You know QR Codes are moving fast when the The U.S. Postal Service® gets in on the fun!

Last week, they officially announced that they will be offering a 3% discount on any Standard and First-Class Mail that includes a mobile barcode (QR Code) for marketing purposes. The savings will be offered from July 1st to August 31st, 2011.

ScanLife has also entered into a Business Alliance with the U.S. Postal Service® and to show our support for this fantastic effort, we will be offering a 10% discount to any customer that uses our platform as part of their 2D barcode/mail campaign!

Combining the mail with 2D barcodes has seen amazing results with some response rates at 7-10%!

This package will include:

• Up to 5 unique codes
• Unlimited scans
• 3-month activation period
• Complete tracking analytics like unique scans and location
• Optional: A custom mobile landing page

We will also ensure your campaign meets the requirements of the USPS incentive when you use the ScanLife system.

Choose from a variety of code actions that can make your mail more engaging in seconds – link to the Web for demo videos, load a pre-filled Email for opt-ins, or link to right to a phone number to order your product. We can even help you build a custom landing page.

So How Do You Get Started?

If you already have a ScanLife account, just contact us for more info.

If you don’t have an account, just follow these simple steps:

1. Register here for your ScanLife account
2. Enter “SummerMail” in the Invitation Code field
3. We will contact you to discuss the pricing plans

To qualify, just show your ScanLife representative that codes were used on direct mail via the actual creative or the postal statement. Campaigns must be launched during the USPS promotion dates.

Here are a couple links from the USPS to provide additional detail:

FAQs – USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion Rules Final

FAQs – USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion Fact Sheet

How to use codes on mail?

QR Codes are a fantastic way to make any piece of mail, from a postcard to a catalog, a more engaging and trackable marketing tool. A small 2D barcode can quickly link a mobile device to exclusive offers, video demos, social networking and much more.  See how Target used ScanLife codes to convert their catalogs into a digital store.

For the past few weeks, we have been Beta testing our latest code action, the OS Detection code.  This is our latest example of our Premium Codes, that use the analytics from mobile user traffic in real time to deliver dynamic and relevant content.  In this case, the code detects the OS (operating system) of the mobile device scanning the code, and redirects to content the code publishers choose to show. 

This works with both the ScanLife app, and any other standard QR Code reader.

Of course, the best application for this code, is to get a mobile application!  Many brands and publishers have apps for iPhone, Android, and maybe BlackBerry.  A single OS Detection code can be created for all of the leading operating systems, and there is even a default landing page in case you have an app for two of these, but not the others.

Here’s a video showing how the same code goes to different app stores based on the device – Android and iPhone:

Here’s a video that shows how easy it is to do this with a ScanLife Business account:

This takes minutes to set up, and you don’t have to bother with building any landing pages or investing in extra mobile detection systems. You just plug in the URLs, and you’re done!

Here’s a code to try it yourself:

Here is a nice interview of Mike Wehrs, Scanbuy’s CEO, around ScanLife and the world of mobile barcodes.