36 1/2 Ideas for QR Codes and MicroSoft Tags in YOUR Business
QR Code
According to Wikipedia: A QR Code is a matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.
Common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the acronym for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.[1]
I like to think of QR Codes as Hyperlinks on our physical world! They are no longer just black and white and Microsoft Tag has come along and added a few more features that make the little codes even more flexible.
I have been seeing more of the colorful Microsoft tags on the backs of cereal boxes and around town. These require a separate scanner app from Microsoft (free download on any smart phone-look for Microsoft Tag Reader) and can be customized into pictures that are very cool.
Microsoft Tag can provide data on how often and where the tag was scanned. You are also able to change the data source without having to change the tag.
Here are a few scanner apps that people have voted as their favorites for QR Codes (be sure and share yours in the comments):
Android Platform: BarCode Scanner (I use this and find it to be the fastest); QuickMark for Android (Both FREE); Google Goggles works for QR codes as well (FREE)
iPhone: Optiscan for iPhone (known as fastest for iPhone -$1.99); NeoReader (Free); QR Reader (Free); Google Goggles work for scanning as well.
Blackberry: ScanLife Barcode Reader (Free); QR Code Scanner Pro (vibrates when code connects AND Free); NeoReader (Free)
QR Code Made From Lego (by LarryStraining)
Here are my favorite QR Code Generators:
ZXing: I like this one because you can embed content (memo), a URL, Contact info, and even a calendar event!
Kaywa: Like above you can choose to embed a URL, text content or contact information, but UNLIKE ZXing, you have to choose one.
TIPS: The more information you put into your QR code, the more complex it will be. The geometric pattern will be denser, and could be more difficult to accurately scan and interpret. Shorten your URL using a tool like bit.ly to add some analytic features and see how many people are going to the site you sent them to.
36 1/2 Creative Uses for QR Codes or MS Tags:
Sweet Code
1. QR Code on food products to take you to nutritional information.
2. QR Code on produce to tell you where the product was grown.
3. QR Code on items that need assembling taking you to a website with detailed instructions and a video!
4. QR Code inside a book taking you to a website where updates are available.
5. QR Code at zoo or museum to bring up videos or additional information on subject.
6. QR Code at conferences for handouts, exhibitor information and more.
7. QR Code on T-shirt taking prospective clients to your website, Twitter page or a video link for a fun surprise.
8. QR Code on business cards instead of cramming more info on there!
9. QR Code on health club door taking you to a site with great healthy recipes or trainer tips
10. QR Code on paper products with quick and easy recipes for families obviously on the go!
11. QR Code on sticker for laptops, phones, & other important gadgets that get left behind with your contact info.
12. QR Code on a rubber stamp for envelopes, stationary or even your forehead taking people to special promo pages on your site.
13. QR Code at the end of an article taking people to a bonus video.
14. QR Codes providing clues for a treasure hunt.
15. QR Codes around a school yard taking students to learning content (while they play! SNEAKY)
16. QR Code on art piece taking you to artists portfolio.
17. QR Code at the end of a video on YouTube taking viewers to more fun content.
18. QR Code on wedding invitations or favors taking guests to online photos of the couple.
19. QR Code hidden in product or on raffle tickets – most go to fun content site and one goes to YOU’VE WON page!
20. QR Code on a bus stop bench with links going to car dealers website or eco-friendly sites.
21. QR Code on a grave site to take you to a page telling about the deceased.
22. QR Code on clothing tags taking you to designer websites or sites to provide styling tips.
23. QR Codes around an organization that take you to videos revealing the history or story of a company.
24. QR Code hidden in posters or marketing material that takes you to a special discount code.
25. QR Code on fingernail art taking you to a Facebook page or a nail salon website.
26. QR Code on dog tag taking you to a video sharing dog’s contact info or dog’s Facebook page 
)
27. QR Codes on plant stakes to provide growing tips, plant origins, and coupons to fertilizers or gardening supplies.
28. QR Code on belt buckle taking you to your contact info or website.
29. QR Code on cupcakes or cake taking people to a special page with photos or videos featuring the guest of honor.
30. QR Code on car windows at dealer lot to allow shoppers to see video of car features when dealer is closed, or if they want to browse on their own.
