Enhanced Business Marketing for Small Scale Enterprises Via the Quick Response Code Technology

Abstract

In business marketing, there has been a growing need to bridge the gap between digital destination or online content, and the paper-based communication media. In other words, there is need for instant accessibility of both online and offline media contents via a single platform in order to reach a vast majority of potential customers. A deployment of the Quick Response Code Technology into the business marketing plan will bridge this gap. Quick Response code Technology is perceived to be cutting edge though it has been around since 1994, but most business owners and entrepreneurs are unaware of its capability to improve their marketing drive, especially now that majority of potential customers make use of mobile devices. Using the Quick Response (QR) code technology, it is possible to digitally connect consumers of your paper-based content to your online content in a matter of seconds. By reading and decoding the encrypted QR code using a smartphone, customers can gain access to business information that may not contain on a small business card. This is the missing link for the much desired breakthrough in business marketing for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises around the globe. The technology can be used to track information about products in a supply chain and to promote marketing and advertisement campaigns. By connecting consumers of your paper-based content to the internet, a smartphone user can have access to product information, and to company’s website or social media pages. In this paper, we have exposed the potential benefits of the Quick Response code technology on Business Marketing, especially for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), who can only afford little budget for affiliate marketing agencies and other promotional marketing strategies. Again, using the Roger’s Innovation Decision Process Theory, and the CIPP Evaluation Model, we proposed a suitable model of the Quick Response Code Technology to enhance marketing drive for small scale enterprises. This technology will increasingly play an enabling role in future mobile strategy for product sales, information access and promotional programs.