What are QR codes and how can you use them to promote your business?

Want to know one of the hottest marketing trends to watch for in 2011? QR codes. if you haven’t Heard of QR codes, there are probably at least viewed to them. They are starting to appear everywhere, on flyers, brochures, business cards, magazine and newspaper ads, even on billboards. So what are QR codes?

Quick Response (QR) codes are the fun black and white squares most often seen in print magazine ads. They are a specific type of 2D barcode consisting of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. Descendants of UPC codes on your groceries and ISBN codes on books, quick response codes may seem like gibberish, but when used effectively, they are one of the most creative and powerful marketing tools you can use to promote your business.

What’s so special about these weird little codes? Quick response codes convert data (such as a website address) into a form that can be easily scanned and read by mobile devices. They’re a fast (and technologically elegant) way to get customers where you want to go. your you want them to go, be it your website, contest page, email form, menu, coupon, etc. (Recently, my local grocery store printed these codes on their weekly sales mail, which, when I scanned them with my mobile smartphone, sent me to a website with recipes using the foods that were on sale that week.)

To crack a quick response (QR) code, all you need is a mobile smartphone with a camera and a (usually free) QR code reader app. With these simple tools, a potential customer can scan your business QR code and be magically taken to the website address you embedded in the code.

So how can you use QR codes to promote your business? Sites like Jumpscan and BeQRious allow you to easily create codes for your business, products, or services. You can then use your QR codes in your advertising and marketing to drive traffic to your website, special offer, coupon, your Google Places listing, YouTube video, a contest you’re running, or even display ads. The possibilities are endless! Simply place your unique QR code on your company’s advertisement, business card, billboard or website. Using QR codes to promote your business is a smart way to get customers to visit your business or find out more about the products or services you offer.