8 Ideas to Make Better Use of Quick Response Codes
Christy Scanell

Test Your QR IQ

Quick response codes—those ad bar codes you scan with your smartphone to access information—aren’t just for businesses. Market your ministry by using QR codes in these ways.

Tap into QR codes anytime you want immediate action, such as registering for an event or offering something to your congregation or community.

Target your demographic. A poster or street sign with a QR code for an event directed at younger people will find its target. But a QR code in your church newsletter announcing a new ministry to seniors is likely to be overlooked.

Tackle responsibilities. A QR code can be quickly created to check kids in and out of your children’s ministry area, and it can lead to a simple sign-in page for visitors.

Think interactive. For example, a recent J.C. Penney campaign offered a Santa tag with a QR code. Gift buyers could use the code to record a voice message for the recipient, who could then scan that same code to hear the message. How might you use that strategy for ministry outreach?

Trigger more communication. Design the QR code to generate an email that starts an auto-responder, sending daily emails with Scriptures or encouragements.

Tighten your belt. Let QR codes save you money by putting them in your Sunday bulletin, for instance, to direct people to more info on your website and reduce the bulletin size. Or if you have a young congregation, simply post a QR code in the church entrance, where people can scan it and read the newsletter on their smartphones.

Track those scans. In addition to offering info, analyze who scanned your QR codes, providing a direct measure for your marketing effectiveness.

Take time to market your QR codes creatively. Krispy Kreme “hid” its QR codes in a snowflake design on the doughnut box.

This article “8 Ideas to Make Better Use of Quick Response Codes” by Christy Scanell was excerpted from: www.outreachmagazine.com website. January 2012. It may be used for study & research purposes only.

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”