QR codes are in use by many commercial ventures such as Amazon, Walmart, and Tesco. You may have also seen these 2D codes on products such as Heinz ketchup bottles and Samsung TVs. You may also have seen them on buses and billboards at public places that promote an event, a consumer product, or a new movie.
So, there might be a strong opinion in your mind that QR codes are useful mainly for profit-seeking or commercial markets. However, this is not true. This is because even non-profits can use them as their ideal marketing tool. In fact, non-profit organizations have already started using them.
For example, a non-profit organization, the South Carolina Aquarium have used QR codes for its Be Rare Contest. Introduced as a part of a scavenger hunt for the city, these codes were printed on pictures of alligators speckled around the metropolis.
The participants strived to be the first to scan the codes. In this way, the public across the city was engaged in the contest that aimed to promote the latest albino alligator exhibit at the aquarium. This is what happens when a typical scavenger hunt is transformed into a high-tech gala.
This is just one of the ideas of how non-profits can use these 2D codes and remain connected with the public. Here are some more ideas for them to consider:
Leading to the Official Website or Donation Page
Print media such as brochures, booklets, and flyers have space limitations. Thus, it is inevitable for any non-profit organization to provide content on their website, as there are hardly any space limitations there. In fact, the real essence of your content is on the official website where eventually the visitors should go.
Now, by inserting a QR code on flyers and other print media and embedding the website URL in it, the target audience can promptly scan it and quickly visit the website. If scanned using a smartphone, the website will open on the mobile screen.
Non-profits can even lead people as potential followers to a donation page or an URL offering pertinent information about the organization’s mission, events, or campaigns. Heinz had run a social responsibility campaign through which the customers were asked to scan the code to thank a veteran and share it on social media. For each thanks, Heinz donated $1 to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Non-profits should consider including a dynamic URL in the code if people should see a donation webpage that is likely to get updated or changed in the future. Ideally, they should direct people to the webpage sharing the cause of donation and provide a link to donate on that page.
After all, people are busy and if they are asked to log on to their computers to make a donation, the conversion rate is likely to be lower.
Getting Supporters on Social Media
There are paid campaigns online through which it is possible to get Facebook or Twitter followers. However, they are costly. Further, the followers gained through such adverts may not be relevant. So, how about getting relevant followers directly from the QR code on the outdoor promotions or print media?
Here is what non-profits can do: Create a QR code for giving some reward such as a freebie or a bonus once people like the organization’s Facebook page. Doing so and sharing it publicly significantly increase the probability of winning rewards for participants.
Even better, link the QR code to a webpage that consists of links to all social media profiles. The individual who scans it can then select her or his preferred platform.
Inviting People to your Upcoming Events
It is common for any non-profit organization to conduct different events for promoting its cause. It can use QR codes for sharing event details, event venues, or even event reminders.
In the promotional material for an upcoming event, a non-profit organization can add a QR code that asks the scanning smartphone to save the embedded event details to the default calendar app. This helps in reminding the event to the potential supporters.
The code can even point the event’s location on Google Maps so that the participants do not have to struggle in finding the address.
Conclusion
These are just a few ways of how QR codes can prove to be useful to non-profits. They help in gaining more supporters and spreading a word of their cause through online channels.
