For a long while I’ve been looking for a solution of how to effectively sell ebooks during events and when meeting with people outside of cyber space. I’ve looked at several options including a service from BookFunnel but by chance I think I have now found a solution.

The post title gives away the punchline! I’ve known about QR Codes for some time. They are best described as 3D barcodes which can store much more information than a standard barcode.

The key breakthrough however is that at some point in however many software updates ago, Apple (and Google Android too) introduced passive reading of QR Codes via your smartphone’s camera. What this means is that instead of having to download or load a specialist app, all you need to do is point the phone camera at a QR Code and it will read the code and prompt you take the appropriate action. For example, if the code read is a website address, it will ask you if you would like to navigate to that address.

After seeing this in action on a leaflet brought home by my son from school, I knew straight away this was my solution. So I have now ordered stickers with various website addresses on to add to my business cards and other marketing materials. One with the IN THE END booklinker link and one with my website address!

The stickers arrived today and here they are in action!

Want your own QR Codes? Here’s the process I used.

1. Use one of the many free online QR code generators. I used https://www.qrcode-monkey.com
2. Enter the website address, choose the design and the download the QR Code as an image
3. I uploaded the image to an online sticker maker and incorporated it into a design. I added the words SCAN WITH MOBILE CAMERA as an instruction to the user.
4. Wait for the stickers to arrive, then stick them everywhere!

Now whenever someone says to me they only read ebooks I can give them a card and point to the QR Code!

• 

• 

• 

I’ve also integrated the QR Code into new business cards for BEFORE THE END, without the need for the stickers.

I’m also thinking about adding them to my paperback back pages.

• 

• 

I hope this has been helpful, let me know your comments.