The QR Code Business Card, Book and Others: This Little Square Is Not Just for QR Code Marketing

A lot has been said about QR code marketing.  BeQRious.com has been guilty of this, focusing more on the marketing applications of QR codes. 

But really, QR codes are very flexible that they can be used in other areas and by other people as well.  Here are some ideas on how you could use QR codes outside of the office.

1. QR Code Business Cards.  This is not a new concept and we have seen lots of people who give away a QR code business card.   This does not only translate to ease and convenience when your recipients try to call you or visit your Web site, but it also acts as a great conversation starter.  No more boring business cards.

2. Virtual tours with QR codes.  Perhaps the best example of this is the use of QR codes by real estate agents.  Outside the properties for sale, a lot of realtors have started putting up QR codes on their signs.  These QR codes could simply direct interested buyers to the realtor’s Web site, and provide more information on the property.  But some of the most innovative realtors set up virtual tours or videos of the houses they have, so that potential buyers could still tour the house even without contacting the realtor.

3. Museums can now offer more information on their exhibits.  A lot of people find a trip to the museum boring.  We can understand them.  Who can appreciate old artifacts or long-dead kings?  With a QR code, museums could provide more information and videos that could make the exhibits more interesting and relevant.

4. QR codes in books.  For most of us, reading books is a guilty pleasure.  But sometimes, it would be nice to have more information on the things we read about in books.  Just imagine if Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code includes some QR codes that would take you to the places Brown wrote about, or shows you how the Mona Lisa and other artworks mentioned in the book looks like.  This has been done with the classic Around the World in 80 Days, where QR codes provide real time information about the places mentioned in the book.

5. QR codes in the classroom.  Extending the idea of using QR codes for learning, you can take these codes to the classroom as well.  In the recent months, we have seen QR codes that were used in the Periodic Table of Elements, college admission handbooks, real time information on course materials, books and handouts.  Some teachers use QR codes to help their students find their way to the online course modules or blogs.