Uses of QR Code Marketing in Direct Mail Campaigns

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Uses of QR Code Marketing in Direct Mail Campaigns

Do you remember those last two QR you recently scanned? Well, if you are sitting back there shaking your head to a no, fret not- You are not alone! For a while, it was like QR codes are one of the many other tech fads. While marketers initially opted for QR code marketing and the digital world of possibilities it offered.

However, their love for QR codes faded away slowly and gradually. Just bring up this unique topic and try discussing it with your team. The chances are that you might hear them saying- QR code advertising?

Do we still use them?

Somehow, this changed the game. The technology has advanced most unexpectedly. Thus, the use cases of QR have expanded to a great extent.

Now, that is true! From making payments to customer services and contactless entry- QR codes on promotional products are back into action. As a result, people are opening more to use these scan codes. QR codes connect physical mail and digital experience by providing instant access to online platforms.

In this article, we will discuss everything about what are QR codes used for and how you can enhance your direct mail marketing using them. Here is all that you need to know:

QR Code Advertising Combined With Technology

So, let us start by brushing up on our memories by asking you a simple question- What happened in September 2017?

Turning back a few pages, In September 2017, Apple updated its iOS 11 and enabled it to scan the QR codes using the iPhone camera.

It was eventually followed by Google, as it offered the same feature for smartphones with Android 9 and 10. Now, this cleared an obstacle for those looking for such in-built functions. Somehow, this small change made a huge difference when talking about QR code marketing.

Somehow, this small change made a huge difference when talking about these 2D codes. It was for the first time that the users required an additional application to scan QR codes. As a result, they just have to flip their phones and scan the code.

According to research, these innovations contributed around 28% and 26% of growth in reach and interactions, respectively. This all was reported for the years 2018 and 2019. With many adults in the USA using smartphones and access to high-speed internet, QR codes are significantly becoming a standard expectation for your customers.

Especially when talking about the ones who are looking for easy and on-demand access to almost everything.

Now, the question is – how can QR codes enhance your Direct Mail Campaigns?

We know that is what you all are thinking about…

Keeping that in mind, we at PostGrid conducted a quick survey with our marketing experts and concluded the following:

• As per our direct mail professionals, it is easy to direct customers to some promotions or offers on the website. All the customers have to do is point smartphones, and the mobile device will do the rest. The ease of access makes QR codes perfect for businesses to target traffic through direct mail campaigns.
• Businesses who opt for print & mail API at Postrgid include a QR code as a Call to Action into their assets. A few quick clicks and your customer right there at your platform- boosting the traffic on your website.
• Together, QR Code marketing and direct mail work hand-in-hand by using the existing technology to expand your outreach. The code itself is very similar to the conventional barcodes, and thus, there is nothing much known as the learning curve. Your customers love using smartphones, with the direct mail pieces in hand, and everything is in place (just as they want).
• Businesses can add personalized URLs to get customized responses. It helps them to track, report, and monitor their direct mail campaign more efficiently.

Now, let us discuss a little more about the QR codes on promotional products.

QR Code Advertising With Direct Mailing Campaigns

To understand why you should switch to a QR code marketing campaign, let us start by explaining a generic direct mail marketing campaign.

You put in all your efforts to create a mailing list and then write a direct mail copy. Unfortunately, it consumes a lot of your time and budget. Despite all this, you send your mail with an expectation for a desires response rate.

The truth is that your customers hate typing your URL manually and or even waste their time to cut the coupons.

That can cost you heaps of money, right?

So, how to fix this problem?

Well, you can simply use the modern innovations and make your direct mail marketing even more interactive by automating the same. Try adding QR codes to your mail pieces or personalized postcards. You can also use tools like PostGrid for more effective and pocket-friendly direct mailing solutions without worrying about anything else.

5 Major Benefits of Using QR Codes

It is no secret that business owners and marketers are always excited to dive into the waves of QR code advertising and its popularity.

At PostGrid, we love leveraging the innovations for businesses through direct mail campaigns. So, in case you are still wondering what are QR codes used for and how they can boost your ROI or direct mailing efforts. Try going through these unique benefits:

1. It Draws Positive Results to Your Digital Marketing Efforts:

Our brain tends to process digital and physical marketing media uniquely. A study by USPS highlighted the following facts:

• Direct mail evokes internal thinking.
• It also helps your customers feel connected by aligning with their feelings, emotions, and memories.
• Online reading material is hard to focus on.
• Searching through online platforms requires high-level filtering. However, the chances are that your audience may end up getting irrelevant information to complete a task.

