5 Creative Uses For QR Codes on Business Cards

Some people love QR codes on business cards, others find them annoying or downright useless. This makes it hard to decide whether or not to use up precious space by including one.

The first question to ask yourself is whether your target clientele are smartphone users and tech-savvy. If not, QR codes are indeed a waste of space. Once you’ve established that your peeps are likely to already have a QR code scanning app installed on their smartphones, you need to decide what exactly you will use your code for. Here we suggest a few more creative ideas that make the most of this technology.

First there is one vital point to remember (and this may seem obvious but it is surprising how many people overlook this): any website or webpage that is linked to from a QR code must be mobile friendly. If the link leads to a site that only looks good on a desktop monitor you are completely wasting a potential client’s time by sending them to look at it on their phone. You are likely to make a bad impression and lose that client – better off not having a QR code at all in that case.

So let’s look at ways to make the QR code live up to its potential.

1. Launch a video – have a video that shows off your products or services? Let clients view it on their mobiles to get a better idea of what you offer. It’s a great way for people to find out much more about your business very easily and instantly.

2. Link directly to a mobile friendly Paypal order form for a specific product. If you are promoting something like a book or a particular product, you can lead your clients straight to a sales page, so they can buy directly from the QR code link. This enables you to close a sale in a simple, direct manner.

3. Offer a free report via email. This makes it easy to get interested people added to your email list. The code can open up their email program and all they have to do is click send to ask for your free report and you have a new address for your list.

4. Link to an app download page. If you are selling apps, send customers directly to an app download page from your QR code.

5. Link to your Facebook page, so that they can Like it straight away. This is only worthwhile if you have an active Facebook page that promotes your brand and products.

When you use any of these ideas on your business card, make sure that you use a short explanatory sentence next to the QR code, so that potential clients know why they should scan and where they are being sent. Without that call to action, the code is nothing but a decorative (or not!) graphic box of squares!