QR codes help connect the real world to the digital world. They are a quick, easy, and hands-free way to direct people towards specific online content, most often on a mobile phone.
QR – or quick response – codes originally came from Japan, and are used to get information from a temporary medium and open it on a mobile device right away. You might have seen QR codes in direct mail, magazine ads, on products, or on shop billboards.
When you scan a QR code, it gives you information about the business or campaign it was for. So, if you scanned a QR code on a product, you could be taken to a page with information and marketing materials for that product. Knowing this, what are the best ways you can use QR codes in your marketing? Read on to find out.
How to Use QR Codes in Your Business Marketing
#1: Drive Customers to Your Website
Driving customers to your website is the most common use businesses have for QR codes. It’s what they’ll expect when they scan the code on their phones – they’ll expect to be taken to a useful webpage.
And that’s exactly what happens if you’re using the QR codes in this way. When a buyer scans your code, they are sent to your homepage or a landing page related to the campaign. This can be an excellent approach to move prospective consumers through your sales funnel.
#2: Automatically Call Your Business
Another frequent use of QR codes is to provide your clients with the option of calling your company directly. For example, you might include a QR code on your package design that directs buyers to your support staff. You could also send a direct mail flyer with a QR code that enables people to contact your company immediately and make an appointment.
This makes it simple to call. Customers don’t have to look up your phone number on Google and call; they just scan the code, and the phone number is called for them. This especially works well with bus stop ads, for example.
The person seeing the ad is going to be in a hurry, catching their bus, or sitting at the bus stop. The QR code means they can easily get in touch with you, and thus you can easily make a sale.
#3: Send an Email or Text
A QR code can also be used to let clients send an email. When they scan the QR code, a new message with your chosen subject comes up on their phone’s default email software. This can be a simple and effective technique to get buyers to email you. Using this strategy, you could possibly link clients with your sales or support staff or encourage them to register for an event.
Text messages, like emails, give an easy method to engage with clients through a medium that they are used to using every day. When users scan the QR code, their text messaging software will launch, with the right phone number immediately filled in.
Final Note
As you can see, there are many ways that QR codes can be used in marketing, and with this, many benefits. With these things in mind, you can make your ads more interactive, simplify the customer journey, and ultimately increase sales.
