QR-Codes, those cute little square bar codes, seem to be popping up everywhere. Businesses can use them to link real world places and objects to online content. You can communicate all sorts of information in the codes which allow for a wide variety of creative uses. I recently started putting together a plan to incorporate these into my business. Here’s my top ten ways to use QR-codes for real estate.
1. Put contact details in a code on the back of a business card. This will make it easy for people to add you to their phone contacts.
2. Put it in your craigslist ads. Techy and bored, your target audience might just use their phone. This is probably the best way an online to online link might be effective.
3. Place it in the last slide in a video upload, where a normal link wouldn’t work.
4. Have the code start a text message to you requesting more information about your service or a property.
5. Put QR-codes on your flyers that link to a specific landing page for that property for more info.
6. Link to a youtube video tour of the property…put it on your sign or box flyer.
6. Use a QR-code to drive traffic to a specific neighborhood IDX search on your website.
7. Yard signs to peek the interest of the tech savvy.
8. Create a “send this home to a friend” email straight from the yard sign.
9. For farming with postcards, link to a neighborhood report with specific sales information for your farm area.
10….umm… I ran out of ideas, feel free to put your number 10 in the comments.
Why should you do one of these? Because it’s cool, it’s free, it calls for immediate (easy) action from the client and it’s another way you can track your results.
Here’s a cool site to check out what QR-codes can do. —> QRStuff.com
Interesting read. It seems like you’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole a bit here. In my opinion, people looking to buy or sell are home are very unlikely to go on the content scavenger hunt that QR codes offer. Also, there is a notable barrier to entry in the technology required. Again, this is great for some applications, but I’m doubtful that buyers are going to pull an iPhone, launch a QR app and read a flyer on a light pole in the neighborhood they’re interested in. I’d love to hear some substantiation otherwise.
Either way, thanks for the ideas!
@NLawhead
I do wish I had some hard stats to say it works. That would be great, and I’m working on that one. The key points are that, it’s free and it can catch the eye, and provides an alternate method to connect with your audience. This is the internet age. More and more people don’t want to talk to you on the phone, at least not right away. I know that since I’ve had smart phones, I love getting instant answers. QR-Codes satisfy that techy desire in me, I’m sure there are more people like me out there.
Being a successful listing agent in real estate is often about maintaining perceptions more than the actual level of perception. You want your clients to know you are doing everything you can to sell a home. You may be right about a low conversion rate from the qr-code but I don’t think it would reduce the conversion rate any. It’s just an alternate method to contact. If you’ve ever used it, you know it’s also much faster than typing. Maybe three seconds. Instant gratification. Any increase in real estate lead conversion is huge to an agent.
I’ll post what I can from my own results once I get everything implemented. I’ll also see if I can dig up what I can about qr-code acceptance in the U.S.
As for the barrier to entry with the technology, it depends on the area. Most people still don’t know what a qr-codes are and their will be a learning curve. If you live in a tech heavy city like Seattle, Denver or L.A, that may be different. In Japan, qr-codes are much more accepted. Of course, they’ve had smartphones before us. I think the acceptance of qr-codes will accelerate as more smartphones end up in the hands of the public.
Any idea on how we can integrate bar coding system with an IDX system to generate and show bar code for each properties..? Thanks
If your IDX system provides a unique URL for each property on your site. You could generate a ‘tiny’ url that could be used for a QR Code. Some IDX systems are integrating directly into WordPress blogs which would provide a long term unique address for each property.
Have seen many agents use the QR code on their for sale signs. I think it is perfect considering all a buyer has to do is take a picture of the sign as they drive by to get the listing details and the agents contact info.