Sunday, April 17, 2011

Selling Books and eBooks with QR Codes


Selling Books and eBooks with QR Codes

Prediction for 2011 above

So, if you have a QR scanner, did you scan that QR Code yet?  Admit it. There’s a huge curiosity factor with these and I just threw this thing together in a couple of minutes.
QR codes are generated for free online, an example site is http://qrcode.kaywa.com/. The image created can be of various sizes, depending on its intended use. The code block can be read by a smartphone with a barcode or QR Code reader application installed on it (there are many of these apps, all available for free download).
One can embed a URL, a block of text (250 character max), or a phone number in a QR Code. Combined with a bit of creativity, there are a ton of possibilities. Some examples would be:
1.       Adding QR Codes to existing publications. Even if they have a phone number or web address, people with a smartphone will have a direct connection to the information (be able to call or go straight to the web address). In the case of 99 cent eBooks, even if there was a poster or something that had all of the information, scanning a QR code would allow for an instant trip to the book’s Amazon page where it can become an impulse buy. After all, eReading software is available for all smartphones!
2.       Utilizing the mystery aspect, the QR codes hit into natural human curiosity. Naturally, some may feel as though it is unethical to make things a complete mystery but a cool example of something alluring would be to put a poster in an airport that says “Award Winning eRead for the Plane Trip” and stick the QR code for the Amazon site. Boom, they’ll probably buy it. Actually, book sales in airports are pretty big. Why not tap into eBook sales.
3.       Train and Bus Stations could also be hit upon in a similar way to airports as mentioned above.
4.       Dangling signs or some type of mounting that makes a poster stand out in a heavy tourist area would be a great way to get the curious a technologically connected to take a look at our eBooks.
5.       Putting QR Codes on little promotional items such as magnets, bookmarks, etc.


8 comments:

  1. I followed you over here from a GoodReads Authors post. I'm getting ready to e-publish and have been doing a lot of research to market my book, Guardian Cats & the Lost Books of Alexanria.

    This looks like such valuable information I'm adding you to my Links list at: http://www.rahmakrambo.com

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I found out about QR Codes quite by accident a few weeks ago. (Don't have a smart phone.) Someone who reads my blog on a fairly regular basis said she was trying to read my blog on her smart phone and was having trouble with posts running together or something.

    Not sure if QR codes have anything to do with that, but I came across something on QR codes and it made me sit up and take notice.

    I now have a QR code on my blog, under a separate tab. I'm still not sure what - if anything - this will do (probably nothing, lol) but I figured it can't hurt.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great information thanks a lot for your tips. I like it and that is so interesting and loving post.
    book seller

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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