it easy for them to access and use and they will scan a path to your door.
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