QR Codes are becoming quite popular with the increased sales of smart phones. If you’re wondering “what the heck are QR Codes?”, you’re probably not alone. QR Codes are basically bar codes. You can take your smart phone (android, iphone, etc.) and read the QR Code with your mobile phone’s camera. When you the phone reads the code, it will show a link, text, phone number, or SMS message.
I’m going to cover five things on this post which are all related to using QR Codes for Real Estate Marketing.
- An App to Manage and Backup ALL of Your Phone’s Apps
- The Barcode Scanner App to Read QR Codes
- How to Use QR Codes for Real Estate Marketing
A. How to Use QR Codes to Create Your Own Digital Business Card.
B. How to Use QR Codes to Market Your Listings.
First of all, I use an app called “AppBrain” to manage all of my apps. It’s a very handy app with an online interface to backup all of your phone’s apps. If you’re looking for app reviews, new apps, hot apps, popular apps, etc, you can find them all at AppBrain.com and the mobile app as well. The link and QR code for AppBrain are below. (If you can’t read QR Codes on your phone yet, just go to the Android Marketplace on your phone and add the reviewed apps below.)
Now, let’s talk about how to use QR Codes. The app I use with my Android phone is called “Barcode Scanner”. The link and QR Code for Barcode Scanner are below.
After you install the BarcodeScanner app you will be able to read QR codes. You touch the app icon and it opens up your phone’s camera with a bar code scanner. A red line will be visible over the QR Code, and the reader will beep when it has read the code. The link will then show on your phone, click the link, and waa lah! You will be taken to the website for which the QR Code was made.
As a real estate professional, how can you use QR Codes for marketing? I would say the most sensible ways would be to either market yourself or market your listings. Let’s discuss the digital or virtual business card first.
I think having to enter contact info is so “passe”. Why not create a QR code to use as a digital business card? As a real estate professional, you want your contact info in your referral sphere’s or potential prospects phone. Here are the steps on making your own digital business card.
- Visit www.dooid.com and set up a free account (they have expanded paid services as well if you’re interested). This site allows you to set up a virtual business card where you can add all of your contact info, website, social media sites, etc. It has several nice templates to choose from, and is simple to use. See a sample of mine at www.dooid.com/tonygreen
- After you have your dooid profile set up, copy the link, and visit http://qrcode.kaywa.com/. Paste your profile link into the “content” box and then click “generate”. You will be given a QR Code to download. Now you can print this on the back of your business card, add it to your blog, social media sites, or use it in your print media advertising. Here is my Dooid QR Code.
Real Estate Techie's Virtual Business Card QR Code
The second way I’m using QR Codes is with my listings. Exit Realty has an excellent marketing service called e-Listings. With e-Listings, each property gets its on single property website, a talking virtual tour, 1-800-xxx-xxxx ext.xxx call capture sign riders, and now QR Codes. The site is also syndicated to about 15 different websites and blogs including YouTube to get the listing more exposure to sell quickly (Click the following link for more info: Exit Digital Marketing Strategy to Get Homes Sold Fast). You can use the QR Codes on sign riders, blog posts or in your print advertising.
I’m sure there are other creative ways to use QR Codes for Real Estate. Do you have any ideas you would like to share? Or would you like to share an experience you have had using QR codes? Don’t hesitate to add your comments below.
