How to Effectively Use QR Codes is the first in a series of articles that we'll be posting this fall. Small Business Marketing Tips To Build Sales In A Down Economy will teach you how to use do-it-yourself tools like SMS, email and social media to effectively market your business.
Entry By Simit Patel
Perhaps you've seen these black and white squares that look a bit like a Rorschach test on a billboard, in a display ad on public transportation, or in a magazine, and wondered about them.
They're QR codes. QR is an abbreviation for Quick Response. Like a bar code that's scanned by the cashier at the supermarket, a QR code can be scanned by consumers using smartphones to get information about a product or service.
Introduced in 1994 by Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, QR codes have recently gained a second life as a marketing tool. Accessing a code can unlock a variety of goodies for customers, from discounts, to reminders, to smartphone applications.
Codes allow companies to build relationships with customers. They offer businesses insight into consumers buying habits and needs, allowing them to spend ad dollars more effectively while creating more personalized offerings for shoppers.
So what's the first step in the QR code process?
1. Find the right partners
If you're not a software developer, finding technology partners is key to the execution of a successful program. Firms like SmartyTags can help you create the code, and firms like Ez Texting can help you disseminate the message.
2. Decide where to place them for maximum return
Along with finding the best technology partners for your business, you also need to determine where to advertise them. Customers will be accessing the codes and the information on them via a smartphone, so you need to figure out where you can best reach your target audience.
In addition to obvious places like ads in magazines, newspapers, and other print media, you also want to include them on display panels at trade shows, in store windows that sell complementary products, and on your business cards.
3. Determine what to offer to entice potential buyers
Use your creativity to decide what information you want the user to receive after scanning the code. Just about anything is a possibility. You can send a coupon redeemable at your store just for accessing the code. You can offer a discount for liking your Facebook page; you can even invite viewers to participate in a poll or contest, and further engage their interest.
As smartphones become increasingly commonplace and powerful, QR codes will present ever-increasing marketing opportunities. So investing in QR marketing now, will help you build a foundation for the future. What's a trend today, has the potential of rising to the forefront of digital marketing, as technology progresses.
Other resources: Ez Texting QR Code Generator
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