QR Code at trade shows

How do you use QR Codes at trade shows?

We’ve seen a boom in the popularity of QR Codes these past few years. We see them everywhere: in offices, in hospitals, in stores, and even in random places, like on our friend’s laptop. We see businesses get on the QR Code train and for good reasons.

QR Codes are simply awesome. They are easy to make, accessible using any smartphone, and can contain lots of information in that small 2D square.

Taking cue from big businesses, did you know that QR Codes can upgrade your presence at trade shows? In this article, we’re going to show you 10 ways on how to maximize QR Codes at your next exhibit.

How to Use QR Codes at Trade Shows

Trade shows are a popular way for businesses to showcase and promote their products and services. When you’re in a trade show, chances are you will be surrounded by businesses in the same industry as yours.

So, how do you keep up? More importantly, how do you stand out?

Integrating QR (abbreviation for quick response) Codes is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to market at trade shows. Not only are they easy to make, but almost everyone now has a smartphone that can scan QR Codes.

Announce Your Presence at the Trade Show

Before, people gave out flyers on the streets to tell you about an upcoming event. Now, you can simply make a QR Code that tells potential attendees of your participation at the trade show.

If you create your Event QR Code with QR-Cloud, include the name of the event, GEO location, event URL, and dates and time of the trade show. Insert it on your publication material. Caption it with an engaging message such as, “See you there!” or “We can’t wait to meet you!”

Lead Customers to Your Booth

There will be many different merchants, so you have to ensure customers know exactly where your booth is.

You can easily do this by creating a URL QR Code that launches a JPEG of the venue floor map showing the way to your exhibit. If you’re feeling extra creative, why not make a 6-second, 480p GIF of the floor map with arrows or steps from the entrance leading to where you are? 

This way, people who will scan your QR Code won’t be lost among all the different exhibitors at the trade show.

You can also let your social media followers know your booth location in advance by posting the QR Code on your page before the event.

Drive Traffic to Your Webpage

One of the easiest ways to direct potential customers to your webpage is by a URL QR Code. Put up the link to the landing page of your choice, preferably the one where your services or products are found.

Also, make sure that your landing page allows visitors to navigate to other pages, like your company’s mission and vision, contact details, and if you are an e-commerce platform, your online store.

Get Customers to Follow You on Social Media

If you have a business, chances are it also has social media accounts. Social media is the way to get exposure for your business or cause. It also allows your business to build relationships with your clients, supporters, and potential customers.

Having a QR Code that directs trade show attendees to your social media accounts makes following faster without the hassle of typing. There is also less risk of getting confused with other businesses that might share your business name.

Get Attendees to Watch Your Video

Do you have a great promotional video you would want people to see? Well, getting trade show attendees to download and watch your video only requires a URL QR Code. Simply generate a QR Code that launches to the URL of your video on YouTube, Vimeo, or Loom.

You can still set up a flat screen that plays your video on loop at your exhibit booth, but allowing your attendees to watch your video at their own convenience says you care about their time.

Send Out Your vCard

Getting your contact details out is now just a scan away. Create a QR Code vCard (virtual business card) that contains business information you want to include. With just one scan, attendees will have your information on their phones.

Give your attendees the option of saving your contact details without having to type anything. This does not only save their time but they’re also less likely to save a wrong number. Networking just got easier!

What’s more, even if you are a more traditional type, having a vCard will still work for you. Just print your QR Code into a traditional business card or on your brochures and flyers. Make sure to use Dynamic QR Codes like QR-Cloud. This way, you can keep the same QR Code even if you update your data.

Display Your Product Descriptions

Create a text QR Code for each product or service in your line up. This way, your customers can simply scan the code using their smartphone and read what they have to know about any product or service they might be interested in.

This means less clutter on your table and display shelf while still providing the details about your products and services.

What’s more? You can create a PDF QR Code that your customers can download as a product brochure. By scanning this QR Code, customers have the option to view and save this on their phone.

Collect Attendees’ Data While Protecting Their Privacy

Get people to sign up using a QR Code that directs them to an online form. Save your clients’ time and their data are less likely to be seen by others.

For your business, this means you do not have to manually input your attendees’ data. Once they sign up, you can easily generate a spreadsheet that will serve as your database. More importantly, you don’t need to take extra precautions in getting rid of papers they signed to protect their privacy. It’s a win-win!

Games and Freebies

By now, you already know that QR Codes are an easy, modern, and versatile way to market your business or products. But QR Codes are not only for serious business. In fact, you can use them to direct your attendees (or their kids!) to online games and quizzes with a chance to win prizes.

You can also give them a virtual coupon that attendees can download and use for future purchases in your or other partners’ establishments.

Accept Payments On-Site

Whether you are selling products or accepting donations at your exhibit booth, QR Code is a hassle-free and secure way to receive money from customers.

If you are going to accept payments through PayPal, you can make a QR Code using the PayPal option in QR-Cloud. You can even create a QR Code for payments and another for donations.

Once your customers scan the code, they will be led to the payment or donation link. They also have the option to pay using their debit or credit card.

Wear Your QR Code

So, quite possibly no one really is going to be scanning your team’s shirts, but QR Code still makes for a cute design.

Now how about your shirt design becoming a secret text? You can put in a greeting, something quirky, or even a promo code for the first few people to discover your secret text QR Code.

Of course, make sure to use a Dynamic QR Link so you can change the text to a more generic message once the event is over and your promo code has expired!

Bonus Tips in Using QR Codes at Trade Shows

If you have decided to integrate QR Codes into your next marketing campaign, here are some bonus tips that may be useful:

  1. The less characters in the URL, the easier it is to read the QR Code,
  2. Choose a Dynamic QR Code over a Static QR Code. This allows you to update your data without having to generate new codes.
  3. Don’t overdo it! As tempting as it is to integrate QR Codes in every facet of your exhibit, you don’t want to be known as the all-QR Code exhibitor. Human touch, and sometimes a little hint of tradition, are still valuable factors in getting people to say yes.

Final Thoughts

In a highly competitive event where you are surrounded by many businesses in the same industry, QR Codes are a modern way to market yourself, network, and engage with your customers. Most importantly, QR Codes provide different benefits to attendees, ranging from convenience from having to take printed brochures, decreasing the risk of losing important contact information, and ensuring the privacy of their data. So, the next time you will be joining a trade show, definitely consider to utilize QR Codes.