Microwave Journal’s printer, Brown Printing Company, published an interesting case study about a Florida Realtor trade association that used targeted print inserts in the Florida Realtor Magazine to attract more attendees to their statewide annual convention. Brown developed a mobile campaign that used a combination of demographic binding and personalized QR codes to target members within driving distance to the annual convention. The process included printing personalized QR codes onto each insert that provided a link to an interactive Google map with turn-by-turn directions from the member’s phone location or from the magazine mailing address if their phone was not GPS enabled. Extra links on the mobile landing pages provided additional information about the convention, including an option to have the directions e-mailed to them. Each personalized insert contained a QR code specific to that reader and was inserted in the magazine through the demographic binding process.
While this example has easy correlation to trade shows or event marketing, it also demonstrates several other interesting possibilities. Demographic binding can enable companies to target job functions, specific companies, industry sectors or even geographic regions in their marketing campaigns. Companies can then print personalized QR codes onto inserts or outserts that point to specific product information, webinars, white papers, videos, training classes, etc. While the QR code combines mobile marketing into the campaign, just inserting customized print products into the magazine that target the demographic of interest, is a great way to get your message across to specific types of prospective customers maximizing the ROI of the campaign. Companies can even insert different product flyers depending on the magazine subscriber’s demographic information personalized with the product message that would interest them.
Using custom links and QR codes also allows some measurement of the effectiveness of the program as the views and geographic information can be easily collected. Having readers register for the white paper, webinar, training class, etc., allows the company to collect qualified leads further improving ROI. While QR codes are just catching on in the US, they are more widely used in some other countries like Japan, and it is only a matter of time before they become commonplace in the US.
The use of a combination of print and digital marketing is the most effective way to market to customers with the emphasis depending on the goals of the campaign and overall marketing strategy. Now, new innovative combinations of print and digital media are being developed to maximize marketing effectiveness. Using demographic information, inserts or outserts can deliver targeted information and be personalized with QR codes and other links to add mobile and digital marketing to a campaign.