scan or click for video of how to create a QR code
Hi guys. lots of buzz about QR codes and how to best use them in the real estate business so I thought I would upload an updated version of a “How to create a QR code for real estate video“.
This video will take you step-by-step through creating a QR code using http://goo.gl
There are several sites that will create a QR code for you for free. Goo.gl is just one of them. The reason I like Goo.gl is that it has some pretty neat tracking tools that allow you to see how many times your QR codes was scanned, when it was scanned and even what kind of phone they scanned it with like this.
If you want to find other sites that will create QR codes just Google “QR code generator” and you’ll see lots of other options including sites that will allow you to create a QR code that pops up an SMS text message (think lead generation) or a QR code that just calls your phone number etc. I believe one of the best ways to utilize QR codes is by linking them to a video, so that is what I did for my example in this video.
Here’s a few ideas:
1. Simply recording a video of yourself talking about why people should want to work with you, talk about your special knowledge of a neighborhood or property type (people like to work with agents that specialize in their needs). You would then create a QR code linking to this video & put this QR code on the back of your business cards with a note that says “scan this to find out why you should work with me” etc. 2. How about shooting some quick video of your buyers the day of closing (only if they are happy ) creating a QR code to this video and putting it on your business card saying “find out what past clients have said about my services” etc. 3. Why not create a video tour of a neighborhood you specialize in (Hawk’s Landing for example) then post the QR code you create that links to this video on a sign in the local stores in the neighborhood (many have bulletin boards) that says “scan this to find out why Hawk’s Landing is a great place to live” etc. 4. Create a video tour of a specific property then insert a QR code that links to this video on the property flyers. A buyer pulls up to the house, gets a flyer out of the flyer box, then scans the code and watches a video tour of the home on their phone while they are sitting in-front of it.
So many different ways to utilize these things and the best part is they are FREE! Imagine how impressed a home seller will be when you introduce them to QR codes during a listing presentation by scanning a property flyer you brought with you using your smartphone and a video tour of a home starts playing….powerful way to let them know you are using the latest technology to market homes. Will they change the way people buy homes….probably not, but they will be another technology that links the offline world to the online world using mobile technology so why not give it a try.
If this is your very first experience with QR codes remember you need a “QR reader” app for your smartphone, just go to wherever you download apps for your phone and search for QR Reader they are free and will allow you to use your smartphone to scan QR codes
They are a similar technology but use a different reader and different site to create them but in essence do the same thing, linking the offline and online worlds together. There are some advantages to MS Tags such as more possibilities and the ability to have the image even smaller and still be recognized . The advantage that QR codes have is that they have been out longer so consumers are more likely to have tried them by downloading a “QR Reader” app. It remains to be seen if this will continue to be the case as Microsoft may put some money behind the promotion of the MS Tag standard and make it more prevalent in the future.
Hope this was helpful please feel free to comment here or over on Facebook and let others know how you are using QR Codes in your business.
Realtor.com has just released it’s real estate search app for the Android OS.
Realtor.com for Android App
Now everyone with an Android phone can use this powerful mobile search for real estate. The Realtor.com team did a great job incorporating many of the awesome features found in their iPhone app, like the draw mode (area highlighter) on the map view which allows users to create their custom neighborhoods by simply using their finger to outline the area they want to see homes and many others plus a couple of “Android tweaks” like the ability for a consumer to leave notes on a property by voice (see video). I did a quick review in the video below. I recommend anybody with an Android phone go to the Android Marketplace and download this app now or click here for more info! If you have a QR code reader on your Android phone scan this QR code and it will take you there.
Here’s a video of my first impressions of the new iPhone 4. Full review coming soon but for now I am blown away. It really is a quantum leap that others will struggle to emulate. Many aspects of this device will have direct and impressive impacts for real estate. The FaceTime is nothing short of jaw-dropping the first time you have a FaceTime call it’s hard to believe we have been talking about this stuff since grade school and now it actually works….anyway more soon.
As I travel the country speaking to real estate agents the one complaint I hear over and over is “Max when are we going to be able to use our iPhones to access our MLS lock-boxes?” My answer has normally been that the iPhone does not have IR (Infrared) capabilities so if your MLS uses lockboxes that depend on IR to communicate you will have to stick with one of the older IR capable phones (such as Palm Treo etc) or be forced to cary another separate device (a dongle) that will allow you to access the lockbox. Now all of that may be changing as several companies have developed IR devices to be used with the iPhone. They did not however do this in response to the real estate industry and their lockbox woes, but rather as a response to a much bigger market demand, that of the home consumer and their desire to use their iPhone or iPod Touch to control all of their home entertainment equipment (TV, Stereo, DVD etc). That being said now that the hardware issue has been resolved it would appear that it will only take a progressive lockbox manufacturer that wants to satisfy the needs of it’s customers to simply write an app for the iPhone that uses one of these IR hardware devices to communicate with their lockboxes. I am sure we will see the same devices soon appear for the Android phones that are flooding the market. So here’s my public appeal to the lockbox manufacturers on behalf of thousands of your customers that now use the iPhone (and now Android phones) PLEASE DEVELOP AN APPLICATION!
Here are a few of the manufacturers of these IR devices for the iPhone (and many for the iPod Touch as well), I am sure they will be looking at similar devices for the Android phones shortly.
POWER A Universal Remote Case with IR installed
POWER A Universal Remote Case without IR installed (still works as a case)
As many of you know I have been an iPhone user since day one, currently on my 4th one which is the 3GS (I lose things…but at least I could track it last time I lost it…..it got stolen).
Anyway I also have a Motorola Droid and it’s the best phone I’ve ever had on the Verizon network….that being said as I use both often and the Droid is a far cry from the iPhone. If Verizon ever get’s the iPhone (which is not looking good with the latest deal Jobs made with AT&T for the $29.99/month service on the iPad) I would switch in a heartbeat as then I could use just one phone. The biggest complaint I have on the Droid (albeit again a nice device for those stuck on Verizon) is it just pales in comparison to the iPhone in basic usability on a daily basis. Using the touchscreen for example has always been more pleasurable and accurate experience for me on the iPhone than the Droid. Especially noticeably while using the on-screen keyboard as the letters are pretty small so touch-screen accuracy is key.
I recently read an article from Moto Development Group that confirmed there are significant mearsuable differences in the accuracy of the current touch screens on smartphones. Watch the video below for details but the bottom line is the iPhone was most accurate followed by the HTC phones (the Nexus One and the Droid both Android devices) then came the Palm Pre, the Motorola Droid (almost a tie) and just a bit worse and rounding up the bottom the BlackBerry Storm 2.
I’m sure you will see these technologies improve fast as this was the first touch-screen for some of these companies but I can tell you from experience this is a pretty important part of your daily use. Until next time…Max-out
) creating a QR code to this video and putting it on your business card saying “find out what past clients have said about my services” etc. 3. Why not create a video tour of a neighborhood you specialize in (Hawk’s Landing for example) then post the QR code you create that links to this video on a sign in the local stores in the neighborhood (many have bulletin boards) that says “scan this to find out why Hawk’s Landing is a great place to live” etc. 4. Create a video tour of a specific property then insert a QR code that links to this video on the property flyers. A buyer pulls up to the house, gets a flyer out of the flyer box, then scans the code and watches a video tour of the home on their phone while they are sitting in-front of it.