Also, direct mail can help you leave an emotional impact on the customers. Your customer spends 8 long minutes sorting their mail. So, you have a lot of time to deliver the relevant information and connect with your readers. In this case, QR code benefits you letting you make the right move to engage your customers.

In this case, QR code benefits you letting you make the right move to engage your customer. Once your direct mail engages your audience with detailed information, you may ask them to take the next step.

2. Combining Offline & Online Experience With QR Code Marketing:

Many brands know the insights of organic search and the touchpoints of the buyer’s journey. It may include their interaction with Websites, Landing Pages, Web or Mobile applications, Online stores, and more.

As we keep saying, a high-end direct mail campaign must combine offline and online user experience. Here, QR code marketing can help you with that added value to your campaign. The QR codes can also guide the users through direct mail to your website to speed up the buying process.

 Also Read: Different Ways to Unite Offline and Online Marketing Channels

Additionally, such an experience is memorable, and your customer finds it worthwhile making a purchase. In other words, QR Code advertising with a pro-level brand message can add more value.

3. QR Code Marketing Leverages the Rise of Smartphones:

There are over millions of mobile phones in the marketplace out there. More than half of these devices are smart ones full of technology and innovation. Also, 80% of the user online prefer using smartphones. Keeping this in mind, Google created its free brand solutions such as the mobile-friendly test for businesses to enhance the user experience for smartphone owners.

The QR codes offer quick ways for the users to communicate. Here, a quick scan can help your customers move ahead from just a piece of print mail to a digital world full of opportunities.

4. High Lead Conversions with QR Code Advertising:

Direct mail campaigns come with superpowers when talking about driving new leads. Below are a few report findings that our professionals at PostGrid shared with us:

• 92 percent of the audience are attracted to online or digital activity.
• Around 87% of users purchase services and products online.
• Up to 86% feel connected with the brand through direct mail.
• 54 % of users engage using social media.
• Up to 43% of the users downloaded resources or something using the QR codes.

QR codes are recognizable and draw the attention of the users efficiently. They tend to focus attention on certain factors by making it easier to attract leads through direct mail.

5. QR Code Marketing Makes Your Direct Mail Design More Sophisticated:

QR codes also help you to reduce the word count on a direct mail piece. So, you get a little more space to design and place relevant elements on the mail to attract more leads. Modern customers do not have much time and patience to go through long content descriptions and brand messages.

They like everything that is sorted and provides them with the desired solution. QR Code Marketing campaigns offer the users instant access to what they have been looking for. So, by scanning the code, they can initiate a call or send an email to make a purchase.

How Does The QR Code Marketing Work?

QR code advertising is no rocket science. However, it may seem a little crazy how a bunch of boxes & markings can lead someone to a digital platform with a personalized URL.

The QR codes work pretty much like the old barcodes that you generally come across at clothing or grocery stores. However, the only difference is that the QR code is not limited to translating the code into a price- it translates into a digital platform.

The scanning language of the code is either binary, numerical, alpha-numerical, and even Kanji (A Japanese writing style). It involves hidden data that is encoded in the form of an image of the QR code. Together, the squares, shapes, and dots translate into English once the user scans them out. This process is as fast as clicking a picture using the camera.

So, in case you are still stumbling to understand the technicalities a QR code uses, do not worry. For you, it is just enough to know that QR codes are the perfect solution for attracting new leads from direct mail to your website. And that these uniquely designed codes are highly customizable and easy to track.

Quick Ways of Using QR Codes in Advertising

So, now you know all about the QR codes, let us move ahead to learn to use them effectively. There are countless ways marketers use QR codes advertising to delight their users and clients. So, below are a few of our favorites:

• Send directly to a landing page: This is one of the fabulous ways to share relevant information related to your services, products, or more.
• Leading the way to Maps: You can help the customers to your business location. It leaves a good impression on your customers. As they can access GPS directions to visit you from a quick scan.
• Connect with Customer Support: Let a quick QR scan be the means for your customers to connect with you or your team. Yes, you can encode your number into the QR code and ensure your customers that you are just a scan away.
• Add to the Calendar: This strategy can help users with all the dates by scanning the QR code. Be it a fundraiser or even a product launch, never let your customer miss any of your events like before.
• Initiating or Making Sales: Direct the code readers to your online shop, landing page, offer page, and more to make sales.
• To Download an App: Let your target audience know about your app much before the launch. Add a quick response code to lead your customers to the app store based on their operating system. By doing so, they will use your app on their mobile devices the moment your app gets into the market.

