QR Codes for Real Estate – Qonnect
“Mobile is huge!”. Start collecting dimes for every time you hear that one and you will retire early. The problem with the real estate industry in many cases is that when a new technology presents itself as an opportunity, many Realtors just do not leverage them properly. Think about Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and YouTube and then think about whether or not you have made any real money from those platforms. A lot of agents have but more than I care to mention quite simply have not. Bottom line is that mobile for the real estate agent will be a game changer and in its first incarnation QR codes for real estate are where it is at.
I had an opportunity to speak with Kerry Sugrue of Qonnect, a leading mobile optimization marketing firm, and she shared with me the many benefits an agent can pick up by being ahead of the curve on mobile real estate marketing.
The QR Codes that Qonnect offers are a scannable bar codesque design that can be leveraged online and offline. Any smartphone including the most popular devices like the iPhone and Android based operating systems offer a free QR Code reader as an app. Once you have downloaded the app to your phone you simply point your camera at the QR code and it takes you to a mobile optimized site or what Qonnect calls an M Card. We have inserted a QR Code below so you can try it now. The key to the process is that the site or landing page the code leads to MUST be optimized for mobile. Simply pointing the code to your full blown site will not provide a solid user experience for your prospective buyer. By 2015 the mobile web will be more used than the PC accessed web. Qonnect handles the optimization of the mobile site as you can try out below and includes not just all of your contact info but also your listings with all of their photos, social media icons so they can connect with you elsewhere and an agent profile that speaks to your expertise. Qonnect also offers a mobile URL that is shortened for the rare case a QR Code Reader is not available so that the consumer can simply type in for example qptag.com/1238 and still end up on the mobile site quickly.
Can you think of any ways to leverage a QR Code for real estate? How about sign riders? Consumer pulls up scans the bar code and has all the information they need without leveraging a national portal that would potential provide your competitors info. How about on the back of your business card? If I walk away from you at the grocery store after getting your card I can scan the back to learn more before I go home or hop on my laptop. Engaging in the now with mobile is key! Still running print ads in the paper or doing direct mail? No worries, now you can track the return on investment or ROI because every time someone scans a bar code it captures that info and provides that data to you as the agent.
QR Codes for real estate will be industry standard within the next few months and we are hoping that our community, like always, are the early adopters. Whether you choose Qonnect after reading this review or another option make mobile marketing through the use of QR Codes a prority and be sure to leverage it as a way to show potential buyers and sellers that you are indeed tech savvy. If you have any questions for Kerry or the team at Qonnect feel free to leave those below or you can check out their site for additional info here. The screenshots below were provided by Qonnect and are a great example of the various screens consumers will see when they scan the QR Code for your site. Pull up your site now on your phone and just look at the difference!
There are 23 responses to this post! Join in...
Great new tool!! I can think of many ways this could be very useful, business cards, flyers, feature sheets, sign riders, on wrapped vehicles, post cards, paper advertising.
Looks like it can be a good thing, it all depends how easy it is to set up and manage.
Tremendous! Limitless possibilities. I was just telling someone today that we are in the midst of a Tech Revolution in Real Estate and there is a lot more to come.
Hi,
Great post Chris – your insight and coverage is truly appreciated. I wanted to share that Clikbrix.com offers a similar service to that of Qonnect Inc.
As you point out, the multiple vendors emerging in this space proves to us that QR Codes + Real Estate Marketing are on the verge of mass adoption. “Game Changer” is a term we certainly like to use.
We also agree that it is all about the mobile website.
To see an example of one of our mobile Agent Profile Pages enter m.clikbrix.com/t/78 into your mobile.
To see an example of one of our mobile Property Listing pages enter m.clikbrix.com/t/97
Also, you can see an example of one of our branded QR Code Stickers here – http://www.clikbrix.com/blog/qr-real-estate/clikbrix-qr-code-stickers-follow-the-3-rules
Thank you again Chris and congratulations to all those involved in QR Code marketing.
Sincerely,
Erik Goldhar
Partner, Clikbrix.com
I appreciate you joining the conversation Erik. We definitely are excited about the potential with QR Codes and love the branded RE/MAX one you featured on your site. One of the first questions a lot of agents have is about a more custom code.
The potential for Quonnect as a real estate tool is HUGE. It’s just a matter of implementation and successfully leveraging (which is obviously easier said than done). Thanks for sharing this post, Chris.
