Is Video Replacing Facetime With Clients?

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Advances made in technology, particularly over the past decade, have no doubt revolutionized much of the way we do business. It’s now so easy to handle most tasks from behind a computer that it almost seems as if there’s no point wasting energy on “face time.”

However, business at its heart is all about relationships, and there’s still no substitute for face-to-face contact when it comes to building those ties. Not only are you missing out on potential revenue by staying behind the desk, you’re also robbing yourself of continuing education, moral support, industry intelligence, personal fulfillment, and the serendipitous business opportunities that only arise when you take a few moments to meet someone new.

I’ll be curious to see how many business exchanges take place via the new iPhone 4 Facetime video feature – will that become the new ‘commonplace’ occurance in every Starbucks? Video in any form is a great supplement to personal meetings – but for my relationship dollar, you just can’t beat being there.

QR Codes – Putting a Digital Twist on Print & Outdoor

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

I often go through phases of obsession with a specific type of marketing, and QR Codes are the flavor of the week.  The technology has been around since 1994, courtesy of Japan’s Denso-Wave corporation, but has yet to take hold in the United States.  However, it’s a much different story in Japan.  Everybody from Mickey & Co. to LeBron James are getting in the act, and revolutionizing outdoor advertising in the process.

Japanese Disney ad using QR Codes

Nike ad in Japan with LeBron and QR Code

QR (“Quick Response”) Code is very simple to use.  You just simply take a picture of the code using your Smart Phone or mobile device, and it links to a website, email address, dial a phone number, or several other places.  People who snapped a picture of the QR Codes in the ads above were taken to Disney’s Japanese website, and Nike basketball’s Japanese site.  Instead of just passing the billboard, giving it a glance, and moving on, QR Codes allow the consumers to interact with the advertisement.  The interaction is two-fold, as one consumer will interact more directly with the actual billboard, then get driven to a website, or other destination, that the advertiser desires.

The same interaction can take place in print ads as well, including newspapers and magazines.  As newspapers around the country are closing due to lack of subscriptions and ad revenues, QR Codes could provide an appealing alternative to the traditional print ad.  A company advertising in the Wall Street Journal, such as Amtrak, could put a QR Code in their ad that links to their “Deals and Promotions” page on their website.  Driving readers from a print ad directly to a purchasing platform could not make it any easier for consumers to purchase Amtrak’s services.  The addition of the QR Code also impacts the pricing method newspapers have been using.  Newspapers could negotiate a flexible pricing plan for the ads that takes the QR Code link-throughs into account.  As more readers use the QR Code, the more the advertiser pays for the ad.  The need for new revenue streams is going through the roof for these publications, and I believe this could be a reasonable option for American newspapers.

QR Codes are all over Japanese advertisements, but whether or not they catch on in the United States depends solely on how creative marketers can get.  Business cards have already been created, but I believe their use could stretch far beyond trading contact information.  If you’re looking for new Facebook fans or Twitter followers, why not link to your site using a QR Code on your marketing collateral?  As Smart Phone penetration continues to increase, and mobile devices continue to grow as the best way to reach consumers, I believe QR Codes have the potential to be an outstanding marketing device.

Have you ever used a QR Code?  Do you believe they will catch on in the United States as it did in Japan?  What are some creative places QR Codes could be placed?

Pizza Hut iPhone app?

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

The first, of what will likely be a couple, branded pizza-ordering application is now available for your iPhone.  Pizza Hut has achieved the coveted “first mover” advantage into this space, with an app offering that allows users to order pizza and play the “Hut Racer” game while they wait.

While iPhone has only 11% of the market share, its tech savvy users are an ideal target for Pizza Hut because it’s very likely these people will actually use the application.  Using a phone application to order food creates a certain “cool” or “cutting edge” feeling that will be both contagious, and addicting, for its users.  It also gets rid of a few problems. (more…)