Increasing a company’s revenue can be broken down into many factors, but the two main aspects are higher conversion rates and customer engagement.
Engaged customers will respond more positively to marketing campaigns, content, and new products and services. If you want more revenue, then you need to think of ways to turn visitors into customers and increase loyalty from your existing customer base.
A simple and slightly overlooked facet that can boost customer engagement and conversion rates is through QR codes via text messaging.
Text messaging has been around for a long time, and it has way higher open and click-through rates than email and other advertising methods.
An SMS QR Code lets end users scan the code, and send a pre filled text message to the target phone number. This way you can initiate or make brand-consumer interaction easier. An SMS QR Code generator can help you create these pre filled text messages along with the QR Code to be shared.
For instance, 82% of people say they open every text message they receive, with 90% of SMS messages being read in the first 3 minutes. Alternatively, only 20% of emails are open, with 49.7% of all emails considered spam. This puts forth Bulk SMS as a valuable marketing tool.
One way to signal to people who open your emails that they aren’t spam is to add a digital signature for your company at the end of each email. If you’re unsure how to do this, search online for how to make a signature to find guides.
Although email has its place, especially in a business context, it shouldn’t make up your entire communication strategy.
Popularity of Rich Media in Messaging Campaigns
Rich media has become an essential part of messaging campaigns. Compared to SMS, which is limited in many ways, like the number of characters permitted, rich media messaging is the extended and enhanced version of an SMS. A well-rounded multi-channel outreach strategy, including rich media messaging with SMS marketing for businesses, could improve engagement rates for companies.
Companies can interact with their customers using rich media in their messaging campaigns through images, videos, audio, files, GIFs, documents, signature requests, and more.
A recent survey showed that B2B buyers consume 13 pieces of content on average before purchasing. In addition, a rich message enables businesses to connect to their subscribers and users via audio-visual content and coupons and promotions in their marketing messages.
Here are some steps on starting to use rich media in your marketing campaigns to engage your customers:
- Choose a reliable communication provider
- Set yourself apart from the competition through visual content
- Focus on your efforts on personalization for each customer segment
- Choose how to use rich media depending on customer intent
- Deliver a 360 degrees customer journey with unlimited rich media messaging capabilities
- Analyze customer behavior and engagement with in-depth analytics
- Optimize campaigns continuously for better results
How to Use QR Codes to Get Better Conversion Rates
Did you know that 71% of consumers feel frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal?
Great customer engagement results in better conversion rates. In many industries, planning and executing the best marketing and engagement strategies can be challenging.
Finding the right tools to engage customers can be costly, and the decision-making on adopting new tools or software can take a long time, depending on a company’s size.
However, QR codes are a great way to boost customer engagement in almost every industry. You can easily create a free QR Code for your business, and deploy them.
The power of personalization can pay off serious rewards for brands. Start including customized QR codes to promotions on the packaging, print, and social media to make the customer experience more enjoyable.
How QR Codes in Text Messaging Looks Like
QR codes are perfect for storing and sharing information faster with people. Here are some of the ways companies choose to use them.
1. QR Codes for traveling
Today tourists have a tendency to use technology in every possible way. QR codes help to streamline important steps in a traveler’s journey. Things such as checking bags, going through security, booking a flight, and paying for extra luggage.
Many airlines also use QR codes for promotion and boarding. Scanning boarding passes will not only enable the passengers’ smooth transit in the airport, but it will also guide them to the right gate.
Dutch airline KLM has taken a unique approach to social media by allowing fans to check in to their flights in Holland recently by scanning a QR code on the floor.
COVID hit the travel industry hard, but as restrictions ease and people get vaccinated, we’ll be able to travel again. Vaccination QR codes will make all the difference when checking in or show proof of vaccination with limited touch contact.
Therefore, QR code technology strengthens health protocols and ensures more touchless methods in the travel industry, creating less friction and more freedom for travelers.
2. QR Codes for entertainment
QR codes can also be used in leisure and entertainment.
