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How a digital scan code felt like a Christmas Morning TOY to a CRAZY TECHY REALTOR!

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Education & Training with REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars

It was like Christmas Morning when I was 7!

I will never forget getting up on Christmas morning and the exciting toy was the Rubicks Cube or the new pac man game! Now, it just takes a bit more in the technology world to excite people...My husband has a DROID and thinks it is the neatest thing. I have the IPhone and although I love it...it is just that...a phone...sure it is complex, it helps me with work and can do so many things...but I have been looking for some new things to really ignite me and I will say that I have found many things this last week to blog about...I had CHRISTMAS last week in Austin TX and Chistmas at age 7 is just how I feel when I find something NEW and exciting to help me and other REALTORS to lead generate!

So are you ready? The tree is up (or it will be in 60 days), decorations are coming, lights are on...Close your eyes really tight because this is going to BLOW you away...or it did me anyway!

Tech level required to create is level 2 (1 is just able to turn on computer, 2 is turn it on and type, 3 is turn it on and type and know where to type...OK you get the point! - It is EZ)

Tech level to understand is level...You tell me because I am still blown away!

So, here is the way I see it and if you are already using this please feel free to chime in and share! More presents at Christmas for us all!

Here goes...the 1st Christmas gift I found last week is SCAN CODES!

I was visiting this past week at Keller Williams Mega Camp and was looking at the most unique real estate signs by Jack Pratt. My most precious GEEK friend Ron of Asheville, NC found me latched on to this 5" x 5" poster board image on this square board with the most odd looking black and white coding on it...Just as he arrives a California owner of a huge office is sharing his business card that has the same scan like look in the black and white digital coding on the back of his card! At this point, I was feeling like I was in the twilight zone and feeling a bit...well....LOST!

Let's face it. I pride myself on knowing it ALL and sharing it ALL when I train and here was something NEW and I was clueless...Ron who you just have to know has this face of "OH MY" - shhhhhhhhh. It's our secret...he may kill me for spreading the secret but I have to SHARE!

Jack is just sitting there smiling because he is already drumming up business selling these digital images on sign riders and here I am still going WHAT IS IT? WHY DO I NEED THIS? HOW MUCH IS IT? It looks like a calling card to MARS or VENUS! Well close enough...it is for smartphones, Droids, Iphones...the little gadgets that rock our worlds!

I am sharing what I know...in hopes myself to learn more...

Scan codes, bar codes, BARCodes, EZCodes, Data Matrix...The names come in many forms and so does the look of the black and white speckled codes like this...I prefer the EZ Code or the QR code look but to each his own as EACH ONE IS UNIQUE and special in it's on way!

 

The neat thing is that you can make tons of these and each one is specific to drive the person scanning it to..well...wherever you want to send them...you see, they look different because they are sending the user to somewhere you have set up and you can change it anytime and it will update immediately to match the scan code assigned!

Let's put this in REALTOR ENGLISH, no offense to be taken but when you think buyers and sellers all of the time the only way to make technology make ANY sense at all is to explain it in a buyer/seller user way...

So this is not a WALL of words as many of my blogs are I will share how I am planning to use this cool new gadget!

Log in to scanlife.com and create an account. Yes, there are other places but I like this one...

Create a scan code...my 1st one a web base scan code to drive the user to my LOWES Home Improvement 10% NAR COUPON! I have posted the code on facebook and can even make a Jpg. picture of it. I can mail it out in a postcard, put it on business cards or a flyer...I downloaded the large image of it and tomorrow I plan to print it on label paper, stick it on a hardback poster board and put a Velcro adhesive stick on the back just like Mr. Pratt had at this booth. I will make several and take them to the local LOWES in my area. I will ask the manager if I can test them in his store to see if I can help him promote the 10% coupon partnership! (I will let you know how it goes.)

Simply, traffic that sees the code will of course question what it is...I plan to of course to make it easy for the user by creating a little hint like: scan your smart phone here for a 10% LOWES coupon on your next purchase courtesy of Elizabeth Ward Small, your local REALTOR!

I already have permission from the local ice cream shop to post these and offer 2 for 1 price coupons, a movie theatre for a FREE popcorn coupon, a pizza delivery service to offer the Elizabeth Ward Small PIZZA HUT SPECIAL COUPON (they will even distribute my scan code fl yer on all pizza deliveries)...ALL of this courtesy of YOUR LOCAL REALTOR...you know the most savvy, technology driven agent that can also market your house with scan codes and perform the most amazing tricks to get your home sold!

Bottom line my friends is that THIS IS A LEAD GENERATOR and YES...IT IS A FREE TOOL for less than 1000 codes! There is paid version and with that, the reports are far more impressive and unlimited codes.

My goal is to drive them to my lead generation web site and capture the lead there and or if they do not bite that line they will at least see my name and my codes everywhere they go and they will see that I am the leader in technology and real estate in my area...

