June 3, 2025 • 29 mins
keywords
QR codes, marketing, customer engagement, data tracking, loyalty programs, promotions, digital marketing, business strategies, interactive experiences, sales
summary
In this conversation, Len Marshall and Leslie Stoute discuss the transformative potential of QR codes in business marketing and operations. They explore various levels of QR code usage, from basic linking to advanced data tracking and customer engagement strategies. The discussion emphasizes the importance of leveraging QR codes to enhance customer experiences, drive sales, and build loyalty through innovative marketing tactics.
takeaways
- QR codes are underutilized in North America compared to other countries.
- They serve as a bridge between physical and digital experiences.
- Basic QR codes link to static URLs, while dynamic codes allow for tracking and data collection.
- Data-driven QR codes can provide insights into customer behavior and engagement.
- Gamifying QR code interactions can enhance customer loyalty and engagement.
- Limited-time offers using QR codes can create urgency and drive sales.
- Businesses can collect customer information through QR code interactions.
- Dynamic QR codes can be updated to reflect changing promotions or offers.
- QR codes can be integrated into various marketing materials for better reach.
- The potential of QR codes extends beyond simple links to interactive experiences.
Sound Bites
- "They are so powerful."
- "It's easy, it's easy."
- "What is a QR code?"
Chapters
00:00
Exploring QR Codes: A Global Perspective
02:38
Understanding QR Codes: The Basics
05:03
Leveling Up: Data-Driven QR Codes
07:54
Engagement and Loyalty: The Multiplier Effect
09:58
Creating Urgency: The Key Master Strategy
12:02
Innovative Applications: Beyond the Basics
25:25
Skyrocket QR: A Game-Changer for Businesses
28:18
Key Takeaways and Future Directions
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Len (00:02):
Leslie. Hey. You know, I was just in China, over December
and January. And while that inand of itself was a fantastic
trip just to seize all thehistory and culture and amazing
things there. One thing thatkept sticking out was their use
of QR codes.
(00:23):
They're light years ahead. Yeah.And so, coming back home to
Canada and and sort of justseeing the smattering of QR
codes here and there, I realizedwe are so far behind in in how
we can use QR codes.
Leslie (00:39):
Right. Among other things. Right?
Len (00:42):
Yeah, among other things. But but but QR codes that I
mean, I've been saying this foryears, they are so powerful. And
there's so much more that youcan we can do with them. So I I
did a presentation a couple ofweeks ago. It was kind of like a
live master class.
I would like to share some ofthe insights that I had from
(01:02):
that, with our viewers and helpthem also help you guys to start
using QR codes in your own dayto day operations and marketing
and advertising so that you canactually benefit from them.
Like, it's it's easy.
Leslie (01:17):
Easy. I can imagine our viewers will be blown away by
what we shared with them today,and they will be very excited to
implement these themselves. Andit's great because we have a way
that you can do that. So cool.Stay tuned.
Alright.
Len (01:27):
Yeah. Well, let's get right into it.
Host (01:31):
Welcome to the Treasure Trove Toronto podcast dedicated
to transforming your localbusiness into the treasure jewel
of your Each week, cofoundersLen Marshall and Leslie Stout
bring you creative strategies,actionable marketing tips, and
fresh ideas to elevate yourcustomers' experience and build
deeper connections with yourcommunity. If you want your
(01:52):
local shop, restaurant, orservice to stand out, reach more
customers, and make your mark onToronto, you're in the right
place. Now here's Len andLeslie.
Leslie (02:05):
Good. Hi.
Len (02:06):
You started?
Leslie (02:07):
My name is Leslie Stout, cofounder of Treasure Toronto.
Len (02:10):
And I'm Len Marshall, cofounder of Treasure Trove
Toronto. And today, we aretalking about QR codes for your
business, marketing, operations,advertising. I'm really excited
about this. How about you,Leslie?
Leslie (02:24):
Yeah. I think it's gonna be fantastic. I I always we
always talk about it too. Wealways say, well, we don't use
QR codes the way we're supposedto, and I'm very happy that you
went to China and saw peoplethat did it the right way. So
now we can explain to them allthe things that are possible.
So.
Len (02:37):
That's, that's exactly it, right? It's just understanding
what's possible. Because rightnow I think 99% of the QR codes
that I see are just the verybasic links. So we'll get into
that. First of all, what is a QRcode?
If this is like confusing toyou, if you've never understood
them or never scanned them, whatis it? It's QR stands for quick
(03:01):
response code. And I think of itas kind of like a barcode for
your smartphone that takes youfrom the physical world to the
digital world through yourphone. I'm gonna jump into the
presentation now.
Leslie (03:18):
Yeah. Good to show them, but it's exactly the same thing.
You do take them from a physicallocation where you're out and
and rotating around into thedigital one, which you're
familiar with, the Internet,websites, and different
platforms that you'd want yourcustomers to engage with. So,
yeah.
Len (03:33):
Exactly. So, yeah, think of a QR code as a portal between
the physical and digitalexperience of your customers. If
you think about it this way,think about how your customers
interactions with your businesscan be enhanced through this
experience. So I've got three,maybe even four specific tactics
(03:58):
that we can use. The first oneis the bridge.
And this is sort of the verybasic, most essential use of QR
codes, where you basically makea simple connection between the
physical and digital world, liketyping in a URL into your
address and into your phone'sbrowser, right? At this level,
(04:20):
the QR code serves basicallyjust as a direct link to an
online destination. Instead ofasking customers to type in that
URL, they can simply scan the QRcode and be taken straight to
the page that you want them tovisit. This could be a website,
a booking page, a menu, a reviewform, or even your social
(04:40):
profiles.
Leslie (04:41):
Yeah. And the easy way to think about it is, like,
during COVID, people had menuswhere you'd scan the code to
access the menu to order yourfood instead of having a
physical menu. And that was aquick gap that took someone from
the physical space. You scan acode, now you have a digital
experience where on your phone,you can order from the menu. So
really easy.
And that's why I I like the termbridge. It's pretty good.