People can go to concerts, festivals, cinema, or other activities by scanning the codes they receive as confirmation. They can be used in printed collateral, in large-format advertising, to make check-in faster or on participants’ badges.
Digital marketing strategies are essential in the gaming industry, with companies spending billions of dollars on digital advertising. This proves how difficult it has become to convince gamers to buy a specific game, especially if you are new in the industry.
One way to increase awareness of your product is by using QR codes in advertisements and stores promoting the new game.
3. QR Codes for membership renewals
Membership renewals can be done while accessing a QR code. To speed up the process, a user can scan the provided code with their camera, and their account information can be pulled up on the screen.
Also, museums and art galleries can use QR codes to provide detailed explanations about the items and artworks displayed. An exhibit can display only so much information, but a QR code can show additional images, data, videos, or videos.
Traditional guiding tours can become digital video guides for visitors. For instance, The Cleveland Museum of Art and Bologna’s Museum of Archeology use QR codes to do audio tours of their collections.
4. QR Codes for marketing and promotions
Whether your goal is to promote, cross-sell or upsell, a QR code is a great way to supply additional information. Create a highly engaging landing page for your campaign and generate the code. This will spread awareness, drive traffic to your site and even convert leads into customers.
Another marketing idea is to send users your Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok accounts so they can “like” or “follow” your social media company accounts.
Another tip for eCommerce companies is to place QR codes on product labels that send the user to pages with more information or guides on how to use the product.
Learn how to create a highly engaging QR Code landing page for your campaign.
5. QR Codes for surveys
Run a survey campaign for your existing customers with a QR code to gather customer feedback. A great idea is to put on a prize or a raffle for completing the survey by a specific date. Surveys are essential to making better business decisions, so don’t hesitate to try new ways of getting these in.
It is also important for your organization to know how your employees feel, and using a survey QR Code is a simple way to find out. Surveys can always stay anonymous, and by doing this, you can improve your valuable team members’ quality and mental health.
6. QR Codes for restaurants and bars
Restaurants, bars, and cafes can also use QR codes to give their customers more information about the menu, offers, and special deals they might have. Scanning the codes could also help a person check the calorie, recipe, or even allergy information.
A social media strategy that could increase followers and subscribers might be to display recipe videos from their YouTube channel. Alternatively, to attract customers, you can print QR codes on boards placed outside your restaurant that encourage people to scan the code to get a free beverage with their meal.
Another example that QR codes can facilitate is with patient triage solutions. Global communication provider, VoiceSage, responded to the need for Catalyst Coffee and helped them implement new safety measures when bars and restaurants started reopening in September 2020.
They used a QR Code that opened a rich media message where customers input their details when visiting the cafe. No app was required to download. The main advantages of scanning the QR Code to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in the community are:
- To trace the people who may have become in close contact with someone infected
- To notify them via bulk SMS and advise people to self-isolate
Best Practices to Follow for QR Codes in Messaging Campaigns
QR codes are an efficient and smart way to store and display information. But remember, the code itself is not a call-to-action. Ensure you always add “scan to find out more” or something similar to let people know what they need to do.
Keep it short and sweet to engage your audience and limit the number of pictures and videos you send unless it’s essential. Here are a few best practice tips that we put together for you to become successful at using QR codes:
- Choose your most engaging content to connect with customers or prospects.
- Keep it visual with a custom QR code design
- Choose the right size and format
- Download and print your high resolution QR Codes
- Use short URLs
- Choose the right messaging for segmented audiences
How QR Codes can Boost Customer Engagement
Companies of all sizes started integrating QR codes in their communication strategies to engage customers. Choosing the right technology will make your process easier.
Their easy-to-use QR code generator helps marketers create visually appealing images that engage and build brand-owned digital experiences. Start your free 14-day trial and see how intuitive the entire process is.
Cristina Ionita is VoiceSage’s Digital Marketing Manager. Passionate about content marketing and organic, inbound marketing strategies, she dedicates her time researching new technology trends to write about.
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