Business Cards with QR codes

DAVOR

DAVOR

Member
About to design myself some business cards now that I am setting up a part time freelance business. I am stuck in two minds about whether or not to include a qr code on the business card.

Part of me thinks having it would give the people the opportunity to immediately go to my url rather than putting the card away and it being forgotten about. However, if someone has the capability to scan a qr code, would it really be too much to expect them just to type the info from my business card instead of scanning it?

Then there is the factor of how it will affect the look of my card. I already have a fair idea of how my card will look but quite frankly qr codes are ugly and it is a concern how it would affect the appeal of the rest of the card. Obviously, the qr code would have to be a decent size for it to scan correctly (there are some websites that provide formulas to ensure a higher scanning rate).

Opinions or personal experiences welcome! :icon_biggrin:
 
Buisness cards quite often or not will be the first touch point potential clients come into contact with, do you really want a big ugly QR code sitting in the middle of it?
 
I'd leave them off. They're cheesy, the vast majority of people will ignore it, and from a design perspective I don't think they're very pleasing to the eye. Plus, if you get 500+ cards printed and realise you dislike them, you've got to cough up for new ones :)
 
QR codes will soon be on their way out, too. If they were ever in, of course!

I wouldn't bother with them. As mentioned above, they're not particularly pleasing on the eye and I don't think you'll get any benefits from them.
 
Thanks for your replies. I completely agree QR codes are severely ugly. I was caught whether or not to try and accommodate one into the design if it had real benefits (something I have doubted). Looks as though I will be leaving them off.
 
As ugly as they are, they can also be used not just to send people to your website but to actually save all your details to someones phone - that's how they use them in the place i work inhouse. So, you give someone your business card, they scan the code, and your name, telephone number, website and anything else you have input is saved to their phone. I think that's the cleverest way to use a QR code on a business card. I have also heard that we will soon be using coloured QR codes so that they can contain even more info, so not entirely sure that they will be on their way out soon.

I think if you can find a way to integrate them into your design without them completely ruining it, then it might well be worth a go. It's a challenge, and many people have failed, but I say at least have a go.
 
Hi Linziloop, thanks for your suggestion.

I agree this would be the ideal way to use a QR code, however, my understanding it that to this would be one of the most information heavy types of QR code. It would need to be displayed at quite a large size on the business card to ensure successful scanning. The research I have done suggests that one of the biggest pitfalls is people having too small a QR code making it almost redundant.

Out of interest what sort of a size are the ones on the business cards at your work? Have they proven to be successful?
 
DAVOR said:
Hi Linziloop, thanks for your suggestion.

I agree this would be the ideal way to use a QR code, however, my understanding it that to this would be one of the most information heavy types of QR code. It would need to be displayed at quite a large size on the business card to ensure successful scanning. The research I have done suggests that one of the biggest pitfalls is people having too small a QR code making it almost redundant.

Out of interest what sort of a size are the ones on the business cards at your work? Have they proven to be successful?
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right, they are the most info heavy and therefore complicated kind, we are having absolutely no problems with them at 14mm square. Proving quite successful indeedio!
 
Thank you to everyone who contributed their thoughts:icon_clapping:

I have decided not to proceed with the QR code and I am currently finalising the design of my cards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top