QR Codes have been around for several years. I believe they were originally created to help keep up with inventory controls but businesses have adapted them to do a lot more now. A QR code is usually a square with pixels inside. You can add other fancy graphics. Although you and I can't read it, there are bits of information encoded in the way the pixels are placed. This allows electronic devices equipped with scanners to interpret the codes and do something with the information. QR Codes can be made using Apps and software. I made this one with Corel Draw and used my website address for the encoded information. .
So all I do is open my phone camera just like I'm taking a picture and point it at the code. This is what you see. The camera recognizes the QR code by surrounding it with the yellow brackets. At the top of the screen my phone browser gives me the option to visit the website. Pretty neat right? So what am I doing with this code? I installed it on a purse that I will take with me to a sewing convention. Driving people to websites is always going to be a challenge until you develop a name or grab part of your market. Then once you have that traffic, you will still want to advertise to keep your regular base of visitors and gain new fans. A convention where the people are already engaged in the type of business you have will increase your chances of introducing people to your brand.
I used a purse from Walmart that has a sleeve on the back of it meant to go over a handle on a piece of luggage. Dark fabric transfer paper allowed me to print off the advertisement so it was really bright. I ironed it onto 100% cotton fabric, sewed a hem around the edges and then used Cam Snaps on the purse sleeve to make it removable. In the future I can create different advertisements for other events or customize for specials and coupons. When I want to use this as a purse, I can just remove the advertisement! The QR codes are very user friendly and have a fault percentage programmed into them. This means that scanners can pick them up even if they are backwards or farther away. My hope with this purse is that people will be able to snap a scan as I am going to classes and shopping the convention. They can do this without speaking to me if they are shy and just want to check out my site or if they want to interact, I will have business cards to hand out also. This should definitely be a conversation starter. So, if you are visiting my site because you snapped the QR code, thanks for taking the time. There is a You tube video below that takes you through the entire process of making the label. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!
