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5 Ways Businesses Can Use QR Codes – Part 1
So, you decided that it was time to bolster your marketing strategy, and you chose QR codes. Good choice! But there is one problem. You are not quite sure how to utilize them within your business. There are so many ways that a business can leverage QR codes that it starts to feel overwhelming just thinking about it. In addition, many business owners automatically believe that what works in other industries will not work in theirs, and will write off even trying altogether. That is a sure fire way to leave money on the table. But rest assured. We have the answers you are looking for. You will not have that problem after today. Here are 5 ways that you can incorporate QR codes in your business.
Promotions & Special Offers
Who doesn’t love a good promotion? I have yet to meet someone who would reject a discount in favor of paying the full price. Whether you are for or against promotions, there is no denying that they can increase demand.
Imagine that you are in the retail business. One method you could implement would be giving customers a coupon for coming in person by scanning the QR code upon entering. But why stop there? You could also orchestrate future business by having customers scan a QR code that gives them a discount on their next purchase. Now, let's imagine that you are in the plumbing business. You decide to run ads on television, but rather than just giving the typical “call for a quote” speech, you decide to add a QR code on the screen where interested parties can scan to learn more. This is a prime opportunity to add some kind of promotion to their offer which could include a free consultation, priority service, or a bonus of some kind. Not only will this increase demand, but it will also increase the overall business value because you will be able to measure the success of your campaigns with dynamic QR code analytics.
Connect To Social Media
Many business owners know that having a digital presence is crucial in the modern world, but they still neglect to invest in their digital infrastructure. What if I told you that there is a way to increase your following on social media without having to focus on it (e.g. without having to create endless forms of content)? Most would assume that I have some new secret method of acquiring customers. Unfortunately, I do not. What I am proposing is that you connect with, and capture more of, the customers you already have but are not converting.
Imagine that you are a restaurant. A thoughtful, yet simply placed QR code can go a long way. You could post the QR code in the waiting area, on each table, or even on each menu. The thought process is simple. Customers already in your restaurant are more likely to like your food. And if they already like your food, they are more likely to engage with your brand. QR codes will go a long way in scooping up and converting existing customers to your digital platforms. Including a call to action such as “follow us on social media" is also very beneficial as it clearly states the action that a customer should take.
Product Insights
Providing more information about your products can not only drive engagement, but also teach prospects about what your business does. Maybe you are using 100% recycled materials or are carbon neutral. Whatever the case, more and more businesses are including methods of identifying and learning more about their products. For example, have you bought a pack of Crest toothpaste recently? Look at the box. Their products now contain QR codes that, when scanned, send prospects to the product’s page on the company website. And they are not the only ones doing it. Tons of companies are following suit, and now you can utilize the same tactics as the big boys. Whatever your product may be, give your customers the utmost convenience by allowing them to get all of your product’s information in one quick scan.
Collect Feedback
Collecting feedback should be one of the most important functions within a business. No feedback means that you will make decisions based on guesses rather than direct input or data. You can’t know what your customers are thinking unless you ask them. In addition, feedback can be repurposed as social proof. Let's imagine a few scenarios.
First, let's imagine that you just started a nails and lashes business. You have done a handful of jobs and want to know what your clients think of you. Rather than leaving your reviews up to chance, you can build a system that generates reviews. After you finish servicing a client, you can direct them to scan a QR code to leave a review. Now, rather than hoping that someone not only remembers but also takes the time out to leave a review (which is unlikely), you have a system for striking while the iron is hot!
In the second scenario, imagine that you own a consulting company. Your clients rave about the quality of work done and the results they have accomplished from your expertise. Even with all the success, you still strive to increase your credibility. Collecting testimonials seems like the logical next step. Similar to reviews, you don’t want to hope for an action to be taken. You want to orchestrate a system that makes that action inevitable. After each (successful) consultation, let your client scan a QR code that will direct them to where they can leave their testimonial. Again, strike while the iron is hot!
In the last scenario, imagine you don’t own a business at all. You are the head of the economics department at your local university, and you are conducting a survey to collect data on the student experience come year end. Students are notorious for doing as little amount of work as possible, and normally, you would be lucky to get a handful of surveys filled out. But, as we have pointed out, we can design a system to orchestrate our desired action. We can use QR codes to collect more surveys than we would have otherwise.
Facilitate A Loyalty Program
Loyalty programs have been a great way to not only engage customers, but to also increase their frequency of purchases. A strong loyalty program can be a money making machine in and of itself, and QR codes are a great way to have customers identify themselves. In fact, many companies, such as Chipotle, have integrated QR codes within their rewards software. When building a system, the last thing you want to do is complicate that system unnecessarily. QR codes are one of the most simple methods of identification within loyalty program architectures which make them a no brainer.
That’s it! 5 ways you can tactically use QR codes within your business. With QR codes, you can offer enticing promotions and special offers, seamlessly connect with customers on social media, provide in depth product insights, collect valuable feedback, and establish and manage loyalty programs with ease. By incorporating these strategies into your business, you can not only meet the demands of the modern market, but also provide your customers with enhanced experiences and incentives.