6 Ways to Use QR Codes for Marketing

The evolution of QR codes deserves a special appreciation. 

Who thought these slightly evolved barcodes would become the cornerstone of marketing for small businesses. Now, QR codes are being used not only as a payment system but also as a full-fledged marketing tool. 

You can integrate enormous amounts of data in a small code, and users can access that data in seconds by scanning the core. 

In this post, we'll delve into how small and midsize businesses can use QR codes for marketing. 

 

Why Use QR Codes for Marketing?

For those who don't know, a QR code is a modern-day barcode that stores a wide range of information. You can link a barcode to any online destination: a website, social media profile, product page, landing page, and more. 

When someone scans a QR code, they get directed to the code's destination, usually via the internet browser. 

Now comes the question, why should you use QR codes for marketing? 

Well, the reasons are numerous. You can use them to accept digital payments instantly. You can direct your customers to your website using QR codes. They can also be used to promote discounts and offers.

But in a nutshell, the purpose of QR codes is to bridge the gap between online and offline marketing. 

Let's understand this with an example. 

You're a local retail business that sells consumer goods. You've had a presence in the region for almost a decade, and consumers see you as a trusted and reliable business. But due to COVID-19, people have stopped coming to the store. 

At the same time, online retail is on the rise. More people are ordering goods online. To respond to this paradigm shift, you decide to start selling online. 

You set up an eCommerce website and social media handles. But the next hurdle is to get people to come to your site and shop from you. 

SEO is becoming highly competitive, so it could be several months before your site starts ranking on SERPs. You could try paid ads on search engines and social media, but running ad campaigns is quite expensive. And in a time of recession, you would want to save money. 

Here's where QR codes can help. 

The footfall to your store could've plunged, but it wouldn't have completely stopped. There must be some consumers coming to your store. 

Inside the store, you can put up posters and banners showing that you're selling online. Include a QR code on the banners that link directly to your website or social media profiles. 

Your customers can scan the code and reach your website. The next time they want to shop from you, they could place an order online. 

You can also run newspaper ads showing that you're now available online. Include the QR code along with the ad, so your customers can instantly scan the code and reach your website. 

 

Top Six Ways to Use QR Codes for Marketing

We just discussed the example of how a retail business transitioning from offline to online retail can use QR codes. But that's just the beginning. 

Businesses can use a QR code generator with logo to enhance their marketing efforts in a plethora of other ways. Let's discuss them in detail. 

1. Bring Customers to a Website or Landing Page

As discussed in the retail example, you can link QR codes to your website or landing page. This way, whenever a customer scans the code, he'll be directed to the page. 

Several opportunities are available when it comes to linking web links to QR codes. The first one is, of course, your business website. Customers can scan the code and land on your website's home page. 

You can also link the code to a specific product page. Let's say you are running a special offer on a pair of Adidas sneakers, and the offer applies to online purchases only. 

To promote this offer, you can put up a large poster outside your store, showing Adidas sneakers are at a special discount if purchased online. To facilitate the purchase, you can include a QR code on the poster, which your customers can scan to land directly on the product page. 

2. Call a Number

Even though we live in an era of instant messages and live chats, nothing can replace the quality of a phone conversation. In fact, customers prefer brands that can be approached via phone. 

Ask yourself. Would you rather purchase something from a store that doesn't have a phone number or from a store that has a phone number? 

Maybe a product runs into some issue, and you want to confirm whether it can be replaced or not. If there's no phone support, you'd need to drive to the store to figure out what to do with your damaged product. If phone support is available, all you need to do is call and discuss the solution with customer support. 

But here's another problem. 

If you disclose your phone number in public, it would be visible to everyone, including those who aren't your customers. You may receive a lot of spam calls and messages. For that reason, many businesses don't disclose their phone number to anyone. 

You can resolve this hurdle by linking your phone number to a QR code. Instead of disclosing your phone number publicly, you can link it to a QR code and include the code on the bill or product package. 

If your customers need to contact you, they can scan the code and dial your business phone number. Using phone number QR codes, you can ensure only your customers will be able to call you. 

3. Send an Email or Message

If you don't have the resources to offer phone support, you can also use email, live chat, or text message to interact with your customers. But like the phone number, sharing your email and other contact information could be an invitation to spammers. 

You can resolve this issue by linking your contact information to QR codes. When customers scan the code, they'll be directed to email, live chat, or any other form of communication as per your choice. 

4. Promote Your Social Media Page

Social presence is critical in today's digital world. Consumers are using social media not just as a place to interact with their friends but also as a channel to engage with brands. 

Having a social media presence will enable you to stay in touch with your customers. You can share new offers and deals and encourage your customers to shop from you. At the same time, you can also use social media as a customer service channel to resolve queries and gather feedback. 

But customers don't really have the time to open their social media account, search for your business, and follow you. You can shorten this journey by linking a QR code to your social media account. 

5. Download Apps

The rise of mobile commerce is no longer a mystery. Studies have suggested that mobile commerce could overtake desktop sales by 2025. 

For businesses, this indicates a sudden need for mobile selling. But even if you develop a mobile commerce app, it would take significant work to encourage people to download it. 

One way to increase app downloads is by promoting it in your store. You can have put up a QR code linked to your mobile app. Therefore, your users can scan the code and download the app.

6. Share Store Location

Maps can be tricky. There are multiple spots and locations from the same name in the same city. You certainly don't want your customers to search for you and end up shopping from somewhere else. 

You can provide your accurate address to customers through a QR code. When a customer scans the code, he'll be redirected to the navigation mode to your store. 

You can share this code with display and print advertisements. If you have multiple locations in the city, you can also put up a QR code for all the sites in your store itself.

 

Wrapping Up

When it comes to marketing, QR codes allow you to share all forms of data. Your customers can scan the code and get access to all the data linked to the code. From website and landing page links to phone numbers and email contact, you can integrate all sorts of information required to streamline your marketing efforts. 

Moreover, the QR Code plan cost is low, so a business of any size can implement a QR code marketing strategy.