Physical objects that display QR codes link to additional online info.

Think of a QR code as a bar code with a URL attached to it. Scan a QR code with your smartphone and you’re instantly linked to a web page (or other online content) without typing a web address into your browser. This method of connecting physical objects that display the QR code with additional online information is called “hardlinking.”

Where can you find QR codes?

If you haven’t noticed yet – QR codes are popping up everywhere. From print ads, billboards and event tickets to product labels, retail POS displays and cash register receipts.

As adoption of smartphones and awareness of QR codes increase, marketers are exploring new and innovative ways to use QR codes to link the physical world with deeper online information. One of the more unusual applications of a QR code includes Audi’s creation of the world’s largest QR code (159 square meters) to commemorate 100 years of manufacturing. While the Jade Monkey tattoo parlor in Phoenix, Arizona offers QR code tattoos that link to an individual’s Facebook page or website.

Which brands are using QR Codes?

Major U.S. brands that are currently using QR codes include:

• Audi
• Best Buy
• Chevy
• Detroit Red Wings
• Dick’s Sporting Goods
• Ford
• GMC
• Google
• Macy’s
• McDonald’s
• Post Cereals
• Ralph Lauren
• Re/Max
• Starbucks
• Target

Who’s scanning all these QR codes?

Reading QR codes requires a smartphone with a QR reader installed. Since only about 30% of all U.S. mobile phone users have smartphones, adoption isn’t widespread. However, among the smartphones on the market today here’s how the utilization of QR codes breaks down by OS: 68% Apple, 26% Andriod & 4% Blackberry.

How do you create a QR code?

There are many websites where you can generate QR codes for free including quikqr.com and  kaywa.com.

Black and white QR codes work best. But there’s some leeway to layer logos or graphics onto your QR code to tie the look to existing marketing materials. For QR code reader accuracy, good contrast between the background and the bar color itself is important. But always be sure to test your QR code for readability before distributing it.

While QR codes seem to be popping up everywhere, consumers are still going through a learning curve. It may help to add some copy or graphic elements around your QR code explaining to the uninitiated the additional content linked to the QR code. And don’t overlook the need for a call-to-action and to reward consumers for snapping through – especially if your target market is new to QR codes.

The minimum dimensions of a QR code depend upon the distance between the QR code and the scanning device, the size of the dots in the QR code (the more data you put into the code the smaller the dots become) and the resolving power of the smartphone camera used to scan the QR code.

That said, for most smartphones the ratio of scan distance to minimum QR code size is approximately 10:1. There’s a bit of latitude depending on the resolution of your Smartphone’s camera but 10:1 ratio is a good rule of thumb for a well-lit black and white QR code. So a 1” QR code printed in a magazine will have an effective scan distance of about 10”. For a billboard 100’ from passersby the QR code would need to be 10’.

What can you do with a QR code?

• Compose an email message
• PayPal buy now link
• Share an email address
• Find a location on Google Maps
• Link to a social media site
• Deliver a vCard
• Open a website
• Event invitations (vCalendar)
• View a YouTube video
• Make a phone call
• Send an SMS message
• Transmit mobile coupons

How do you measure the effectiveness of QR codes?

An easy way to track your QR code is to embed it within a dedicated landing page. Then simply track traffic to this page using your web analytics tool. Here are some basic analytics you’ll want to keep in mind:

Impressions: The number of times the QR code is viewed in its original context. A QR code applied to a print ad would have the same number of impressions as the ad. For a QR code applied to a billboard, the impression would equal the numbers of passersby.

Snaps: The number of people who took the time to take a snap shot of the QR code and subsequently linked to the landing page or other content.

Snap-Through Rate: The percentage of people who took a snapshot of the QR code and subsequently linked to additional content. To calculate the snap-through rate, simply divide the number of snaps by the number of impressions to calculate your Snap-Through Rate.

Actions: The number of people who ultimately buy or take the next step in your marketing process.

Conversion Rate: The percentage of people who buy/convert/take the next step after clicking through on your QR code. Simply divide Actions by Snaps.

The creative brief document provides direction to the creative team in regard to:

• Concept Definition
• Communications & Creative Strategies
• Approach
• Research
• Timetable

The creative brief is designed to give the creative team a realistic view of what the piece is likely to achieve, a clear understanding of the audience you are targeting, and a clear direction on the message to which these people will be respond.

