QR Codes: Where and How to Use Them

(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

So, if you’re toying with the idea of addinga QR code to your next direct mail campaign, here’s what you need to know:

QR Codes Work

There is still some debate as to the effectiveness of QR codes. Some say they don’t pull in the numbers, others say they do. What’s causing the controversy? Many direct marketers aren’t using the technology correctly. However, when QR codes are smartly placed and properly used, the results speak for themselves. A 2013 report from ScanBuy shows 6.7 million scans in just one month.

They’re Not Limited to Retailers

Sure, QR codes are great for retailers. You scan, you get a coupon, BAM. Your chances of turning a prospect into a customer just skyrocketed. However, that’s not the only industry that benefits from the use of QR codes. Restaurants, such as The Melt, are now using the tech to allow their customers to quickly place an order. They scan the code as they walk in and before they are seated their order is already on the grill.

The use of QR codes even extends as far as the big screen. Producers used QR codes to help promote the 2010 movie Inception by placing them on t-shirts, posters, and other merchandise for consumers to scan. The code took them to website titled ‘What is Dream Share?’ - a page specifically designed to add intrigue and suspense prior to the big release date.

But There Are Limits

Ok, let’s get something straight here. QR codes can be great, but they do have their place and that place is not on the side of a speeding bus. How could anybody scan a code if it’s flying by them at 45 mph? Nor does it pay to place one on a poster in a subway station, where mobile service is questionable at best. Always keep accessibility in mind, and use the same logic when considering placement on your postcards and mailers. You won’t see any gain if your prospects can’t access the code.

With a well-considered strategy, QR codes can provide a wealth of opportunity you otherwise may have missed.

What’s your take? Have you come across any particularly innovative or creative QR codes? Tell us about it in the comments!