Sunday, January 22, 2012

QR Codes 101

If you’re not yet familiar with QR codes, they’re similar to the barcodes used by retailers to track inventory and price products at the point of sale. The key difference between the two is the amount of data they can hold or share.

Bar codes are linear one-dimensional codes and can only hold up to 20 numerical digits, whereas QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodes that can hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. Their ability to hold more information and their ease of use makes them practical for small businesses.

Practical Uses of QR Codes
Here are some ways for using QR codes that are mostly in practice now, as well as a few that I believe we will be seeing in the very near future.
Where


QR Codes could be used:
The back (or front and back) of your business card.
Your brochures and other marketing materials.
The sides of trucks and trailers.
Product tags and packaging
Convention and event nametags
Restaurant menus
Event ticket stubs
Point-of-sale receipts

What


QR Codes could link to:
Installation instructions
Sources for replacement parts and service
Directions to your business
The process for hiring your professional services
Valuable coupons and special offers
Recommendations for complementary products and services
Free mp3 downloads
Customer feedback forms

How you can you maximize your effectiveness with QR codes:
Provide explanations about their use and benefits
Encourage actions that support your marketing plan
Assuage the fears of the technically challenged
Give reasons to come back
Experiment with the size, location, and color of your QR codes
Study your analytics
Make the process fun, such as a QR code scavenger hunt

“ This is an article from the Social Media Examiner written By Jeff Korhan


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