You’ve probably seen those black and white Tetris-like squares known as QR Codes popping up everywhere—on restaurant menus, store windows, billboards, you name it. But here’s something important for small businesses to know: QR Codes are marketing powerhouses. In this article, you’ll discover just how simple it is to infuse these squares into your marketing and boost your business.
The marketing benefits of using QR Codes for small businesses
One platform to track marketing performance
Many tools offer ways to track the success of your marketing efforts. With the Bitly Connections Platform, you can launch campaigns, sit back (grab some popcorn), and enjoy the show as your marketing performance unfolds. Just pick the timeframe for your scan metrics, gather insights on the locations that are drawn to your campaign, and dive into the nitty-gritty details of the browsers and operating systems used to scan the QR Code.
By keeping an eagle eye on these metrics, you’ll get a clear picture of how your target audience is reacting to your campaign. And guess what? All these valuable insights are yours to keep. Download and share them with your team for in-depth analysis.
Speedy cost-effective marketing
While traditional marketing comes at a hefty price, leveraging QR Codes offers a budget-friendly alternative, making them a compatible match for small businesses. Rather than investing in costly campaigns that may dig a deep hole in your pockets, QR Codes provide an opportunity for a swift and cost-effective marketing approach that is both captivating and memorable.
By creating a QR Code, you can easily direct your target audience to the desired content you want them to engage with. Whether your goal is to get your users to watch a reel you made on TikTok or get customer feedback with a survey, all of this is within your reach.
Drive brand awareness with customizable QR Codes
When designing your QR Code, incorporating your brand colors and logo can make a significant impact on brand recall. The goal is to create a small business QR Code that becomes an integral part of your brand materials, helping you stay consistent in your branding.
Establishing a strong and unified identity is especially important for small businesses competing against businesses of different sizes. Once you have your own branded and customized QR Code, you can seamlessly integrate it into various brand assets, including stickers, packaging, or any material you have on hand. In doing so, you reinforce your brand presence across different touchpoints.
QR Codes are powerful, but don’t stop there. Discover all of the benefits of digital marketing for small businesses.
10 ways to use QR Codes for small businesses
1. Share more with a business card
Business cards serve as an extension of your brand, leaving a lasting impression on potential customers and partners. Of course, there’s always a risk of them getting lost or being discarded. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: QR Code business cards.
By including a QR Code on your business card, you transform it into a virtual card that prospects can easily scan using their smartphones. This opens more possibilities for sharing valuable business information. From contact details and website links to social media profiles, you can provide all the relevant information that your prospects need. Once scanned, they’ll have all the details conveniently stored on their smartphones.
2. Drive online traffic
Being a small business owner in a competitive market means having a strong online presence is a must. But for businesses with physical stores or market stands, it can be a challenge to drive offline traffic to their online platforms.
But fret not, there’s a solution: mobile marketing and QR Codes. With QR Codes, small businesses can strategically place these eye-catching pixelated squares where your customers can easily spot them and encourage them to scan them with their smartphones. The cool part is, you can add any link you want to the QR Code, a webpage, a landing page—anything. With just a quick scan, you can seamlessly guide customers from the offline world to your online realm. Quick. Frictionless. Simple.
3. Amplify engagement on print materials
Printing out hundreds of thousands of marketing materials but seeing no engagement? Don’t let your message fall through the cracks. Instead, turn static prints into digital portals with QR Codes. Not only does it give your printing material a sleek and modern look, but it also allows you to track the scans, bringing you closer to understanding how your print material has sparked action.
Add any content that will amplify your marketing message, from video content that promotes your small business, to a convenient link to your online shop.
Ready to breathe fresh life into your flyers, table tents, or labels? Learn how to add a QR Code to a flyer here!
4. Grow your social media community
Have a loyal base of customers but only a small following to show for it? What if you could get your customers to your social media channels? By adding a QR Code to your product packaging, signage, or other promotional materials, you can easily connect your customers to any social media platform with a tap of a button.
Direct your customers with a call-to-action and copy that makes it crystal clear where you’re sending your customers.
Hot tip: Add a Bitly Link-in-bio to your social media profiles to link to all of your social channels—plus your favorite content you’ve been itching to share with your audience.
5. Broaden brand awareness
Building brand awareness doesn’t happen overnight, but playing the long game is worth the wait. Successful businesses understand the importance of cultivating a strong brand identity that people instantly recognize.
To make it happen, keep your brand consistent across all touchpoints. From your website and social media channels to your product packaging and promotional materials, maintain that brand uniformity.
But here’s the exciting part: You can also use branded QR Codes on your marketing materials to make a strong brand connection. These QR Codes will remind customers of your offerings and business, helping them recognize your brand in a flash.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to create unique digital experiences. You can share a social media post highlighting your brand values or even showcase a YouTube video that shows off your brand’s latest stuff.
6. Personalize your offerings
Adding a personal touch to your product or service can make a real difference in turning a one-time customer into a loyal one. It’s all about showing your customers that you care about them and appreciate their support.
For example, you could include a handwritten note with their purchase or send them a sample product based on their previous purchases. These little gestures are customer interactions that let your customers know that you’re paying attention and value them as customers.
If you sell physical products, here’s a grand idea: Put small business QR Codes on your packaging. When customers scan the QR Code packaging, they can unlock personalized messages just for them. It could be a brand video, links to exclusive discounts, or anything that could elevate their experience with your offering or brand.
