After the vast discussions that followed my post – The Evolution of Business Cards, I received a lot of emails asking exactly HOW one adds a barcode to your business card.
Firstly, I’m not sure that standard business card print/ design services like Vista Print (for example) offer this service just yet. If you are keen to get a social media barcode on your business card, you are better to use a designer first, to make sure it’s in the right place, and then use a separate printing company. Or if you are just using a simple or standard design, you can quite easily do-it-yourself.
Next you need to understand that there are a few different barcode options for creating a barcode. You can use all of them, or just pick your favourite:
1. Microsoft Tag
Microsoft has a barcode that uses a multi-colored triangles to represent data/ information. It works the exactly like other barcodes that can store all characters, not just numbers. You have already seen these being used by shipping or courier companies.
You can create as many tags as you like, and store them under “Categories”. You can create different kinds of Tags that do various things:
- display text
- open a web page
- import a contact card or v card
- dial a phone number
You decide what you want your Tag to do. And after you create it, you can easily make changes or update the existing Tag. There is also a tracking/ reporting system, so you can see how many people view your barcode.
I decided to test the creation of a barcode to link to the Abnormal Marketing website:
And here is what was created:
Then if I add this to my business card, if someone has a smartphone (iPhone, Android, Blackberry), they scan the barcode, and it sends them directly to my website. A great idea, might also be to create a Landing Page on your website, just for people who scan the barcode, so it leads them to a special or unique page.
2. QR Code
The QR Code is a matrix barcode ( two-dimensional code), which can be read by QR scanners, mobiles with cameras, and smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. Like the Microsoft Tag, the information can be encoded with text, a URL or other data like a phone number or SMS.
If you visit the QR Code website, you can create a barcode yourself within seconds. I did one again for the Abnormal Marketing website:
3. Data Matrix Barcode
Data Matrix is a 2D matrix barcode consisting of black and white “cells” or modules arranged in either a square or rectangular pattern. The information to be encoded can be text or raw data and the usual data size is from a few bytes up to 2 kilobytes.
There are various programs that you can use to create a Data Matrix barcode, but the one below is very simple to use (from i-Nigma):
In Summary
Mobile Phone technology is booming, and will only continue to grow, especially with the uptake of “smartphones” from the basic mobile phones at a rapid rate.
If you are a business, you can either move now to embrace these changes and technology, or wait til you’re the last one, and when you hand people your business card, they ask “Where’s your barcode?”.
The business card is potentially a powerful marketing tool for yourself and/or your business, and it’s a great way to connect your online marketing to your offline marketing.
Does your business card have a barcode? Are you planning to add one? Are barcodes a stupid idea? – - – all feedback and comments are welcome below.
this is great
can I share with my contacts
Twitter: abnormalmarket
August 25, 2010 at 8:03 am | Permalink
@Elaine Jackson, Hi Elaine, Glad to hear you like the idea. Of course, feel free to share with your contacts.
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Twitter: benhuynhrealtor
August 22, 2010 at 10:36 pm | Permalink
Great informative. Thank you!
Twitter: abnormalmarket
August 25, 2010 at 8:54 am | Permalink
@Ben Huynh REALTOR ® Houston TX 281 561 5386., Hi Ben, Happy to help
1. My main concern is over standards and compatibility. With at least 3 types of barcode in common use, the back of my business card is going to be very cluttered if I try and accommodate all the possible options.
2. I have attempted to use QR codes on various phones using various software – I have never had a successful “read” on a code on first attempt as yet – what is other people’s experience?
Twitter: abnormalmarket
August 25, 2010 at 12:16 pm | Permalink
@Andrew, Hi Andrew, I know what you mean about toooooooo many barcodes. After receiving feedback about this, it seems the QR code is the most popular, and is being used by most of the bigger companies. I really don’t like the multi-coloured barcode, only from a “branding” point-of-view, and I think the black and white suits much better.
I tested scanning the QR code I posted on my blog, with the “QR Reader for iPhone” app that I downloaded from the App Store. With the app, I had to take a snapshot of the barcode (not like the Microsoft Tag app, which didn’t need to), but it was processed fairly quickly and opened the Abnormal website in a browser in my iPhone. I saw that you have tried various phones, have you tried with iPhone? I might get some of my friends to try with their phones too, I think they have Motorola Dext and Nokia… I will see what happens.
Thanks for your comments
Twitter: www.computersplusnyc.com
August 23, 2010 at 6:18 am | Permalink
I think its a cool concept but takes space on a business card possibly also upsetting its balance and would not use the color version unless the card was in color anyway. As someone who prints business cards I would welcome the business but not sure I’m ready to use it yet for myself because I do too many things see http://www.normanrosner.com
Twitter: abnormalmarket
September 5, 2010 at 12:31 pm | Permalink
@Norman Rosner, Hi Norman, I think it would take some re-tweaking but it could work on business cards, especially the black-and-white versions. The colour tag may upset the design and style of a lot of cards though… so you are right about that.
Thanks for the article. This is very interesting and very cool. I am going to share your article with my colleagues and look into getting barcodes on our business cards.
Twitter: abnormalmarket
September 5, 2010 at 12:32 pm | Permalink
@Kendra Fong, Hi Kendra, Thank you for your feedback. If you did get a barcode on your business card, what would you point the link to? Your website? A landing page? Or a social networking profile?
Twitter: alboxallgordon
August 23, 2010 at 12:24 pm | Permalink
Have never considered a barcode on my business cards before. An interesting idea that I will need to keep an eye out for. Still haven’t got around to printing my new business cards, but will certainly consider this when I do.
Thank you
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Twitter: abnormalmarket
September 5, 2010 at 12:33 pm | Permalink
@Al Boxall-Gordon, Hi Al, Glad to hear you are considering the idea. I think there is big potential for this. Would you need to alter the business card design much to incorporate the barcode?
My friend and I have built a website that will allow you to do this. It will also shrink the size of the code and allow you edit the location.
Twitter: abnormalmarket
September 5, 2010 at 12:47 pm | Permalink
@David Crowell, Hi David, Thank you for sharing the concept on the http://www.scandots.com website.
But I’m not sure I see a reason to skip using the standard QR code, and use a scandot code? I am confident that QR codes will be around for a while, and are readable, since many sites provide these codes and a lot of companies are using them already. But scandots seems new and small. If the website unfortunately disappears in the future will the code still work?
RT @abnormalmarket: How to Barcode your Business Card http://www.abnormalmarketing.com/2010/08...
Twitter: cammipham
September 1, 2010 at 1:34 am | Permalink
It is a very interesting idea…however 3 system of barcode is a lot
Twitter: abnormalmarket
September 5, 2010 at 12:48 pm | Permalink
@CamMi Pham, Hi CamMi, I’m glad to hear your find the idea interesting. The good thing is you don’t need to use all 3 barcodes. You can just use the one that suits your business card the best.
Twitter: #!/KingdomSec
February 9, 2011 at 9:32 pm | Permalink
are any of these codes readable by the android phones?? i’m having a heck of a time trying to find a printing company able to handle the print job. any affordable suggestions?