I was recently with a client and that’s what he called it – a funny little black box.
They look weird, but they aren’t funny. Rather, they carry a good bit of information, and I’ll bet if you look around you’ll see them all over the place.
They’re on the packages in your shop, in articles and ads, on billboards and bus stop stands, in grocery stores and on cars in a dealer’s lot.
These boxes are called “QR codes,” basically two-dimensional barcodes that are easily scanned using any modern smartphone or tablet computer. Once “read,” the code takes the user to a piece of (interactive) text and/or link. It could be a website or a video or an e-brochure.
For instance, you notice a poster for an event that seems interesting. You take out your smartphone, scan the QR code, and instantly receive more information and a link to a website where you can book your tickets.
The main benefit is that you don’t have to type anything or remember a URL or an 800-number. And for marketers, QR codes are a highly effective way to move people to get more information to aid the buying process. Plus, because QR codes can be very small, they save a lot of space on product packaging.
These codes were created in 1994 by Japanese carmakers as a means to track their vehicles. In recent years, there have been a couple of competing platforms, but QR codes, because of their simplicity, won out.
Best of all, they are very simple to create and there are many free QR code generators and smartphone/tablet readers on the market.
To create a code, simply type in the website URL or web address for the place you want the visitor taken when they scan it. The software automatically creates a unique QR code, and it can be reproduced on virtually anything. We have even seen QR codes on headstones.
There is no cost to generate a QR code, and now you even can create them in unique shapes, sizes and colors.
How Can You Use Them?
You’ve probably heard buzz about interactive media. Well, that’s what a QR code does – it makes your media (ad, direct mailer, poster, Facebook page, website, etc.) interactive. Or at least more so.
Here are some ideas on how you can profit with them:
• Put a QR code on your countertop that sends the user to a “VIP” area where they can sign up for future coupons and “exclusive” offers. This is a great way to data mine customers and prospects to obtain their valuable e-mail and street addresses. This also is the perfect opportunity to offer them other services and possibly even a discount or incentive on their current transaction.
As we addressed in a past column, the most important contact information you can get from your customers is their cell phone number. Recent figures show that more and more people have multiple e-mail addresses and that e-mail deliverability is declining.
Due to economic circumstances, more and more people are now using their cell phone as their ONLY means of telephone communications. The important point is that even when a customer changes carriers, they typically keep the same cell phone number.
If they have a smartphone by which they can scan your QR code, they also have a tool by which you can reach them using text message marketing. That makes any customer cell number pure gold.
• Use a QR code to take them to a video for a particular service and offer a discount. I recently did this for a shop owner. First, he set up a YouTube page (free) and we used a pocket camera to record a three-minute video. Winter was coming, so we did a video with him explaining how to winterize a vehicle. He went through all the important components, including the tires, and then offered viewers a free “winterization evaluation” when they showed the mobile coupon on their next visit.
• Take them to a special page that shows the benefits of using your business and services vs. the competition. You even could have videos of satisfied clients on this page telling new visitors why they chose you instead of another dealer.
• Send them to a coupon page and show them how to redeem coupons by showing their phone at the time of service. This is important because you now have a way of tracking your marketing efforts to ensure you are getting the best ROI on your advertising dollars. Unlike expensive mailings, radio, TV and print ads that are only available for a defined time, these QR codes will continue to produce results for you until you decide to change them.
• Deliver a survey page where they can rate your service and recent experience, and refer you to others who might need a reliable tire and service provider. Some dealers use a “Tell a Friend” button right on their mobile websites, which allows the user to easily refer your business to their friends with the click of a button.
No Pens, No Paper, No Cards
Remember that the easiest people to whom you can possibly offer your services and products are the ones that already know, like and trust you – your current customers.
Current customers don’t have to type anything or remember anything. They simply scan a QR code and are taken where you want them to land.
Of course, you always should include your QR code (or one for a specific purpose) on all of your marketing materials – even your business card or customer invoice.
One of the biggest mistakes I see many shop owners make is using a QR code on their marketing materials, but not having a mobile optimized website. This only leads to frustration for those who scan your QR code (the people you are trying to impress), since they’re unable to easily navigate your website on their smartphone.
If you have a smartphone or tablet, I suggest you download a free scan tool like ShopSavvy or BarCode Scanner and scan the next QR code you find. Get a feel for how they work and what others are doing. It can be a real eye-opener.
Brian Sacks is a mobile marketing expert with more than 26 years of direct response marketing experience. He is co-founder of Trackable Response Inc., a mobile marketing provider to the tire and auto service industries, based in Catonsville, Md. Brian can be reached at [email protected] or 410-747-1100.
