RISMEDIA, March 26, 2011—Ain’t no stopping them now—QR codes are on the move! The buzz about these mythical images has grown to the point that they are on everyone’s mind, especially as this year’s marketing plans begin to go into action. Inevitably, they have fallen under the mobile category, as it’s your mobile device that is used to scan them, and as we all know, mobile is a big part of everyone’s marketing plan this year. So with all the various questions about how and where to implement them in your marketing plan —or if you should use them at all—I thought it may be helpful to offer five good reasons to use QR codes.
1. They are free. Adding a QR code to your marketing shouldn’t cost you anything because they should be free. You can generate a QR code easily online: go to www.mobilerealestateid.com to generate text, e-mail, phone number or open a URL. Once the QR code image has been generated, you can save it to your computer and use that image in your marketing. Just make sure your marketing includes a good call to action, letting the consumer know how they will benefit from scanning the code. If the benefit is a website, make sure the site is mobile enabled because you know they are scanning from their mobile device.
2. QR codes jump off the page. Traditional advertisements have become extremely flat in comparison to all of today’s modern advertisements. We have access to so much rich content through our computers, tablets and phones that a paper ad just doesn’t pack the same reactive punch it once did. However, print in all its various forms—magazines, mail or a real estate “for sale” signs—can go from being flat to being in the palm of your hand if a QR code is included.
3. They drive traffic. Your website is more important than ever because people have 24/7 access to the Internet no matter where they are, thanks to their mobile device. You should be promoting your website in all your marketing and advertising done offline —such as print or display ads —provides a good opportunity for a QR code. Typing a URL into a mobile browser isn’t anyone’s favorite thing to do, but a QR code scan could take a consumer right to your site without any typing necessary. Again, just make certain that the site that you choose as the destination of the QR code is formatted especially for mobile.
4. Because what’s “WOW!” today will be “WOW?” tomorrow. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. QR codes are not just coming to the forefront in real estate, but in many industries throughout the country. Many sellers have heard of them or are hearing about them (in both good and bad ways) as they determine who to list their home with. By incorporating them into your marketing, you can establish credibility as being both cutting-edge and practical. If you do not take the time to understand them now and work them into your business, the “WOW, that’s cool!” you could generate from a client today will turn into the “WOW, you don’t use those?” tomorrow.
5. Enough is enough. The best and undoubtedly the most practical of all good reasons to use QR codes in your business this year is that if you don’t, you’ll have to keep talking about social media, and I think we can agree, enough is enough. QR codes are an up-and-coming marketing trend that closely coincides with the evolution of mobile technology and requires attention. That’s not to take anything away from social media; it’s not going anywhere. However, I think we’ve talked it into the ground. QR codes are new, exciting and make for interesting conversation.
Seth Kaplan is president of Mobile Real Estate ID. For more information please visit www.mobilerealestateid.com.
