Using QR codes on business cards

Is it really easy?, Does it work? Why would you do that.

Why put a QR code on a business card

• It makes it 'easy' for the recipient to get your contact information into their address book on the mobile phone by scanning it. The alternative is retyping everything manually or using a clever OCR scanner (are those still used?).
• I cannot think of any other reason why you would put a QR code on your card other than perhaps to be fashionable or 'hip'. In many cases these cumbersome (big) black and white blocks will not look good and do not complement the representation of a company as a business card should. Designer and branded QR codes on the other hand do help to promote branding, support house style and customer awareness.

Example business card with QR code

Dynamic QR code on business card

You have some choices to make!

There are four things to take into account when deciding to use QR codes on business cards for contact information exchange.

1. Mecard protocol QR code - Designed specifically for mobile phone contact lists.
2. vCard protocol QR code - Designed for comprehensive business contact data exchange via vcf files.
3. Contact information embedded in QR code
4. Contact information supplied via a URL (link) in the QR code.

Let's have a look at the contact information protocol first to determine which is best suited to your needs.

The Mecard protocol is for mobile device contact information exchange, via blue tooth, infrared, SMS and also QR codes. It is a very simple effective and efficient protocol for fast exchange of basic contact information and best suited for personal use. It does not accommodate diverse information. Example: There is no property for company name nor fax number, you can only specify one telephone number, one website and one email address. This protocol is supported by all mobile devices that can manage an address list and support a communication method to other devices.

The vCard protocol is extremely rich and can hold a mass of information, including profile pictures, multiple profiles (business/private), store dates like anniversaries and much more. This protocol is well established and has been in use for many years, even before mobile phones were common place. Businesses and companies used this protocol and exchanged contact information via attachment of .vcf files to emails. It also became a very good source for spammers to get email addresses and lost a lot of popularity in the early 1990's. I have yet to find a QR scanner that is able to interpret vCard information correctly. If you know of one that really works, please let us know! Currently all the QR code scanner apps we have tested fail on even the most simplest vCard entries. Considering this protocol is older than mobile phones, I cannot but wonder if this is being done on purpose, has technical implications or is ignorance of all the companies currently flooding the market with 'their' brand of QR code reader!

Embedded QR code data does not need an Internet link to get access to the contact information. Just scan the code and it will ask to save too or update the contact list. It's that simple. There is a but! The size of the QR code will vary with the amount of information you want to store in it. The more information, the bigger the QR code gets. This makes it difficult to determine the size of the QR code and where to best place it on your business card until you have made the code.

Linked QR code data needs an Internet connection to connect to the on-line contact information service. All the information is managed by an on-line server. Because there is not limit to the amount of information that can be supplied, vCard protocol can be fully supported, even including profile images. Due to the nature of only having a specific web link to the contact information, the footprint (size) of the QR code will be lot smaller than a code with all the contact info embedded. This is a plus point for printing the QR code on a business card. The 'but' here is, that because it is a service offered by third parties there is often a cost involved to power, maintain and provide the service. Companies offering this for free probably have a business model based on selling your behavior, so be carefully and read the fine print before just using a 'free' service.

Recommendations

For a QR code that contains contact direct information I recommend using the Mecard protocol, vCard although richer in business options is just too unreliable and the mass op QR code reader apps do not support it properly at all at present. vCard appearing to be the best business choice, is actually the worst in this case.

For QR codes via a service and an Internet link I recommend using a service provider or to create your own mobile web page where mobile devices can see,read and download your contact information. The added advantages of a QR code service provider are usually well worth the often small fee they ask.

• Additional contact information options beyond vCard and Mecard protocols like social media links.
• Support for multi-lingual interfaces (Useful for pan European companies).
• Additional options to link to video and presentations that can be displayed on the mobile device
• A user subscription service (get updates on changes)
• Statistics on scan rate (date, time, device, etc.)
• QR code size always the same irrespective of the volume information (ideal for company business card production - uniformity in scanability and area.)
• The information is dynamic and the QR code is always actual. If you move address or your telephone number changes, you add or remove information, the QR code remains actual and up-to-date.
• Ability to add marketing, sales and promotional offers in-line.

Interesting facts: Not all mobile devices are created equal. For example did you know that: iPhones cannot access 'flash' (you probably did) but also no .vcf files or vCard protocol, nor Mecards via an Internet link. And that certain mobile phone Internet providers block protocols without informing their subscribers leaving you with unresponsive mobiles after you scan a QR code. QR code service providers are usually aware of these dubious activities and strange limitations imposed by third parties and provide automatic alternative solutions and routes to ensure maximum coverage and operations for their QR code users to ensure the message gets delivered.

Can a QR code be made to match my company logo colours?

I most cases the answer is, yes. It could even contain your company logo, trademark or product image. These are called 'designer QR codes' or 'branded QR codes' they are fully functional but there is a price to be paid that goes further than the cost of creating them. Get advice from professionals if you want use designer QR codes effectively and efficiently it really is worth every penny.

For an article on what a reusable QR code service can mean for you, see: Ultimate QR codes are dynamic for more background information.

Using QR codes on business cards, to do or not to do, the choice is up to you.

With mobile and smart-phones being common place today, recognition of QR codes and what they can do increasing sharply combined with the fact that there is an abundance of (varying quality) free 2D code readers for mobile devices on the market, any effort made to add value to products and services using this technology can only compliment the efforts you undertake today, on different levels, and also applies to your business card as representation of you and your company.

Free on-line QR code generators for business cards

Test and experiment with QR codes to see how they look and how they work to determine if QR codes on your business card have added value for your prospects and clients and for you and your company.

• Mecard generator that supports transparency
• Mecard generator that supports colour
• vCard generator

Should you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact us.