I am re-posting the following since I received feedback following the original post that 2D Code was out of the reach of small businesses. I personally reponded to those who took the time to send me an email. As I stated, 2D Code is yet another tool for marketing. Here's the post, and as always I welcome your feedback. See 'ya on the 1st.
Today, small and mid-sized businesses are approaching marketing and advertising much like large companies; they are using a multi-tiered approach. Today we'll look at direct mail. It may seem that direct mail has taken a backseat to social media, and in a way it has. Everyone's talking about social media. There are forums, seminars and webinars to help us learn new and better applications for its use. But direct mail has not been idle.
Increasingly, we're beginning to see direct mail marketing incorporating technology. Savvy marketers are embedding their brochures, envelopes, fliers and postcards. Embedded code is helping to improve cross media marketing, and can increase your direct mail campaign ROI.
If you haven't already, you can expect to start seeing tags embedded with two dimensional (2D) code being used in direct mail. Two of the most popular are QR code and Data Matrix. Both are 2D codes (as opposed to the older 1D barcodes). Data Matrix actually preceded QR code, but holds only half the number of alphanumeric characters as QR code. Data Matrix is believed to be more secure than QR code, but Data Matrix doesn't use Japanese characters (Kanji). And since the Japanese are wild over QR code (it recognizes Kanji), it has emerged as the preferred code there, and increasingly, here in the US.
2D codes can contain text, URL or other data, and is readable by a dedicated barcode scanner or a camera phone. This is an example of 2D code:
This little bitty square is beginning to change the game for direct mail. I think of it as bringing your mailer to life. For example, let's say you own a shoe store. You're planning to mail large postcards to advertise your summer shoe collection. The postcard includes a QR code that has been encoded with your website's URL. When the postcard is scanned, visitors will be directed to your website where they can see more selections. Maybe you have a discount pin number on your site that can used for your 12 hour sale. If the scan was done by a mobile phone, there's a chance that the user is in his or her car and will head over to buy. Or perhaps an aspiring recording artist hands out business cards with a QR code which when scanned will send the user to a mp3 stored online to hear his music. Just think of the possibilities.
You can create your own 2D code. There are numerous code generators (especially QR) available for free online. Just do a google search. Sometimes for a fee (and sometimes there is no fee), you can get added features such as code tracking, editing and analytics.
It's this kind of cross media marketing that is helping to level the playing field for SMBs.
How would you use 2D code in your direct mail campaign?
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