Aug
18
Quick Response (QR) codes are the latest tech gadget to engage folks with smartphones and other mobile devices equipped with a camera.
These codes are fun, and simple to use. Just point the lens of your smart phone or other compatible mobile device at the code, and wait to see what pops up on the screen. Usually, it’s a website. But it can also be a cell phone number, an email address, a text message, or even a YouTube video. And that’s just for starters.
The final result is a lot like you get from typing in a URL, but QR codes offer some distinct advantages. One is the novelty factor, but another is convenience. Typing a URL on a smart phone can be frustrating. By contrast, a QR code only requires you to point, and your phone does the rest.
The ease, spontaneity and fun of using QR codes may make them the interactive equivalent of the Point of Purchase (POP) display. You don’t even have to tell customers where the code will take them (many will simply point their smart phone at a code purely for its mystery appeal).
Your imagination is the limit when it comes to how your bank can use QR codes. Here are just a few ideas:
• Low, introductory CD rates — aim and presto!
• Apply for a credit card — aim and presto!
• Test different marketing and ad strategies — aim and presto!
• Enter a sweepstakes — aim and presto!
You can add QR codes to any marketing program to increase interactivity and, thus, effectiveness. The QR code is more than cool–it is the ultimate involvement device. If your marketing isn’t featuring them, it’s high time to get started.