SoLoMo and QR Codes

SoLoMo is the new buzz word for to pay attention to if you want to engage consumers.  SoLoMo refers to the American shopping trend.  Shop socially, search locally and do it all using mobile devices (smart phones, iPads and tablets).  

If you are not tuned in to the SoLoMo thing you will quickly be left behind according to current (2013) research by Eventility, and event promoting entity. 

• Eventility highlights 97% of consumers now search for local businesses online.  Remember, smart phones are used for online searches. 
• 72% trust online reviews, 61% of younger demographics refer to social media to choose dining locales. 
• The biggest attention getter: 78% of small businesses now receive 1/4 of their new customers from social media.

Let us talk about the oft misunderstood QR codes.  I read the current press from self-proclaimed marketing experts that QR codes are dead.  These little blog reporters don’t quote sources or provide numbers.  They seem to tell you what to think about QR codes.  

This article aims to respect your intelligence, rather than telling you what to think, here are numbers and sources to help you decide for yourself.  

To quote Mark Twain: 

"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

The May 2013 Entrepreneur magazine, a credible source, in their SoLoMo print magazine article, reports that Apple and Starbucks are using currently harnessing QR codes for purchases.  When big names talk, they lend cred to QR codes because these generally do research on their own and determine what is effective and therefore relevant.

My source, the Chief Marketer, in a 2012 mobile marketing survey determined: 51% of all print ads contain a QR code.  Below are examples of QR code use by big brands in 2013.

26 Mar 2013 Gillette ad using QR codes (and Kate Upton)

20 Feb 2013 Wal-Mart Self-checkout stores use QR Codes

Swimsuit Models Come to Life Via QR Codes in Lexus Print Ad

Maserati enhances print ad with optimized QR code content

 Back to SoLoMo: regarding the QR (quick response) route, do you know that 129 million Americans own a mobile device ? They are using their mobiles recreationally and because they are fun toys.  If you have an attractive and prominently placed QR code that makes an offer, you compel the consumer to take out their beloved toy and investigate.  If you hide some generic, selfish QR code in a bottom corner with no offer besides the joy of visiting your website, well, frankly you deserve to go overlooked.  When people tell me QR codes are not effective, and I consider myself an expert, I can quickly sum up the problem: it is not the QR code that is the problem it is the marketing that is the problem.  If you want a fish to ride a bicycle and it can’t, is something wrong with the fish? It doesn’t take an Einstein to figure that out.  

SoLoMo.  Social networks are accessed by mobile media to dine, purchase, hire and shop locally.  I bet you feel smarter about your marketing.  Bank on boosting your SoLoMo with a branded QR (quick response) code created by a professional to get the intelligent marketing your business deserves. 

The next time some rigid oldster tells you that QR codes are dead, be sure to help him or her across the street.  Or if it is some microscopic blogger telling you QR codes have faded, ask them for the facts that support their article.  We all know that a lie can get halfway around the world before the truth even puts it's pants on and opinions are not facts.

QRCodesOfNote.com brings you this intelligent article.

Some big brands and how they are using QR codes in 2013:

Instant Satisfactions

Often it seems that the projects in my life have such a long way to go and I need some kind of pay off NOW! So, I work on little things with immediate pay off here and that to quiet my need for accomplishment. Instant gratification I think they call it. Et vous? Well, the next time you feel that need, I hope you'll try some of the instants that have made me happy: reading, knits, cooking, decorating or share some of your own at the bottom in comments section.

Become a follower of my blog, we'll both enjoy it. I welcome comments on this article, just leave one where this article ends. Thanks.

Quite naturally, my favorite place for reading instant gratification is the micro fiction

found at http://pentenscribes.ning.com/

This site offers and excellent collection of short stories all told in 10 sentences or less. Oftentimes, you will leave feeling as though you read a very short book. A favorite quote there is "It is my ambition to say in ten sentences; what others say in a whole book."~Friedrich Nietzsche

Pieknits shares this little wrist pillow knitting pattern and several others for free. I actually use this little pillow for my elbow oftentimes and make them from scraps of yarn and stow them away to give as gifts. Organic yarns and other soft yarns make excellent candidates for this project. This little project is where I learned to knit short rows, well, sort of. It was my intro to the technique but I learned to turn short rows at Knitty.com. Knitting short rows is a technique which creates a bump out in your knitting like what you'd need for the heel of a sock or in the bosom area of a garment.

My favorite instant gratification at dinner time is Egg Foo Yung. I order this often at Asian restaurants and discovered in a miniature cookbook that a friend gave me: It literally takes about 5 minutes to prepare and can be filled with whatever vegetable or cooked meat which you have handy. I've used mushrooms to replace meat in this dish as well as shredded carrots for variety. This can be a complete meal if you want low carbs or serve over a bed of rice or try it with angel hair pasta or rice stick noodles for a light fare. The angel hair and the rice noodles cook for about 5 minutes so you can begin boiling the water before starting your foo yong, foo yung, foo young...whatever way you spell it.

As for instant decorating satisfaction, I like to accessorize with paint and little unconventional

items. For instance, I am in love with this burnt orange paint color at the moment and niche's and nooks at my house are sporting this warm and friendly new coat. Little things though, which require even less time that I play at are putting tassels of all kinds on each door knob. I just keep an eye out for them when ever I'm shopping, only buying them when on sale and hang

them like earrings from any knob or just from an antique key which fits nothing. I like ornate tassels and there was a time in my life when I would have just made one and would have used the Boutique Tassel instruction found here. I also like to put flowers around for instant pick me up. I am not a great arranger of flowers so I keep it simple and try to use unique bud or color for impact such as this little display here with deep purple calla lily and white fringed tulip. Maybe you are more creative in this area. Hey! leave me a comment or suggestion and be sure to support my sponsors by clicking on a link... that and best wishes for an excellent day =)