Tuesday, March 29, 2011

QR Codes Smart for Business Marketing

Finding out which ads capture the attention of customers has always been a challenge for marketers. Getting results is usually an accumulation of a variety of tactics including advertising, trade shows, web promotion, media coverage, business cards, networking, referrals etc etc.


Now, with QR codes, everything from business cards to brochures, from t-shirts to tattoos can be tracked for their specific contribution to directing traffic to your website or online video.


Quick Response codes are barcodes that can be scanned by smartphones and tablets that have a camera and access to the Internet. Once the phone scans the code, the phone is taken online to an Internet site. QR codes can point to your company website, a coupon, a video, product information--anything you can host online. The QR code is as simple as taking a picture and it adds rich, more detailed content than any single marketing tool could. Plus, it's trackable, so you can see results of a marketing tool or for a full campaign.


As QR codes appear on more and more ads, information that captures your attention can now be captured and saved on your smartphone. I've used it to promote events, in traditional and online advertising, printed materials and more, for clients. It helps me know and show where the results are being generated. With useage growing in Canada by nearly 500% quarter over quarter, QR codes will become more commonplace, and more used by consumers.


To use a QR codes, download a QR code reader to your smartphone. One of the most popular is i-nigma. To download the i-nigma QR reader, text the word barcode to 393939. You will receive a text message back with a link to their download site.


To start using and tracking QR codes in your marketing, email info@pinnacleresults.ca