More on QR Codes

Our previous blog on QR codes looked at the faux pas of their use and common teething problems.
This was by no means discouragement of their use. The 'Quick Response' codes offer a speedy direct line of communication between a business and the code scanner. More sophisticated than a bar code, QR codes can hold geo co-ordinates, URLs and business information that can be transported into mobile phone contacts and memory. This is particularly handy on business cards.

And they are simple!

iGoogle offers an excellent QR code generator. Once the generator is set up through iGoogle, you will have a "tool that allows you to generate QR-Codes from URLs, messages, phone numbers, SMS and pre-written emails."

The codes can be used to detail events and promotions, product information and provide coupons. A potential customer can scan a coded product and find out where they are available for purchase. Clever use would have people directed to updated sites and social media pages to improve awareness.

In addition, when they are added to a website they can improve SEO results. Placing a QR code onto a website is an excellent way to ensure updates and get Google indexing site information. The QR code will be indexed as an image. This may have two very positive effects. Google may recognise the image as QR code and the information it holds may be indexed.

Googlebot: Indexing and Crawling

Simple Google Advertising

Many businesses/organisations do not make the most of Google advertising opportunities. There are some simple options to encourage traffic to your site or information board. In addition you can rest assured that Google takes a very hard line against fraudulent traffic directing.

So what are some of these options?

An up to date, contemporary website is excellent, but by no means mandatory.

Google Local allows businesses to be added to Google Maps for free. The Google Local page provides  a blue link in the top left corner to add your business. This will direct potential customers/clients to relevant advertisements.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADRA_enGB467GB468&q=spitfire+recruitment+whitstable&ion=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&wrapid=tlif133526140178410&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Google AdWords is an enhanced option. Again it is for businesses anywhere looking for potential customers, however, unlike free listings, adverts created through AdWords are displayed on the map with a distinctive blue pin. This ensures that they stand out. In addition this service is more tailored. Google maximise the potential of relevant traffic visiting your advertisement. Although  business details are displayed for free, the advertiser is only charged when their advertisement is clicked on. Through an assessment of traffic it is therefore possible to decide on a monthly budget according to how lucrative using Google AdWords has become.

There is now also Google AdWords Express, which is designed for local businesses. There is no requirement of a website, the campaign management tools are automated and the reporting and tracking is at a standard level. This is a great opition for communicating business details without having a website. It is uncomplicated and a middle ground between Google Local and Google AdWords.

Google AdSense offers the opportunity to earn money from online content. Online publishers can make their content pay by displaying relevant advertisements and earning from clicks or impressions. Revenue can also be made by adding a custom search bar to your website and earning from search result pages. Furthermore, there is scope to direct customers through mobile internet and apps.

Advertising and Apps: Draw Something!

The mobile pictionary style app which was recently acquired by Zynga gaming for a staggering $180 million is still going strong with around 50 million downloads. It has been something of a phenomenon. The creators, OMGPOP had released several games prior to Draw Something, but only this enjoyed instant success. Under the new Zynga umbrella updates will ensure that the game is more advertising friendly. Previous attempt include side bars and flash up advertisements that are often instantly discarded by the player. This had marketers scratching their heads. http://www.talentzoo.com/beyond-madison-ave/blog_news.php?articleID=13856

How could brand interaction be incorperated?

The clue is in the question. Users will notice the addition of words relevant to The Hunger Games, a film due for release on 23rd April 2012. Whether a fan of the novel it was based upon or not gamers may be forced to guess character names. The opportunity to sneak pop culture or brands into the game is a major step forward. The new version also allows drawings to be saved, sent and shared on Facebook and Twitter through iOS. An update will shortly be available for android. Advertisers will effectively see the gamer spreading the brand seed for them.

Draw Something has no competitve drive which means that gamers are in it together and want to draw at their best. The rewarded coins are currency to purchase additional colours to draw with. This friendly tone has made the app popular and hot topic. The latest updates may act as a weather vane for future developements in interaction and marketing on mobile apps.

A collection of  'The Best Of' drawings is available online and seriously, we defy anyone not to be in awe!

Direct Marketing Trends 2012 on Facebook

Direct marketing is constantly evolving in order to seek out and target the potential customer. The Direct Marketing Association posted an online catalogue of forecast predictions for 2012. The post by the Social Media Council was particularly interesting. So what did guest speaker Roger Warner, Content in Motion Managing Director have to say?