The creative brief should be creative, presenting solutions rather than problems. It should help uncover opportunities and excite the creative team. Ideally, the creative team will participate in the creation of the brief. Always remember that a brief is a means to an end – the creative team shouldn’t be writing to a brief, but rather working from it.

Different agencies and marketing teams structure creative briefs in different ways. However, best practices tell us that a brief should answer a core set of simple questions.

1. What are we promoting?
2. What do we want the promotion to do?
3. How have we promoted this product in the past?
4. Who are we talking to?
5. What product or service are they using now?
6. What do we know about them that will help us create the piece?
7. What is our target’s current belief about the product or service?
8. What is the main thought we need to communicate?
9. What should be the tone?
10. What is the motivation and what do we want the audience to do?
11. Which media are we using?
12. What are the deadlines?

Remember, the brief is the foundation on which creatives build the house. You can’t build a masterpiece without a blueprint.

When evaluating a creative piece, you should ask yourself:

• Do the graphics/artwork effectively represent the product and audience.
• Is the offer represented in a way the target audience can relate?
• Is the product represented accurately and appropriately?
• Does the creative motivate the customer to take action?
• Are the steps to action clearly presented?
• Are links, phone numbers, address, etc. correct?
• Does the piece meet marketing and legal compliance?

When evaluating creative, remember that someone put effort into creating the piece, so be sure when offering constructive criticism your feedback is direct and simple, respectful. Be specific about what you like and don’t like.

Princess Phoebe says, “Always put captions under your photos. People read captions before body copy.”

From print ads to web pages, the subject of the photography used in your marketing messages is critical. Of course there are other contributing factors such as the product itself, an enticing offer and effective copywriting. But it’s likely to be the photography that first grabs your prospects’ attention and engages them in your marketing message.

Don’t fall prey to using pictures of babies, beagles and blondes to steal prospects’ attention. A picture of a beautiful female model may stop a male reader but only for a second and only because he desires the model – not your product!

Photographs serve as labels for your marketing message. So unless you’re selling a pet related product, it isn’t likely that a photo of your teacup Chihuahua will enhance your marketing results. The buyer of a particular product is more interested in a photo of the product than the baby drooling on it, the dog chewing it or the buxom blonde holding it.

So before you grab your iPhone and start chasing Princess Phoebe around the house in hopes of capturing an adorably candid canine snapshot to use in your marketing, try these six photography tips for marketing success:

1. Photography attracts attention. Make photos as large as possible, then crop away any unnecessary parts.
2. Be sure the photography corresponds with what you are selling – not with the headline copy. Don’t leave it to the reader to unravel your marketing message. If it isn’t immediately apparent, most readers will not invest the time or effort to decipher the headline and photo to figure out your offer.
3. Add captions to your photos. People are accustomed to reading captions under photographs. Captions are a great way to sell and communicate additional product benefits.
4. Match the demographic of your audience to the photography. People are interested in photos of people within whom they can identify.
5. Show the product in use. Or picture an enlarged detail of the product that demonstrates quality and/or delivers a unique benefit.
6. Feature a photo that demonstrates the rewards for using the product. Or try a photo that illustrates the consequences of what could happen if your product isn’t used.

The marketing plan is the written methodology for implementing a set of promotional campaign efforts designed to achieve your marketing objectives. For most companies a marketing plan is written on an annual basis.

The campaign plan is not the marketing plan. It follows from, and is guided by, the marketing plan. The campaign plan details specific efforts within the marketing plan. Typically, this is an individual campaign strategy employing particular tactics within a fixed period of time such as a fiscal quarter or season.

There are many trendy templates you can use to construct a marketing plan. But the truth is you don’t need a flashy presentation – you need a plan. And please remember to actually write your marketing plan down! Scribble your marketing plan out on a note pad if you need to. But please take the time to think thorough the following considerations.

Essential Elements of the Marketing Plan

Situation Analysis
The purpose is to understand the internal and external forces that can affect your business, customers, products and services. And how these forces might change in the immediate future. Remember SWOT – it stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. Essentially your goal is to establish some explicit and testable assumptions about internal strengths and weaknesses and external threats and opportunities that can be used to assess the your current marketing strategy and identify new opportunities.

