QR Codes: Enter the Matrix

<---- You've seen them. I know you've seen them. You know? Those little pixelated barcode-looking thingies? Yeah, they're called QR Codes and are popping up everywhere!! Online...in magazines...in marketing materials. If you are not familiar with them, then it's time for you to enter the matrix.

QR, aka "Quick Response", is a 2-D barcode that can be decoded by QR readers and various cell phone apps. With the appropriate techie tools, you can use them to generate coding for text, URLs, phone numbers, email addys, calendar events, geographical location, and more. But you're probably wondering what QR can do for you, huh? Well, here are a few ideas:

• Take people to your website address.
• Offer a discount to customers.
• Help customers pinpoint your physical location.
• Spread the word about upcoming events.
• Create opportunities for mobile marketing (SMS).

Understand that QR codes are not a "be all, end all" solution, but they will help draw in some of your more tech-savvy customers. And who knows...between Facebook, Twitter and blogging, those customers might help spread the word faster than Underdog can save Sweet Polly!! ;)

(Almost) Free Promos

One of the biggest problems for small home-based businesses is marketing. Let's face it. You don't have a huge advertising budget or thousands of dollars to spend in the marketing arena. But you do want to look big, act big and feel big. That's the only way you can compete --- the only way clients will take you seriously. So what's a penny-pinching entrepreneur to do? You find cost-effective and FREE ways to make it happen!

Let's start with social media. As time-consuming and silly as it may seem to some, outlets like Facebook and Twitter can help get your business buzz out to the masses. By signing up, you afford yourself an opportunity to reach a market segment that you might have overlooked, otherwise. AND they can help you connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and businesses that could help promote your products or services. Still not convinced of the power of social media? Then, it's high time that you read a good book: The Zen of Social Media Marketing

However, most potential clients and customers need more than a social media front before they will consider purchasing your products or paying for your services. That means you need some sort of website. Whether you decide on a free service, a blog or a full-service website, it has to portray the image that you want to have burned into the minds of your customers. Do you want something clean and professional, primitive and country or funny and funky? Think about it...you surf the web for a photographer for your child's senior pictures. You find a ton of websites, many that are BO-ring and have no character. Is THAT what you are looking for in a photographer? As you continue your search, you find Red Chair Rue, which specializes in modern urban photography. What's the first thing that catches your attention? The hip-hop music, right??? Right??? Boo-yah!! You have found your photographer!

But wait...there's more! You still need to secure some in-your-hand marketing stuff. Business cards, postcards, t-shirts, flyers, letterhead, and so on. Wanna know my secret? Vistaprint! The key is to order only what you need and cash in on as many FREE deals as possible. I mean, who doesn't like FREE??? Wanna know another secret? "Like" their Facebook page (after you sign-up, of course :) and click on the "Deals" link to take advantage of their current discounts. They advertise several free offers where you will pay a nominal fee for uploads --- sometimes nada --- and shipping.

And now that you've saved all that money, you can put it to better use!