Marketing professionals have recently developed an interest in a phenomenon that has been popping up on billboards, print ads, and websites alike: QR Codes. While those who aren’t familiar with them may dismiss them as a benign curiosity; as with many successful, up-and-coming marketing strategies, they are sure to increase in popularity as the general public becomes more aware of them.
Quick Response codes, or QR Codes, are two-dimensional, pixilated barcodes containing data that can be retrieved via a mobile phone’s built-in camera. Using a barcode scanner application, a user can “scan” the barcode with their phone in a way similar to how a supermarket clerk would scan UPC codes on groceries. The barcode scanner application would use the data encoded within the barcode to display information to the user like text, Web pages, contact information from vCards. QR Codes have been in widespread use for years in 
countries like Japan, and are rapidly gaining popularity stateside, as they are now commonly seen in magazines, signs, public transportation vehicles, and practically anywhere that users may need to retrieve additional information.
Although Google’s bandwagon may not be the one you always jump on, the fact that Google is beginning to integrate QR Code support in its Android smartphone operating system should be a big indicator of where a substantial portion of the market is going. This step is complimentary to their recent mobile couponing option located within their Business Center listings. When a consumer navigates to your company’s “Place Page” via a mobile Web search, they can receive a coupon redeemable directly from their phone without the need for printing it out. This is just a single example of the benefits of using QR Codes.
QR Codes are a convenient way of connecting printed media to the Web. By including a QR Code on your business card, prospective customers can scan the code and be immediately connected to your mobile website. DocuStar marketing software can assist your enterprise in taking advantage of this exciting new marketing method by placing QR Codes within your marketing materials. Using QR Codes, you can cheaply and reliably deliver contact details, communicate event details, offer valuable coupons, and even provide details on new and existing products to new and existing customers alike. Call DocuStar today to find out how QR Codes can deliver a new, high-tech edge to your marketing campaign.