Setting Marketing Objectives & Goals
This is a process of identifying the degree to which marketing efforts might be able to impact the opportunities for, and threats to, your business. Marketing objectives broadly address what a business would like to achieve, and include both internal and external measures (e.g. increase ROI, increase market share). Marketing goals are more specific in nature, build upon objectives, are quantifiable, and are more detailed than objectives as they identify timing and quantification (e.g. increase market share by 5% in 2 years or increase ROI to 20% by 2012).

Prioritize Marketing Strategies & Tactics
For each marketing goal, multiple strategies may be developed. For each strategy, a specific tactic should be developed. Tactics are the specific program details required to execute the strategy such as: format, content, quantity, drop dates. The next step is to prioritize the strategies and tactics based on how well they will support your marketing goals and how important their strategic importance to your business. Always prioritize marketing strategies based on their business impact.

Possible marketing strategies may include:

• Increase Revenue: In order to increase revenue (or maintain the existing revenue stream) prospects must be converted to customer through various marketing communications.
• Cross-sell: A cross-sell strategy can promote buying from a product category that a customer may not typically buy from, or broaden a customer’s purchases across an increasing number of product lines.
• Upsell: An incentive encouraging the customer to spend more and thereby increasing the customer dollar per transaction.
• Renewal/Retention: Marketing efforts to keep current customers that have already purchased. Usually involves less of an investment that prospect-to-buyer conversion. Greatest benefit is the minimal level of investment required. Remember it can cost four to seven times more to replace a current customer than it does to keep one.
• Downsell: Used to acquire a new customers if an original offer did not meet their needs.

10 Tips for Writing a Successful Campaign Plan

Only after you have identified the specific goals and strategies of your marketing plan can you begin to develop a campaign plan. Campaign plans have more steps. Yes, precisely because they are more detailed. 

1. Be concise in your writing, providing details that offer a clear understanding of the campaign, how you will meet the marketing goal, and your measure of success.
2. Clearly identify your criteria for success and expected results. For example: Meet a response target of 10% or increase response by 2% over the last campaign.
3. Include the results of past campaigns for this product or similar campaigns. Hint: If you haven’t shared past campaign performance, the creative team doesn’t have this info for you.
4. Identify the target audience and customer segments. Individual customers within a customer segment have similar needs, wants and perceptions with respect to a company and its products.
5. Develop an offer to promote to the target audience. Then take the time to explain the benefits, details and requirements of the offer so It can be effectively communicated to your target audience.
6. Select the media and develop the contact strategy. Formulate objectives for regulating the sequence and frequency of customers contact.
7. Include any information pertaining to the production, operational setup and execution of the campaign. Identify the resources requirements – What operational resources are needed? Customer contact center, fulfillment, processing, production?
8. Determine testing needs. What are you trying to learn? What types of tests are you planning?
9. Include a campaign schedule, testing matricies, and your expected financial return calculations. You should be able to explain what the program is expected to contribute to the bottom line.
10. Double-check your campaign plan. Be sure you have provided a clear understanding o the product being offered, clearly stated goals of the campaign, the strategy and tactical plan to achieve the marketing goals, and the resources required.

In essence, campaign managers are the quarterbacks of the marketing department. They must understand the expertise and interdependencies of all the members of the marketing team and coordinate their individual contributions into a winning effort.

The primary responsibilities of a campaign manager focus on the development and monitoring of the campaign planning, implementation, and evaluation processes. Due to the complexities and surprises inherent in any marketing campaign, campaign managers must monitor a wide variety of tasks assigned to the client, marketing team and vendors.

Throughout the process, campaign managers are required to play a variety of roles ranging from marketer to project manager and negotiator. And to be completely honest, sometimes the roles of coach, bully and psychologist are also needed. With so many responsibilities and tasks to monitor, here are three best practices campaign managers can use to help keep their marketing campaigns on track.

1. Campaign Launch Meeting
This preplanning meeting serves to gain consensus among all them members of the marketing team and document all the factors involved with the progress of the campaign.

Campaign Launch Meeting Best Practices:

•  Ensure everyone involved with the campaign has complete understanding of their responsibilities and the overall scope of the campaign.
•  Develop a documented timeline for the campaign including milestones and dependencies.
•  Prepare a detailed list of specific deliverables and the resources assigned to each task.
•  Distribute a production schedule.
•  Establish the date and time of the next of the next status meeting.

