Ways to Connect with Customers: QR Codes

Hello!  I am a QR Code.

You have probably started seeing these little codes popping up everywhere lately: on products, flyers, advertisements.  But what are they for?  QR stands for "quick response" code.  It is a kind of bar code that can be read by lots of devices like smart phones.  (You do need to have a QR reader app on your phone in order to read QR codes, but there are lots of free ones that are easy to download.  Just search for "QR reader".)

The way it works is that you scan the code with your device and it can do all kinds of things, like take you to a website or send you a coupon code. You can even do things a little outside of the box.  For a gallery exhibition, I created a piece of embroidered art that had the QR code as part of the design.  If you scanned the embroidered piece itself, the QR code would send you to a blog page that was a journal documenting the piece, showing all the steps of making and embroidering it.

Some ways you might want to use QR codes:  The QR code above links you to my etsy shop.  The one below brings up a message that gives you an example of free shipping coupon code.  I can save these QR images and print them on my business cards, put stickers on my packaging, or print them on flyers or postcards that I hand out.  You could even go crazy and print one as a door magnet on your car or wear it as a brooch - anywhere you think someone might scan it.

It is easy to get QR codes for yourself! Visit http://qrcode.kaywa.com/  (This is just one example, there are other sites that will also generate them.)  Type in the information you would like the code to link to. Save the image and you are ready to go. (Click to see image larger)

The example above goes just to my main shop, but you could also make codes that link directly to a specific section or even a single item by grabbing that URL and making a code from that.  You could link to your Facebook Page or the form to sign up for your mailing list.  It's a quick way to get someone directly to your information without having to remember and type in a long complicated URL.  Here's a great link for more ideas on how you can use QR codes: http://youtu.be/QjNh2NGALpM

Author: Becka Rahn is a fiber artist and co-Captain of the Sellers Assisting Sellers Mentoring Team.

Policy Change: SASsy Critiques Forum

Because of the huge number of requests we have been receiving, the SASsy Critiques forum is no longer able to offer full critiques.  The time commitment for doing full critiques is more than our team can sustain and so we need to revise the rules of the critiques forum.

We are still very interested in answering your questions, so we therefore request that you:

• read and fully apply the Critique Your Own Shop (as you agreed to when joining the team)
• read and apply the General Full Critique (at the top of discussion thread)

Once you have completed those steps, then please post questions by starting your own thread. The questions need to be specific to an area or item in your shop. For example, "Can you please give me some feedback about my photos?  I think they are too dark and I don't know how to fix that."  This will enable Mentors will specific expertise to provide the best advice in response to your question.

Please note that it will take anything from a week or more for questions to be answered so please be patient. We know you are there and will get back to you soon.


Thank you!  If you have any questions about this new process, please feel free to post them here.