My gosh you could brand everything with it just like a logo! Sliiiick!
Timely post on QR Codes. Been encouraging agents to add them to everything in particular their lawn signs to take the viewer right to that listing.
We’ve tried to make it easy for agents to use them on their listings by offering a QR Code for each of their listings. http://bit.ly/CSc2w
Just waiting for the 1st agent to take out a whole billboard w/ a QR Code on it that directs the user to the agents mobile MLS search tool.
Not sure how getting out of a car and scanning a barcode is easier than entering a url.
Lesley Lambert created a quick video showing how she uses QR Codes in signs for her listings back in April: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLJue7bfBTE
[...] This is a great post that I just had to pass on concerning QR codes for Real Estate. The company that is spotlighted, Qonnect, creates custom mobile sites for agents, which we all already have with our WebOne sites but the article and video contain some great real estate specific uses for QR codes. QR Codes for Real Estate – Qonnect [...]
For the first time, a client just asked me to design a listing sign and property flyer with a QR Code printed on them. A few things I like about QR Codes:
1) They allow me to scan something that I can later check out on my own time.
2) Organic characteristic of the technology – ever had to re-print listing flyers because of a price change? Now an agent can put a QR code directing the consumer to a property website where they can find the price. Directing the consumer to the website for the price as opposed to printing it on the flyer allows you to change the price without re-printing flyers.
3) It demonstrates that the agent is tech-savvy. Even if you aren’t that tech savvy – QR Codes are EASY to pull off and gives the impression that you’re on your tech game (and you should be if you expect to survive in real estate).
More thoughts for practical application of QR Codes can be found on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/23nu3d7
[...] QR Codes for Real Estate – Connect [...]
OK…I feel really stupid but what IS a QR Code? I’m just not getting it.
Mobile Marketing is the way to go and very affordable. There are many similar companies selling QR codes or Tags as we call it. As a award winning Real Estate Team, we saw this as an opportunity to share our knowledge with others. We developed our own tag using our own logo. Tag My Property can do this for anyone who is interested.
We look forward to meeting everyone at the NAR Expo/Start Up pavillion this year in New Orleans. So please stop by http://www.TagMyProperty.com and Say Hi!
I’m definitely encouraging my customers who do video walk through tours of their listings use QR codes on their sign riders. It’s VERY slick. A buyer is in front of a house and can easily (literally) walk through the home at the curb while they’re at the home.
It’s just another way the smarter, tech savvy agents can set themselves apart. I can’t imagine the face of a client at a listing presentation when you demonstrate how you will market their home. It’s a win/win!
Chris, great post.
My buddy Nick and Co. just launched his new company. What do you think:
http://www.toor.me
I really like what I see so far, thoughts?
[...] QR Codes for Real Estate – Qonnect [...]
Nice post Chris. As real estate professionals, we have to adapt to new technologies and QR Codes appear to be more than a fad. Here are my thoughts on QR Codes for real estate marketing. http://realestatetechie.com/93/qr-codes-realestate-marketing/
@Rob Aubrey – It’s about CHOICE for our potential customers.
Even if you and I are NOT mobile users with a QR code reader, our potential customers might be…and they might reward us for the convenience.
Either way, I believe mobile (the future of) marketing includes QR codes. I also see the VALUE to me as well as to my potential customers.
Whether shortened url or QR code, I want to HELP my potential customers.
BTW, how do QConnect and Clikbrix (for instance) offer value (for their monthly fee) beyond the free vyoo?
technology is amazing. great tool for real estate. Flyers, business cards, signs etc. guess I need to get an iphone
We have been so excited to see all of the different ways people are implementing QR Codes in their marketing. In my search for a solution on how to utilize this technology on my own listings, I decided to create one. Our system works with most smart phone platforms. If fact to get a free QR scanner for your phone, just go to QRFlyerBox.com and the system will prompt you to download one at that time. Take a look around and let us know what you think. Sign up for a free account and plug in one of your listings. If you like what you see, activate it. I agree with most people when they say this is the future of marketing.
Great Post. This is definitely where Real Estate is going. REMAX now provides a QR Code for each listing. The agent is then able to use that QR Code on all marketing practices.
We’ve also been playing around with mobile sites and QR codes.
Here is a link to a video post about how we implemented this solution for a Vancouver Agent.
http://scan2.co/blogs/marketing/real-estate-qr-code-marketing/129134