Subscribe to the LoudClick blog


Follow LoudClick on Twitter


Contact & Connect with LoudClick via LinkedIn










QR Code Primer:
What are they and how should I use them?

QR CodeQuick Response - aka QR - codes are the square barcode-like images popping up on print ads, brochures, business cards, billboards, tee-shirts - just about everything related to marketing a product or service.

So how do they work?
When scanned by a QR reader enabled smartphone, they provide a means to distribute information about the product or service being advertised.

 

QR Code - How Does it Work?

Where do you get QR codes?
A simple search for "QR Code Generator" will help you locate an online QR Code Generator. Some online services generate them for you automatically: Google Places is an excellent example: each location added to Google Places includes a unique QR Code in the profile you can use in other places.

Where do I get a QR reader?
Most smartphones now come with a QR reader app pre-installed. If yours doesn't, there are many downloadable apps available in the App Store (iPhone), Market (Android) or AppWorld (BlackBerry) - most are free.

How should I use them?
That largely depends on how you are trying to interact with your potential customer. It may make sense to start with the basics - include a QR code on your print material linking to your main website displaying basic information about your business (i.e. address, map, business hours, contact information).

From there, start thinking about how you can personalize the experience for the perspective customer. Here are a few ways QR codes could be used to make a visitor experience unique:

  • A QR Code added to a mailed marketing brochure from a franchise can boost local sales. When scanned, a specific offer displays to the customer localized for the zip code that the brochure was mailed to. This creates a unique, local connection with the local franchisee.
  • QR Code Bus Shelter AdA restaurant places a QR code on a bus stop billboard. The code links to a web page that changes throughout the day - in the morning, the site features dinner to-go menu items that could be picked up on the bus rider's way home; switching in the evening to breakfast menu items for the following day.
  • QR codes could be generated for each salesperson attending a conference and then added to special business cards distributed at the show. Each card provides a special coupon for "show pricing" when scanned. While not personalizing the experience for the new customer, the unique QR codes provides a personalized tracking mechanism for the company participating in the conference.

All these examples demonstrate a web application (the scan resulted in a website displaying on the smartphone). QR codes can also be linked to text messaging, emails and even telephone numbers. For example: connecting a QR code to a telephone number provides a link to your call center if that is your preferred method for closing a sale. Using one of these methods may provide a better match for your internal sales needs than a website - it may be a good test to try anyway.

 

Consider using QR codes

QR code campaigns can create buzz and user participation. They remain novel and lead to unique interaction for your customers/visitors.

 

-Paul Konrardy

 

 

 

Related Pages

Demo Announcement

LoudClick is going to Demo Fall 2011!

 Read More
Introducing SIMBA - Simultaneous Interactive Marketing & Brand Administration

SIMBA - Simultaneous Interactive Marketing & Brand AdministrationWe're excited to introduce you to SIMBA - a ClickWrite-powered brand communications administration and content management tool designed for multi-location businesses and organizations. While that's quite a mouthful, it succinctly describes what it is.

 Read More
QR Code Primer - What are they and how should I use them?

QR CodeQR code campaigns can create buzz and user participation. They remain novel and lead to unique interaction for your customers/visitors. Here's what you need to know.

 Read More
Get A Foot In The Door - Not Just A Toe

Sticking A Toe In Social Media Waters Series - Part 4
In this final post in the "Sticking a Toe" series we will discuss what didn't worked in our experiment and why.

 Read More
Stubbing Your Toe With Inadequate Social Media Engagement

Sticking A Toe In Social Media Waters Series - Part 3
Engagement without purpose is a recipe for frustration. Just being there is not enough - you need to add value to the conversation or you will end up being that person at a party that sits in the corner alone.

 Read More
Build it And They WON'T Come - Not Without A Reason

Sticking A Toe In Social Media Waters Series Part 2.
Last week I started this experiment by signing up for a Twitter account and built a Facebook Fanpage. Here are week one's results:

 Read More
Sticking A Toe In Social Media Waters Is Not Enough

I was chatting it up with my partners here at LoudClick about a new blog post and we battered back and forth as usual. This time, however, we came up with an idea that I'm going to pursue - something based upon an off-handed comment of "Not a lot of people are understanding social media so I'm going to write about my left big toe." Absurd, yes, but there is something here.....you'll see.

