Guest post by Chris Theisen of Hare Chevrolet
QR codes are starting to gain more and more traction in marketing materials. More people are using smartphones everyday, so companies are trying to make it easier for their customers and prospects to get information on these devices.
Chevy has been using QR codes within vehicle displays at major events. This sign was on display next to the Chevy Volt in the Chevy display inside turn 2 during the Indianapolis 500 this year.
Guest post by Wine Blogger and Advertising Executive, Jeff Lefevere
I’ve been involved in technology marketing and business development for 15 years and most of that time has been with internet related businesses. In this timeframe, social media is merely the fourth or fifth internet flavor du jour. Understanding this lineage allows me to maintain perspective on practical matters related to technological change versus the hype.
However, anymore, with the convergence of the internet and mobile (a/k/a “smartphones”), it’s becoming difficult to keep up, separating reality from hyperbole, even for a person whose job it is to stay abreast of this stuff … Yet, stay abreast I must, particularly important because the prognosticators are calling for even more rapid change … with more hype … Continue reading
If you are interested in giving QR codes a shot, here is a quick tutorial on creating a code to use and also making it the size needed for printing purposes. This is just to help you get users to visit a URL (website). Keep in mind that if they are using your QR code, that they are doing so from a mobile device, so make sure the landing page is mobile friendly!
First, you will go to http://goo.gl, which is Google’s URL shortener. You have probably used bit.ly, ow.ly, or some other URL shortener, but this is Google’s.
Next, you will type in a URL that you would like users to check out upon scanning. It looks like this:
Then, click “details” just above where it tells you which page you are on. Once you do this, you will see your QR code. The QR code automatically defaults to the 150×150 size. If this size is sufficient for you, all you need to do is right click on the code and select Save Image As, and save it in the directory desired on your computer.
If you need a larger version for posters, t-shirts, or other print promotions, you can increase the size to 300×300 by just a couple of easy steps.
First, you will copy the URL under the QR code. Then you’ll paste it into your address bar, and go to the URL.
You will then see a page with nothing but your QR Code. To change the size, go back up to the URL and look for the numbers 150×150. You will change them to 300×300.
Hit enter, and then your larger QR code will display. From here, follow the same steps as saving the original code, and you are ready for use!
For the last few years, all the hype has been around social media. Create a Twitter account, set up a Facebook page, start blogging… This is all great advice. However, it wasn’t until recently that people started hearing mobile. It is ironic, since 40% of Facebook users are mobile users. Mobile? You mean they are using their phone to see what their friends are doing? Yep! They are also using their phones to search, and if you are in their target search criteria, they’ve probably noticed that you haven’t considered how you are presenting your business to them on their phone. It’s okay. You aren’t alone. Most businesses haven’t either. It just hasn’t been a big deal to marketers because we’ve all been making sure that we are keeping our desktop website, Twitter, Facebook, and blog updated. Let me help you understand why mobile is so important. Continue reading
SMS, or text message marketing campaigns can be very, very effective if implemented properly. Determining the right time, message, and call to action for your messages may be a challenge for you, but with testing, you can figure out the messages that work for you and your fans.
One challenge with SMS is that you are only allowed 160 characters. In the message, you also need to allow for the little tip that if the recipient of the message is no longer interested in receiving your messages, that all they need to do is to reply “stop” and they will be removed from the database.
So what happens when you can’t fit everything that you want to say into the 160 character space? You link to a web landing page. This presents another thing for you to consider. What does the landing page look like once they arrive? Is it mobile optimized? If not, you could lose subscribers at that point.
Just as you want to make it easy for your fans to redeem the offers you are sending out, be sure to make it easy for them to see the additional information they have to check out in their browser. Send them to a mobile optimized landing page. My Mobi Manager is a really great system for SMS campaigns. Keep your fans happy!
Saying the title in my head makes me think of the ex-NBC TV show Heroes – “Save the cheerleader, save the world”. I suppose going mobile isn’t so dramatic…or is it? Well, lets take a look. Companies like Microsoft are creating mobile devices with the specific intent to cut down the time you use your phone to accomplish the tasks you feel are important:
Of course this commercial adds a mobile twist to what seems like an SNL Seth and Amy Skit:
Guest blog post by Scott Wise of Scotty’s Brewhouse and Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.
If you have heard me speak or read my endless Twitter chatter stream, you know that I always tell people that everything I do in my restaurant, whether it is marketing, food creation, drink specials, atmosphere design, staff training, etc., it is all based on using myself as the “average Joe” end user. If it is something I like, I can relate to, encourages me to want to taste, drink or buy, then I feel it will probably be the same for you. 
Sure, that doesn’t always work and of course there are differences in preference with age, race, religion and sex and I would have to be pretty androgynous to be able to relate to every single statistical segment, but, for the most part, I try to use good ol’ common sense when putting a plan together for my company.
Yesterday, I was meeting with a friend, Chuck Gose of MediaTile, to talk more about My Mobi Manager and get his thoughts on where we were in the development stages and if he may have an outside opinion or experience that he could share with me about the mobile web. He brought up a very good point and something that every business, especially restaurants, museums, and any other entertainment venue should be aware of. Continue reading
Last night, I met up with some friends at a local pub for some beer and dancing. As we were sitting and talking, I received a text message from a friend, and colleague in the web design and development industry. I am a huge fan of his work, so I was excited to see what his latest project looked like. Since I have an iPhone with an unlimited data plan, I promptly clicked the link he sent over. Here’s what I saw: Continue reading
Guest Post by Henry Kurkowski – eWireless.com & OneWiFi.com, Henry@eWireless.com
Facebook has hit the 200 Million mark on its mobile app. That means that 200 Million people are using their phones to keep in touch, socialize with their friends and gather info via Facebook. You may ask yourself “Why should I care about Facebook’s usage stats?” The answer is: “You should care about how consumers view and gather information if you intend on reaching them.” But I suppose that this should only be a concern if you plan on having these mobile users as your customers. Continue reading