Len (05:03):
But there are a lot of other ways that you can use this
as well. No matter what businesstype you're in, the easiest way
is just to get started withputting them on your ads, in
promotions. Put them on yourbusiness cards, on your flyers,
brochures, posters, packaging,on your receipts, anywhere that
(05:24):
customers engage with yourbusiness, right? Restaurants
like have been putting them onthe tables, putting them on tent
cards. Salons can use them forsending people to their booking
calendar to book appointments,and retail stores can use them
for like an exclusive onlineoffer, sending people to a
(05:45):
coupon page.
It's also a great way forbridging the gap between digital
marketing and in personinteractions. For example, if
you've run if you're running aFacebook or an Instagram ad,
include a QR code in the printads or in store signage so that
people can instantly follow youonline. So what are the results
(06:09):
of this? Like, what can youexpect? I would say the big the
biggest benefit of using QRcodes at this level is just
reducing friction, right?
If a customer has to type in aURL, the chances of them
actually doing that are prettylow. But a QR code removes that
barrier and increases theengagement. It's kind of a fun
thing to do, like what's gonnahappen when I scan the QR code?
Leslie (06:33):
Also, it takes them like, it makes it easier for
them to to follow thatinteraction with their phone,
you know, instead of booking itand writing down your name and
address and stuff like that.People rather go to a menu where
it's prefilled or they can justtype in what they need to type
in. Exactly. Yeah. A lot oftimes collecting information is
10 times easier with someone'ssmartphone than it is someone
using an actual pen.
And so using the QR codesenables you to do that in a way
(06:56):
that they're used tointeracting. So awesome.
Len (06:59):
Now one of the ways that we're using QR codes at at
Treasure Trove Toronto is weinclude a QR code for each of
our events on posters to directthe attendees to our
registration page. We put themon window clings like these ones
so that people can quicklyaccess our website in the
(07:22):
neighborhood that they'revisiting.
Leslie (07:24):
Looking for a business card.
Len (07:25):
Oh, we even put the we put it on the back of our business
card, which I don't have infront of right now. We have a QR
code on our business card, whichpresents business owners with a
link to go and create a freelisting on our directory. So
there's lots of simple ways toto use QR codes to to streamline
(07:45):
and remove the friction ofgetting people from, you know,
holding their phone to actuallydoing something on their phone.
Alright. Do you wanna hear leveltwo?
Leslie (07:56):
Yes. Let's move on to level two. Stay deeper.
Len (07:58):
This this is the part I get excited about. Level two is the
data driver. Okay? So at levelone, we have a static link that
takes people to a page. At leveltwo, we can actually start to
track some of that information.
So now we go beyond just linkingto a website. We start
(08:21):
collecting data. We starttracking customer engagement and
using that information toimprove your existing marketing
efforts. Right? This is wherethe businesses can see a direct
ROI from the QR codes.
And how this works isessentially using a dynamic
code. So so think of scanningthe QR code and seeing a URL.
(08:46):
Instead of taking them directlyto that link, we put something
in between. And that that littlesomething, it's like a redirect,
is where we can measure. We canmeasure how many times it's been
scanned, the time of day thatpeople are scanning, the devices
that they're using to scan, thegeneral location of those scans,
(09:09):
which would be great if you havea regional or a national
campaign, and the conversionrate of the scanned users taking
action.
So that's a lot of data thathelps to inform how the QR codes
are being used.
Leslie (09:26):
I think that's that turns into a a measurable
impact. So you can take thosecodes now, you can actually use
that tracking to see if it'sworking, how much it's working,
where it's working, makeinformed decisions based on it.
So, the next level, essentially.
Len (09:41):
Exactly. Now there's some cool things you can do with this
now, because unlike a static QRcode, once you create that QR
code, you can't change it. Butwith dynamic QR codes, you can.
So you can now manipulate howthe user is getting to that
destination. So let's say youhave a time sensitive promotion,
(10:05):
right?
So like a restaurant wants torun a lunch special. And the QR
code that links to the dailymenu is on their wall or
whatever, they can change thedestination of the data that's
going to that, QR code andchange the menu. Or, let's think
(10:28):
of a retail experience. Soretail store launches a weekend
only sale, The QR code leads tothe sales page, but after the
sale ends, the link is updatedto a general discount offer, or
takes them to some other page onthe website. So you can be
really specific about how howpeople are using, how and when
(10:50):
people are using that QR code.
Yeah.
Leslie (10:53):
You can even add a little mystery to it. Like, you
can have a QR code and say, hey.Check here for our weekly
specials, and you can update thespecial every week as someone
just scans that code, and theyscan that code consistently
because they wanna know whatthat special is all the time,
and that code can always bechanging. So really cool.
Len (11:09):
I saw that being used with Pizza Pizza.
Leslie (11:12):
Yeah.
Len (11:13):
They had a QR code on all of their boxes, and rather than
reprinting the code every timethey needed to change it every
week, they would just changewhere that QR code would
redirect to. So one timeprinting, change it as often as
they want. At Treasure Trove,we've been doing this QR code to
(11:35):
on signage to direct attendeesto the event agenda or to the
specific, opt in for that event.So we can keep track of who's
scanning, like where the code isthat they're scanning, and then
redirecting them to the specificevent that they're that we're
running at the time. And wealready talked about AB testing,
(11:59):
So let's say you've got a QRcode, you're running an ad in a
magazine, you're running an adon a billboard, and you want to
see which of those twoplacements are performing better
so that you know where you'regoing to do your advertising
spend in the future.
And you can have the same sameQR code on both of those, but
(12:20):
it's going through and you cansee which one is being scanned
by the data in the analytics. Sovery useful.
Leslie (12:28):
Very cool. And you can also just turn those
interactions in in those datadriven experience in into much
more. You can take that and say,hey. These people that are
scanning these codes becomingcustomers. These people are not.
Maybe we lead them to adifferent sequence or nurturing.
You can collect information byday, by device, by time, and it
(12:49):
turns it into, you being able toplan your a digital strategy
based on what people are doingin the real world, which is data
that every single marketer inthe world wants. So super cool.
Len (13:00):
Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. Alright. Level three.
Level three. I call this one themultiplier. This is the point
where QR codes go from beingsimple tools to interactive
experiences that driveengagement, loyalty, and viral
marketing. K? With with thistype of approach to QR codes,
(13:22):
businesses can use QR codes tocreate gamified customer
experiences like like a QR codethat unlocks rewards based on
participation or milestones.
