Direct Mail QR Code Scan Rate

Do people scan the QR code printed on a mail piece? Should you use QR codes in your next direct mail campaign?

To answer these questions, I looked into the data from some of our campaigns’ reports.

Here’s what I found:

• In one case, for a financial institution that mails millions of records every month, over 74% of responses came from scanning QR codes.

• For a higher education institution that mails tens of thousands of postcards as part of its student search campaign, over 64% of the recipients scanned the QR code printed on the piece.

• In a campaign for a national brand of insurance carrier where hundreds of thousands of pieces were mailed, over 76% of landing page visits came from QR codes.

Savvy direct-response marketers provide their mail recipients with multiple response mechanisms. They let their recipients choose to respond in a way that’s easier for them: by making a phone call, sending an SMS text message, visiting a landing page, or mailing back their response using a provided envelope or BRC (Business Reply Card.)

Adding a QR code to your mailer is another way to capture responses. Based on the numbers, it is likely the most convenient one for your respondents.

Using a personalized QR code on your direct mail makes it an even more powerful marketing channel. You’ll see who scanned the code, even if they don’t submit a form. You’ll know who’s interested in your offer and can engage them with a more targeted follow-up message.