The Digital Skinny

As QR codes gain acceptance here in the US, we’ve seen an increase in creative applications for them.

Inking a personalized QR code permanently on your body might take the cake! Check out this video from KPHO CBS 5 here in Phoenix for the inside look at this unique application.

Tonic Photo Studios, our sister company who shares part of our building, was recently selected by Phil Gordon, mayor of Phoenix, to do a photo shoot for his upcoming State of the City Address.

Here’s one of the final images in an email invitation for the event:

Mayor's State of the City Address and Luncheon invitation with photography by Tonic Photo Studios

Tonic Photo Studios specializes in commercial photography, including images of people, products, food, and architecture. They have a 10,000 square foot studio with a wide assortment of props and even a full kitchen for preparing food for photo shoots. Or they can come to your business and do shoots on-location. To see what kind of incredible imagery they’re capable of creating, check out their website at www.tonicphotostudios.com. As well, view the latest projects and news on their blog at www.tonicphotos.com.

This is truly a unique example of the usage of QR codes: Valentine’s Day stamps. These stamps were used by the postal system of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to increase awareness of the postal system amongst younger demographics.

Upon scanning the code, the recipient is sent a text message of “XOXO.”

The design of the stamp is also unique, integrating the pixel shapes that make up the QR code with the rest of the stamp.

You can read more about this case study at printceo.com

QR codes provide any direct marketing campaign the ability to grab people’s attention and get them to interact with the piece. They are a perfect solution for tech-savvy demographics who are more inclined to recognize the codes and to have the knowledge of how to interact with them.

For more details about incorporating QR codes in your direct marketing, see our earlier all about QR codes.

Have you used QR codes in your marketing campaigns? Do you plan on using them in the future? We’d love to hear about your QR codes success stories!

 

R and R Images

 

As we evolve, anticipating our growth is critical.  We continually evaluate employees to ensure their skills are best utilized to serve the company and their career goals.

Lorraine Chavez has shown initiative and dedication as receptionist and accounting assistant in her two years with the company. Given her knowledge of our customer base and Printsmith, she has been promoted to the customer service team where she will put her skills to work in account management.

As Rain moves upstairs, please welcome the return of Lisa McBride in a newly formed position that will incorporate Rain’s previous duties as well as new responsibilities. Lisa, too, has an excellent understanding of our business and customers.

Project manager Heather Jeffrey will be taking on additional responsibilities within the customer service team. Her role is still being defined, but with the resourcefulness and skill she has demonstrated in her short tenure with R and R Images, we will be utilizing her to help ensure we are ready for Q4 and to streamline the work flow processes.

Congratulations everyone.

R and R Images is now hiring seasonal employees for digital press operators, bindery, book binding, shipping and general labor. Call 602.437.4545 for information.

It's hard enough to create subject lines that pop, but a typo destroys your credibility instantly. Use spell-check, because typos are easy to make.

There is no secret formula that will guarantee a high open rate because of the email subject line.  Each campaign requires thoughtful consideration as to how the subject line is written for the best possible open rate. And by all means, use spell-check.

The all-important “from line”
Not to be confused with the “subject line,” the “from line”" should be your business name, a person from your business that the recipient knows or an email address with your company’s name in it. (There is no need to repeat  the company name in the subject line.)Each of these indicate it’s an anticipated and valuable offer from a legitimate, trustworthy source. Research indicates the “from line” is the first thing read, or “part one” of the decision making process of whether or not the recipient opens the email.

How long should the subject line be?
Subject lines should be 50-60 characters, including spaces. Keep it short and sweet, as brevity is key. Fewer than 10 words is an imperative; fewer than five is decent. Two or three words is perfect.

Give them a reason to open the email
What is the benefit?  Why should they open it? (Examples: sale, reduced price, free, tips, a promise, etc.) Use a call to action. If you have an offer, create a sense of urgency with an expiration date or time frame. The sense of urgency becomes the call to action. Action-oriented and “tips” subject lines pull the best.

To personalize or not to personalize?
A subject line can personalized by using the recipient’s name, by past purchase history or with personalized content known to be of interest to the recipient. Be careful when using personal names–nothing kills an email by having the wrong name on it.

Tips for staying out of spam filters

• “Free” is not a bad word unless you put it at the beginning, using all caps and an exclamation point.
• If the subject line doesn’t match the email content, it will be reported as spam.
• Don’t use punctuation such as $$&@!!, as it will never reach the intended recipient.
• Use a spam checker before you send the email.
• Stay away from exclamation points.

Track your campaigns
It seems like there’s never enough time to get an email campaign created and sent, let alone trying to track and analyze the results. Tracking your email campaign results is imperative—if you’re not going to engage in analyzing trending metrics, there’s really no reason to send email campaigns.  With each campaign, you need to analyze what went right or wrong and adjust accordingly for the next campaign. With each campaign, you list becomes more targeted.

With subject lines, analyze the ones that garner the highest conversions, i.e.,  registrations, newsletter or article views, sales, downloads or any measurable action. You may find some unexpected results such as an email with a relatively low open rate but a high sales-per-open rate. That may mean something in the subject line strongly appealed to a narrow segment of the recipients, which means you’ve just uncovered a lucrative niche segmentation within your list. Your main objective is not necessarily high open rates (but that’s great when it happens), but to have email recipients take a specific action.

If you need help strategizing, writing, designing and executing your  email  marketing campaigns we are here to help. R and R Images is an integrated marketing leader with over 20 years experience. Contact Holly Sanger at 602.437.4545 for more information.