7. Promote discounts like a pro
Picture this: Your customer has had their eye on one of your fantastic products for a while, but it’s slightly out of their price range. Eagerly, they wait for Black Friday, hoping for a price drop that fits perfectly their budget. This isn’t exactly an uncommon practice, it aligns with customer data.
One study revealed that 64% of consumers wait until items go on sale before they make a purchase. What’s more, is that 59% of customers actively search for promo codes before they purchase an item.
You can create QR Codes that grant customers access to coupons or promo codes when scanned. Whether you place these QR Codes on your website banner, social media posts, or physical products, you’re making promotions easily accessible. Your customers are just a scan away from redeeming them.
8. Boost customer engagement with a contest
Nothing grabs consumer attention quite like hosting a giveaway. Let it be a go-to strategy that can always keep in your back pocket. Take a look at social media content creators, who have shown us the immense power of giveaways in boosting engagement, from gaining more followers to sparking more conversations in their posts.
But giveaways aren’t limited to social media. You can set up contests or competitions in your physical location, be it your store or a market stall. It’s a terrific opportunity to get customers jazzed about your brand, especially new potential customers.
To intrigue first-time customers, use a QR Code that they can easily scan to enter the competition. The best part is, you get to set up the ground rules. Use this window of opportunity to hook your customers by asking for their email addresses in exchange for entry. This way, your giveaway becomes a lead magnet, bringing in more quality leads for your business.
9. Showcase your catalog
It’s no easy task to make potential clients or customers see the true value of your products or services. Whether you’re a small business owner running a photography company and looking for cool ways to show off your award-winning portfolio, or you own a small stationery company and want to share your awesome product catalog, QR Codes are here to save the day! These pixelated blocks make it easy to share your content and get people interested.
QR Codes are tiny but powerful squares that you can print on anything—catalogs, clothes, business cards, you name it. It all depends on what marketing material suits your business best. Just link it to your online portfolio or product catalog, and voilà! Your clients and customers can instantly access all the amazing stuff you have to offer, right then and there. No more waiting or searching—it’s all right at their fingertips!
10. Take advantage of invoices and receipts
Every time you interact with a customer, it’s a golden chance to deepen the connection. One awesome way to maximize these interactions is by using digital invoices and receipts. You can show off your brand, highlight exclusive deals, and even gather customer feedback.
The beauty of incorporating QR Codes into your invoices and receipts is that it enables customers to take immediate action while they’re still involved and interested. Say you own a restaurant or a cool shop—just slap a QR Code on the bill. The same goes for service invoices. Add QR Codes that lead to surveys or offer discounts on their next purchase. It’s a brilliant way to bring customers back for more and keep that bond strong.
QR Codes for small businesses best practices
Add a call-to-action
A QR Code without a call-to-action becomes just another random squiggly square. That’s a missed opportunity! Your target audience won’t know what to do with it unless you tell them. They need some guidance, a nudge in the right direction. The key is to get them excited to scan it. And that’s where a snappy call-to-action comes in handy. It adds that extra bit of encouragement they need to get started.
Customize your QR Code
When it comes to designing a QR Code, you want it to be a genuine reflection of your brand. The colors, logo, pattern, and frame all play a role in making it unique and memorable. Depending on your Bitly account, you have the freedom to input your hex color code and upload your company logo, ensuring that the QR Code aligns perfectly with your brand.
Test it for scannability
Before you share your QR Code with the world, it’s important to do a thorough check. Make sure it works smoothly on different devices to avoid any issues. Also, verify that you have copied the correct link associated with the QR Code.
Take some time to test and make any necessary edits to ensure everything is in order. By doing this, you can feel confident when distributing your QR Code, knowing that it will work flawlessly for your audience.
How to create a QR Code for small businesses
- Sign up for a Bitly account or log into your existing account.
- Select the Create new button and then select QR Codes or press the letter Q on your keyboard as a shortcut.
- Paste the link in the Destination URL, along with the Title and Custom back-half.
- If your plan allows it, customize your QR Code by adding your brand color, pattern style, frame, company logo, inner and outer corners, and more. Select the Create QR Code button when you’re done.
- Your QR Code is ready to use for marketing materials. Test it and then download it!
Want more detailed information on creating your QR Codes? Learn how to create a QR Code with Bitly.
Small business QR Code FAQs
How much does it cost to own a QR Code?
It depends on the plan you choose. Peruse the Bitly pricing page to view our available plans and select the one most suitable for your business.
What is the use of QR Codes for small businesses?
There are multiple uses for using a QR Code for small businesses. Here are five:
- Converting offline traffic to online traffic with QR Codes.
- Tracking marketing performance and gathering insights about your audience.
- Leveraging QR Codes to increase brand awareness through unique digital experiences.
- Printing QR Codes on marketing materials to drive traffic to social media channels.
- Increasing engagement with print ads using QR Codes.
Can I make a QR Code for free?
Yes! With Bitly, you get 10 QR Codes for free per month. In order to get more monthly QR Codes, customize them, and make use of the multitude of marketing benefits, we suggest upgrading to a paid plan.
Is it worth having a QR Code on a business card?
Yes, absolutely! When you print a QR Code on a business card, you transform your card into a virtual one. Plus, depending on your plan with Bitly, you can track the number of users who interacted with your business card.
Unlock your potential with Bitly
Bitly QR Codes offer numerous marketing benefits for small businesses. By incorporating this cost-effective tool into your strategies, you can enhance customer engagement, increase brand visibility, and drive conversions.
With Bitly, you can easily create custom QR Codes that match your brand, and track their performance, all in one convenient place. Get started today and watch your connections soar.