QR Codes for your event: Are they worth it? What mediums make sense?

Sound n' Sight

QR Codes for your event: Are they worth it? What mediums make sense?

Posted by Jenise Fryatt on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 @ 02:28 PM

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The following is a guest blog article by Lindsay Fultz of Grosh Backdrops. If you are interested in guest blogging for Sound n' Sight, please read my guest blogging guidelines . And if you have any thoughts, please comment. Lindsay and I both would love to hear what you have to say!

If you are on Twitter and into social media, technology and in the events industry you are no stranger to hearing the praises of QR codes and what this means not only to the events industry but marketing in general for personal or company/product branding.

If you haven’t heard of QR codes, basically they are very similar to the bar codes that get scanned when you purchase something but it does a whole lot more.

While QR codes for everyone are free to generate and allow for a lot of flexibility in accessing websites, images, personal information, viewing video, and sending text messages and making phone calls how many people are you actually reaching?

Yes, yes I know it is free AND flexible. I have generated a few codes myself (No I’m not going to list a bunch of links where to go to generate them, just Google “free QR code generator”) testing out how quick and easy it is by simply copying and pasting a url.

But what is to stop people from coding porn sites, viruses and countless spam for you to download on your phone? Maybe it’s too flexible??? Currently only people with scanners, smart phones and phones with cameras (they must have the right phone plan and the QR app needs to be available for them to download) can use them. Again, not a big issue for me since QR codes are free to generate...

Who’s coming to dinner?

A very small number of people are currently RSVP’ing to the QR code dinner party with the knowledge and accessibility to scan your free QR code.

So what’s for dinner? Think Guerrilla marketing. Here are some mediums to advertise your QR code and my .02 cents.

Business cards - Affordable enough to advertise your QR code but I’d rather have my name, business logo and info: title, phone #, email, website and social media sites on it which leave little to no room with out it looking tacky.

Buildings - Would be cool but most likely not in your budget.

Transportation methods - Would be cool but ads on wheels could be costly.

Magazines, Newspapers - Affordable for most small businesses but still a HUGE gamble. Not sure it’s worth the $1500-$5k it costs to advertise in print without a calculated ROI.

Receipts - Affordable and easy enough but most people tend to misplace and toss receipts.

Packaging: Affordable and easy enough but people may think it’s a bar code and throw away or tear through the box.

Trade Show displays - Estimated costs $500-$1k which is not bad. If you attend shows you should have a stand up display anyways so I don’t see the harm in throwing a QR code on there but remember promotions change so unless you are going to run the same marketing promotion every freaking year be careful what you code and have plastered for reuse.

Signage, banners - Estimated cost a couple hundred dollars so it’s not a huge investment and it is a conversation starter. Again just remember what you code for reusability.

Apparel - To me this is the clear winner. Very, very affordable especially if it’s just for t-shirts for your staff and it would be great conversation starter at trade shows. One person could have a promo, another your company Facebook page, another your Twitter etc. Tote bags with your QR codes are also an excellent giveaway and most attendees’ favorite freebie. Think about it, people carry those totes to the grocery store, beach and work…that’s a great guerrilla marketing tactic.

So you can see, IF YOU ARE CREATIVE, there are a couple of affordable ways to advertise your FREE QR codes and take advantage of this new medium without spending a butt load of your marketing dollars on print ads to test out your QR codes.

I know the print advertising industry is suffering right now and I’m sure they will see a boost in sales due to QR code advertisements but the last thing you want to do, if you are on a limited marketing budget is to spend $3500k on a ½ page print ad to show off your QR code and expect to see some ROI.

Lindsay Fultz is the obsessive compulsive Manager of Sales and New Media Marketing at Grosh Scenic Rentals a scenic backdrop and drapery rental company located in Hollywood, CA . When she is not cracking the whip at Grosh, she also coaches Track and Field and Cross Country at a local high school and enjoys cooking vegan/vegetarian dishes while listening to Aerosmith.

For more info on QR codes, check out these blog posts!

QR Barcode: Great example from Lego

What is a QR code and how do I use one?

