You’re probably starting to see these Quick Response codes, even if you don’t know exactly what they are. While Tom wrote about these almost three years ago, they are really coming into the mainstream. In fact, I saw the first QR Code in my hometown newspaper this morning.

QR Codes are those little square boxes with black markings. It’s a modern version of the barcode. By scanning the code, you can be directed to a website, an email address, a phone number, or get any short message.

QR codes have been around for a long time, but they’ve become popular because of smartphones. If you have any Barcode App, you can easily scan a QR code for additional information.

Simply create a QR code for the Facebook page of your next campus event, and include it on any printed promotional material. People can scan the code, and be directed to the site for more (and portable) information.

Or how about some “guerrilla marketing?”. Post a flyer with JUST the QR code– nothing else. That will tempt a lot of students into scanning it just to find out what it’s all about.

It’s easy to create a QR code. There are many free sites that will create them for you online in a flash, like http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

If you like to see how they are being used in the music world, check out this article: http://bit.ly/eujni3

And if you want to see how it works, grab your smartphone, run your barcode app, and scan the QR Code below!