Thanks to the general chaos of 2020, design trends once thought to be long gone have reemerged with increasing importance. One of the biggest trends coming back is the quick response code, or QR code. The COVID-19 pandemic has made us reevaluate how we share information, and QR codes work in conjunction with traditional print collateral to inform your customers.
What are QR codes?
QR codes are codes quickly readable by a cell phone. A QR code conveys more information than a standard barcode and can be applied to a wide range of industries. Scanning QR codes was enormously popular in the late 2000s, but the trend quickly died out as other forms of touchless transactions evolved. But with the pandemic reducing the need for multi-use printed materials like menus, QR codes are a helpful alternative to giving your customers access to the information they need.
How to Use QR Codes
QR codes offer your business a direct opportunity to connect your print collateral with whatever digital experience you’d like your customers to have. Here are a few ways to put them to use for your business:
- Use them instead of traditional menus. By using branded, laminated codes, your restaurant reduces your patrons’ and staff’s risk of sharing surfaces.
- Add them to large format signage. QR codes on signs for socially-distant events or “welcome back” collateral can help display important (or even personalized) safety information.
- Place them on smaller signage to catch customers’ attention. By placing the squares eye-level with your customers, you can help them unlock special deals or lead them to download your business’s app.
- Put them on direct mail postcards and handheld assets. Coasters, postcards, and other handheld branded QR collateral can provide a personalized keepsake to your audience. They can revisit the QR code (and thus your brand’s materials) whenever they’d like.
Get Creative
Need help with the nitty gritty of QR codes? We have over 25 years of experience, and we’ve seen the trend of QR codes rise, fall, and return. At Xerographic Digital Printing, we use top-quality equipment, paired with excellent customer service, to get your job done. Give us a call at 407-490-0690 with any questions or ideas you have for your next project.