2. Weekly Marketing Team Meetings
During the implementation phase marketing team members should meet weekly to review the progress of the campaign and any interim reports. Team members should share learnings and results to date and determine whether changes in strategy are required.

Weekly Marketing Team Meeting Best Practices:

• Highlight any changes to the campaign’s scope, functionality, cost or schedule.
• Discuss any anticipated changes. Identify the action steps and individuals responsible to accommodate those changes.
• Set the goals for the next weekly review, specific tasks that must be completed and any outstanding issues.
• Ensure that all interim reports to date have been reviewed.
• Summarize the campaign results to date.

3. Post Mortem Meeting
Each team member should prepare a post-campaign analysis. It is important that the team have the opportunity to review all interrelated events within the campaign and discuss results.

Post Mortem Meeting Best Practices:

• Review post-campaign reports and findings to date.
• Discuss all interrelated events within the campaign and the outcome from the perspective of each functional area.
• Evaluate the campaign process. What worked? What didn’t? Why? What would you do differently next time?

Of course, no two marketing campaigns are identical. And every marketing campaign has unique and unexpected challenges. Following these best practices doesn’t guarantee success. But adopting these best practices will afford you the organization, structure and feedback to necessary to more effectively mange your marketing campaigns, learn from previous mistakes and improve your future marketing efforts.

~Leave color selection to your graphic designer.

Artists, psychologists, and florists agree. Color has the ability to communicate and affect our emotions. And if you’ve ever felt blue, been tickled pink, or grown so angry you were seeing red I’m certain you’ll agree. Color communication can be more primitive and powerful than any verbal or written language.

With such a subtle and effective communication tool, co-opting the power of color to enhance their marketing message can be irresistible to marketers. Color can add excitement to your marketing efforts and identity to your brand. And by selecting just the right colors you can convey the ideal attributes to your marketing message.

Red is a classic choice to color any company, product or service that is grounded, dominant and forceful. Yellow can convey a homey feeling of warmth and comfort. Incorporating green into the identity of a company can indicate social responsibility and cultural diversity. Making blue central to a brand communicates the exchange of insightful and creative viewpoints. While the use of purple communicates implies innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.

The opportunities for color selection are endless. But choosing an appealing color scheme is not tantamount to developing an effective marketing strategy. Woo hoo! Round up the marketing team and grab the color palate. You’ll quickly be off on a color pick-a-thon pursuing greener blues, but not too turquoisey, no maybe red, more red, but not red-red. As a marketer your input, feedback, and critique are invaluable in the creative process. But leave the nuance of color selection to the expertise of a graphic designer trained in color theory.

The truth of the matter is, color perception is nothing more than a visual sensation that involves three elements: a light source, an object, and a viewer. Objects derive their color by absorbing certain wavelengths of lights while reflecting other wavelengths back to your eyes. Your eyes contain two types of light receptors, rods, and cones. The cones are sensitive to the red, green or blue light of the visible spectrum and are responsible for perceiving color. Your brain receives signals from the cones, processes them, and then evokes the sensation of color.

Furthermore, color perception varies from person to person and can be influenced by a number of variables including the light source, surrounding colors, your mood, and variations in your own visual system. A number of people have color-deficient vision or color-blindness which may result from one type of cone missing or a defect that affects color analysis in the brain. The most common form is the inability to distinguish between reds and greens. The second most common form of color-deficient vision affects individuals who suffer from a condition commonly known as poor taste.

Not everyone can make informed judgments about color choice. Your eyes, no matter how well trained can be overwhelmed by the many variables that contribute to color perception. Color is a complex subject that can, and should, be studied in great depth. In fact, you can even earn a college degree in color science. So leave choices requiring color expertise to the experts. Even the colors black and white can be powerful and effective in the hands of a well-trained graphic designer.

The conscious scrutiny is their reaction to the visual and verbal elements of your marketing message. The unconscious determination comes to bear when they arrive at your website or enter your store and make a buying decision. It’s the only valid way of determining if your marketing message is effective. At the end of the day aestheic appeal won’t necessarily deliver measureable marketing results.