Who Cares About QR Codes Anyway? (Answer: You Should!)

There's a lot of talk these days about QR (quick response) codes. These are basically two-dimensional barcodes that look like black-and-white puzzles, although some can be produced in color. When they are scanned with a smart phone or other mobile device, they automatically launch a URL containing marketing content.You might have seen them on billboards, magazine ads, business cards, and even trade show banners where they take readers to a specified website or special offer. If they contain contact information, they act as virtual business cards, allowing the reader to download that contact info directly to their smart phone.QR codes reap benefits because they do as advertised — provide quick response. There's no need to remember or write down a URL or enter it in by hand. Just point and scan and a prospect can be taken to the content immediately.Why should you care? Because QR codes cost little or nothing to produce and they put your company on the leading edge of technology. By offering QR codes, you position yourself as a marketing leader.QR codes also do something very few marketing techniques can do. They tap into the extremely hard-to-reach Gen X and Gen Y cultures and the mobile professional culture. These are highly coveted consumer groups, and QR codes are being rapidly accepted among them. (Apparently on university campuses, it's now cool to create t-shirts with QR codes that take people to your Facebook page.)If your clients are selling into these demographic groups or if they're marketing to high-technology buyers, it's time to get on the QR bandwagon.Once again: Why should you care about QR codes? Because it positions you as a marketing leader, it makes print increasingly relevant, and you need to do it before your competitor does.If you'd like to learn more about QR codes, interlinkONE is presenting a free webinar on Jan. 15 at 2pm EST (http://ilnk.me/learnQR) or visit QReate & Track.

Patrick Whelan

Patrick Whelan is the President of Great Reach Communications, Inc., a pioneering authority in crafting top-tier content marketing solutions, engaging customer-centered content, and newsletters across print and digital mediums. Tailored for the printing, mailing, and packaging industries, Patrick boasts an extensive three-decade tenure in content marketing, offering strategic guidance and marketing programs to more than 400 print providers across North America and worldwide.

https://greatreachinc.com
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