It is no surprise that the use of QR codes has dramatically increased in the last few years. But, did you know that since 2018, QR code interaction has increased by 96%? The QR code is a powerful tool for businesses, because there are so many possibilities:

• QR codes for instant conversations: QR codes are extremely valuable for driving instant conversations for businesses. Leaving a customer, or potential customer with a QR code that leads to a text conversation with you (or one of your employees) makes conversations convenient, instant and more likely to happen in the first place. 

• QR codes for answering common questions: Post pandemic, it is not uncommon at all to walk into a restaurant to find that they do not have physical copies of their menus. Instead, they want your question of, “What should I order?” to be answered via scanning a QR code that leads to the menu. Similarly, service-based businesses can also utilize QR codes to lead consumers to an FAQ page, or even a webchat bot that will answer their questions right away. 

• QR codes for payment: Perhaps the most common use of QR codes today is for payment. When you are going to venmo a friend for buying your lunch, you will probably scan their QR code to lead to the proper venmo account. Businesses are using QR codes through venmo and other apps to take payment from customers everyday. To date, over 1.5 trillion dollars have been paid via QR codes and that number is only going to continue growing. 

• QR codes for data collection: From a business perspective, data collection is priceless. Knowing what your customers want from you, how you can better serve them, and how you can interact with them in the future are among the most important questions that can be answered through data collection. Using QR codes to collect data from customers is as easy as having them scan a QR code that leads them to a form where they can input their name and number. This provides your business with information that is essential to success. 

Nobody values convenience like a consumer, and what could be more convenient than simply scanning a code with your camera and being immediately taken where you want to go? Whether your business is new the the world of QR codes, or you have been using them for years, integrating them into your everyday business procedures can only benefit your business.

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!