Three Reasons to Take QR Codes Seriously

It is amazing to me how many people still see QR codes as a fad. Whether it's in comments to industry blogs, online discussion groups, or industry list serves, I hear it all the time.Let me tell you why you should take QR codes seriously.In my local Office Depot, the kid behind the counter was looking at my business card. Where a logo normally goes, I have a QR code that sends people to my website. We were even talking about QR codes, but once he saw mine, took out his phone and scanned it. Just to see what it would do.It took about 10 seconds from taking out his phone to landing on my site.He couldn't have typed in the URL that fast.I asked the kid if he'd seen QR codes before. He said yes, one of the desktop printer manufacturers had put them on its shelf talkers to point customers to product specs. Just the week before, he'd scanned his first code to see what it would do. This was his second.As we were talking, the girl behind the counter was listening. She'd never seen or heard of QR codes, so the kid showed her what to do. Her eyes opened wide and she immediately got very excited.“That is so COOL!” she exclaimed. “I have my phone with me all the time. That would make things so much easier. What a great idea!”As I was leaving, the kid was helping her locate and download a reader.Top Three ReasonsHere are three reasons to take QR codes seriously:1. They are a natural fit for today's mobile culture.2. Right now, people are willing to try them out to see what they'll do. Others are watching — and copying. Usage is growing by peer influence alone.3. QR codes are becoming more practical. Marketers are using them in smart, helpful ways that take users to places and allow them to use them in ways that actually help them make better decisions and make their lives easier.It's not about novelty. It's about making things easy.Want to find out more about QR codes? Check out “QR Codes: What You Need to Know,” my QR code primer on benefits, case studies, and best practices. Or if you need to educate your customers about QR codes, check out Great Reach's brandable QR code white paper, “Print's Next Frontier.”