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Tags: events, social media, tradeshows, Marketing, Advertising

Comments

Some cool money-saving promo ideas, Lindsay!

But you do make a valid point about using these codes for not so honorable purposes. And because they truly are machine readable code, except for maybe the most geeky among us, the potential for misuse is high.

Thanks for your usual insight!

Posted @ Monday, August 02, 2010 8:56 PM by Heidi Thorne

Thanks Heidi! I am really contemplating "testing" out the tote bag option. I'm interested in doing a case study or something on how many consumers in the events industry are familiar with them and have the accessibility right now to utilize them. I can't wait to track it.

I maybe hitting you up soon for some eco friendly assistance!

I wanted to highlight the possible misuse of them b/c we see the spam and virus thing happen all to often on FB and Twitter and the flexibility one is allowed when creating QR codes, it just seems that could be a trend.

Posted @ Tuesday, August 03, 2010 9:24 AM by Lindsay Fultz

I see a lot of potential in QR codes as a tool...I'll repeat that...as a tool. Slapping them on things just because it's the hot thing to do makes no sense.

Let's say I put my QR code on a bag at my industry trade show.
In a B2B world I don't think this is useful and would actually be harmful to your metrics.

Once the show is over and people are carrying them to the beach and to the supermarket I may see a lot of traffic to that landing page. But then I may interpret the fact people are abandoning the page without following thru on the call to action to mean my landing page is not working. When really the people who are going there are not my target market.

It's like everything else in marketing - there has to be a solid plan in place as to how you will incorporate this tool into your overall strategy. You also have to ask yourself, is it the right tool?

You can easily incorporate them into your print brochure to direct people to more information thru specific landing pages.

I can incorporate them into my event brochure by linking them to short clips of the speakers for a preview of what will be presented.

I can use them in my booth as top secret party invites updating the landing page with new information as the day goes on.

However you decided to use them, if you decide to use them, for the time being you are going to have to plan for educating the end user.

So yes, I see much potential but also a lot of room for misuse as well. QR codes will not make or break our event...it's the marketing strategy that will make or break your event. Don't blame failure on the tool.

Posted @ Tuesday, August 03, 2010 12:15 PM by Traci Browne

Great points Traci and that is why you are the trade show queen. Excellent insights and examples on different ways exhibitors can incorporate them into their booth.

Much like any marketing tool, it's the strategy that will make or break what you are hoping to accomplish. I am going to test it out at Biz Bash and check out the show, other exhibitors and attendees and see how it is being incorporated and do a post write up.

Posted @ Tuesday, August 03, 2010 12:29 PM by Lindsay Fultz

I think like any tool, its function is limitless and its creative usage is in the hands of those using it. I think it would be a riot to 'hide' QR codes at an event and have a 'scavenger hunt', with one scanned code giving you clues to the next, and so on...leading to a giveaway. Use QR codes to give away a password to a special event. It's enough to hide a message but wrap it in something interesting and fun for everyone.

As you mention, there are limitations to formatting and types of content you can scan, but the message is just the beginning. How it effects the NEXT line in the strategy sequence is where the creativity lies.

QR codes can also be slightly manipulated in their design, without risking their ability to be scanned. So you can really play with the design - embed a logo, or something else of interest.

QR codes ride the perfect balance of being interesting and fun enough for almost anyone, who is taught how to use them, to give it a try, and has enough content flexibility to compliment any unique strategy.

It's biggest advantage is curiosity. If we embrace that, there's endless uses, and I'm thrilled to try a few of my own.

Thanks Lindsay!!

Posted @ Tuesday, August 03, 2010 5:11 PM by Eric Lukazewski

Eric! QR code scavenger hunt, what a great idea! Only thing is, much like Foursquare scavenger hunts, these kind of promotions may need to come from the trade show hosts themselves in order for it to be effective. Maybe not though. It would help if we got receptions in the venues but they could always have something like this at the pre dinner party.

Thank you everyone for your input, insight and wonderful ideas. Looking fwd to seeing how it is currently being used at trade shows in a couple weeks.

Posted @ Wednesday, August 04, 2010 9:40 AM by Lindsay Fultz

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