A sign-up QR Code links to your club's online registration form, so new members can scan it on a poster or flyer and register from their phone. Below are the steps to set one up and the reasons it works better than a paper sign-up sheet.
What are QR Codes?
QR (Quick Response) Codes are two-dimensional barcodes that the built-in camera of most smartphones can scan. They were first invented for inventory management and are now common in marketing and retail.
What QR Code to Use for Registration
There are two types of QR Codes:
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Static: the content is fixed when you create the code, and scans aren't counted.
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Dynamic: the code contains a short link, so you can change the destination later and see scan statistics.
For a membership drive we recommend a dynamic QR Code. If you switch to a new form next semester, you update the link instead of reprinting your posters, and the statistics show how many people scanned the code and when.
How to Create a Sign Up QR Code for Club Registration
Step 1. Make your online registration form
Build your sign-up form on Google Forms or another form builder. Most form builders work in a similar way. Include these parts:
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Data protection notice. Many countries have data protection laws. Tell prospective members what you collect and that you will only use it for registration.
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Personal information. Ask only for what you need. Long forms and questions that need full sentences make people give up halfway, so save those for the orientation.
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Submission confirmation. Thank people for signing up and tell them what happens next, for example a confirmation email or an invitation to the orientation.
Step 2. Create your dynamic QR Code
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Sign up or log in to your QR Code generator.
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Create a QR Code with the URL of your online form.
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Optionally change the colours and dot shape or add your club logo.
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Test-scan it to make sure it opens the form.
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Download and print it.
Step 3. Use your QR Code
Put the code on your booth display, posters, brochures and flyers. Add a short line next to it, such as "Scan to join", so people know what it does.
Why Use a Sign Up QR Code to Register in Clubs
(Almost) Everyone Knows How to Use Them
Most people have a smartphone with them and know how to scan a QR Code. Many find it easier to register on their phone than to fill out a paper form.
They Save Potential Members Time
The scan takes people straight to your form, without typing a URL and making typos. Their phone can often fill in their name and email automatically.
They Save the Organizers Time
You don't have to hand out paper forms or type the answers into a database afterwards, and nobody has to decipher handwriting.
They Cost Less than Paper Forms
You only need one or two printed copies of the code for your display. If you don't need scan statistics, a free static QR Code is enough.
They Can Be Shared
Members and applicants can forward the form link to friends who might want to join, so those friends can register without coming to your booth. A paper form only reaches the people you meet in person.
They Reduce Queues
People can scan the code and fill out the form wherever they like, without waiting at the table. That suits anyone who prefers to keep their distance or doesn't want to talk to a stranger right away.
Online Forms Are Easier to Keep Private
A secure online form keeps applicants' personal data in one protected place. Paper forms have to be stored where unauthorized people can't see them and then disposed of securely.
Bottom Line
A sign-up QR Code makes joining your club quicker for new members and less work for organizers. Create an online registration form, link a QR Code to it and put that code wherever new members will see it.