Firstly and importantly he mentioned the efficiency of measuring return on investment of using social media tools. As a system of calculation ROI is misleading; social media should not be judged as an autonomous tool, by as integrated into an overall campaign. Warner hinted that marketing budgets will have provisions for researching a more suitable method of analysis.

Warner explains that forecasts for social media in a recovering economy is particularly tricky; given that its ascension began in the recession. However he does predict that apps and platforms will continue to increase to gain momentum in their quest for direct marketing domination. Apps, and particularly mobile apps he says, will need to be considered passed their covenience factor. Facebook was given a particular mention. As user experience rapidly changes it will become increasingly difficult for brands to remain “relevant, to stay front and centre” on the Facebook timeline: https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline.

In order to gain ‘earned media’ campaigns will need to be at their best. Inclusion and discussion of brands and campaigns on social spaces will require a highly considered approach and an acknowledgement the changing trends. As a result advertising will need to step up its game. If you refer to the 'learn more about apps video' at the bottom of the timeline 'about' page you will see that Facebook apps are advertised as, "Your apps. Now with friends". The ability to share what you're listening to, brands you're using, what you're cooking or eating, where you are, what you're watching, newspaper articles you've read, personal plans and much more through apps marks a significant change in Facebook.

The Guardian app for example allows access to articles through Facebook. Each article visibly clocks up the number of readers through Facebook and posts the article onto the readers timeline. As Warner identifies, this will make the competition of mention fierce amongst users, even between friends.
https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline/apps

Twitter Marketing Tutorial

Twitter which was created by Jack Dorsey in San Francisco, California is now in its sixth year of existence. The microblogging site which offers social media marketing and is now more important than ever. Small businesses can benefit from using a Twitter account as the site searches for potential followers by matching interests. The marketer is then charged when a product or service is interacted with. This means adverts that simply appear to a user but are ignored do not cost the business. This is a very cost effective way of reaching a targeted audience. This short video offers a step by step guide to maximising the use of Twitter. It also offers an explanation for those who are not already keen Tweeters.

Kent Business: An Essential Read.

Kent Business is the largest business publication in the County and has been since 1993. The publication is released at the beginning of every month and the latest edition can be viewed online. “Kent Business is circulated once a month with KM paid-for weekly newspapers such as Kent Messenger, Kentish Gazette, Kentish Express and Dartford & Gravesend Messenger. This provides a circulation of 75,255 and a readership of 219,639. In addition copies are distributed to members of the Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors, as well as at key B2B events held in the county.”[i] The Publication includes:

• Topical business news and looks in detail at its implication for local businesses.

• Profiles on local business personalities and their companies.

• Commentary pieces from leading business organisations such as the CBI, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors, Chamber of Commerce and the Bank of England.

• In-depth features on a variety of subjects key to running a successful business. Issues contain the latest information, written by experts, on the following areas; Law, Finance, Commercial Property, Creative/Marketing & Media and the Olympics.

• Regular updates on Health and Safety, Employment Issues, Environmental Issues, Corporate Hospitality, IT/Technology and Exporting.[ii]

It is important that local advertising solutions are not overlooked. A business publication is an opportune place to advertise luxury brands as many readers are successful business owners.The themed and featured pages cover Legal, Health and Safety, Private Wealth, Financial Management, Employing People, Environmental Issues, IT & Communications, Corporate Hospitality, Finance and Marketing. The Kentonline media pack as hyperlinked below contains a tabled calendar of what will be covered each month.

A four page wrap that includes front page coverage can be purchased for £5000 or there are lower scale advertising options. The KM group is well trusted, highly popular and understands the localness factor. Kent Business is an important read if you are in business locally to keep up to speed with the latest trends. For more information see: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/media_pack.aspx

---

[i] http://85.133.4.237/features/mediapack2011/KentBusinessMediaPackFeb2012.pdf

[ii] http://85.133.4.237/features/mediapack2011/KentBusinessMediaPackFeb2012.pdf

QR Codes in Marketing

Are marketers missing opportunities with QR codes?

