THE HYBRID RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRINT & DIGITAL MARKETING

Through increasing your customer engagement with your brand, while simultaneously allowing your business to be more Covid-secure, through the minimisation of touch, you will soon see how right we are. As we now have to be more consciously aware of the items that we touch and to sanitise our hands before entering a premise, this hybrid relationship will become of paramount importance. 

Still don’t believe me? Let me prove you wrong…

Here’s 10 ways printed QR codes can benefit your business right now:

1. Virtual business cards

As we begin to limit the amount of items that we touch to prevent the spread of Covid-19 we will begin to see a lot more business cards with a QR code imprinted on them. Instead of handing out multiple business cards at an event, conference or a meeting you will see QR codes being scanned and the individuals contact details automatically being scanned to a mobile phone. Will it be forever? Maybe, Maybe not. However, I do believe that people like to touch & feel something upon meeting someone, as it gives them an impression of your and your business upon initial contact. I think that that will always be the case, but temporarily I believe that the integration of a QR Code onto a business card will be the way forward.

2. Reveal discounts or coupon codes

The use of QR codes is a great way to engage customers. People are innately nosey. Through a direct mail campaign, you can entice customers to view your website or your social media accounts in order to access a discount off their next purchase. This will be beneficial for businesses who plan on reopening their doors and wish to increase their sales whether that be digitally or through physical footfall.

3. Virtual menus

As restaurants, bars, hotels and salons begin to reopen their doors the need to limit contact through touch is very important. A stress free way of doing this, instead of wiping down menus after every customer has interacted with it, is to have a few laminated flyers with a QR code on it, giving them immediate access to your menu on their mobile phone. Whether this is posters on your wall, framed flyers on the table or signage in your windows, it is a clever way to take advantage of this hybrid relationship to make the experience more memorable and interactive for the customer, as well as being incredibly hygienic.

4. Google Maps location

Utilising printed media advertisements to attract customers attention to your business is always worthwhile. Placing a location QR code on your printed marketing allows customers to avoid searching for your address or asking a local bystander for directions. Removing the annoyance of searching for your location on a search engine will help to strengthen customer satisfaction with your brand.

5. Guided tours – headset no longer a thing

Museums and galleries can seriously benefit from Printed QR signage. As Covid-19 becomes the norm within our everyday lives, a number of museums may suffer as guided tours are not really the same when they are socially distant. It may be difficult to hear the tour guide and or many of them may be put off by the idea of a borrowed headset as a result of sanitisation concerns. To combat this, why not utilise QR codes to link to an audio playlist? Visitors can then use their own personal headphones and mobile device to socially distance around the museum and still have a similar self-guided tour experience.

6. Product reviews

Many consumers, despite enjoying your product or experience that you offered them, are rarely concerned with leaving a review. This is not because they didn’t enjoy your experience but rather that it requires additional effort. This extra effort often means that they fail to leave a positive review. Nonetheless, if you printed a QR code on a business card, which accompanied the bill or at the top of the till, you are offering your customers with a hassle-free alternative to leaving a review which often means that they are more inclined to as it is right in front of them.

7. Scan for “something free” newsletter, etc.

Sending out a printed mailshot in the post and attaching a QR code to the design which would reveal a discount code or a freebie, is a clever way to entice a customer to have a browse on your digital shop and learn a little more about you. It is also a unique way to engage your customers, which in turn makes your brand more memorable.

8. Marketing an event – get more detail by scanning

If you are hosting an event, even if it is a virtual event, sending your mailing list with an invitation accompanied by a QR code, is a quirky way to drive traffic to your website and grab the attention of your audience and educate them about the event. Similarly, it can be a good way to confirm an appointment or RSVP to a wedding invite. Eliminating an element of the process which often requires another postal response or a digital correspondence.

9. Redirect to social media pages/website

Utilising QR codes to redirect potential customers to your website or social media accounts through printed advertisements is a quirky way to get customers interested in your brand and grow your following. The more engaging your brand is, the more inclined consumers are to interact with it.

10. Download app

To increase the number of your app downloads, implementing a QR code on your printed advertisements and signage to encourage consumers to download your application can be incredibly effective. Once again, removing the hassle of searching for your application from the customer journey, increases the likelihood of them downloading it instantaneously.