They are everywhere! From the billboards to the bus stops, magazine ads and television screens, QR codes are becoming a must have for companies implementing new marketing strategies. The best trait of QR codes is their ability to offer numerous ways to bring customers back to your company. The options are endless, but here are a few tips on incorporating QR codes into a direct mail campaign.

1.) Promotions, Discounts and Giveaways

Using discounts which are specific to the link generated in a QR code is a way not only to get customers interested but it will keep them interested the next time they see a QR code on one of your products and possibly others.

2.) “Likes” & “Followers”

Using a QR code to direct customers to your Facebook or Twitter page will be a direct message of your interest in gaining their membership to your social media ventures.

3.) Fundraising Donations

Sending donors and prospective donors alike right to your fundraising page online through the use of a QR code is a convenient way to “get down to business.” The user knows what you want them to do, and the convenience of the situation may make them more likely to follow through.

4.) Contests

Contests often times are overlooked because of the amount of work, even if it is minimal, involved in doing them. Using a QR code to drive users to the contest page may spark an interest in taking the first step. A genius idea of using a QR code in a contest is put to use here.

Overall, QR codes offer convenience and a direct message to their users, point blank.

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This business of communicating the right message to the right person at the right time via the right channel is tricky. Here is a real life case in point:

The other evening, while waiting to indulge in a piece of carrot cake, a guilty pleasure of mine, the lady cashier cheerfully asked the older gentleman in line ahead of me, “Any pie to take home sir?” The man, appearing to be in his mid 70s, said, “No thank you,” paused for about 10 seconds as he was collecting his change and added, “What’s with this ‘sir’ stuff? My father was sir, not me.” He had obviously taken umbrage with whatever he inferred ‘sir’ to represent.

The cashier, a pleasant enough middle-aged woman, visibly grimaced as the man left the establishment. She had been polite, even cordial, but her use of that one syllable, 3-letter word had sent the wrong message to the wrong person at the wrong time in his life.

Trying to brighten the lady’s mood, I said something conciliatory like, “Gee, you just can’t win sometimes.” I then related how I have gotten less than friendly stares for my use of a different one syllable, 3-letter word (“Mam”) on more than one occasion.

A young lady was within earshot of our conversation and piped up that “mam” to her connotes someone older, perhaps a senior citizen, and that she also takes exception to being referred to by that “m” word.

So, I guess if there is a Communication 101 lesson to be learned here it’s that words that your parents taught you to say when you were young (“No sir” and “Yes Mam,” for example), today may turn people off as much, if not more, than a simple “NO” or “Yes.”

I know whenever I use these words today I always catch myself wondering, did I just aggravate that person?

Online or offline, turning people off is never the goal.

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