If you are responsible for marketing your local business, then you have most likely heard about QR codes, and it is even more likely that you have noticed these unique-looking "codes" popping up all over the place. Those pixilated boxes on coupons, advertisements, signs and more are QR codes. And those codes are your next great marketing ploy. Keeping up in today's technology-based culture means staying abreast of the latest marketing advancements, and QR codes are at the top of that list.

Interested in what QR codes can do for you?

Here are five great ways you can use QR codes for your local business:

Showcasing your goods.

Do you have a new product or service that you really want to promote?

Then link a QR code to an online product presentation.

Feature your business offering in full color and detail, so that when customers scan your code, they are put face to face with your tempting advertisement.

Offering special deals.

One great way to get people to scan your QR code, and to in turn win them over as customers, is to offer a special deal via QR code.

Link to a coupon or web-only offer and watch the new business roll in.

Measuring marketing effectiveness.

Using QR codes to market your business offers you a unique opportunity to measure the effectiveness of that marketing.

When you use QR codes, it is easy to track turnover rates, so that you can alter your marketing as needed to improve your results.

Branding.

One very creative way of using QR codes to better your business marketing is by branding them. How do you brand a QR code?

Well, you can actually incorporate your business' logo into the QR code, itself, to create a lasting impression on your customers.

How much of your competition is making use of QR codes in this way? Not much (if any). Now that's staying ahead of the pack!

Social media.

There's no argument that social media marketing is pertinent to the success of your local business. Link a QR code to your social media accounts to increase your followers, and thereby increase your reach and strengthen your Internet presence. QR codes are a great way to increase your local business' customer base. The best thing is that QR code marketing campaigns are extremely cost-efficient, as well as extremely effective.

Make the most of your QR code marketing by enlisting the help of a professional (like Bill!).

One of the reasons QR Codes are taking time to get mainstream consumer acceptance is because business owners are not creating a positive and value-driven experience. Consumers don't want to take the time to scan your code just to land on a general information website. They expect to get a rewarding experience so here are some tips on how to do this.

Have Valuable Rewards

To create valuable rewards, it's essential to do your homework and carefully research your target market to see what they appreciate, what psychological triggers they respond to and so on. Your rewards should be clearly spelled out so that there will be no misinterpretation issues. Each niche market has its valuable rewards but here are some general ones you can use to get some ideas:

* Free entry into a contest to win something of value
* Access to coupon codes that will save them money on their next purchase
* Access to daily deals that are available only for a certain time
* Access to downloadable ebooks, audio clips, ringtones
* Access to a live customer service person who can answer their questions, solve their problems, give them a free quote etc
* A video that demonstrates how a product works, a funny or shocking video that is going viral, a virtual tour of a location.
* Exclusive access to a product, service or information

Deliver on Your Promises

It's important for your business to deliver on its promises to maintain a favorable brand image. If you have a successful QR Code campaign but fail to deliver the rewards, people will have a bitter taste and will be reluctant to scan your codes again. By thoroughly testing your Code Campaigns from start to finish, you can iron out any glitches in the system and make sure your target market has a seamless experience. Also make sure to have a back-up plan to handle any complaints and problems as quickly as possible.

One of the ways QR Codes can help a small business is by creating a social buzz online. If youíve wondered how to add more fans and followers and have a more active and vibrant social media account, QR Codes could just do the trick.

Here are 2 tips on how to create a social buzz using QR Codes:

1. Create a separate social media marketing campaign for your small business. For example, you can do the following:

– Have quizzes and trivia where people can only participate via social media
– Offer coupons and giveaways that are only accessible to your fans or followers
– Have people "Like" a product, service or experience they bought or had with your business.
– Create a conversation about a particular topic on your social media accounts that relates to your products or services. This conversation should be fun and stimulating enough to make people want to join and participate. For example, a shoe store could start a thread about "If I had $100 I would buy this shoe" and then reward the best post with a $100 voucher.

Whatever campaign you come up with, use QR Codes to enroll more people to the social media buzz by using QR Codes in your offline ads. For example a hotel could have a QR Code that reads "Join this weeks trivia quiz on Twitter and stand a chance to win a free night for two". The code would obviously lead the scanner to the hotels Twitter page

2. Another way QR Codes can help with your social media presence is through checkins and reviews. You can make it easier for people to do Foursquare and Facebook checkins on their mobile phone by providing a specific QR Code within your store that they can easily scan. These checkins improve your social ratings and increase your business exposure to a larger network of the scanner's friends. In addition, you can have your clients scan the codes and leave their reviews on social review sites like Google Places and Yelp, helping you to get more reviews in the bag that will boost your SEO rankings.