It could be for social sharingincentives, right? QR codes that
encourage customers to sharecontent or refer friends. It
(13:43):
could be for exclusive dynamicrewards. You know, think of a QR
code that grants VIP access,loyalty perks, or time sensitive
deals, right, like we talkedabout. The key here is that
every scan creates anotheraction, right, multiplying
customer engagement instead ofjust being the one and done
(14:04):
interaction.
How this could work. Let's lookat the social sharing for a sec.
We can create a viral loop,right? So imagine scanning a QR
code at a cafe, and it says, geta free coffee when you share
this on Instagram, right? Andthen the user clicks the link,
and it generates a prefilledInstagram story with a business
(14:28):
tag and special promotion code.
So the person just has to snap apicture of their coffee and send
it, post it, and it's done.Right? But each person who
shares helps spread thatpromotion, and the business gets
free organic reach from everyscan. The other way you could
(14:49):
use these is like with a loyaltyor referral code, like a hidden
perk. Instead of just using ageneric paper rewards card, you
know, like coffee shops andMcDonald's have, you can create
a personal QR code for eachuser.
And then every time they scan atthe checkout, they get a new
(15:11):
exclusive offer based on theirpast visit.
Leslie (15:13):
I have a crazy hypothetical for you. Do you
know how, like, McDonald's rightnow has a scan to win? And you,
like, basically scan the code,it tells you you won a free copy
or something like that. Can youdo that with the QR code? So say
people come up, they scan thatQR code and say every fifteenth
scan, somebody wins a freecoffee or a discounted deal or
something like that.
(15:33):
Is that possible?
Len (15:36):
Yeah. Absolutely. Right? So using that dynamic QR code,
every time someone scans it,it's being connected to a CRM or
some sort of loyalty program andkeeping track of the number of
clicks. And they've got it setso that in, like, every
fifteenth scan, the redirectgoes to the reward page versus
(16:01):
sorry, try again page.
Not hard to do.
Leslie (16:05):
Yeah. I mean, it kinda makes
Len (16:07):
a positive hard to do. Yeah. But but it's not
complicated in this in how it'sexecuted.
Leslie (16:13):
Yeah. So it turns into, like, you anything you can think
of in terms of rewards andloyalty programs are possible
with QR codes. And and that iswhere the dynamic kinda changes.
You can have conversations. Asas far as a a business
imagination goes, you can takedynamic QR codes and put that
actually into practice.
And that's, I think, where theconversation should start. It's
like, hey, what do you wannaaccomplish here? What are your
(16:35):
dreams for your business? Do youdream of having a contest where
every time someone buys, theyscan a card and can win a
certain amount of prizes. Well,what prizes are those?
We can make that happen. Here'show we can do it, you know. And
taking that from, hey, I wish Icould do that because this
awesome store does it to, I cando this for my business and it's
not that hard. I think that's ahuge part of what well, we can
(16:56):
do it and what marketers can dowith QR codes. And the fact that
we're using it just to, like,look at menus and stuff is is
the that's it's almost a crime.
It's a crime that we're notusing it to its full potential.
So
Len (17:08):
It's a crime against marketing. Yeah. Yeah. I'm gonna
put that on a t shirt.
Leslie (17:13):
Yeah.
Len (17:15):
Yeah. I mean, with with with QR codes, because because
all of the interactions arehappening on the phone, there
are so many other ways ofconnecting people to your brand,
whether it's just through abrowser or directly through an
app like Facebook, or Instagram,or YouTube. But but really being
(17:40):
able to measure and track all ofthat information, that's really
the important valuable part fora business, right? And creating
these these different campaignsor ideas really just takes a bit
of imagination. Say, this iswhat I want to have happen.
And then we just figure out whatare the steps to make that as
smooth as possible. Right? Sowith the multiplier, really what
(18:06):
you're gonna be getting from allof this is like increased
engagement and brand awareness,especially if you're doing like
a social viral social campaign,where people are sharing,
getting your your message outthere.
Leslie (18:19):
Yep.
Len (18:20):
But it also builds higher customer retention, right?
Gamifying and and giving peopleexclusive perks builds that
loyalty and and keeps themconnected to your business. And
then with that, it just leads tomore sales with zero extra ad
(18:41):
spend. We Right? Because it'sall happening organically.
Yeah. Every scan and every shareincreases your brand awareness
and exposure without the cost ofrunning ads.
Leslie (18:52):
We talk about gamifying a lot, and it's because people
like to engage with things thatare entertaining. And so if you
make something like, hey. Dothis and win or do this and
here's the result that canhappen from it, people are more
inclined to take the action. Andso the more you can encourage
action amongst your customers,the more you get them to come
back and bring their friends,which is how you make money. So
(19:13):
yeah.
Len (19:14):
Well, that leads me to one additional level because we can
always take it one step further.I'm always looking how can we
take this to the next level. Andthen we have the boss level.
Leslie (19:28):
Right?
Len (19:31):
I call this one the key master. Okay, now that we've
covered those other threelevels, let's talk about a
tactic that can completelychange how the business drives
instant sales and customerengagement. Really, that's the
bottom line, right? We want wewant more sales, we want more
customer engagement. So with thekey master idea, it takes
(19:54):
inspiration from like thatlimited time flash sale that we
see a lot online.
But we can do we can take all ofthose other elements, right,
from the first three levels andinclude it into here. So the the
idea is simple, but it'sextremely effective. A QR code
(20:14):
that links to a special offerthat is time sensitive and
limited in quantity. Thediscount or the deal changes
dynamically based on how manypeople scan it. And then once
the maximum number ofredemptions is hit, the offer
either disappears or changes toa less valuable deal.
(20:38):
Okay? So instead of having astatic discount that runs
forever, and everyone gets thesame thing, you can create a
real sense of urgency andexclusivity by by having this
The faster you get in, the moreyou can save. And the more you
sit on the fence, those saleopportunities are are going. So
(21:03):
it's a pretty fun way to drive alot of engagement and sales.
It's quick.
