The Ugly Secret About QR Codes In Transaction Document Campaigns

2. Agenda What are QR Codes? Successful QR Code Usage In Transaction Document Campaigns • Technical Quality • User Demographics • Expectations Successful Transaction Document Campaigns using QR CodesSlide 2© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

5. QR Codes Functionality Scanned by handheld device • Needs camera, QR code reader Currently 179 QR Code readers listed for Android • Can result in one of four actions: Link to a URL Write an email or an SMS Display information • E.g., contact info, product infoSlide 5© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

7. QR Codes in the US Finally becoming popular • Growth in US smartphone penetration is a driver • Mostly with consumers • 1200% growth, July-December 2010 Drop-off after Christmas But 87% of these scans are by consumers for product information Slowly moving into transaction documents • US Postal Service Offering a 3% discount for mailers using a QR Code (or a similar 2D code) on their mail in July and August 2011.Slide 7© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

8. QR Codes in Transaction Documents Within the transaction document marketspace • Mixed message on the street “Great boost in response rates!” “Did nothing – the campaign was a failure.” • Why the mixed message? Both can’t be right? What are QR Codes’ ugly secrets? • What are their hidden dangers? What are the secrets for a successful Transaction document campaign taking advantage of QR Codes?Slide 8© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

10. Secrets of QR Code Usage Must be an integral part of the campaign planning Cannot be an afterthought • QR Codes cannot be bolted onto an existing Transpromo marketing campaign (and be successful) Requires careful attention to three critical issues: • Technical Quality • Usage Demographics • ExpectationsSlide 10© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

13. Technical Quality Many generators, many readers • Not all generators or readers are created equal • Make sure your QR Code can be read Focus on three critical issues • QR Code is correctly generated • QR Code is readable • QR Code link is correctSlide 13© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

14. QR Code Generator Software Review generator(s) Which are best for your environment and requirements? Which work best with your existing document composition or document reengineering systems? Which meet your production requirements? See code.google.com/apis/chart/docs/gallery/qr_codes.html for a sample (non-production) generatorSlide 14© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

15. QR Code Test Plans Test the generator output • If generating individual, personalized QR Codes, test many outputs • Is it printable? Test the readers • Can you read the QR Code? • Track which readers are most used by your customers Multiple platforms – iPhone, Android, Blackberry Multiple readers Test the results • Does the QR Code go to the intended landing page?Slide 15© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

18. Usage Caveats Smartphone penetration • Between 27% - 33% in the US • So perhaps 67% - 73% of the recipients can’t take advantage of your QR Code Is your customer demographic likely to have average, higher, or lower penetration? For the customers without smart phones • What other options can the customer use to respond to your call for action other than QR Code?Slide 18© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

20. Fail to meet their expectations? They won’t ever, ever click on another QR code from you They will have a negative impression of • Your brand And these early adopters • Your product are typically also heavily • Your company wired into social networks The news of your failure will spread quicklySlide 20© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

22. Early Adopter Expectations Novel Experience • The Early Adopters expect something different and special • Must be unique and special to the QR Code click- through • Not the same landing page as your web, print, or TV channels • A video, a discount, a special promotion • Quick 2-3 question surveys can be used – make it interactiveSlide 22© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

23. Early Adopter Expectations Personalized QR Codes • On a Transpromo document, each QR Code should (ideally) be individual to that user • Same concept as a personalized URLSlide 23© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

24. Early Adopter Expectations Result must be optimized for a mobile device • A landing page written for a conventional Web browser will be ignored or ridiculed • Your creative designers must develop separate web presences for QR Code campaigns How well they can be viewed/interacted with on different mobile devices should be part of your production test planSlide 24© 2011 Stephen D. Poe

26. Successful Campaign QR Codes cannot merely be bolted on – they must be integral to planning from the start Use classic Transpromo techniques • Develop targeted messages and offerings knowing the end users are early adopters • Design the creative suitably for a mobile platform • Test, test, test • Track the results QR Codes and mobile devices offer new and novel tracking data which can add to your campaign tweaking • Use segmentation testing as per normalSlide 26© 2011 Stephen D. Poe