Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A Coded Opportunity

Looking for something new and novel to set you apart? 
        Might want to investigate QR codes, one of several marketing tools included in the September buyer’s guide I recently completed for Realtor magazine online.
         A QR code is a bar code emblem which can be read with special scanning software installed on a smartphone. It has many uses, but for now in real estate it’s primary value is how it can merge print to the Web. Feature one of these codes on a postcard, flyer or in a newspaper ad, and they can be scanned to launch the Website for you or your listings on the smartphone. 
A few Realtors® are starting to feature QR codes in yard signs and ads, and some marketing solutions providers now tout QR codes as the latest value added service for subscribers. You can also generate your own, like the one above, for free, by clicking this link . Then, start exploring their possibilities.
QR codes have so much potential value for engaging smartphone users— prospective buyers and sellers — I expect they will become a fixture in all types of print promotions and marketing materials over time. For now, though, they are still new enough that there’s a definite advantage in being the one to introduce them to your market.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Michael - Great article, except I think you're missing one thing here... There is nothing "sexy" about a QR code. Until large businesses across america get the consumer to use them on a mass scale, I think we are a long ways off for this to be adopted - (if at all). To me, this is almost a step backwards, not forwards. From a marketing perspective, there is nothing appealing about this and I don't see the day coming where we're all walking around scanning products like drones. A website property address on the bottom of the sign is more visually appealing then a bar code. The last thing I want to do is portray a listing I have as an item you can scan. Just playing devils advocate...