That creates a little bit ofFOMO, right? Fear of missing
out. That really triggerspeople. And then customers feel
that urgency, and they takeaction immediately. So let's
(21:23):
look at the retail stores.
That's the easy one, right? Aclothing store can run a scan to
save deal in store, right? Andthe first twenty scanners get
40% off, and then the next 50get 25% off, and after that
drops to 10. Right? So thenumber of people walking in and
making a purchase, they'remaking instant savings, but but
(21:45):
they have to get there sooner toscan and and save bigger.
Leslie (21:50):
Yeah. Which yeah. It it plays on all the the things that
we do in sales. Fear of missingout and and but what it it
really does is it gets people,a, to get their information into
your system by saying, hey, I dowant this deal. I'm gonna scan
the code and put in so I can seewhat my discount is.
And once they see that discount,they can act quickly and you get
your product off the groundreally fast, get some sales
(22:11):
through the door really quickly,and and take your product and
turn it into like, this issomething that everybody wants.
Hey, we've already sold 20 ofthese, right? There's only five
more 50% discounts left, right?A huge great way to sell
something, especially fortickets like it's a higher
ticket item. If it's, you know,something that costs $2,300 and
you're saving 50%, it's like, ohmy god, what a deal, I should
buy this.
(22:31):
And then when it's like, hey,you you're in that second tier,
you still get 30% off, it's agood deal. And missing out on
one of those, like if you scanthe code and then you don't
purchase and you see it, allthose deals are gone. Well, the
next time a deal comes up,you're probably like, wait, I
gotta get on this because Imissed that last sale.
Len (22:47):
That's right.
Leslie (22:48):
Way to keep your customers engaged, way to keep
them on their toes. And if theylike your product, way to get
them to save a couple bucks onyour launch. So
Len (22:55):
Exactly. Yeah. And and then they also tell their friends.
Leslie (22:58):
Yeah.
Len (22:59):
Like, everyone loves getting those exclusive inside
deals, and they wanna share thatwith their friends. So they'll
they'll definitely share thatquickly. Now, I mean, that's
easy with retail, you know, inrestaurants, that's easy. But
what about like a servicebusiness? Alright.
A home service company could dothe same sort of thing where
(23:21):
they offer the first five get itfree.
Leslie (23:25):
Or if you're, like, a plumber or something like that,
and it's like, hey. The firstten, get a free drain
inspection. There's there's amillion different ways you can
do it. You can even announcethat you're launching a new
special offer on social mediabeforehand. So people that are
following you get first crack atit, then you launch that QR code
on your social media page.
So if they're following yourbusiness, they get first crack
(23:46):
and everyone else has to see itin the ads. You can basically
choose your own adventure andcreate to on a way to run an
offer any way you want. And Idon't wanna say they'll all be
successful, but anything'sbetter than nothing. Like,
having an awesome limited timeoffer is better than than not
having an awesome limited timeoffer. So, we encourage
businesses constantly to to getout and do things that engage
(24:09):
the audience.
This is probably one of the bestways to do it. I I can't think
of a better way. So
Len (24:15):
For sure. And and we've mentioned this a couple of
times, but I haven't exexplicitly described this.
What's really important is inbetween the scan and the offer
page is data collection on thatcustomer, right? Put the offer
behind a simple opt in form withtheir email, maybe their phone
(24:39):
number, and their name, andstart building your own database
of leads and customers so thatyou can continue to market to
them, knowing what exactlythey've already excited and
engaged with your brand about.If they've purchased something
because of that scan, or becauseof that offer or deal, put them
(25:02):
into a specific segment, andsend them more information about
that, and start building up yourown internal marketing, for
email, social media, etcetera.
Leslie (25:13):
Another thing that we encourage every business to do.
Len (25:18):
In fact
Leslie (25:19):
I was gonna say that we're gonna talk about that.
Len (25:21):
That's that's what we're gonna talk about next. We
haven't told anybody aboutSkyrocket yet.
Leslie (25:28):
No. Well, yeah, we should have done it earlier, but
here we go. We have a website.Well, Len has a website that you
can create and do all of thisstuff without any charge. It's
free to use.
And the reason why it's free touse, we think, is because every
business needs an opportunity togenerate income. I'll let Len
(25:51):
tell you more about Skyrocket,though.
Len (25:53):
Sure. You know, I've been using QR codes for years, and I
I was struggling to find a toolthat I could use, to get all of
those analytics and data and andall the different functions and
features without paying an armand a leg. So I just decided to
(26:14):
build my own. I put all of thefeatures and tools that I needed
for for myself, for treasuretrove, for my clients, and put
it into my own package, and thenI just decided, let's just share
that with everybody. So if yougo to skyrocketqr.com, you'll
see all the features, all thetools that you have there.
(26:37):
It's totally free. Register afree account, and you get
everything. I'm not gonna listall of the different features
because we'd be here all day.
Leslie (26:45):
Let's go to the website.
Len (26:46):
Basically, everything that you would pay someplace like
Bitly, or the other the other QRgenerators that have a free and
a premium listing, all thatstuff in the in the premium, you
get for free on skyrocketqr.com.So go there, start implementing
some of these ideas, Start usingthe analytics, dynamic links
(27:11):
that will help you to understandhow your audience, how your
customers are using QR codes inthe different places. Leslie
Leslie (27:19):
Yeah.
Len (27:19):
What's been your your big key takeaway from this episode?
Leslie (27:24):
To be honest, my my real key takeaway is is that there's
so many ways that you can use QRcodes to help grow the business
and do all the things that youwanna do outside of it. So, you
know, offer special promotions,send people to your website,
collect their info on forms, runspecial offers and limited time
offers, as well as advancedstuff like doing, you know,
(27:47):
limited time based activitiesand things like that. And it's
it's really as simple as yougetting them to take their phone
and use the the camera app onthe phone. And businesses think
that it's, you know, supercomplicated. You have to go on
social media, create a contestto all these things.
Well, it's like, no. Like, ifyou have people that come into
your store, you could buildlists and generate revenue and
(28:08):
give them limited time offersand sales just by printing a
code out. So, that's my maintakeaway is it's not as hard as
you would think it is. How aboutyou?
