The 5 Best Ways To Use QR Codes For Real Estate
by Chris on Oct 11th, 2010
in Tags: best ways to use QR codes for real estate, direct mail, Goo.gl QR Codes, QR Code marketing strategies, QR Codes, QR Codes for lawn signs, QR codes for Realtors, QR Codes on business cards, Vyoo.it
Posted in Google, Mobile Apps, Product Reviews, Random, Software, TextIt seems every now and then a new technology comes along and gets everyone in real estate excited. Right now that technology is QR Codes.
The problem I have is that while everyone and their brother is telling you that you need to be using QR codes, very few resources are specifically showing you the best ways to use QR codes for real estate.
It is actually why we exist, innovation is rewarded, execution is worshiped.
Just like with Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Mobile, Video and any other buzz worthy platform or new technology some will adapt it quickly and pick up market share, most will fail and simply use it because the other agents in their office are. So below you will find what in my opinion are the 5 best ways to use QR codes for real estate right now. I would never assume these are the only ways and would love you to add your own creative ideas in the comments below.
Quick note before we get started with the list. A QR Code is simply a bridge to a website that when scanned with a mobile device takes a consumer on a journey beyond the paper it is printed on. One of the major perks is that all of the scans are tracked and thus the ROI is fairly easy to detect, critical to any high level marketer. I also think there are 2 key things to consider when using QR codes:
1. The web page that you direct the consumer to MUST be optimized for viewing on a mobile device. Due to this I am recommending 3 sites that will cover all 5 strategies. The first is Vyoo.it which will create a mobile friendly landing page with all of the details of the property of your choosing including price, photos and of course your contact info.
The second site is Goo.gl which allows you to turn any URL into a QR Code in seconds, again all scans are being tracked. The third is YouTube which is not only optimized well for mobile but will allow you to bring a video element to your QR code marketing.
To make a long story short when I recommend a video be used as the destination simply go to YouTube and grab the URL of the video and then visit Goo.gl to generate the QR Code.
2. This is a new, rapidly evolving technology (visit Best Buy, public transit, hospitals, etc lately?) that requires further explanation than just slapping a weird looking icon on your print marketing. Anytime you use a QR Code be sure to in small text explain that it requires a QR Code Reader which can be downloaded for FREE to their phone NOW by visiting their app store. It is also critical that you provide a tiny URL as an additional option below the QR Code so that those who just can not figure out the whole scanning thing can type the shortened URL directly into their mobile browser and end up in the same place anyways. Both Vyoo.it and Goo.gl provide a tiny URL along with the QR Code making this very easy to execute.
On to the top 5 ways to use QR Codes for Real Estate:
1. Lawn Signs – This would be the most obvious usage in my opinion and this is where Vyoo.it will come into play handily.
Consumers like to get as much information as humanly possible before calling a sales person (you BTW). By placing the QR Code on your sign riders you will be providing potentially the hottest leads, those driving around looking for homes to buy, with all of the information needed about that property instantly. Price, interior photos and community info are typically things that a lawn sign does not provide and by leveraging a QR Code you are really giving the consumer what they want when they want it. I know some Realtors would argue that there is no longer a need to call you if you give away all of that info through the QR Code on the sign. I would argue there is already no need to call you to get that information (think online portals like Realtor.com, Zillow and Trulia all of whom have mobile apps that provide those details). People work with people they like, they will like you more if you give them more of a reason to and stop holding back data that is easily obtained without you. Again, follow the guidelines I mentioned above by further explaining the technology and providing a URL alternative on the sign rider.
2. Business Cards – Another no brainer in my opinion but I can envision agents screwing this up royally. If I had to guess most agents will put a QR Code on their business card that will lead to a website where the exact same information on the business card is then regurgitated.
NO VALUE there beyond maybe the web visitor but again is your website even mobile friendly yet? So here is the strategy. Record a video that you upload to YouTube that is 100% specific to the fact that they got your business card and scanned it. Then use Goo.gl to generate the QR Code. So for example the beginning of the video should say “Thanks so much for taking the time to scan the QR Code on the back of my business card it was great meeting you in person…” I would also then offer them up any other resources like your Facebook Page, Blog or Twitter account letting them know that you want to connect where THEY want to connect. In the video be sure to layover text with all of the other URL’s that would be relevant and mention that when it gets closer to the time for them to buy or sell hopefully they will remember that you leverage the latest technology both off line and online!
3. Direct Mail – Tracking ROI through the mail is now actually very easy using QR Codes. If you do just listed cards use Vyoo.it to send them to the mobile optimized site for that new listing. If you are looking to generate leads and new business you may also consider doing a video unique to the mail campaign similar to the above business card strategy. So for example you are mailing to Cypress Creek…start the video with “One of the things I love about working in the Cypress Creek area are the people…” Then obviously let them know that when the time comes to list they deserve to work with a Realtor who leverages the latest online and offline marketing.
Even include images and video of the neighborhood to really give it that hyper local touch. Again offer up all of your contact info and social media URL’s in the video and on the mail itself.
4. Property Flyers – Considering all of the information about the listing is on the flyer right there in front of them I think that this is another opportunity to leverage video. If you have a full video tour of the home on YouTube link to that. If not create an Animoto video or something slideshow esque, upload to YouTube and link to that. If you are uncomfortable with video then link to a Vyoo.it listing page where they can then see additional photos and information that would not fit into a single page flyer. I have walked past 1000′s of real estate offices and have seen none of them leveraging this idea which again seems to fall into the no brainer category.
