I went for a walk the other day and went by a few houses for sale. Some of them even had URLs on their signs. But none had a simple QR code. Someone driving by could just click on it go right to the webpage and learn more about the property. I figured maybe this was just an anomaly, but over the last week I’ve been driving around and I did not see a single QR code on any signs.
Let me take a step back. For those of you who are not aware of what a QR code is, I will explain. QR codes are Quick Response codes. These are barcodes, that can be read by free apps on your smartphone. The barcode example on this page takes you to my website. They can send someone to a website, and perform many more functions. Here is a list of the functions a QR code can do.
Website URL
YouTube Video
Google Maps Location
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
FourSquare
App Store Download
iTunes Link
Dropbox
Plain Text
Telephone Number
Skype Call
SMS Message
Email Address
Email Message
Contact Details
Digital Business Card
Event (VCALENDAR)
Wifi Login (Android Only)
Paypal Buy Now Link
Bitcoin
So why would a real estate company not put a QR code on their signs? I can’t really answer that, truthfully it boggles the mind. My guess is when real estate markets are strong, they get a bit lazy. The problem is this isn’t hard, you generate a code in seconds. You can go to free sites like: http://www.qrstuff.com/ or http://www.qr-code-generator.com/.
In business, there are few things that are free. So when something free and beneficial comes your way, take advantage of it. And this just doesn’t apply to Realtors. Here are some examples:
I put a barcode on my business cards. I know other people that link to a vCard so somebody not only gets their cards, but they automatically add this person to their address book. That is a valuable commodity. With a business card you keep them for a while and typically throw them away. But if you’ve added that person to your address book chances are it’s going stay there for a while.
Are you a business that sends snail mail or hands out paper flyers? Then consider this: You can send somebody your flyer with the picture and all the information about your product and then have a barcode which takes them to PayPal to buy your product (see image).
Do you do email marketing? Say you are having a sale. Use a barcode with a google map. They can then take their phone and grab map and navigate to your sale.
Bottom Line: Real Estate companies absolutely need to use QR codes on signs and marketing collateral. But your business, no matter what it is, can benefit as well. If you have any questions, you can always contact us for assistance.
This week I had a client tell me they were going with a new company to build and host their website. Well, they owe me nothing, though we have provided world class support at an amazing price. I would have expected to bid for the job (at very least) but it is their prerogative. They are paid in full, which while not as valuable as loyalty, keeps the light on.
I am pretty sure that this company will try and return to the fold, and it won’t take but a few months. This new company won’t get all their edits done the moment they ask and when they wait 2 weeks, they will be frustrated. But what happened is that the company is used to RooSites and world-class support. They have come to think the whole world is going to turn things around the same day. Their rude awakening will come when they find out the norm is weeks, not days (or in our case hours).
That’s why typically I love to get clients who are coming from a bad situation. They are amazed that our turnaround time. They are amazed at our commitment. They become great clients and are tremendously loyal to us.
As I said we do spoil people and sometimes as wacky as it sounds, we pay the price for it. But our growth, is proof that or clients love and refer us. And they refer us often. We will continue to offer world-class support, and if you wish to be spoiled, contact us today.