31. QR Codes on menus taking people to a video of chef explaining the unique ingredients used.
32. QR Codes on mailers that are sent out to take prospective customers to a video of you telling them why they should work with you.
33. QR Codes at the end of proposals that take people to a video of you addressing the potential client by name and giving the benefits of working with you.
34. QR Codes at the end of each book chapter with bonus audio or video content.
35. QR Code on business cards taking people to a white paper or free product to download.
36. QR Code on accountant’s business cards taking people to forms they need.
36 1/2. QR Code tattooed on your child…If lost, please return to… OK maybe not!
Now that I have your brain engaged here, what other ideas can you add? What are creative places and uses you have seen?
Gina Schreck
President & Chief Hooligan at Synapse 3Di
@GinaSchreck
5 Tips for Using More Video in Your Organization
YouTube Nation
Our society has an insatiable apetite for video. It has grown steadily over the past 5 and a half years since the birth of YouTube. According to statistics compiled by Website Monitoring YouTube now exceeds 2 BILLION views per day and that people watch an average of 15 minutes of video per day. I might be one of those “average people” since I do tend to watch videos that come my way via blogs, Twitter, Facebook and, occasionally, through an email. If I add in the regular TED Talk videos that I watch, I can probably hit that average.
Kids pass around more and more videos on Facebook and now for the Holiday season 2010, we have Video Barbie getting in on the action~(I do find this somewhat creepy to think little girls will be walking around secretly filming others through Bab’s camera that is embedded into her back and the lens is in her chest.) They could have named her Stalker Barbie! Warning to parents: Pick up those toys in YOUR bedroom before you go to sleep!
Stalker Barbie
YouTube is now the second largest search engine in the world, just behind its parent company…Google. That’s right, people will go to YouTube to find everything from how to install a new toilet or how to speak with a British accent to finding deep intellectual messages through cartoons like Charlie the Unicorn. So what does this have to do with business…besides EVERYTHING?
Take a look at some of these fun images from YouTube’s 5-year journey.
Businesses should be capitalizing on the fact that people are seeking information and learning from videos. With video equipment getting smaller and less expensive, there is no reason why you and your organization shouldn’t be tapping into this insatiable appetite for video consumption.
Here are my 5 tips for getting your community tuned in to your message:
- Be Business Casual- When you over-produce or over-script a video, it feels like you are trying to sell us something. When you turn the camera on yourself and talk authentically, we connect with you. Look at some of the most successful videos on YouTube…they are not shot by a professional production team, they are simple and conversational. What tips can you share via video? What’s on your mind that can be turned into a video blog post? You don’t need a professional set or well written script. Jot some bullet points down and hit that record button.
- Have Great Audio- There are many options now to boost the audio on many pocket video cams with bluetooth microphones and even the Flip Video has finally come out with an external mic port on their latest Ultra HD 8 GB. People will forgive bad video skills as long as they can hear you clearly. Don’t forget that while doing simple editing after, you can adjust and boost sound as well.
The Flip
- Set a Fun Backdrop- Look behind you before you start filming. I have seen videos with bright windows behind the person which turns them into a silhouette, or worse I have seen videos with pictures or lamps behind the person, creating a comical mashup of the person and the object. Instead of sitting with a messy office behind you, create a simple but interesting backdrop that will enhance your video.
- Get the Camcorders into the Hands of the Community and Co-Create- Remember, YOU don’t have to be the star of every video, or of any videos if you’d rather stay out of the spotlight. Put the cameras in the hands of your customers, your learners, your fans and let then tell the stories of your company. Within your organization start a series of WINK videos (What I Now Know) asking everyone from the executive teams to the star employees, “What are 2 or 3 things you know now that you wish you would have known when you started here?” Have your customers create a “Day in the Life of a CUSTOMER!” People love seeing themselves be silly on video. Create opportunities for participants to create content to use in a training program . Give teams the information they need and challenge them to create a fun, short (5 min in length) and content-packed video that will used to explain a new product roll-out to other teams or in a “Popcorn Learning Segment” in your next training program. Pop some popcorn and view the videos as a group with a debrief or quiz created by the same teams!
- And….ACTION! Get STARTED! Don’t let the need for perfection paralyze you. Pick something easy to start with like 5 tips on a topic you have expertise in and just push that RECORD button! You will find ways to get more creative and better with each video you create.