Len (28:20):
Yeah. One thing that I love about QR codes is that it
triggers so many of of ouremotional and psychological
curiosity. Right? When we seethe QR code, we naturally wanna
know what happens when we scanit, right? What will it reveal
on our phone?
What will it give us? And thatmakes using QR codes, not only
(28:44):
effective and streamlined, butfun, right? You can have a lot
of fun, especially if you startchanging the colors and design,
adding logos and frames to it,and you can really integrate it
well into your existing businessbranding, design, ads, and
incorporate it into somethingthat's a little bit more fun
(29:05):
than just, you know, visit ourwebsite for more information.
You know?
Leslie (29:10):
Yeah. That's totally fair. You know what? Maybe we'll
we'll sign off and leave it onthat, and we'll encourage our
people, our listeners to go toSkyrocket QR. Get on there, take
a look at it.
And if you have any questions,you just let us know. So until
next time, keep following themap to success.
Leslie. Hey. You know, I was just in China, over December
and January. And while that inand of itself was a fantastic
trip just to seize all thehistory and culture and amazing
things there. One thing thatkept sticking out was their use
of QR codes.
(00:23):
They're light years ahead. Yeah.And so, coming back home to
Canada and and sort of justseeing the smattering of QR
codes here and there, I realizedwe are so far behind in in how
we can use QR codes.
Leslie (00:39):
Right. Among other things. Right?
Len (00:42):
Yeah, among other things. But but but QR codes that I
mean, I've been saying this foryears, they are so powerful. And
there's so much more that youcan we can do with them. So I I
did a presentation a couple ofweeks ago. It was kind of like a
live master class.
I would like to share some ofthe insights that I had from
(01:02):
that, with our viewers and helpthem also help you guys to start
using QR codes in your own dayto day operations and marketing
and advertising so that you canactually benefit from them.
Like, it's it's easy.
Leslie (01:17):
Easy. I can imagine our viewers will be blown away by
what we shared with them today,and they will be very excited to
implement these themselves. Andit's great because we have a way
that you can do that. So cool.Stay tuned.
Alright.
Len (01:27):
Yeah. Well, let's get right into it.
Host (01:31):
Welcome to the Treasure Trove Toronto podcast dedicated
to transforming your localbusiness into the treasure jewel
of your Each week, cofoundersLen Marshall and Leslie Stout
bring you creative strategies,actionable marketing tips, and
fresh ideas to elevate yourcustomers' experience and build
deeper connections with yourcommunity. If you want your
(01:52):
local shop, restaurant, orservice to stand out, reach more
customers, and make your mark onToronto, you're in the right
place. Now here's Len andLeslie.
Leslie (02:05):
Good. Hi.
Len (02:06):
You started?
Leslie (02:07):
My name is Leslie Stout, cofounder of Treasure Toronto.
Len (02:10):
And I'm Len Marshall, cofounder of Treasure Trove
Toronto. And today, we aretalking about QR codes for your
business, marketing, operations,advertising. I'm really excited
about this. How about you,Leslie?
Leslie (02:24):
Yeah. I think it's gonna be fantastic. I I always we
always talk about it too. Wealways say, well, we don't use
QR codes the way we're supposedto, and I'm very happy that you
went to China and saw peoplethat did it the right way. So
now we can explain to them allthe things that are possible.
So.
Len (02:37):
That's, that's exactly it, right? It's just understanding
what's possible. Because rightnow I think 99% of the QR codes
that I see are just the verybasic links. So we'll get into
that. First of all, what is a QRcode?
If this is like confusing toyou, if you've never understood
them or never scanned them, whatis it? It's QR stands for quick
(03:01):
response code. And I think of itas kind of like a barcode for
your smartphone that takes youfrom the physical world to the
digital world through yourphone. I'm gonna jump into the
presentation now.
Leslie (03:18):
Yeah. Good to show them, but it's exactly the same thing.
You do take them from a physicallocation where you're out and
and rotating around into thedigital one, which you're
familiar with, the Internet,websites, and different
platforms that you'd want yourcustomers to engage with. So,
yeah.
Len (03:33):
Exactly. So, yeah, think of a QR code as a portal between
the physical and digitalexperience of your customers. If
you think about it this way,think about how your customers
interactions with your businesscan be enhanced through this
experience. So I've got three,maybe even four specific tactics
(03:58):
that we can use. The first oneis the bridge.
And this is sort of the verybasic, most essential use of QR
codes, where you basically makea simple connection between the
physical and digital world, liketyping in a URL into your
address and into your phone'sbrowser, right? At this level,
(04:20):
the QR code serves basicallyjust as a direct link to an
online destination. Instead ofasking customers to type in that
URL, they can simply scan the QRcode and be taken straight to
the page that you want them tovisit. This could be a website,
a booking page, a menu, a reviewform, or even your social
(04:40):
profiles.
Leslie (04:41):
Yeah. And the easy way to think about it is, like,
during COVID, people had menuswhere you'd scan the code to
access the menu to order yourfood instead of having a
physical menu. And that was aquick gap that took someone from
the physical space. You scan acode, now you have a digital
experience where on your phone,you can order from the menu. So
really easy.
And that's why I I like the termbridge. It's pretty good.
Len (05:03):
But there are a lot of other ways that you can use this
as well. No matter what businesstype you're in, the easiest way
is just to get started withputting them on your ads, in
promotions. Put them on yourbusiness cards, on your flyers,
brochures, posters, packaging,on your receipts, anywhere that
(05:24):
customers engage with yourbusiness, right? Restaurants
like have been putting them onthe tables, putting them on tent
cards. Salons can use them forsending people to their booking
calendar to book appointments,and retail stores can use them
for like an exclusive onlineoffer, sending people to a
(05:45):
coupon page.
It's also a great way forbridging the gap between digital
marketing and in personinteractions. For example, if
you've run if you're running aFacebook or an Instagram ad,
include a QR code in the printads or in store signage so that
people can instantly follow youonline. So what are the results
(06:09):
of this? Like, what can youexpect? I would say the big the
biggest benefit of using QRcodes at this level is just
reducing friction, right?
