Yes it’s true! QR codes are becoming more common among catalogers. In fact, many catalogs have at least one QR code within the printed copy. There are many reasons for this; however, some catalogers are not aware that QR codes can be used to help expand their commerce. We can learn a lot from the retail outlets who are putting QR codes on their displays. Manufacturers are including QR codes on product packaging. That beginner’s guitar you bought your seven year old for Christmas now has a QR code that directs you to a website that provides your child with beginner’s sheet music. Oh and what about that bottle of wine you found in the grocery store from Moore Brothers Wine Co. with a QR code on the bottle that tells you what foods can be paired with that particular grade of wine. Now think about this: even if a consumer doesn’t buy that particular bottle of wine, or that product they scanned in your catalog, guess what’s still in the web history of their phones days later? Guess what has the potential to drive online traffic by delivering smartphone users directly to your virtual door step? That’s right, QR codes

Including a QR code in a catalog can help drive your online traffic. That catalog shopper has now been directed to your website where they can shop even more! That customer, who bought that bottle of wine, may scan that QR code on the label to learn more about other products. As a result, the product is now more familiar to them and they are more likely to go back to that brand. Why? Maybe because the QR code is interactive, and informative. There are many ways to use QR codes in your business to attract consumers to your brand:

  1. Coupons
  2. Product Reviews /Information/Resource Materials
  3. Brand Marketing
  4. Incentives
  5. Surveys
  6. Product Instructions
  7. Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

We know already that catalogs drive online traffic; but, why not give a consumer an incentive to buy a product right then and there. How about using a QR code that brings them to the BUY NOW and SAVE screen on your website? How about giving a $10 gift card to every 10th person that scans your QR code? These are great ways you can encourage impulse buying to increase sales. And, the best part: consumers can do this any time and any place they have their smartphones.

In an earlier article 3 Good Reasons Why Your Business Should Have a Catalog we discussed bridging the two realms of Internet and print to create the absolute best form of commerce. QR codes can be one of those bridges. In that function, they serve two purposes:

QR Cide Bridge

  1. They help consumers quickly learn more about your products and brand.QR Code Bridge
  2. They drive customers back to your catalog so that they can scan the QR code for your latest promotions.

QR codes are bridging gaps. Why not give one a try for your business and see what happens?