What Is QR Code And How Can You Use It To Promote Your ...

QR Codes are gaining in popularity mainly due to the widespread use of smart-phones by consumers worldwide. QR codes offer a great way for small businesses to capitalise on the mobile marketing boom. It allows businesses to engage effectively with both, current as well as potential customers.

In spite of its widespread popularity, QR code technology is still relatively new and underutilized by small businesses. It this offers the ideal opportunity for small businesses to leverage this trend to gain competitive advantage.

If you are new to QR codes, here is an explanation of the process as well as some specific ways you can use the QR codes to promote your business.

What is QR Code and How Does It Work?

A QR code is a type of bar code designed for use with smart-phones and other mobile devices that can scan with a built-in camera. They are a growing trend in mobile marketing and have become very popular among businesses. They are different to regular bar codes and can contain much more information.

QR codes make it extremely easy to promote a Web page, share business cards and more. They can be used for directing users to websites, offer? deals or to simply distribute contact details or other relevant information about the business.

QR codes can be displayed online as well as on printed materials such as on fliers,? print advertisements, brochures and business cards. A user would typically scan the QR code with their phone and be directed automatically to a web page promoting an offer. Once scanned, users are instantly taken to a given web page typically a landing page promoting a specific campaign.

How Companies are Using QR Codes?

Marketers all over the world are using QR Codes to promote a business online.

Wendy?s, one of the world?s third-largest hamburger company, is using the mobile bar codes as part of a daily sweepstakes that lets users scan to win prizes. The QR codes are placed on cartons of french fries and on its other packaging. When users scan the QR code via their smart-phone, they are directed to a mobile landing page where they give their email address to be entered into the sweepstakes.

How You Can Use QR Code to Promote Your Business?

One of the easiest ways to start using QR codes is to use a free service to generate a QR code that when scanned will redirect users to a custom landing page that promotes an offer.? There are many free web-based QR code generating services that your business can use e.g. Google?s QR Code service.

Step by step instructions are included below.

a)????? Create a Mobile-Enabled Landing Page:

In order to create a QR code, you will need to have a URL for your campaign page. This is typically a webpage with a discount. Providing a special offer or a discount is highly recommended as it will make your offer attractive to consumers and encourage them to take the desired action.

Alternatively, you can also use your landing page to generate leads for your business instead of selling a product or service, as in the case of Wendy?s where users provide their email to participate in a daily Sweepstakes to win prizes.

b)?? Get The URL for Your Campaign Page:??

Now that you have created a landing page for your campaign, copy the URL of the page and keep in at hand. You will need this when you create your QR code as described in the next step.

c)? Go to QR Code Generator Website:

There are many free web-based QR code generating services that your business can use e.g. Google?s QR Code service.? There are many other free services that you can also use if you prefer e.g. Pickafollow.

See image below

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d) Enter Your URL

Once you have the URL for your campaign page, creating the QR code is easy. It can be done in one or two steps. All you need to do is enter the URL of your campaign page into the QR code generator and hit the create button.

Once you have hit the submit button, your QR code displayed on the page almost instantly. The code is unique to your campaign and includes your URL. See image below.

e)????? Distribute/Promote Your QR Code:

Now that you have your QR code ready, you can start handing it out to prospective customers. There are many ways to distribute and promote your QR code. You can display your QR code across your mobile site and add the QR Code into your print ads and other printed materials such as brochures, flyers, or business cards.

Conclusion:

QR codes are a great way to promote your small businesses and boost product sales. In spite of its increasing popularity, the concept is still relatively for many small businesses ? so you can still benefit as an early adopter.

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Source: http://www.kronikmedia.co.uk/blog/use-qr-code-promote-business/6594/

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