What is the QR code
QR stands for quick response so a quick response code is one of those postage stamp looking codes you seem to see all over the place recently. Simply scan it with your phone and it takes you to place on the web.
QR codes have been around for years, on the back of most of our licenses we have small QR codes. They hold a lot more information inside them, so our license holds a lot more information about who we are instead of just a linear or 1D UPC code.
So why are they also becoming popular?
With the advent of smart phones and people putting cameras into smart phones suddenly the general public is able to read information that you would’ve needed an optical scanner in order to use, which most people don’t have. Now with a smart phone, you scan the code and it brings you to a website. Sometimes you need a few technologies to come together in order to make something mainstream.
Most people are just at the early stages of QR code marketing so what people are mainly using it for right now is to send people to a website. You typically see these in newspapers, or on postcards, mailers and up on billboards.
A big industry that is taking interest in this is actually the vending industry. They need to present nutritional and allergy information to consumers before they purchase products. Some vending machines can have many different products stocked so keeping a nutrition guide is not an alternative since the products are always changing. Now they can have a list of items with a QR code next to each, then the consumer can easily scan before they buy to get all the facts.
How are Businesses Using QR Codes in Marketing
Most businesses at this point are using simple techniques, sending people to a website or a coupon. So you see a QR code inside of an advertisement you scan the code with
your smart phone and it takes you to their website. That’s a great start but putting some marketing strategies behind it we can start to accomplish more and get more out of the promotion.
While it’s very easy to setup a QR code the first mistake most people make is using the free QR code generator. The free versions have an expiration on them, so if you plan to use them over any period of time, us a QR Code generating service. This will also allow for metrics, also crucial in any marketing campaign.
Strategic QR Code Marketing
Business owners need to become a bit more sophisticated about how they use QR codes. Gathering intelligence and marketing effectively will make QR Code campaigns generate more business. Here are the 5 Steps to a Successful QR Code Marketing Strategy.
Define your Goal
In anything you do always start with the end in mind, so unless you know what your goal ultimately is when somebody scanned the QR code, think about what you actually want them to do. Do you want them to subscribe to your mailing list, do you want them to get a coupon, do you want them to download an app, fill out a form, buy something, get information…what do you want them to do?
Develop your Offer
Now that you know what you want them to do, how are you going to get them to do it? Is this going on a printed piece will this be on car magnets, where is this actually going, how are you going to reach your audience? Once you do that, what’s going to get them to actually scan the code? Unless you tell them what to do next nobody’s going to do it. Yes these QR codes are popular but you still have to have a strong call to action. Ie. Scan this code to get a 25% OFF Coupon NOW.
Design your Funnel
In order to design your funnel you have to have a website and the QR code generator. You’ll need to get the QR code in front of your audience so promoting the QR code you’ll need to you need a strong offer to get people to scan the QR code then you’ll need to drive them to a website and a way to capture their information. This should not be a one transaction deal, getting that person on your e-mail list is worth more than a one-time transaction so you’re able to market to them time and time again.
Test
Once you have your funnel set up your going to actually need to test if it works properly. That will include asking people with different types of phones to check browser compatability and that the process works seamlessly.
Measure
The final two pieces, test and measure go hand-in-hand, when you test something out you not only test that the funnel actually worked, but you will also test the offer and the landing page. You want to be sure to be capturing peoples name and email for future marketing. Measure response rates, opt in rates and how many new customers you develop from the campaign.
