You’ve probably noticed already some small, square codes popping up in places like print ads, magazines, billboards and trade-show booths.
These useful, efficient little marvels are QR codes, also known as Quick Response codes. Although virtually ubiquitous in Europe and Japan, they’re just starting to gain popularity in the States. QR codes are readable by almost all smartphones and, with a simple scan, can drive a mobile phone user to any type of content – a website, someone’s contact information, or even a simple message.
Many articles and people discuss whether this technology is a fad or the future. It can be either. […]
Looking back on the last few years and the social media craze in the real estate industry, the answers as to why social media wasn’t as globally successful for business as predicted are pretty clear. Although a great way to keep connected with friends, family and experts, social media was untested as a real estate sales vehicle, and many still don’t understand how to utilize social media for business purposes. The lesson we learned from social media, is to seek to leverage technology that is proven, that works, and that is sustainable within your day-to-day marketing efforts. How many agents or firms can show how social media truly added to their bottom line? For most, between the cost and time spent learning/managing the medium and creating the appropriate content based on what all the experts suggested, marginal results were yielded. That is, of course, with the exception of Mark Zuckerberg and a handful of other partners who now have a firm worth $50 billion.
As U.S. mobile phone technology increases, so will the presence and ubiquity of QR codes. Why? Because they’re efficient. For example, within a click or two (or a touch or two for touch-screen mobile users), a mobile user can arrive at a website, saving that user dozens of keystrokes or mobile Web searches. QR codes can supplement a print ad with extra content and information, and facilitate a new business connection or customer relationship within seconds.
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For more information go to: http://rismedia.com/2011-02-07/the-truth-about-qr-codes/