Monthly Archives: May 2011
What is a QR Code?
Chanda’s Info
We all know what a barcode is, right? A series of parallel lines in varying widths to represent data attached to a particular item. The first UPC barcode used for supermarket checkout systems was on a package of Wrigley Gum in 1974. Revolutionary! Now 37 years later, we are still using the UPC barcodes at the grocery store among other places, but have you noticed the new “barcodes” popping up on products and magazine ads lately? Created in Japan by Toyota in 1994, QR codes, or quick response codes, were originally designed to read at higher speeds. This little gem has reached far beyond tracking auto parts. QR codes can be used in a broader context and have the ability to store and display text, URLs, contact information, event info, video, and images.
What does this mean for you?
QR codes require a free downloadable application on a users smartphone to be able to read the QR code. If you create your own QR code to use on your website, Facebook page, business card, blog, etc., then you are on the cutting edge of sharing user information. For example, create a QR code with a link to your website and post the code to your Facebook page and blog. You may even want to get real creative and link the code to a YouTube video advertising your business. Your QR code may have a discount, coupon, or incentive for your store. The options are limitless, just use your imagination and run with it! Considering there are roughly 70 million smartphone users in the U.S. to date, and constantly growing, everyday there is a new person just waiting to scan your personal QR code.
Coming Soon…
- How can you use YouTube to market your business?
- 20 place your business should be in 2011
- I have a Facebook business page…Now what?
Get Your FIO (Figure It Out) Degree In Social Media Marketing!
I meet with business owners all the time who are interested in hiring me to manage the social media sites for their businesses, but some end up making the decision to do it themselves. While that may work out to be just fine, in many cases they quickly realize they don’t know much past Facebook or they just don’t have the time. They can learn what they need to but where and how and by whom? And what business owner has all that extra time anyways? If you are like most business owners, you do it all. You are behind the counter 70 hours a week, you are the sales person, the marketing person, the receptionist, the accountant, the secretary, the janitor and the boss. Then you get to go home and be a spouse, parent, maid, teacher, gardener, handyman, nurse, bus driver, referee, etc. And now you have to figure out how to do social media marketing???
Social media is relatively new in the marketing world, just now hitting the main stream and a select few universities are just beginning to offer a few classes in their MBA programs. In other words, there is no degree or certification for this type of marketing, you just have to figure it out. There are many credible websites out there that give fabulous industry news, tips, and other valuable information such as Mashable.com, but depending on how computer savvy you are, if you don’t know what SEO means or have never heard of FourSquare then you may already be behind the eight ball.
My passion has always been in marketing and especially helping small business owners succeed and compete. Because of the lack of social media “teachers” out there, I have decided to take the Facebook 101 class I’ve already been teaching to beginners to Facebook a step further. I will begin teaching social media seminars in May in my local areas of Las Vegas, NV, St. George, UT, and Salt Lake City, UT. For those of you elsewhere in the country, I will be providing the ability for you to view the class online via webinar. The 6 hour class (some will be divided into 2 days, 3 hours each) will consist of hands on training for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging, FourSquare, Yelp, YouTube, Hootsuite, Google, social media basics, analytics, QR codes, RSS Feeds, best practices, creative content, tools for your social media toolbox, valuable resources, engaging your audience and much more. You will come away from this class fully equipped to market your business online and with the ability to blow your competitors out of the water!
The class includes lunch, networking, a valuable informational packet, and a 1 hour follow up phone call or meeting for questions on what you have learned. The class is $200 for the 6 hour seminar but the first 10 people to register and pay will recieve a $50 discount! There are no availabilities for the May class but the June class in St. George, UT has just been opened. You can register online by clicking the “shop now” tab on my Facebook page.
Everyone should be implementing social media into their marketing plan and everyday business regiment, but when you do it well is when it really makes the difference.
Social Media Seminar by Chanda Gunter
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 9am – 12pm
and
Thursday, June 30, 2011 9am – 12pm
Courtyard by Marriott
185 South 1470 East
St. George, UT 84790
435-767-8184
If you have an iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry, you can download a barcode scanner app or QR code scan app to be able to scan the above QR Code and store the event info into your phone. Just another social media tool you will learn at my class! 