Keep in mind that when you post a video on YouTube, every word you say is transcribed and those words become searchable through Google! Be strategic if you are wanting your videos to become viral or at least be found by a bigger audience! You can post your videos on your blog, website, or a series of video hosting sites (YouTube is only one), like Viddler, Blip.Tv, Vimeo and more.
I love to hear the creative uses people find to incorporate video into their marketing, their learning, or other informative uses for business. How else can we all get creative with simple pocket video? Let us know in the comment section and let’s learn something together!
Happy Filming!
Gina Schreck
President & Chief Hooligan at Synapse 3Di
@GinaSchreck
QR Codes out of Legos…Let YOUR Imagination BUILD SOMETHING
Thanks to Paul Simbeck-Hampson for sharing this fun video and to Phyllis Khare for passing it along. Social Learning at its BEST!
See how technology and toys can lead to fun customer engagement and higher sales. What will you embed in your codes?
QR Codes are like physical world hyperlinks! You can add them to anything and let people discover clues, trivia, and more!
To get started:
1. Download a FREE scanner app on your smartphone by searching your app store for BARCODE SCANNER or SCANNER.
2. Go to one of these sites to create your code for FREE!
http://zxing.appspot.com/generator/ (This site lets you add additional information aside from your website URL. Type in a message like I did on the code below.
Scan This
http://QRStuff.com (This site is fun because it allows you to create a QR code from a URL, text, a Vcard with your contact info on it or even a Google map with a specific location pinpointed! When you create your code you can order fun merchandise like hats, shirts, coffee mugs, and more)
TIP: To add some analytics to your QR Codes, create a short URL over at http://bit.ly or http://Goo.gl and then use that link to create your codes so you can track the numer of clicks and more.
Where can you put these fun codes? Where will you take people?
Have fun playing and learning~
@GinaSchreck
Gina Schreck
President & Chief Hooligan at Synapse 3Di
@GinaSchreck
Skype 10-Way Video Calling & Some Pink Duct Tape
Today we tested Skype’s Beta2 that allows you to make 10-way Video Calls…well we attempted it and learned a few things along the way!
Let us know if you have tested the new service and what your take aways were.
Let us help you connect with your community…We’ve got lots of Duct Tape!
@GinaSchreck
Virtual Events for Business: What are they and how are they different?
When you hear the words “Virtual Events” or “Immersive Environments,” what comes to mind? Geordi from Star Trek? Perhaps a giant question mark since they sound so foreign?
I'm Attending a Virtual Event
Many of us participate in virtual events regularly via webinars and streaming video events, and if you want to get technical, even a conference call is a virtual event. Now what comes to mind are probably visions of sleepy office scenes with participants multi-tasking while a speaker drones on and on in a monotone voice (no, I wasn’t on that call with you yesterday!).
Virtual events have become a necessity in business today, for meetings, learning and more. There are different virtual platforms for different uses and we tend to get stuck with one or two because it’s easier than learning how to use new technology. I have used many webinar platforms such as GoToWebinar, WebEx, AdobeConnect and ReadyTalk. While webinars do allow for participant chat, the platform is typically flat (few if any can run video clips without the possibility of hiccups) and we have all learned how to multitask during the webinar, only tuning in if we are called by name or asked to complete a poll or other activity. I have found the platforms that allow for participants to use annotation tools and actually write or use draw tools on the slides can be more fun and engaging. When I tell participants to “draw on the tech tool you use most” they go crazy, marking all over the slide. It is fun to watch! People will try to write with the freehand draw tool instead of chatting, which is GREAT because they are actually engaged.
I’ve also been involved using hybrid virtual event systems such as Unisfair, On24, and InXpo, where they combine video streaming with slides, audience chat, a few social engagement pieces, and some cool 3D conference entry points where you can see the different breakout sessions being offered.
Virtual Hybrids
These are extremely engaging for larger conference events where you have keynote speakers and breakout sessions. Attendees can be both live and remote or you can host the event completely for remote attendees. They allow participants to pop into the sessions they want to attend and skip the sessions that are not relevant to them. These platforms are for one-to-many communication. The speakers deliver the content and the attendees can interact via chat.
