The QR Code . . . Failing Technology?

They are becoming a standard image on printed ads, billboards, product labels and the like. A little square pattern that makes the standard bar code look stiff.

A QR code (Quick Response Code) was first designed for use within the automotive industry in 1994. They were used to track vehicles during production. There are several standards of two-dimensional barcodes with the QR code being the most common.

The QR codes have been used widely in Japan and Great Britain for many years. We are just starting to use them for marketing in the U.S.

As with any promising technology it is copied and applied to other industries . . . like advertising. As the industry struggles to use this new technology, there are two main points of concern.

The Learning Curve

The consumer has to catch on to what they are . . . then learn how to use them.

Many smart phones now come with built in QR app's. If your's does not you can add an app to your phone. There are free app's available as well as paid app's.

Once you have the app installed you need to open the app and scan the image of the QR code. (using your phones camera) The app will automatically process the code. It may load a webpage, display a message or key in a phone number. That all depends on what the advertiser wants it to do for you.

As with any new technology, its use is dependant upon the end user learning and accepting it.

Get Creative

The second area of concern lies on the marketing industry. We must learn how to creatively use a QR code.

When they first arrived on the scene mobile devices either didn't have keyboards or they were very awkward to use. Remember the days of texting using the number key pad on your phone?

The QR code was a very quick and effective way to gather contact information (vCards), enter a URL or e-mail address. Now people are accustomed to using miniature keyboards and can enter the data manually easier than opening the QR code program and capturing the image.

We need to find creative and engaging uses for the QR Code. Here are a few ideas.

• Deep Penetration of your website. Don't just send them to the home page, those URL's tend to be easy to type. Send them deep within your website to a specific page or to a page that can not be accessed other than through the use of the QR code.
• Prize Give-away. Consider printing select versions of the code that make the user a winner of a prize. The losing codes can display a polite "Sorry, this is not a winning code" message. Or, if you can not print different versions of the code, have it lead to a registration page where you can collect contact information.
• The Scavenger Hunt Place QR codes in different areas around your business or other participating businesses. Each time a code is read, it contains a clue that leads them to the next code. The prize can be just about anything, the important thing is to engage their interest . . . make it worthwhile.

The QR Code is a relatively new technology that will certainly grow and become more main stream as advertisers and consumers alike learn how to use it.

Is the technology failing . . . I don't think so.

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Tip of the Month

Use inbound linking strategies to draw more traffic to your website and improve your rankings within search engines.

It is important to make sure your inbound links come from quality websites as well as authoritative websites.

Get links from directories, industry specific sites, or sites you expect your ideal customer to visit frequently.

Search engines view inbound links as a vote of confidence for your site. The more links you have into your site, the more places there are for people to find you.

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Don't Do That!

Recently we started our annual campaign to validate the contact information in our online business directory.

It always amazes me when someone is either rude to or hangs up on our caller. Is it really too much trouble for them to politely thank the caller for their time and say they are not interested?

There are really four problems with treating telephone solicitors badly as a business owner.

• They are working a job to support themselves and perhaps a family. Why treat them badly?
• They may be local consumers, why create ill will with a potential customer?
• You just might be missing out on something good for you!
• Treating others badly is bound to make a person feel bad about themselves . . . if they have a conscious.

I deal with telephone solicitors constantly and have rarely found one that really deserves to be treated badly. Even then I politely tell them I am not interested before ending the call, it isn't "hanging up" when you tell them you are not interested before disconnecting . . . just direct.

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