Custom QR Codes: Be Strategic!

As QR Code technology continues to expand and diversify in the real estate space and beyond, flexibility with this technology becomes more interesting. Some agents may just want a sticker to stick on their For Sales sign to point home buyers to their website, property details or to give their contact information. Other may have researched all the available QR Code technology solutions tailored for real estate needs, and not found what they are looking for.

QR Codes are versatile; they can be used, as we have seen, for mobile marketing, pointing to websites, they can point to mobile applications, and the can lead home buyers to an agent’s contact information.  They can be showcased in a variety of marketing materials like For Sale signs, property flyers, added to websites and property detail pages. 

With so many options, QR code technology solutions can be as diverse, if the company is willing to trouble shoot with brokers and MLSs to understand their needs and build an appropriate solution.
Sounds great?  Which company consults with industry leaders to create a custom solution?

In our final part of the QR Code series, we interviewed Jay Holcomb of Mobile Consulting Partners.  A stem off of Knovolo, a mobile search and marketing company, Mobile Consulting Partners exists to bring custom mobile solutions to brokers, and MLSs.

During this call we questioned Mobile Consulting Partners’s points of view regarding the following:
1.)  What are the benefits of using QR codes to promote real estate business?
2.)  What are some industry challenges you see with QR codes for marketing?
3.)  What solution is Mobile Consulting Partners offering to the industry?

What are the benefits of using QR codes to promote real estate business?

“These days every real estate listing can be found online.  Real estate agents want local homebuyers to find their listing as soon as possible.  QR codes are an easy way to provide the right information to the homebuyer in the shortest amount of time,” explains Jay Holcomb.

By placing a QR code on a For Sale sign, for example, a real estate agent eliminates the need to fill and refill property flyers.  It enables the homebuyer to save time and tress!

Jay also mentioned that QR Codes save agents from having to type out a long URL to an agent’s website from their Smartphone. Who has the time to type out a full URL?  Making your listing information accessible and convenient is paramount.

What are some industry challenges you see with QR codes for marketing?

Jay was quick to point out the same drawback to QR codes many other vendors already mentioned in this series: adoption rates.  Getting real estate professionals and homebuyer to use this technology could certainly pose a challenge.

“If we look at Japan and Asian communities, QR codes use has skyrocketed.  It’s on TV shows, in shopping malls, and almost any marketing material imaginable. It’s not just a fad; it’s becoming a way of life, like Facebook and Twitter use.  The culture is saturated and adoption is widespread,” says Holcomb.  “The assumption is we (American public) will follow suit.”

While adoption here is not as successful as in Asia, Holcomb seems optimistic that QR code use in America is on the rise.

Another industry challenge Holcomb outlined dealt with targeting the right audience.

“When it comes to QR codes and younger technologies, agents have to be smart with using the right technology to reach the right audience,” states Holcomb.

He believes that agents will find more success with residential listings geared to Gen Y homebuyers than older homebuyers. 

“The sweet spot is first time buyers 35 years old and younger. Also homebuyers in urban residential areas would be a great audience.  Seattle for example is a great tech city,” explains Holcomb.

What solution is Mobile Consulting Partners offering to the industry?

“Mobile Consulting Partners provides a number of mobile technology solutions.  We specialize in mobile optimized sites and target brokers, broker franchises and MLSs,” says Holcomb.

Mobile Consulting Partners believes mobile optimized websites are important to provide homebuyers so that each time an agent or homebuyer types in the URL or conducts a search via their mobile device the website automatically displays larger type and content more clearly.  This creates a better consumer experience.  If you have ever tried to find information from a website via your cell phone that was not optimized for mobile, it is a head ache and often you click the wrong links and get deep into a website and have to fight your way out. Not the best way to impress potential homebuyers.

They also create custom text message marketing solutions to allow brokers to offer their clients an easy way to text one or two words to a specific number to generate property information, agent contact information and more.

Finally, Mobile Consulting Partners also creates QR codes for brokers and their agents. These QR codes once generated can be used on any number of marketing materials to give home buyers an easy way to access the mobile website of the brokerage.

A major emphasis for Mobile Consulting Partners, when creating QR code solutions for their customers is that the client’s website be first optimized for mobile.

“What good is it to utilize a mobile technology like a QR code and then point to a website that is not mobile friendly? It doesn’t make sense and frustrates consumers. We always recommend our clients optimize their websites first to make a QR code solution more effective,” explains Holcomb.

If you have any questions you would like us the answer as we move through this series, please leave a comment below and we will be sure to address this in the coming articles.

This is part five of a five part series called "Cracking the QR Code." If you would like RE Technology's editor to create a similar series on a different type of technology, please comment below or email us directly, and if we get enough requests for a topic we will produce a similar series.

• Top 10 Reasons to Go Paperless
• Steer Clear of a Tax Audit for 2010
• Fire Up Your Social Network on Zillow

>Happy Techsgiving!