As consumers, we want it fast and we want it now! Marketing campaigns need to speak directly to the consumer and have a crystal clear Call-to-Action. The smoother your process is from awareness to purchasing, the better. You may think that simply putting the URL to your website on a direct mail piece is easy enough for the consumer to navigate, but you may need to think again. 

We need to make the path from receiving the direct mail piece to taking action as easy as possible for consumers. In fact, the fewer the clicks, the better. 

Luckily, there is something that takes only one step from the mail piece to taking action: the QR code. You may already be familiar with QR codes, or perhaps this is new. We’ll walk through this technology and how it increases direct mail conversions. 

What are QR Codes?

The term QR code means quick response code. It’s the process of using a small piece of encoded data to transmit the user to an intended destination. You may have seen a small black and white square on a product or promotional material. Prior to the early 2000s, you needed a special computer to scan and use a QR code, but in the mid-2000s, smartphones were able to scan QR codes and take the consumer to a website or app. Now, all you typically have to do is open your camera app and point it to a QR code to be prompted to click on the website. 

During the pandemic, many restaurants turned to QR codes for menus encouraging customers to scan a code on the table to read the menu on their phones instead of handing out paper or laminated menus. 

In fact, ten years ago, hardly anyone knew how to use a QR code. In 2012, 97% of American consumers didn’t know what a QR code was. But, between 2018 and 2020, the software experienced 96% growth in total QR code uses. Now many consumers are aware of QR codes and are happy to use them. 

So, now that you know what a QR code is and how it works. Let’s talk about how this technology results in more print marketing conversions.

How QR Codes Increase Print Marketing Conversions

Successful direct mail campaigns all start with a clear, trackable goal. They should also be personalized to the customer for a better, more engaging experience. QR codes help with both achieving the goal and creating a personal experience. 

When you create a QR code and place it on a mail piece, your target audience can simply scan it and be on your website in a few seconds. Not only can you tailor your customer experience, but you can also track it, too. You can create a landing page for a specific promotion that only uses a particular QR code. Then you can track that landing page analytics and conversions, knowing that all the traffic is from your direct mail campaign. You can fine-tune your next campaign based on actual data with this type of information. 

Personalized QR Codes Result in Better ROI

In fact, personalized QR codes can actually bridge traditional (print) and digital marketing efforts which leads to an increase in response rates. How? Now that consumers are more aware of QR codes and how they work when they see one, they know how to engage with it. 

Strategic personalization enhances the quality and connection of your direct mailer. Instead of using a website URL or a bulky contact information section, your direct mail piece can focus on eye-catching design and other personalizations. Simply add a QR code, and the consumer can easily interact with your brand. 

Don’t start implementing QR codes on your own. While it may seem easy to create one online and slap it on a mailer, there is more to the direct mail strategy than meets the eye. There is a way to save where it matters on your next direct mail campaign. 

Cost-Effective Direct Mail Strategy

Combing the power of QR codes with cost-effective variable data printing leads to successful direct mail campaigns that prove their ROI. McAdams’ inline printing system makes it easy to create, manage, and send a direct mail campaign using a personalized QR code for better response rates and data tracking. If you have any questions or wish to schedule a call with a print marketing expert, please send us a message here.