4 Reasons You Need QR Codes

Those funny square 2D Bar Codes that you can scan on your iPhone or Android? They’re QP which means Quick Processor codes and I swear, they’re about to take over the world. You can generate your own QR codes here, and you can download a free scanner for your iPhone here. Well, maybe they won’t take over the world. But for now, you probably don’t realize how very much they could help YOU.

1. Your business card. How may times have you gotten a business card and with the best of intentions meant to take that 2 by 3 inch piece of 160# letterpressed data and enter it into your outlook…but just never made it there? Well, I can guarantee there are a handful of people who have done the same with your information. If you manage to remove the data entry step with your info, you have a much better chance of getting entered, keeping in touch and closing the deal.
2. Emergency contact info for you. A few years ago there was this girl who I never met but will always remember me, Ashlyn Dyer, who was hit by a car on her run. It took them something like a whole day to identify her through her iPod serial number, and since then, I’ve been running with my info taped to the back of my iPod. But you know what? One time, a guy snaked my info off the iPod (yes, I fell for the “oh, what are you listening to”)…and a scannable 2D bar code is very official, won’t smudge, and won’t give your info away to creepers.
3. Emergency contact info for your kid. I’m not a mom, but I used to work at a preschool, so I know how totally insane you can get once you have a kid. But crazy or not, I was really thankful for the “overprotective” mom who had provided abundant information the one time I had to call an ambulance. The more info the better, and handing your preschool teacher a card with allergies, medical info, and what to do with an epipen could be really helpful in an emergency.
4. Scavenger Hunt. If you stick around for long…you’ll learn I love costume parties and games. But seriously, think about it. A scavenger hunt where the next step was to find one of these funny looking grid thingies, which would give you the next clue? Priceless.

For your sake, spread the word! Your life will be easier once companies start using these. I mean…ever gone shopping for furniture and needed to write down dimensions? Ever needed to write down the style number of jeans for later? Ever been to IKEA and then had to find the light grey slip cover in aisle 36B, second row, shelf 52? You get the idea. It would be great to leave the pencils at home if companies would please stick this on everything.

Any other ideas? I’d love to know.