Quick Response, Quick Death? Critics Question QR Codes’ Effectiveness

How many people, when they see a QR code, know what it is?

How many of them have a smartphone capable of doing anything with that little pixelated box?

How many of them have already downloaded the correct application for reading the code?

And when they take the time to have their phones read the code, where does it take them?

QR codes are an increasingly popular marketing tactic. But critics such as these columnists in Business Insider and AdAge are raising questions about whether all the fuss is really futility.

It’s healthy to have a sense of skepticism about the latest tech fad. And QR codes, which may prove to be transitional rather than transformative technology, fall into that category.

But we shouldn’t immediately dismiss them. QR codes, despite their shortcomings, offer a low-cost chance to engage customers and prospects in new ways. Just don’t let yourself believe that they’re some kind of magic potion.

Start with a smart strategy, incorporate a compelling offer, put it in a place where your target audience is most likely to use it … and a QR code might just bring a little something extra to your next campaign.

Are You Marketing (and Living) Your Mission?

Over at AdAge, there’s an interesting look at the trend in mission-based marketing among consumer brands.

Big names like Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Wal-Mart are putting a lot of emphasis on taglines and catchphrases that sound like they’re right out of a lofty mission statement.

Think Wal-Mart’s “Save money. Live better.” That’s a pretty dramatic and emotional turn from the old “Always low prices.” More importantly, the audience seems to be internal as much as external.

Guess it’s a sign of the times. In the recession, employees need to know they’re working for something more meaningful—helping people “live better”—than just providing cheap merchandise. Seems to be working at least OK for Wal-Mart lately.

Yes, a tagline tied to a mission can pack a pretty powerful punch. But a note of caution: If you’re going to engage in mission marketing, then it’s more critical than ever to follow through with the mission you’re promoting. You’ve got to live that brand promise.

Otherwise, it’s just an empty slogan. And your customers, and your employees, will see right through it.

The Recovery Is Ramping Up. What about Your Marketing?

Feeling a little more optimistic lately?

If so, it’s not without cause. Numerous signs suggest that the economy is continuing to emerge from recession:

• Although we’ve topped 10 percent unemployment, new claims for jobless benefits are down.
• Retail sales are picking up.
• Productivity is hitting new highs.
  

If you have some other tales of the upswing to point out, please join the conversation at Positive Breakthroughs, a LinkedIn group promoting good economic news.

In the meantime, you should be thinking about how you’ll take advantage of new growth opportunities as they arise. After all, there will be no shortage of companies vying for new business in the coming months.

How are you going to set yourself and your company apart from the fray?

It doesn’t have to mean big spending. As AdAge points out, positioning yourself as a thought leader is a smart, cost-effective way to differentiate yourself and increase your visibility. Whatever niche you’re in, now is the time to demonstrate your expertise through relevant social networks, in the trade publications and on the blogs.

You can start by commenting right here. ;)

Social Media: Just Because? Perhaps ;)

There’s some provocative commentary over at Ad Age: “Why I Hate Social Media”

Don’t count me among the social media haters, per se. I do find the media themselves to be interesting—especially all the instant interconnectedness among people around the globe.

But Ad Age columnist Matt Jones has a point, I think, when talking about using this tool for marketing purposes: it’s still about the big idea.

Lots of people are jumping on the social media express. They’re reading about it everywhere, and the knee-jerk reaction is to say “Hey, me, too!” But for jumping on board to be worthwhile, you still have to offer fresh, compelling stories that engage and build community with people who share similar interests. Otherwise, your Tweets will be easily ignored by the same social-media-savvy people you’re trying to reach.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t be experimenting in these fast-evolving realms. But if you’re using social media for your business, you should at least consider how doing so relates to your company goals and strategy. And more importantly, you have to make sure you’re having real-life, give-and-take conversations with customers, prospects and industry people. (Take Dell and IdeaStorm, for example.)

Don’t forget to listen, learn and take action. Thanks to the wide variety of social media research tools available (start by exploring Twitter’s search function), you can tune in to what people are talking about and tailor your messages accordingly. So go ahead and join the conversation.

After all, the big idea of “social media” is being “social.”