If a customer has to type in aURL, the chances of them
actually doing that are prettylow. But a QR code removes that
barrier and increases theengagement. It's kind of a fun
thing to do, like what's gonnahappen when I scan the QR code?
Leslie (06:33):
Also, it takes them like, it makes it easier for
them to to follow thatinteraction with their phone,
you know, instead of booking itand writing down your name and
address and stuff like that.People rather go to a menu where
it's prefilled or they can justtype in what they need to type
in. Exactly. Yeah. A lot oftimes collecting information is
10 times easier with someone'ssmartphone than it is someone
using an actual pen.
And so using the QR codesenables you to do that in a way
(06:56):
that they're used tointeracting. So awesome.
Len (06:59):
Now one of the ways that we're using QR codes at at
Treasure Trove Toronto is weinclude a QR code for each of
our events on posters to directthe attendees to our
registration page. We put themon window clings like these ones
so that people can quicklyaccess our website in the
(07:22):
neighborhood that they'revisiting.
Leslie (07:24):
Looking for a business card.
Len (07:25):
Oh, we even put the we put it on the back of our business
card, which I don't have infront of right now. We have a QR
code on our business card, whichpresents business owners with a
link to go and create a freelisting on our directory. So
there's lots of simple ways toto use QR codes to to streamline
(07:45):
and remove the friction ofgetting people from, you know,
holding their phone to actuallydoing something on their phone.
Alright. Do you wanna hear leveltwo?
Leslie (07:56):
Yes. Let's move on to level two. Stay deeper.
Len (07:58):
This this is the part I get excited about. Level two is the
data driver. Okay? So at levelone, we have a static link that
takes people to a page. At leveltwo, we can actually start to
track some of that information.
So now we go beyond just linkingto a website. We start
(08:21):
collecting data. We starttracking customer engagement and
using that information toimprove your existing marketing
efforts. Right? This is wherethe businesses can see a direct
ROI from the QR codes.
And how this works isessentially using a dynamic
code. So so think of scanningthe QR code and seeing a URL.
(08:46):
Instead of taking them directlyto that link, we put something
in between. And that that littlesomething, it's like a redirect,
is where we can measure. We canmeasure how many times it's been
scanned, the time of day thatpeople are scanning, the devices
that they're using to scan, thegeneral location of those scans,
(09:09):
which would be great if you havea regional or a national
campaign, and the conversionrate of the scanned users taking
action.
So that's a lot of data thathelps to inform how the QR codes
are being used.
Leslie (09:26):
I think that's that turns into a a measurable
impact. So you can take thosecodes now, you can actually use
that tracking to see if it'sworking, how much it's working,
where it's working, makeinformed decisions based on it.
So, the next level, essentially.
Len (09:41):
Exactly. Now there's some cool things you can do with this
now, because unlike a static QRcode, once you create that QR
code, you can't change it. Butwith dynamic QR codes, you can.
So you can now manipulate howthe user is getting to that
destination. So let's say youhave a time sensitive promotion,
(10:05):
right?
So like a restaurant wants torun a lunch special. And the QR
code that links to the dailymenu is on their wall or
whatever, they can change thedestination of the data that's
going to that, QR code andchange the menu. Or, let's think
(10:28):
of a retail experience. Soretail store launches a weekend
only sale, The QR code leads tothe sales page, but after the
sale ends, the link is updatedto a general discount offer, or
takes them to some other page onthe website. So you can be
really specific about how howpeople are using, how and when
(10:50):
people are using that QR code.
Yeah.
Leslie (10:53):
You can even add a little mystery to it. Like, you
can have a QR code and say, hey.Check here for our weekly
specials, and you can update thespecial every week as someone
just scans that code, and theyscan that code consistently
because they wanna know whatthat special is all the time,
and that code can always bechanging. So really cool.
Len (11:09):
I saw that being used with Pizza Pizza.
Leslie (11:12):
Yeah.
Len (11:13):
They had a QR code on all of their boxes, and rather than
reprinting the code every timethey needed to change it every
week, they would just changewhere that QR code would
redirect to. So one timeprinting, change it as often as
they want. At Treasure Trove,we've been doing this QR code to
(11:35):
on signage to direct attendeesto the event agenda or to the
specific, opt in for that event.So we can keep track of who's
scanning, like where the code isthat they're scanning, and then
redirecting them to the specificevent that they're that we're
running at the time. And wealready talked about AB testing,
(11:59):
So let's say you've got a QRcode, you're running an ad in a
magazine, you're running an adon a billboard, and you want to
see which of those twoplacements are performing better
so that you know where you'regoing to do your advertising
spend in the future.
And you can have the same sameQR code on both of those, but
(12:20):
it's going through and you cansee which one is being scanned
by the data in the analytics. Sovery useful.
Leslie (12:28):
Very cool. And you can also just turn those
interactions in in those datadriven experience in into much
more. You can take that and say,hey. These people that are
scanning these codes becomingcustomers. These people are not.
Maybe we lead them to adifferent sequence or nurturing.
You can collect information byday, by device, by time, and it
(12:49):
turns it into, you being able toplan your a digital strategy
based on what people are doingin the real world, which is data
that every single marketer inthe world wants. So super cool.
Len (13:00):
Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. Alright. Level three.
Level three. I call this one themultiplier. This is the point
where QR codes go from beingsimple tools to interactive
experiences that driveengagement, loyalty, and viral
marketing. K? With with thistype of approach to QR codes,
(13:22):
businesses can use QR codes tocreate gamified customer
experiences like like a QR codethat unlocks rewards based on
participation or milestones.
It could be for social sharingincentives, right? QR codes that
encourage customers to sharecontent or refer friends. It
(13:43):
could be for exclusive dynamicrewards. You know, think of a QR
code that grants VIP access,loyalty perks, or time sensitive
deals, right, like we talkedabout. The key here is that
every scan creates anotheraction, right, multiplying
customer engagement instead ofjust being the one and done
(14:04):
interaction.
How this could work. Let's lookat the social sharing for a sec.
We can create a viral loop,right? So imagine scanning a QR
code at a cafe, and it says, geta free coffee when you share
this on Instagram, right? Andthen the user clicks the link,
and it generates a prefilledInstagram story with a business
(14:28):
tag and special promotion code.
