Integrating Offline and Online Marketing with mobile - MS Tags, QR Codes, and why I think MS Tags are better for print marketing..

Hello Activerain!

Fresh off my experience at recent tradeshows, I took the time to look into the whole QR code craze in real estate and examine the technologies.  First, these are not new, they've been use in Asia and Europe for quite some time, but given how many agents were talking about it I thought it would be helpful to show you how you could use them in your marketing, and give you a VIDEO EXAMPLE - see the end of this post for that!

From a print marketing perspective, Kodak has been making the point that we combine lowest total ink cost with high quality, water/fade resistant prints.  But QR Codes and related technologies offer a way for you to do so much more with your print material.  How can you leverage QR Code or scannable barcode technology in your printed material, and are QR Codes your only option, is there something better?

QR Codes for those of you who don't know are 2D Barcodes that are scannable by a QR Code reader on your mobile phone.  All sorts of free readers exist if you don't have a native application, but with it you can scan a code - like this one that would take you to our Kodak Real Estate Site on your phone:

    I generated this by the way using this free QR Code Generator:  You can download numerous readers  here to try it.

So you can use this QR Code technology to "launch" visitors from your site or from printed material right to a value added mobile or web site that gives them more information.  As a retail company, we can use QR codes to offer a way to "take the offer with you" via mobile, enable a mobile coupon, or just drive someone to a more detailed info site when they see a billboard or a print ad.

 It's important to use a printer like the new Kodak ESP 2170 Office All-In-One Printer that utilizes pigment based inks that are fade and water resistant, so your QR Codes or tags do not fade out or bleed out with rain or humidity, which makes them unscannable.   Check out Kodak's printers at HERE, and see them in action below with a flyer SPRAY DOWN TEST!

Okay, commercial over and back to Tag-Land!

So what is better than a QR Code and so much more colorful?  Answer - a Microsoft Tag!

Here is my business card, presented as a TAG.

I have to give Kudos to Microsoft here.  They created a GREAT tagging system, and MS Tags are not only more colorful than QR codes, but for those of us who run a business, they present several distinct advantages!

1. They are brandable!  See my YouTube tag below for an example - CRAZY easy to make, just pop your real estate logo on the tag and BRAND yourself even further!  So much more appealing than the ugly black and white QR Code, at least in my opinion.
2. They are easily trackable!  Check out this graph for one of my tags below.  It tells me how many times it was scanned!
   

       3.  Easy to manage - Microsoft's Tag Manager makes it simple to create and organize your tags with
          easy reporting.

Not that certain QR code readers can do tracking of scans too, but I've not seen an easier integrated experience from the management or tracking perspective than Microsoft Tags, and the branding is SO COOL!  Check them out at the MICROSOFT TAG WEBSITE HERE.

How to use tags or QR codes on your flyers:

Okay, so now you know how and where to create a tag strategy, whether it's QR Code or MS Tag.  Now how do you actually implement it?  Here are some ideas!

1. Place a QR Code/MS Tag on your listing flyer with a small blurb that if they want to "experience" the web version of your listing on their smart phone, they can download the free reader and scan it to get right to the details of the listings.
   
   Here's a sample flyer section from a standard real estate flyer sending you to the site of my buddy Verl Workman:
   
   
   
2. On your flyers/farm postcards/other printed material,  create a QR Code or MS Tag that links to your YOUTUBE CHANNEL   -- Here is an MS Tag that does just that for my YOUTUBE Channel: 
   
   Note the power of the Microsoft Tag - gives you a BRANDED IMAGE and a generated custom tag with instructions for the user to download right to their mobile phone!

          Say you took an interior "walk through" video or a "neighborhood lifestyle tour" of the area and
          have that on your video channel.  Wouldn't it be great if they can launch it right from the flyer
          and immediately view it on their smartphone?

3. Create a "Neighborhood Info Page" on your personal website or Blog that shows HYPERLOCAL content for the area. Then when people get your post card or see your real estate flyer, put a CALL TO ACTION on it that tells them to stay connected the local market by scanning the tag and bookmarking your page on their phone!  This pops them off your flyer and back to your site generating further traffic and/or interest opportunities for you.

4. Use it to enhance your listing presentation - You're always looking for ways to show how you are that much more tech savvy than the "other agent" and finding ways to distinguish yourself and your presentation.  Showing a seller how you will enhance all their property's print marketing with tags or QR Codes gives you another cool way to show them how "on the ball" you are and what buyers will be able to do with your flyers!

          5. Sign Rider Enhancement - Stick a graphic on your sign riders too - people scan your sign and go 
           right to the page.

Okay, hope these ideas get you started, and I'm going to leave you with a video of an MS Tag in action using a printed flyer - enjoy and look forward to your questions!