 Read More
The LoudClick Manifesto - What we believe

The times they are a-changin'...still. The effect the internet has had on all businesses is profound. For companies to take full advantage of the opportunities that abound today, they need to think smaller, more personal and less corporate.

 Read More
LoudClick Launches New Website On ClickWrite Microsite Platform

LoudClick.net has been launched using the ClickWrite Microsite Platform. As the developer of this technology, we thought it was hightime to show its many capabilities and implement our own network of microsites.

 Read More
LoudClick Introduces The ClickWrite Microsite Platform

LoudClick now offers the ground-breaking ClickWrite Microsite Platform providing an online marketing solution for store and/or agency networks that far exceeds the benefits found in conventional web marketing. ClickWrite creates a coordinated network of websites consisting of a corporate (brand) website integrated with local or targeted microsites.

 Read More
9 Ways To Benefit From Microsites

Technically, a microsite is a website - albeit a small one. It usually consists of just a few pages - sometimes only one. They are often used in conjunction with another website. Other terms for microsite include minisite, weblet and even landing page.

 Read More
What is Content Marketing and Why Should You Care?

For a long time now we have been talking about the virtues of having an online marketing strategy. At the core of our idea is the concept of Content Marketing - but what exactly does that mean?

 Read More
Two Way Conversations - Use 'Em or Lose 'Em

Much has been said of the importance of two way conversations online - the very core of social media offering the ability to build genuine relationships with potential friends and customers. Yet some continue to see this as a one way street...

 Read More
What Skills Do You Need To Participate In Social Media?

In a sense, the skills necessary to be successful with social media are not necessarily technical skills - they are more people skills. What? People skills? Yes, people skills. Social media is all about being social.

 Read More
Using Social Media To Distribute The Content Of Your Website

Using social media to distribute the content of your website is a proven formula for success. Always remember that social media is not the heart of the matter - the content of your website is. Your website and its high quality content is the asset to be distributed and social media helps you do that.

 Read More
What You Need To Know About Google Analytics - Pt 5 - Content Overview

The content overview answers the question: what pages are visitors viewing? It also provides other details regarding their visit.

 Read More
What You Need To Know About Google Analytics - Pt 4- Traffic Sources Overview

This overview allows you to see how your traffic is getting to your website. There are 4 main traffic sources tracked by Google Analytics Direct, Referring, Search Engines and Other.

 Read More
What You Need To Know About Google Analytics - Pt 3 - Map Overlay

The map overlay allows you to see where your traffic is coming from. This is done by displaying a map of the world and highlighting the countries that have provided traffic to your website.

 Read More
What You Need To Know About Google Analytics - Pt 2 - Visitor Overview

The Google Analytics Visitor Overview tells you if your traffic is coming from a few people visiting you many times or several people visiting once. It also allows you to see how sticky your website is and what technical issues may be impacting your traffic.

 Read More
What You Need To Know About Google Analytics - Pt 1 - Dashboard

Google Analytics is one way to determine how people are using you website. Many people use this free service yet do not know exactly what they are looking at. Google Analytics is a very powerful tool with lots of features. Consequently, this series of posts will concentrate not on every detail but on the features you will interact with frequently and those that provide you a basis to know how it can make your website successful.

 Read More
Google Tools

When talking about SEO, Google should be your first stop. They have many tools to help you optimize your website and get the best possible search engine results.

 Read More
Latest from the LoudClick Blog

What is Content Marketing and Why Should You Care?

For a long time now we have been talking about the virtues of having an online marketing strategy. At the core of our idea is the concept of Content Marketing - but what exactly does that mean?

 Read More
Sticking A Toe In Social Media Waters Is Not Enough

I was chatting it up with my partners here at LoudClick about a new blog post and we battered back and forth as usual. This time, however, we came up with an idea that I'm going to pursue - something based upon an off-handed comment of "Not a lot of people are understanding social media so I'm going to write about my left big toe." Absurd, yes, but there is something here.....you'll see.

 Read More
Introducing SIMBA - Simultaneous Interactive Marketing & Brand Administration

SIMBA - Simultaneous Interactive Marketing & Brand AdministrationWe're excited to introduce you to SIMBA - a ClickWrite-powered brand communications administration and content management tool designed for multi-location businesses and organizations. While that's quite a mouthful, it succinctly describes what it is.

 Read More
Latest from the ClickWrite Blog