So the person just has to snap apicture of their coffee and send
it, post it, and it's done.Right? But each person who
shares helps spread thatpromotion, and the business gets
free organic reach from everyscan. The other way you could
(14:49):
use these is like with a loyaltyor referral code, like a hidden
perk. Instead of just using ageneric paper rewards card, you
know, like coffee shops andMcDonald's have, you can create
a personal QR code for eachuser.
And then every time they scan atthe checkout, they get a new
(15:11):
exclusive offer based on theirpast visit.
Leslie (15:13):
I have a crazy hypothetical for you. Do you
know how, like, McDonald's rightnow has a scan to win? And you,
like, basically scan the code,it tells you you won a free copy
or something like that. Can youdo that with the QR code? So say
people come up, they scan thatQR code and say every fifteenth
scan, somebody wins a freecoffee or a discounted deal or
something like that.
(15:33):
Is that possible?
Len (15:36):
Yeah. Absolutely. Right? So using that dynamic QR code,
every time someone scans it,it's being connected to a CRM or
some sort of loyalty program andkeeping track of the number of
clicks. And they've got it setso that in, like, every
fifteenth scan, the redirectgoes to the reward page versus
(16:01):
sorry, try again page.
Not hard to do.
Leslie (16:05):
Yeah. I mean, it kinda makes
Len (16:07):
a positive hard to do. Yeah. But but it's not
complicated in this in how it'sexecuted.
Leslie (16:13):
Yeah. So it turns into, like, you anything you can think
of in terms of rewards andloyalty programs are possible
with QR codes. And and that iswhere the dynamic kinda changes.
You can have conversations. Asas far as a a business
imagination goes, you can takedynamic QR codes and put that
actually into practice.
And that's, I think, where theconversation should start. It's
like, hey, what do you wannaaccomplish here? What are your
(16:35):
dreams for your business? Do youdream of having a contest where
every time someone buys, theyscan a card and can win a
certain amount of prizes. Well,what prizes are those?
We can make that happen. Here'show we can do it, you know. And
taking that from, hey, I wish Icould do that because this
awesome store does it to, I cando this for my business and it's
not that hard. I think that's ahuge part of what well, we can
(16:56):
do it and what marketers can dowith QR codes. And the fact that
we're using it just to, like,look at menus and stuff is is
the that's it's almost a crime.
It's a crime that we're notusing it to its full potential.
So
Len (17:08):
It's a crime against marketing. Yeah. Yeah. I'm gonna
put that on a t shirt.
Leslie (17:13):
Yeah.
Len (17:15):
Yeah. I mean, with with with QR codes, because because
all of the interactions arehappening on the phone, there
are so many other ways ofconnecting people to your brand,
whether it's just through abrowser or directly through an
app like Facebook, or Instagram,or YouTube. But but really being
(17:40):
able to measure and track all ofthat information, that's really
the important valuable part fora business, right? And creating
these these different campaignsor ideas really just takes a bit
of imagination. Say, this iswhat I want to have happen.
And then we just figure out whatare the steps to make that as
smooth as possible. Right? Sowith the multiplier, really what
(18:06):
you're gonna be getting from allof this is like increased
engagement and brand awareness,especially if you're doing like
a social viral social campaign,where people are sharing,
getting your your message outthere.
Leslie (18:19):
Yep.
Len (18:20):
But it also builds higher customer retention, right?
Gamifying and and giving peopleexclusive perks builds that
loyalty and and keeps themconnected to your business. And
then with that, it just leads tomore sales with zero extra ad
(18:41):
spend. We Right? Because it'sall happening organically.
Yeah. Every scan and every shareincreases your brand awareness
and exposure without the cost ofrunning ads.
Leslie (18:52):
We talk about gamifying a lot, and it's because people
like to engage with things thatare entertaining. And so if you
make something like, hey. Dothis and win or do this and
here's the result that canhappen from it, people are more
inclined to take the action. Andso the more you can encourage
action amongst your customers,the more you get them to come
back and bring their friends,which is how you make money. So
(19:13):
yeah.
Len (19:14):
Well, that leads me to one additional level because we can
always take it one step further.I'm always looking how can we
take this to the next level. Andthen we have the boss level.
Leslie (19:28):
Right?
Len (19:31):
I call this one the key master. Okay, now that we've
covered those other threelevels, let's talk about a
tactic that can completelychange how the business drives
instant sales and customerengagement. Really, that's the
bottom line, right? We want wewant more sales, we want more
customer engagement. So with thekey master idea, it takes
(19:54):
inspiration from like thatlimited time flash sale that we
see a lot online.
But we can do we can take all ofthose other elements, right,
from the first three levels andinclude it into here. So the the
idea is simple, but it'sextremely effective. A QR code
(20:14):
that links to a special offerthat is time sensitive and
limited in quantity. Thediscount or the deal changes
dynamically based on how manypeople scan it. And then once
the maximum number ofredemptions is hit, the offer
either disappears or changes toa less valuable deal.
(20:38):
Okay? So instead of having astatic discount that runs
forever, and everyone gets thesame thing, you can create a
real sense of urgency andexclusivity by by having this
The faster you get in, the moreyou can save. And the more you
sit on the fence, those saleopportunities are are going. So
(21:03):
it's a pretty fun way to drive alot of engagement and sales.
It's quick.
That creates a little bit ofFOMO, right? Fear of missing
out. That really triggerspeople. And then customers feel
that urgency, and they takeaction immediately. So let's
(21:23):
look at the retail stores.
That's the easy one, right? Aclothing store can run a scan to
save deal in store, right? Andthe first twenty scanners get
40% off, and then the next 50get 25% off, and after that
drops to 10. Right? So thenumber of people walking in and
making a purchase, they'remaking instant savings, but but
(21:45):
they have to get there sooner toscan and and save bigger.
Leslie (21:50):
Yeah. Which yeah. It it plays on all the the things that
we do in sales. Fear of missingout and and but what it it
really does is it gets people,a, to get their information into
your system by saying, hey, I dowant this deal. I'm gonna scan
the code and put in so I can seewhat my discount is.
