Okay, so you accept that QR (quick response) codes will, going forward, play a big part in the marketing of U.S. businesses. Some forward-thinking players have already jumped on the bandwagon; for instance, realtors are putting the codes on “For Sale” signs and in the windows of their storefront offices so potential buyers can peek inside the residences being advertised, while airlines offer passengers the option of scanning QR-encoded electronic boarding passes with their smartphones.

As a retailer or restaurateur, you can be just as innovative, even at the point of sale. Retailers might take a page from the book of Best Buy, which last year began putting QR codes on shelf signs to give shoppers more information about the products displayed at the moment of decision. You could even place QR codes on items at the counter to encourage last minute sales. For stores selling handmade items, scanning a QR code can unleash a video demonstration on how the products are made or an interview with the artist; for those that carry specialty foods, recipes that incorporate the item(s). A QR code or tag placed within a given display can be leveraged to provide a complete listing of all the products in the display, their prices and where they can be found in the store. Restaurants can post a different QR code in the window each day to offer information on daily specials, and/or load detailed menu item descriptions onto a tag that remains in the window at all times. Want more ideas? Integrate QR tags or codes not only into print ad campaigns, but takeout/delivery menus, flyers, brochures, catalogs, newsletters, and the like.

Going a few steps farther, merchants can make a game out of QR codes—for example, placing a certain number of codes around the shop, then granting a discount to any shopper who scans all of them and an even bigger discount to anyone who purchases several of the products. Remember, today’s customers want as much information as they can get—and QR codes are a great way to give it to them.

pcAmerica stands ready to assist with other ways to leverage technology to grow your business. For more information, visit www.pcamerica.com.