In order to scan a QR code, you need a smartphone with a camera and a suitable app. The idea is that mobile phones can be used to scan the codes on the go. The happy snapper is then transported to a webpage, receives a Vcard, makes a phone call and possibly more. If used well, the codes are an excellent marketing device which can transport potential customers direct to selected pages. Craig Villamor and Brad Frost writing for the Guardian last month observed the faux pas of using QR codes. Chiefly they found that advertisers had placed them in a whole host of impractical places. These ranged from on moving transport, the far side of a train track and high billboards. “Some of the most surprising places we've seen the codes appear are on tombstones, rooftops, cupcakes, and condoms. Our most popular post shows a small plane pulling a QR code across the sky. The captions practically write themselves.”

It is obvious then that to maximise their potential, QR cards must be placed in accessible places. Not only this but they should only be present in areas with internet access. Underground stations for example have little or no phone reception, let alone 3G or 4G. Of course QR codes are not only useful for advertising; they can also engage the public with information and correspondence. Early last year The National Museum of Scotland placed QR codes on 70 of their items to encourage interaction and build a historic diary. Visitors could access a range of facts and tales and also leave digital memories in a shared collection.
http://www.nms.ac.uk/about_us/about_us/social_media.aspx

QR codes are popular in Japan, but they are fairly new here and in the States. Marketers must get to grips with them fast and utilise their gateway of communication. Interaction is extremely important, and the quality is integral. Recent discussion has surrounded the merits of supermarket websites as opposed to their volume of traffic. M&S has done particularly well and it seems, more customers remain loyal when they are offered the opportunity to interact and be heard. These are all important lessons for the marketer. QR codes may not enjoy immortality but as the “next big thing” they should be embraced at lightning speed.

Uses for the QR code include, business cards, posters, websites, on labels, for WiFi connection, T-shirts, the possibilities are endless. For more information see:13 Creative Ways to Use QR Codes. In addition it is essential that QR codes are not just slapped onto merchandise and ad campaigns but that their purpose is explained. According to MarketingWeek.co.uk around a quarter of consumers had not used QR codes because they did not understand them. Around half of consumers did not have the correct device leaving the other half as a potential market. QR codes therefore must be explained, placed where they are accessible and offer a range of useful, fun and interactive services. Only then can their potential be realised.

Let Your Body Talk: Interview Tips

Body language is hugely important for making an excellent first impression. If you are easily intimidated or unnerved, practising a confident pose will help to calm you and mask your anxieties. We all know the importance of a firm hand shake and warm introduction, but remember that downward facing palm shows dominance, as an upward facing palm shows submission. A level sideways palm is demonstrable of equality.

Proximity can tell a person how comfortable you are in their space, although this must be professional and there may be cultural exemptions to this rule. Usually there will be a table separating the interviewer and interviewee. This will allow your bottom half to display some tension whilst you concentrate on your top half.

A lowered head can indicate that you are shy, hiding something or even thinking to yourself, none of these inferences are desirable.

Crossed arms suggest nerves or a lack of ease with your own body. This pose also closes you off to social influence. It is best to keep your arms uncrossed for the duration of the interview. In addition a closed hand or hand to your mouth shows irritation or nerves. Keep arms down or out and palms turned up to exhibit openness and confidence. Keep your shoulders loose. Breathe deeply and slowly to assist relaxation.

Remember interviewers maybe nervous themselves as generally interviewing not a commopractise. The most assured candidates are the most likely to make the interviewer feel at ease and will therefore stand out.
Avoid putting your hands on your hips as this displays impatience or fatigue.

Eye contact is essential; although you should not stare relentlessly, continuous eye contact is important. Avoid long breaks of eye contact, staring into space or looking to the side; this can be a display of dishonesty or lack of interest. Squinted eyes are symptomatic of confusion or trying to understand what is being said. If you find yourself squinting be sure to follow up with a request for clarity. It is better to ask questions as it shows a desire to be knowledgeable and clear. Moreover your eyes should smile along with your mouth in order to be genuine.

Assertive body language is smooth and under control. Movement and voice are used harmoniously and in time, despite perhaps speaking passionately. Maintain a lack of extremes in your voice. However, the sound should not become monotonous; variations in volume and pitch should be well executed and display warmth and friendliness.

Holding a similar pose to the interviewer demonstrates an interest in establishing a rapport with them. Although be wary not to mirror movement.

An interviewer will be looking for “the one”. Aim to demonstrate your capabilities and personality with a smile, a relaxed pose and good eye contact. You want to convey an engaged, confident disposition at all times. Your charisma may determine your suitability to the position.