And once they see that discount,they can act quickly and you get
your product off the groundreally fast, get some sales
(22:11):
through the door really quickly,and and take your product and
turn it into like, this issomething that everybody wants.
Hey, we've already sold 20 ofthese, right? There's only five
more 50% discounts left, right?A huge great way to sell
something, especially fortickets like it's a higher
ticket item. If it's, you know,something that costs $2,300 and
you're saving 50%, it's like, ohmy god, what a deal, I should
buy this.
(22:31):
And then when it's like, hey,you you're in that second tier,
you still get 30% off, it's agood deal. And missing out on
one of those, like if you scanthe code and then you don't
purchase and you see it, allthose deals are gone. Well, the
next time a deal comes up,you're probably like, wait, I
gotta get on this because Imissed that last sale.
Len (22:47):
That's right.
Leslie (22:48):
Way to keep your customers engaged, way to keep
them on their toes. And if theylike your product, way to get
them to save a couple bucks onyour launch. So
Len (22:55):
Exactly. Yeah. And and then they also tell their friends.
Leslie (22:58):
Yeah.
Len (22:59):
Like, everyone loves getting those exclusive inside
deals, and they wanna share thatwith their friends. So they'll
they'll definitely share thatquickly. Now, I mean, that's
easy with retail, you know, inrestaurants, that's easy. But
what about like a servicebusiness? Alright.
A home service company could dothe same sort of thing where
(23:21):
they offer the first five get itfree.
Leslie (23:25):
Or if you're, like, a plumber or something like that,
and it's like, hey. The firstten, get a free drain
inspection. There's there's amillion different ways you can
do it. You can even announcethat you're launching a new
special offer on social mediabeforehand. So people that are
following you get first crack atit, then you launch that QR code
on your social media page.
So if they're following yourbusiness, they get first crack
(23:46):
and everyone else has to see itin the ads. You can basically
choose your own adventure andcreate to on a way to run an
offer any way you want. And Idon't wanna say they'll all be
successful, but anything'sbetter than nothing. Like,
having an awesome limited timeoffer is better than than not
having an awesome limited timeoffer. So, we encourage
businesses constantly to to getout and do things that engage
(24:09):
the audience.
This is probably one of the bestways to do it. I I can't think
of a better way. So
Len (24:15):
For sure. And and we've mentioned this a couple of
times, but I haven't exexplicitly described this.
What's really important is inbetween the scan and the offer
page is data collection on thatcustomer, right? Put the offer
behind a simple opt in form withtheir email, maybe their phone
(24:39):
number, and their name, andstart building your own database
of leads and customers so thatyou can continue to market to
them, knowing what exactlythey've already excited and
engaged with your brand about.If they've purchased something
because of that scan, or becauseof that offer or deal, put them
(25:02):
into a specific segment, andsend them more information about
that, and start building up yourown internal marketing, for
email, social media, etcetera.
Leslie (25:13):
Another thing that we encourage every business to do.
Len (25:18):
In fact
Leslie (25:19):
I was gonna say that we're gonna talk about that.
Len (25:21):
That's that's what we're gonna talk about next. We
haven't told anybody aboutSkyrocket yet.
Leslie (25:28):
No. Well, yeah, we should have done it earlier, but
here we go. We have a website.Well, Len has a website that you
can create and do all of thisstuff without any charge. It's
free to use.
And the reason why it's free touse, we think, is because every
business needs an opportunity togenerate income. I'll let Len
(25:51):
tell you more about Skyrocket,though.
Len (25:53):
Sure. You know, I've been using QR codes for years, and I
I was struggling to find a toolthat I could use, to get all of
those analytics and data and andall the different functions and
features without paying an armand a leg. So I just decided to
(26:14):
build my own. I put all of thefeatures and tools that I needed
for for myself, for treasuretrove, for my clients, and put
it into my own package, and thenI just decided, let's just share
that with everybody. So if yougo to skyrocketqr.com, you'll
see all the features, all thetools that you have there.
(26:37):
It's totally free. Register afree account, and you get
everything. I'm not gonna listall of the different features
because we'd be here all day.
Leslie (26:45):
Let's go to the website.
Len (26:46):
Basically, everything that you would pay someplace like
Bitly, or the other the other QRgenerators that have a free and
a premium listing, all thatstuff in the in the premium, you
get for free on skyrocketqr.com.So go there, start implementing
some of these ideas, Start usingthe analytics, dynamic links
(27:11):
that will help you to understandhow your audience, how your
customers are using QR codes inthe different places. Leslie
Leslie (27:19):
Yeah.
Len (27:19):
What's been your your big key takeaway from this episode?
Leslie (27:24):
To be honest, my my real key takeaway is is that there's
so many ways that you can use QRcodes to help grow the business
and do all the things that youwanna do outside of it. So, you
know, offer special promotions,send people to your website,
collect their info on forms, runspecial offers and limited time
offers, as well as advancedstuff like doing, you know,
(27:47):
limited time based activitiesand things like that. And it's
it's really as simple as yougetting them to take their phone
and use the the camera app onthe phone. And businesses think
that it's, you know, supercomplicated. You have to go on
social media, create a contestto all these things.
Well, it's like, no. Like, ifyou have people that come into
your store, you could buildlists and generate revenue and
(28:08):
give them limited time offersand sales just by printing a
code out. So, that's my maintakeaway is it's not as hard as
you would think it is. How aboutyou?
Len (28:20):
Yeah. One thing that I love about QR codes is that it
triggers so many of of ouremotional and psychological
curiosity. Right? When we seethe QR code, we naturally wanna
know what happens when we scanit, right? What will it reveal
on our phone?
What will it give us? And thatmakes using QR codes, not only
(28:44):
effective and streamlined, butfun, right? You can have a lot
of fun, especially if you startchanging the colors and design,
adding logos and frames to it,and you can really integrate it
well into your existing businessbranding, design, ads, and
incorporate it into somethingthat's a little bit more fun
(29:05):
than just, you know, visit ourwebsite for more information.
You know?
Leslie (29:10):
Yeah. That's totally fair. You know what? Maybe we'll
we'll sign off and leave it onthat, and we'll encourage our
people, our listeners to go toSkyrocket QR. Get on there, take
a look at it.
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