A QR code is an optical bar code that we’ve all seen but may know by name. It’s those square, abstract, blotches on most packages you buy. They help to organize goods, impart information to scanners, and at the consumer level, they can link to product information. In this blog, we look at how a QR code can improve sales in many situations.
Sales on the Go
The technology behind mobile transactions is enormous. Did you know that vendors can ask PayPal for a QR code that links to their account? When displayed, those buyers have to engage the QR code to pay for merchandise. There is no need to swipe a card. That level of convenience is like butter, and it is driving sales because it makes checkout easy for everyone involved. Bing! You’ve got money.
Driving Conversions on the Local Level
It is no secret that shoppers use their smartphones to research products right in the isles of stores. On the local level, QR codes are the bee’s knees. First, a store, rather than a manufacturer can place a QR code next to a product so that a potential buyer has only to scan the code not only to receive more information on the product but the information that the store wants the consumer to obtain. That information can also include in-store incentives such as a discount for using cash, return policies for the store, product information, and even reference to similar products. That power allows the store to place information for the consumer at the appropriate level of the #buyer’sjourney.
RQ Codes and Apps
Imagine that your commute on public transit. You want to find the fastest way home. You use your smart device to scan a QR code that links your destination to current locations and then provides you with a list of options that help you “solve your problem” – I need to get home quickly. Maybe it’s another manic Monday, and you need to get to work quickly.
The power of QR codes, when paired with landing pages, makes these the virtual gateway to pre-designed information. Pair that fact with a competent content strategist, and you have the makings for a robust content library that sways or converts local shoppers into customers. Stores rely on information from the manufacturer or even link to those pages, or the shopper may Google the product. The power here is giving the shopper easy access to “Your” information. Well-designed content leads the reader down the steps of the Buyer’s Journey, where they perform the actions you need them to make. That is, the power of content and QR codes are gateways to that end.
Pros of Using QR Codes
- They display in small spaces
- They direct traffic to locations of your choosing
- The public increasingly recognizes them
- They pair beautifully with smart devices
- They pair beautifully with content goals
- They are free to use and create
- They pair with apps
- They are adaptable to fit #marketingplans
Is there a place for QR codes in 2020? Absolutely. They are likely to become one of the most potent tools of marketing for local and in-person shopping adventures, civic functions, and places where there is public access, such as lobbies, parking structures, public transit depots, etc. They are a digital gateway that you control. How will you use QR codes in 2020?
How to Pair QR Codes with Content
Content that performs well often does so because it is attached to goals. Ask yourself what you want the content to do and then make a list of goals that help achieve that end-goal. There are many ways to pair #QRcodes with content. One of the simplest ways is to make them a gateway to a landing page. Remember that if it is a landing page on your site, that you control the content and thus the goals. Place the QR code where you want people to access that information. Maybe that is a single landing page for a specific product or an article in your content library that provides more in-depth information about a product or service. By matching content to each level of the buyer’s journey, you empower your content library to sway visitors to become leads or customers.
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David S. is an experienced writer with a focus on small- and medium-sized businesses. He primarily creates SEO and marketing content for regular clients. He writes for web page designers, marketing companies, outdoor living clients, and pest control companies. His private clients include homestead/prepper magazines, marketing agencies, pest control companies, healthcare affiliates, outdoor living and construction companies, and gardening/nursery companies.
