25 August 2011

QR codes are the business

I'm really excited about incorporating QR codes into our marketing strategy.

QR codes, in case you didn't know are those strange black and white graphics made of blocks that your mobile phone scanner can read, if it has the right softwear and when you scan it, you get a website, message, link to facebook or something else like that, appear on your phone. Actually, they don't have to black, they can be other colours and you can actually incorporate your logo into it too. Haven't worked out how to do that yet!

Just incredible.

I was at Minuteman Press in Potters Bar (@MinuteManPB on Twitter), the other day and we were having real fun imagining the different ways that this graphic could be used....I mean apart from business, can you imagine people having the link to their facebook profile tatooed onto their arm, so that it could be scanned by people that wanted to date you and learn more about you....wierd...or maybe when they got old and wrinkly, they'd have to stretch their skin to scan it and maybe Facebook would no longer be around.

My coffee shop is at the end of the station platform, I think it would be cool to have these codes stuck up, randomly, along the tunnel leading to the platform stairs. Maybe they could offer a free coffee, or something that entices people to try our shop for the first time.

What would you do if you saw one of those codes posted up with no message on it? Would you be curious enough to scan it, just to see what it revealed?

Anything that gets your customer actively involved and turns their experience of your brand into a game and gets them emotionally involved and connected with your company has to be good for you and for them, doesn't it?

If you're going to platform 1, Enfield Chase Station, keep your eyes peeled, there could be a free coffee, or a free piece of cake posted up on the wall!!

Keep happy, somethings in life are free! xxxx

I'll be sticking this up today.....





20 August 2011

Positivity makes the front page!

 

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It’s not often that positive and optimistic stories make the front page, is it? But I was really surpised and inpressed by the attitude of the Enfield Advertiser, this week, when it picked up on the positive stories that were happening in Enfield, after the riots. the Advertiser, instead of being all doom and gloom fought back the negativity of the riots with a really uplifting edition highlighting all the good things people are doing in our local community to help restore faith in human nature.

Yes, it was great that My Coffee Stop was featured on the front page, for the donations of items that we had helped to accumulate by acting as a collecting point and then driving stuff down to Tottenham Green Leisure Centre every day….but there were also other inspiring stories, to lift the spirits.

I was so pleased that Paul Cooper from Fast Signs, was featured with his fantastic idea to create stickers to be given out and put up all over Enfield, saying ‘We Love Enfield, keep smiling’, his idea got people talking and smiling and that’s a really important thing to do, for our community. We felt so wounded after the riots but this positive press, really helped to heal.the picture od smashed glass, with a bright sticker on and smiling faces, really says it all!

Look at the picture here….http://www.northlondon-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=30794&searchword=fast signs

There’s also a great article that shows that youngsters rioting is the not the norm, where young people and their sensible voices are heard,and put in print, rather than giving space for what the rioters/looters say, or think.

It’s the support of the writers and photographers on the Enfield Advertiser that’s really helped to highlight all that’s good about Enfield….we must thank our lucky stars that we have a local paper with people that really care about the community working on it.

Read the news for Enfield here, http://www.enfield-today.co.uk/

Keep safe, be strong and stay positive, Karen, xxx