Use QR Codes creatively

QR Codes make it easier for people to connect with your business or brand. Simply scan the code with your smart phone and you'll be directed instantly to a website or online portfolio.

So now that everyone is using them on Business Cards, how can you make your QR Codes ideas stand out?

Missing details

One way to make your Business Card QR Code stand out is to make it the only thing on there! Without any other printed details, new clients and contacts will have no choice but to scan the code, which then leads to far more contact details and online social media than one Business Card could possibly display.

Centre of attention

Even if you still include all your contact details on your Business Card, they'll stand out if your QR Code is a central feature in the design, rather than squashed into a corner. It shows you're serious about connecting new contacts to your business.

Lost property

Photographer Darren Skidmore suggesting making a book of QR Code stickers to stick to your favourite things – laptops, camera, filming equipment, phone, or anything you’d really want returned if you lost it. All an honest citizen needs to do is scan the code, and be linked to the "Contact me" page of your website. (Make sure you give them a nice reward!)

Watch and learn

If you're putting a QR Code on your Business Card, remember that wherever it leads has to be easy to look at on a Smartphone. So why not be a bit different and direct new contacts to a video? It could be anything from you introducing yourself and what you do, to a product marketing video, or, if you're a crafter or makeup artist, a short "How To" tutorial.

Make it beautiful

Secret prizes for the curious few

Why not make the QR Code on your Business Card lead somewhere fun, like a competition web page to win tickets to your next event? Comedian Inel Tomlinson uses QR Codes and Microsoft Tagging to lead people to a competition page as well as to where they can also buy tickets. Or you can send curious scanners to a page with a secret promo code for discounted goods or services – as their reward for playing!

Analyse this

A smart suggestion from MOO user Johan, was to optimise your website for mobile devices, and set up Google analytics tracking for your QR Code – so you can see in real figures exactly how useful it is for your web traffic.

Help with the shopping

Tesco’s billboard adverts in Korea have a QR Code that sends people directly to their online shopping site, and even more precisely, to the very item they're looking at when they scan the code. If you sell your goods online, why not try the same approach?

Want to learn more about QR Codes? Have a look at our Expert Tip from Terence Eden, mobile communications whizz and QR Code guru. Then try making your own!

Written on:

18 Jun 2013

Categories:

Business Cards, Small Business, Typography, Illustration, Pre-prepared Artwork, Company Logo