DigitalDept.com Portfolio and Blog

You’ve asked for email marketing to compliment your print campaigns and we listened. In a few weeks we’ll be launching our new email marketing service to all users. We’ve been in beta for a few weeks and have all of the kinks worked out. Now it’s time to go public!

Some of the features included will be:

• 
  Preview your email as you build it with our live editor
• Integrated template builder to build your own templates as you go
• Choose from pre-designed templates
• Import your own HTML templates
• List and subscriber management
• Reporting and analytics
• Monthly unlimited plans as well as pay as you go
• Much, much more!

These are just some of the features we’ll be offering. A full list of features will be available at the time of the full launch.

If you would like to be considered for the beta, please email us here.

QR Codes

By now you should be familiar with QR – or “quick response” codes. They’re two dimensional bar codes most commonly used as a convenient marketing tool to quickly connect print advertising to web-based content via your smartphone. Here is a more in-depth look at QR codes.

How Can QR Codes Help Your Business?

Since most QR code link your customers to online content, these codes (or the content they link to) can be tracked! That’s right, anything you print a QR code on, can be tracked with most any analytics software.

The back of my business card with 2 QR codes.

No more guessing at what does and doesn’t work. You can even create multiple QR code to use on different marketing materials. This enable you to track one campaign over multiple mediums (postcards, posters, signage, etc.) and generate reports on each one.

Where Can You Use QR Codes?

This is the best part. Since QR codes are relatively small (as small as 1″ square), they can be used on the smallest of marketing materials including business cards. And since one of the main purposes of a QR code is to link the user to more in-depth information, it is beneficial for businesses to incorporate QR codes into most every aspect of their marketing. Some of the best places to use your QR codes are yard signs, car magnets, postcards, business cards, flyers and brochures. As an aside, there are some places that QR codes should not be use. Billboards and along highways are a good example, it’s simply unsafe. Email signatures are another place to skip since you need a smartphone to scan the code. Most people are reading email on their computer and wouldn’t need mobile content since they are already online (although we have seen some success with the use of QR codes in emails).

Tips For Creating Your QR Codes

1. Size of the code. This is so important which is why we out it first. If your code is too small to scan, you’ve lost your chance at a successful campaign.
2. Mobile content. This could be a tie for number one. If your content (what the code links to) is not formatted for mobile phones, you run the risk of losing your customer.
3. Value. Whenever possible, be sure to offer your user something of value. This could be in the form of a discount, free items, or even information not available anywhere else.
4. Not too complex. The more information you add to a QR code, the more dense or complex the code gets. If the code is too dense it becomes harder to scan.
5. Explain it. It’s always good practice to add a small line of text below your code to indicate what the user should do (scan with their smartphone) and the benefit of scanning (what they can expect when scanning).
6. Use tracking analytics. If you don’t track your codes you may never know the benefits of using them.

Whether you are promoting a monthly special, selling a house, wrapping a vehicle or using a POP display, QR code are becoming essential to most every marketing campaign.

We help business owners market and brand their company better through interactive print and mobile web.
By helping businesses interact with their customers, we’re able to engage the consumer and track results on a level never imagined before.

For help creating, implementing and maintaining your QR code marketing, contact us at DigitalDept.com.

Did you know you can place a single order with DigitalDept.com and have it divided up and shipped to multiple locations? Let’s say you have a client with 10 locations across the country and each location needs 1,000 brochures, you don’t need to place 10 different orders. Simply place an order for 10,000 brochures and supply 10 different shipping addresses. You save money by combining 10 different orders into just one order.

Another smart way to use this service is to have samples of an order sent to you while the rest of the order is sent to your client. Because DigitalDept.com overprints on orders over 500 units, your client will still get their full order even if you have up to 20 samples sent to you.

Keep these options in mind when you place your next order.

Here are some basic items to consider when using QR codes.

1. Mobile-optimized. Don’t send users to an ordinary website. Create an experience that is based on portability, location, SMS, sharing, or instant fulfillment and feedback – anything but an ordinary website.

2. Audience awareness. Some still don’t know much about QR codes.  Do the obvious: include instructions to help new users engage.  Inform savvy users on what rewards to expect.

3. Usage patterns. If you plan to use QR codes multiple times for multiple campaigns, treat each as its own campaign – complete with strategy, goals, success measures, etc. Then, for each instance, caption each code with the URL, call to action and reward info. Set the stage for fulfillment by setting user expectations before they scan your code.

4. Size and placement. Make it big enough. Your QR code must be of sufficient size, placement and proximity to be easily scanned. This excludes TV (too fleeting), subway (no wireless signal means no way to access the online content) and Billboard (too distant; your own pulse will cause your handheld phone/camera to shake too much to reliably scan the code). Ideal: printed material or flat surface, within arm’s reach. Up close and personal.

5. Visual Appeal. You can dress up a QR code to make it look nicer. Contact us for detail on that.  It’s a nice touch, and we can expect this beautification trend to increase.  Whereas the lowly barcode has faded like a footnote into the borders of package labels, the comparatively prominent physical placement of a QR code could harm the beauty of your content or its location.

6. Convenience. Is a QR code the fastest, easiest and/or only way to access the content, share it, and/or fulfill some need?  If so, great; go for it.  If not, think about other ways to deliver content more effectively.  Again, an ordinary website, not mobile-optimized, is not a value-add experience and not a fulfilling one.

7. Reward. Make it memorable.  Reward users, rather than disappoint them. Give them a discount or special offer. Make your destination content instantly useful and satisfying.  Include share buttons so your audience can tweet, email, post and rave about the cool experience you provide.  Want viral?  Do that!

QR codes: end of a fad!  They are here to stay.  QR codes can help you create a delightful and amazing customer experience and you can track all of the results!