QR codes are back and agents are tapping into the potential applications in their marketing
By Lisa A. Beach
Mark Handlovitch, CRS, associate broker with REMAX Real Estate Solutions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, sent out a postcard mailing to a targeted community.
He included a QR code (short for quick response) so recipients could scan it for listing details. A couple, who wanted to sell their home but were afraid to do so without buying a new home first, scanned the QR code. It took them to a unique website landing page where they input their information to request listing details. Handlovitch set up an appointment, conducted a walk-through of the home and brought them on as a client.
“They came to me as a buyer first,” notes Handlovitch. “I showed them how to buy without having to sell their home, since my lender had a program to do that.” He qualified the client to buy, then sold their home after the fact. “It kind of went in reverse—they wanted to sell then buy—and it all started with the QR code.”
The debut and demise of QR codes
Handlovitch began using QR codes when they were first developed in the mid-1990s.
“I jumped on the bandwagon early and thought QR codes were a great way to communicate and guide people,” he explains. At the time, QR codes required a separate mobile app to scan and open, making them cumbersome to use. Brands adopted QR codes in their marketing, but consumers didn’t follow in droves. Then, with the explosive use of video in marketing, boring QR codes fell by the wayside.
Or did they?
Evolution and resurgence
Flash forward to today, where the ability to scan QR codes is embedded in today’s smartphones via the built-in camera. This allows users to easily scan, click and follow the link. The technology evolved, and QR codes now provide a customizable barcode technology that can be embedded with a unique URL.
Then, the pandemic hit, changing the way real estate agents marketed to and interacted with buyers and sellers. But real estate agents found that QR codes worked perfectly in this new era of contactless, remote marketing.
“We went paperless specifically because of COVID,” explains James W. Nellis II, CRS, serving the Washington, D.C. metro area as CEO and licensed real estate salesperson with The Nellis Group. “We wanted to be conservative for clients, so we started using QR code software, putting the front of the house inside the QR code.” Nellis also used QR codes back in the 1990s but dropped the technology in the early 2000s.
Using QR codes in your marketing
With QR codes surging in popularity again, how can real estate agents use QR codes to drive traffic to their various digital platforms?
Start with a custom QR code. No matter where you use QR codes, customize each one. (It’s surprisingly simple to create QR codes, thanks to free QR code generators such as QR Monkey and QR Code Generator.) You can take Nellis’ approach by branding your QR code, complete with his company’s logo, property photo or other key message.
Drive people to custom URLs. Grab the opportunity to send prospects to a strategic location. The ability to create unique URLs for everything, from specific listings to specific campaigns, gives you unlimited marketing potential. Nellis uses two custom QR codes for every property listed—one goes to the listing page and the other goes to the open house registration. “Open house registration is a game changer that should be used by every agent,” advises Nellis.
Track your results. The robust tracking abilities can, among other things, provide total numbers of people who scan them, where they originated from, and subsequent user clicks and views. “With QR code tracking, I can pinpoint where prospects are coming from, whether it’s from mobile, computer or even a postcard,” explains Handlovitch. He can make a QR code specific to a piece of marketing material, such as a mailing or a social post, then focus more effort on that if he sees it’s driving results.
“I can track my efforts for the same house on 10 different marketing platforms,” he says.
Use QR codes throughout the customer journey. QR codes can do more than just generate leads. They can be used to build awareness, inform consideration of your service, increase retention and (the holy grail) transform satisfied clients into advocates.
These are a few possibilities of what they could link to:
- Open house registration
- Property listing details
- Explainer video of how to prepare your home for an open house
- FAQ section for buyers or sellers
- Fillable PDF of a form or questionnaire
- Community resource page with recommended plumbers, electricians, landscaping companies, etc.
- Landing page about your community service efforts
- Moving checklist
- Drone footage of the property
- Latest podcast episode featuring a live Q&A
Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to use them, especially if you’ve used them in the past but abandoned them. “It’s not your grandma’s QR code,” says Handlovitch. “The analytics and the ability to direct people and track how they got there make all the difference.”
How QR Codes Make a Difference
Now that you know how to use QR codes, what are some of the benefits of using them?
Attract prospects. Mark Handlovitch, CRS, an associate broker at REMAX Real Estate Solutions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, thinks of QR codes more as pull marketing than push marketing. “You can give so much information at the prospects’ request rather than forcing them to watch a video,” he explains.
Capture accurate, thorough information. James W. Nellis II, CRS, CEO and licensed real estate salesperson with The Nellis Group in Washington, D.C., recalls the days of using clipboards to register open house attendees. “We couldn’t read their handwriting sometimes,” he says. Now, people scan the QR code, which leads them to the event registration page. Because people type their information, the readability helps increase lead conversion.
Provide value. For Nellis’ open house registration, the QR code leads to a brief questionnaire. One of the questions asks, “Would you like to know about deadlines for any offers?” Nellis point out that this provides a clear benefit for people willing to give their information.
Maximize your budget. “We cut down on our printing costs, such as for brochures and mailers, with the lowest level of print use ever,” notes Nellis. “Thanks to the analytics and tracking, you’ve got better oversight of where you’re spending your money and how effective it’s been,” explains Handlovitch. “It’s a great opportunity for me to utilize and know where to focus my money.”
Need help with QR code generation? Consider using Visuallead, QR Code Generator or QRCode Monkey.
Photo: iStock.com/Thanumporn Thongkongkaew
