B2B Firm Pushes Facebook Page With QR Codes
Software firm Doyenz launches campaign at IT industry events this week.
Doyenz is testing QR codes to target IT professionals at four trade conferences taking place around the country this week. Most interestingly, the software services company is employing Likify’s open source platform at the CloudExpo event in Santa Clara, CA, and the Chartec Unherd of Conference in Orlando, FL. Via the Likify system, the thousands of attendees will be encouraged to scan a code to become a Doyenz “Liker” on Facebook with a couple of mobile clicks.
Adriana Dunn, content strategist for Doyenz, said the effort represents her Bellevue, WA-based firm’s newfound dedication to increasing its Facebook presence. The company – which has 20 employees – launched its Facebook brand page in late July, and has built up a modest audience of nearly 100 “Likers.” It also launched a Twitter, Flickr, and bit.ly account.
“We’ve really hit a plateau and want to up our numbers on Facebook and Twitter this week,” Dunn said. “We put our Facebook page URL on the [print] materials as well for people who are not familiar with QR codes.” In terms of the materials, she was referring to postcards and other print pieces with the Likify code that are being circulated at CloudExpo (Nov. 1-4) and Chartec Unherd of Conference (Nov. 4). The print pieces feature the copy, “We Dare You To Decode.” Dunn said the Likify codes – as well as QR codes in general – work for iPhones, BlackBerrys, and other smart phones, while requiring downloads of the correct app from sites like Scanlife.com. That website is mentioned prominently in marketing materials targeting the IT niche of managed service providers, she said.
“The QR codes are being tried out for the first time this week, which is exciting for us. We are blanketing [these] events with them,” Dunn said. “What we really want to do at the end of the week is…look at the numbers. We will look at lead generation.”
While the Facebook-based Likify system will not be in play, Doyenz will be pushing QR codes at two other events this week: IT Nation and HTG Peer Group. For the HTG Peer Group gathering, specifically, a promotional offer will be pitched via print materials and a sales team, and there’s a dedicated landing page for the QR code.
“For this, we really wanted to target the 260 people [expected at the HTG event] who are part of these peer groups,” the content strategist said. “We wanted to incentivize them to come to our brand site…as opposed to the Likify effort, where we will see if they go to Facebook and ‘Like’ our brand.”
For all of the firm’s mobile efforts this week, sales leads will be asked to give their names, company, state, e-mail address, and work phone number. She said the Likify and QR codes are synched up with the company’s backend marketing system, SalesForce.
And while QR codes appear to be an emerging marketing platform, Dunn admitted it would be interesting to see how popular the QR codes actually turn out to be. “The biggest barrier right now is with adoption,” she said.