The most engaging, in my not-so-humble opinion, is the 3D immersive environments. I say this for several reasons, one being the environments are so different from anything you have probably used, that your brain is trying to grasp what is going on. You are hearing each person speak with 3D sound, which means the people on your right are heard on your right (if you are wearing a headset or have good computer speakers), and the person on your left is coming through in your left ear. The person’s avatar who is standing further away sounds quieter than the avatars right next to you. The avatars are gesturing when they speak and their little cartoon lips are even moving. These avatars gather in conference rooms, open-air amphitheaters or possibly a build that resembles the inside of a computer as someone points out the changes that will take place in the new product roll out. Another reason 3D immersive is more engaging is the simple fact that there is so much going on visually. Participants are not just looking at slides on a computer screen (although sadly many people load up boring slide decks in virtual environments just as often as they do at face-to-face events). Participants are IN the environment. They are moving their avatars around and taking in all the amazing visual surroundings. All the other participants are avatars in the same shared environment and they are looking at the same documents, slides, or even white board.
Second Life for CREATIVE LEARNING
There are many different 3D immersive platforms and not every 3D environment is created equal. I have found Second Life, Teleplace and VirtualU to be some of the best for business and learning events (many will have other opinions and by no means is this list comprehensive so please chime in with more that we should check out in the comments). Without going into too much detail, here is why:
SECOND LIFE- Most people have at least heard of this platform, but many have only heard the strange social networking or personal gaming side of the platform. I love the flexibility of Second Life; the ability to change and create your environment to enhance your outcomes. Avatars are more realistic looking and can be customized until your heart’s content. This picture here shows an education conference that was built around a desert theme and the creativity was MIND-BLOWING!
Some of the downsides to Second Life are the intense graphic nature of the program (gaming computers are ideal, but most of today’s PCs have great graphics to run the program) and the fact that this “world” is most like our real world, in that anything that you can think of, you can probably find in Second Life somewhere. I tell people that virtual environments are event and destination driven. You log on and attend an event or go to a specific location and when you are finished you log off. If you start wandering around and looking to see what else is in this environment, you will find some strange places and people, just like you would in our real world. (Trust me, I’ve been lost in New York before!)
TELEPLACE- This is a great platform for people new to the 3D immersive idea. It is great for business meetings and is most like a webinar than any other that I have seen. You do have simple business avatars (or you can choose a lego-man body with your photo in the square head-see photo of green lego-man here) and you enter the business office or conference center.
TELEPLACE
The choices and customization of avatars is very limited and your environment is less flexible as well, which can be a good thing for some businesses, who are a little tech-skiddish. With Teleplace, you download a small program (much like GoToMeeting) and within 10 minutes you are ready for your meeting to begin. You can share video, websites, documents and slides, which makes it great for small group meetings and corporate training classes.
The downside to this tool is they are not set up for event pricing (one event this month, two next month and perhaps none the third month). They require annual licenses and it is a bit pricier than other platforms.
VIRTUALU- This is a promising platform that is a good blend of Second Life and Teleplace. A very simple download, easy on the graphics, but the customization is not as robust as Second Life. I do love that people can create a free account and come in for a class, meeting or to network and practice. You don’t pay until you want to have your own space designed.
VIRTUALU
Imagine logging into a webinar 30 minutes early to chat with folks and network before the event began. That is what will happen when you host an event in this great environment. There is even an art museum to get people mingling and meeting one another before beginning. This photo is from their expo hall where participants can chat with exhibitors.
The major downside (for me anyway) is it is not supported on Macintosh. I do have a PC on my desk but travel with my mac, so cannot log in from the road. (I know they are working on this)
I believe we will continue to see greater adoption of virtual events as travel becomes tougher and budgets become tighter, but also as technology becomes more and more engaging to use. Dive in, learn about these virtual options, but then attend one for yourself in each environment to see how you could use them.
We host regular webinars and meet weekly in our Second Life campus for business discussions, classes and professional networking. You can join us for FREE on Thursday nights 6pm (PT)/9pm (ET) by clicking on this link to begin setting up your account-it will place you in our campus when you are finished with the set up. http://bit.ly/6aINpd
Gina Schreck
Gina Schreck
Let me know how we can help you and your organization use today’s technology to build your business or manage your brand. Contact me on Twitter @GinaSchreck or email me Gina@Synapse3Di.com
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