QR Codes (with a hint of Verizon anger)

Primo: my short rant. I am a huge fan of the Droid OS. Why would Verizon tell me that my Droid X, which I ordered first thing yesterday morning, had shipped (on all 3 of my follow up calls) when it really hadn’t?? Now I have to wait until their inventory is replenished, when I could just as easily have walked to a store and bought one. And yes, stores in my area still have them in stock, I called to verify. So much for their statement, released 2 days before the launch:

“While we are currently experiencing delays on orders of one of our more popular phones. We view that as an anomaly driven by a combination of supply and popularity,” Brenda Raney said. “At present, we feel that we have done everything possible to ensure we have inventory to meet customer needs around the Droid X–the proof will be in the execution on July 15.”

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Secundo: QR Codes!!

I’m sure you’ve noticed these by now. Here in NYC, a lot of stores have them posted on their door. Consumers can scan in the QR code and get info like hours of operation, menus, specials, etc.

On West 20th in Chelsea, you can find a Calvin Klein billboard with nothing but a huge red block of QR. As a matter of fact, I just received something in the mail here at work that had a QR right next to the return address. They’re practically everywhere.

How can Realtors use this? This could be used to cater to your tech-savvy consumer base with minimal effort. Before they become “mainstream”, which they invariably will, those familiar with QR codes will smile internally- as if you have just sent them a secret message- and see you as someone who “gets it”. Here are some ideas:

• Place QRs on your sign riders that link to the property’s website. Passersby could then simply scan the rider to get all the info/pictures they need.
• Place a QR on the back of your business card. Have it link to your blog, agent page, or something similar.
• You can create QRs that dial a phone number or send an SMS. Place this either on the back of your business card or on the next batch of postcards you send out.
• QRs can also be used to display text. Place a QR somewhere with a personalized message aimed at this section of your clientele.

Of course, the possibilities are endless. I prefer using Kawaya to generate my codes, but other sites do exist. Keep in mind, these are the things you can write into a QR code:

• Contact Info
• Web link
• SMS
• Phone number
• Geo-Location
• Calendar Event
• Email Address
• Text Display
• Wifi Network

With that in mind… create some QR codes today and try them out! They are an easy, fun, and savvy way to get your message across.

(note: QR codes only work with phones that have scanning ability)