The Big Issue In The North adopts new sales model to help homeless street vendors
The Big Issue In The North is a magazine in the United Kingdom with a business model that stands out. The magazine is sold in a traditional fashion, but not by vendors that own and operate newsstands. The Big Issue In the North is sold throughout the United Kingdom by homeless street vendors who rely on the jobs provided by the magazine for a steady income. The magazine recently announced that it will be launching a digital edition, which could threaten the sales of many of its homeless vendors.
INSP turns to QR codes to keep vendors in the loop
More magazines are opting to go digital as a way to keep up with the changing interests of consumers. Many of these magazines have been struggling to cope with the advent of mobile technology, with some faring far better than others. The Big Issue In The North believes that the time is right to make the transition from physical media to digital, but is unwilling to shirk its responsibility to the country’s homeless community. As such, the International Network of Street Papers (INSP), the non-profit group that owns and operates the magazine, is taking steps to ensure that homeless street vendors have a chance to continue working.
QR codes used to sell magazines in the UK
The non-profit group has turned to QR codes in order to solve this problem. The digital edition of The Big Issue In The North will begin being sold on October 29 and can be purchased through the scanning of a QR code. In this way, INSP believes that street vendors will still be able to make a modest living through sales of The Big Issue In The North.
INSP slates pilot project for magazine in US
QR codes are well known as effective marketing tools and have been used to engage a wide range of consumers around the world. INSP, which owns and operates publications in several countries, is planning a pilot project of another one of its magazines — StreetWise — in Chicago using the same sales method as it is using in the UK.
SouthStart Communities selects Hipcricket for mobile marketing initiative
Hipcricket, the mobile marketing subsidiary of Augme Technologies, has been selected by SouthStar Communities, a real estate development company serving Texas and North Carolina, for a new marketing campaign. The realtor will be tapping into Hipcricket’s AD LIFE platform, which will allow it to develop mobile websites and make use of QR codes for various advertising purposes. QR codes have long been a powerful marketing tool amongst U.S. realtors. Indeed, the real estate industry played a major role in bringing the codes to the U.S. and helped make them popular.
Hipcricket platform to be used to build mobile sites and manage QR codes
SouthStar Communities has taken note of a significant increase in website traffic coming from mobile devices, suggesting that more consumers are becoming reliant on their mobile devices when shopping for new homes. In order to tap into this market, the realtor is looking to make use of Hipcricket’s services to help build websites that are optimized for viewing on mobile devices. QR codes will be used in various print advertisements and on signage for new homes.
QR codes may help realtor reach out to consumers
When consumers find these QR codes and scan them with their mobile device, they will be able to find information concerning a particular home or be granted the ability to browse SouthStar Communities’ extensive property database. In both cases, consumers will be directed to a mobile website where they can find the information that they want. Hipcricket will provide the resources that the realtor needs to make this campaign a reality and will also provide the company with a way to track the performance of its QR codes and other mobile marketing initiatives.
QR codes continue to hold favor with real estate industry
QR codes are among the most popular mobile marketing tools available today. The real estate industry is well versed in the use of the codes, having been one of the first industry’s in the U.S. to make extensive use of them. The codes have served the industry well, proving popular amongst consumers and providing realtors with a way to stay engaged with potential home buyers no matter where they may be.
