I am fresh back from the Association Media Publishing Annual Meeting and saw firsthand how quickly QR codes and social media have spread among associations. On the main stage, there were always tweets being scrolled on a big screen, which encouraged others to pull out their phones and tweet. QR codes were everywhere; every booth had one, the program had many and believe it or not, business cards, too. If you don’t know what QR codes are, keep reading.
What are QR codes?
Similar to a bar code, you can download an app (yes there is an app for that!), and scan the code. It can direct you to websites, V-cards and even PDFs.
The image below is a QR code that we use to deliver the 2011 Association Email Marketing Benchmark Report on signs at events and on different web pages.
QR codes are growing fast
That’s right, once you see one, you see it everywhere; Jimmy Kimmel even uses them on his show to introduce bands. QR codes can help you grab those individuals who are on the go. Put one in your email message that leads them directly to a YouTube video promoting your next conference. Not only does it grab their attention, but it sets you apart from the competitors. Put these codes on your magazine promoting membership or place one in your newsletter to encourage readers to download a whitepaper.
How do you get one?
There are so many websites out there that let you set one up for free and direct it to wherever you want it to go. Check out this website for more information!
Jeanette Brown is the Marketing Strategy Manager at Informz.