The strategy you opt for depends on your brand requirements, value, marketing goals, and more. As you start adding QR codes into your print media, you will learn what works for one QR Code marketing campaign can be useless for another. If so, you need not worry, as you just need to work on your strategy and update your marketing goals.

Used Cases of Dynamic QR Codes on Promotional Products & Services

There are several ways that QR codes are used for promotional items to bridge the gap between offline and online experience, and they are as follow:

Nowadays, entrepreneurs, marketers, or even consultants prefer adding QR codes to their business cards. It takes the users directly to your website or a page with the relevant information about your services or products.

• Educators, tutors, and more add the code for their young QR scanners that links to their website, quiz, or other downloadable material such as whitepapers.
• A local business displays quick response codes on their postcards or brochures to link to their Google Places with access to coupons, offers, and customer feedback.
• A retail or eCommerce store owner uses QR codes to initiate sales of their in-store products and services. They link the codes to their website, product pages, reviews section, etc.
• Food joints and restaurants prefer adding QR codes on takeout menus, payment cards, and table reservation cards. It further links the respective page to complete the action.
• Real estate business owners like placing their QR codes for their customers on For Sale signs, direct mail campaigns, etc. The idea behind this is to provide additional information, property photos, and more for references.
• There is a trend of updating promotional items like postcards, posters, brochures, and flyers with interactive CTAs. Such direct assets generally contain a QR code with a gateway to information like videos, whitepapers, ebooks, etc.

The Key Considerations to Create the Best QR Code Strategy

To make the most of your QR code marketing, here is what you need to take care of:

• Message and the Content: Always ensure that your code directs the customer to relevant information that complements your mailing asset. If you can get a hold of this, your prospects are likely to convert.
• Short URLs: Try keeping the URL short and clean if you intend to send your customer to a specific landing page. This will help you reduce the cross-linking errors that are hard to take care of.
• Try Adding a Call to Action: If used correctly, there is a great chance to target your audience by encouraging them to scan the code. Also, it can be helpful if you can provide some details about what the customers can expect from the QR code.
• Clear and Crisp Instructions: Considering your target audience, try adding instructions to scan the QR codes. Always try to make sure that your QR is accompanied by a sentence or two to help the users.
• Responsive Landing Page: Remember, your QR scanner is on a handheld device. This is why you must ensure that you direct them to a responsive landing page through your direct mail. It will provide them an optimal experience when talking about navigation and leave a good impression.
• Offer Discounts and Incentives: Adding offers and discounts will boost your user engagement with your direct mail. Therefore, try to give your recipients solutions to their problems and even questions like- What is in for me?
• Real-Time Tracking: If you use direct mail for a QR code marketing campaign, it is crucial to track several factors. It may include the total number of scans in a specific period, capturing the accurate address and other data. A QR code can help you track your response rate when integrated with a tool like PostGrid for a direct mail campaign.
• Test Your Code: Things that work great on an Android device may not work on an iPhone. Therefore, always test by running your codes with different devices before sending direct mail assets to the customers.
• Include an Automation Strategy: Always track the QR scanners and enroll them in your automated direct mail strategies using PostGrid. Now, this is one of the best ways to generate leads by providing added value to your direct marketing campaign.

Always remember, just like the marketing tools, QR codes also work the best when they are combined with a marketing strategy. Therefore, when creating a direct mail campaign, ask yourself how these codes can support your brand goals and add value. Do not be afraid to add new ways or change them to boost your outreach.

Wrapping Up: That is all about Using QR Codes in Advertising

There are various reasons to add a QR code strategy to your upcoming direct mail marketing campaign. Apart from serving as quick links, QR codes connect your print media and digital materials. In addition, these codes also provide you with a few more benefits to meet your business goals. They are:

1. QR codes are affordable: You can generate a personalized QR code free online. Once generated, you can easily place them as an image to the print media items for the customers.
2. Generate Leads: Using these codes as a part of your direct mail campaign can boost your web traffic and saves you from unnecessary hassles to generate leads.
3. QR codes are quantifiable: You can use your quick response codes to track the performance of your marketing campaign, response rates, conversions, buyer behavior, etc.

Lastly, adding quick response codes to your direct mail marketing campaigns can do a lot more than just improving user engagement. They can boost your ROI by converting your prospects into loyal customers. Therefore, it is wise to make the most of your QR code advertising and reach out to your customers regardless of their locations, channel, devices, etc.

Here at PosGrid, we are using the latest tech stacks to empower your direct mail campaign. Yes, we do not like leaving any stone unturned. Thus, we also like managing the same for our partners.

Click here to contact our team and learn about our innovative ways of combining direct mail strategies with QR code marketing to enhance your brand value.

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