5. Your Vehicle – Hear me out on this one. I polled our Facebook fans a while back to see how many of them were leveraging their contact info and domain name on their ride. Seemed to be the majority. That being said how many agents have taken it to the next level and actually placed a QR Code on their car? My guess is zero, but hey I could be wrong. The strategy with this QR Code should be similar to the business card. Again, address in the video that you link to that you appreciate them taking the time to scan the QR Code on your vehicle and that if they are looking for a tech savvy agent to help them with their buying or selling needs you are the one they should contact when they are ready.
An additional bonus is that if it replaces the current headshot you have on the window of your Camry I have made the world a better place!
So there you have it. If you agree and learned something let me know in the comments below. Again I am confident there are many other uses for QR Codes in real estate and would love to hear them but I feel that this is the most specific and strategy focused list on the web created with Realtors in mind.
- http://b2l.me/aysfkw&source=shareaholic" title="Tweet This!" rel="nofollow">
Related posts:
Interested in what you readers think of this technology. Is this a good idea for use in real estate?
Originally posted at Oklahoma City Real Estate Blog
Submitted by OKCHomeSeller's Posterous via email from http://okchomeseller.posterous.com/the-5-best-ways-to-use-qr-codes-for-real-esta
Foreclosures are a big part of the housing market, with distressed properties accounting for 
In the same week that the National Association of REALTORS reported home resales 
Existing home sales 
30-year fixed mortgage rates rose last week, marking the first time in a month that rates failed to fall week-to-week. The data sources from Freddie Mac, one of the government's major mortgage securitizers and a sister entity to Fannie Mae. Each week, Freddie Mac collects mortgage rate data from more than 120 lenders nationwide and publishes the results in a report called the Primary Mortgage Market Survey. According to this week's PMMS, the 30-year fixed rate rose 0.02% and now 
The company behind the popular FICO scoring model has published a "What If?" series for common, specific credit missteps. If you've ever wondered how your credit score would be affected by a missed payment or a maxed-out credit card, now you can 
According to the Commerce Department, the number of single-family Housing Starts increased to 452,000 units in September, 
As the "pulse of the single-family housing market", the Housing Market Index is a monthly product of the National Association of Homebuilders. Its scores range from 1-100, with a reading a 50 or better suggesting "favorable conditions" for builders. Because of 
In home design, the exterior is as important as the interior. The exterior are your home's first impression while performing the double-duty of protecting living space from damage and Mother Nature.
The number of foreclosure filings rose 3 percent in September, according to 
The Federal Reserve released its 
Gutters are designed to funnel rainwater away from a home. Properly working gutters help keep a home's basement from filling with water, and protect a home's foundation from long-term, structural damage, and keep a roof in tip-top shape. In other words, keeping clean gutters is essential for homeowners. Thankfully, gutter maintenance can be a do-it-yourself job. There are four main steps in gutter cleaning, summarized cleanly in this 
The 
On the first Friday of each month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its Non-Farm Payrolls report from the month prior. This month, though, because the first Friday of the month was also the first day of the month, the report was delayed one week. The report hit the wires at 8:30 AM ET this morning. More commonly called "the jobs report", the government's non-farm payrolls data influences stock and bond markets, and, in the process, swings a big stick with home affordability figures in Oklahoma City and nationwide. Especially in today's economic climate. Although the recession has been 
Starting Monday, December 13, 2010, Fannie Mae is changing its mortgage lending guidelines. For some mortgage applicants of Oklahoma , the loan approval process will simplify. For others, it will toughen. How you'll be affected personally will depend on your credit profile and your loan characteristics. Among the biggest changes from Fannie Mae is a new set of guidelines for gift funds. When the new rules roll out, accepting cash gifts for downpayment will be easier. Undetr the new guidelines, buyers of owner-occupied, 1-unit properties (i.e. single-family homes, condos, townhomes) can forgo Fannie Mae's typical, minimum 5% personal downpayment contribution. Downpayments on homes meeting the above criteria can be comprised of 100% gifted and/or granted funds. Buyers of second homes and multi-unit properties, however, are not exempt. There's also two changes pending with respect to revolving debt.
Conforming mortgages is so named because, literally, they conform to the mortgage guidelines set forth by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Of the many traits of a conforming mortgage, one is "loan size" and loan sizes have limits. Mortgages exceeding this loan size limit cannot be securitized as a conforming mortgage and, therefore, are ineligible for conforming mortgage rates. Conforming mortgage rates are often the cheapest source of mortgage money for residents of Oklahoma , all things equal. Each year, the government re-evaluates its maximum allowable loan size based on "typical" housing costs nationwide. Loans in excess of this amount are often called "jumbo". Between 1980 and 2006, as home prices increased, so did conforming loan limits -- from $93,750 to $417,000. Since 2006, however, home prices have retreated but the conforming loan limit has not. In 2011, for the 6th consecutive year, $417,000 will be the country's conforming mortgage loan limit. Conforming loan limits very by property type. The complete breakdown is as follows:
Consistent with calls of a housing rebound, the Pending Home Sales Index rose again in August. It marks the second straight month of improvement after May's post-tax credit drop-off. A "pending home" is an existing home under contract to sell, but not yet closed. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 4 out of 5 pending homes 
With the start of autumn comes a chill in the Quail Creek air, plus a simple way to drop your home's energy bill. For homeowners with ceiling fans, it's as simple as moving a button. In this 
The value of a home is based on the basic economic principle of Supply and Demand. When the number of buyers exceeds the number of sellers, home prices rise. Conversely, when sellers outnumber buyers, home prices fall. There's always a opening price point for negotiation and that figure often factors in specifics like square footage, number of rooms, and finishes and amenities. Location matters, too. On a ZIP code-by-ZIP code basis, prices can vary wildly and it's tiny, tony 91008 -- located in Duarte, California -- that tops the 2010 Forbes list of