QR codes are convenient, easy to create, and even easier to share. Many PR firms throughout the Charlotte area recommend them to clients as a way to route customers to app downloads, landing pages, or special offers. However, QR codes can do so much more.
The QR code dates back to the mid-1990s in Japan and continues to be read around 10 times faster than other types of codes, including barcodes. Thanks to their speed, QR codes were eagerly adopted throughout the vast majority of industries in Japan, the United States, and virtually all developed countries. PR firms love them as they offer many benefits, including sending customers directions to navigate to a physical location in Charlotte.
QR codes waned in popularity after their initial surge but came back with a vengeance during the pandemic as many businesses started looking for “touchless” options to share information, menus, and more. Since that resurgence, the QR code appears to be here to stay.
McKeeman Communications and the agency’s clients love QR codes because they offer a direct line from the customer to the messages PR firms want to share – whether that’s to a business’ social media page, a website, an app, an event flier, or menu.
QR codes are also useful in helping consumers connect to businesses with as little work as possible. The right design can tell a smartphone to dial a number, send a text message, or create an auto-generated email.
Many PR firms also turn to QR codes because they can help automate some tasks for customers and businesses, including:
- Menu scanning. Restaurants and coffee shops can leave QR codes on tables, allowing customers to order without having to wait on a server.
- Gifting. Businesses can generate a unique QR code that their customers can send to a loved one to link directly to a product or service that was purchased for them.
- Information and knowledge. Because QR codes can link to any type of website, they can easily be used by everything from art galleries to grocery stores to take customers directly to a product description or history. They can also be printed alongside magazine articles to a link with supporting information if customers wish to dive deeper into a particular topic.
- Contact sharing. Take your old-school business card into the new age by embedding a QR code with your V card directly onto your business card. Many PR firms recommend this because it makes it more convenient for customers to save your number.
- Cashless payments. QR codes are easy to scan so that customers can utilize their online wallets to pay for services at convenient stations and self-serve kiosks.
- Tracking action. Every time someone scans a QR code that action is recorded. PR firms are constantly working to measure their impact and what tactics result in action, and QR codes have helped showcase those results with every scan they receive.
We don’t give a lot of thought to the humble QR code, as it’s become such a fixture in our daily lives. As a business owner, you can use quick response codes to excite and engage your customers in many different areas.
McKeeman Communications is one of the most dedicated PR firms in the Charlotte area. Our agency works with companies individually and believes there is no cookie-cutter solution to public relations.