Yes, you can make scan code riders for your signs...Do you think someone will get out of the car and scan? I am not sure. They use to get out of the car to pick up a flyer when I was young and dumb and did that...

Look at all you can do with this...

 

  • Link to Web
  • Send a Text Message
  • Send an Email
  • Generate a Phone Call
  • Send Contact Info
  • Send Instant Win Notice
  • Display a Menu of Options
  • Send a Tweet
  •  

    I have a million ideas on how to use this to capture leads. BUYER and SELLER leads and I will update you on how it is working and the most simple tricks as I learn them...

    Happy Scanning...

    By the way the how to is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3 - just register at scanlife.com and follow the instructions there...

    Elizabeth Ward Small, REALTOR and National Motivational Speaker

     

    If you already have the scan life app on your iphone, droid, blackberry or smartphone or ipad you can simply capture my contact information! Buyers and sellers can do the same thing...How nice it would be to have these in posted in local hotels...oh my...more blogging soon on this...so many ideas and many more Christmas Presents I found to share in the coming weeks!

     

     

     

    Comments(14)

    Show All Comments Sort:
    MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900
    Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA
    Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

    I am still trying to master how to create one ... if you have a how 2, that would be great!

    Sep 19, 2010 04:04 PM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    Michelle,

    I knew I had left off a picture...it is really easy! Just register on scanlife.com or your choice of scan companies and follow the steps...If I can master it anyone can!

    Sep 19, 2010 04:15 PM
    Marilyn Boudreaux
    Marilyn Boudreaux, Century 21 Bono Realty - Lake Charles, LA
    Lake Charles LA Century 21 Realtor

    Thanks for breaking this down so easily and throughly, I have read a few other posts on this subject but the SCAN has not made its way here to Louisiana yet.  Heck, I have my hands full just trying to educate people about my sign riders with domain names and lead capture text!  I bookmarked your post to come back to :)

    Sep 19, 2010 04:20 PM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    Marilyn...I so understand. I encourage you to get a jump start on it and do not wait to terribly long. The early bird on this one may get the most commissions!

     

    Sep 19, 2010 04:24 PM
    Larry Story ALC
    Total Care Realty - Greensboro, NC
    Beneath it all is the Land, Covering all of NC

    Liz,

    Yes I have seen these and Google came out with the new computer generated scan codes a few years back.  That beat the traditional straight line ones that did not hold that much information.  Meanwhile the new ones can hold a lot of information and links as you said. 

    Sep 19, 2010 04:56 PM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    Kay - I at first would have agreed with you 100% but I think the majority of people (67% smartphone users last I heard) are very much excited about what all the GREAT PHONE can do for them and they will be more than happy to download the FREE app to just see what the scan code does...I know I did it immediatly just out of curiosity myself. I think you have a super valid point though that brings an important fact to light...If you display this code as a coupon be sure to direct NON SMARTPHONE users to your website as a way to make sure everyone is HAPPY and can get YOUR deal of the day/week/month or whatever you are doing with your code! Thanks for your post!

    Sep 20, 2010 12:41 AM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    Larry,

    Leave it to Google to be 1st on everything...Amazing the power behind technology! Glad to hear from you! Hope you are doing well!

    Sep 20, 2010 12:42 AM
    Drick Ward Property Management / Broker Assoc
    NEPTUNE REALTY - Virginia Beach, VA
    "RealtorDrick" - Experienced Representation

    Awesome find Elizabeth!  Thanks for sharing.

    Sep 20, 2010 02:36 AM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    Thanks Drick and Melissa - I am glad you liked it and it WORKED!

    Sep 20, 2010 12:52 PM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    Yes it has been blowing my mind as well and I am getting great leads this week from it!

    Sep 27, 2010 06:15 PM
    Evelyn Johnston
    Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
    The People You Know, Like and Trust!

    I went and signed up, downloaded to my blackberry and took a photo of your code above.  You are now in my database.  This is totally awesome!  But I have a question...I logged into website to make a sms code.  Where do I get the sms number from to put in there???

    Sep 29, 2010 10:04 AM
    Kathy Kenney
    Keller Williams, Princeton, NJ - Robbinsville, NJ
    Realtor - Princeton & Central NJ Homes for Sale

    Just came across this tutorial and will check it out.  I sooo want to learn this, thanks!

    Nov 03, 2010 12:39 PM
    Sylvie Dolley
    My Home Group Real Estate LLC - Litchfield Park, AZ
    CHMS, ePRO, SFR Phoenix Arizona Real Estate 602-32

    Love the post!  thanks for sharing I am just getting realy into qr codes.  Plan on using in lead generattion as well.

    Have a great day and aim for the heaves in 2011!

    Nov 19, 2010 06:56 PM
    Elizabeth Ward Small
    REALTOR & CEO The 3B Method Seminars - Burlington, NC

    This is my least favorite update! Guess what! Scan Codes are NOT FREE anymore! I had a call from Scan Life and they wanted to let me know that I was getting great hits on my code but that if I was not going to activate the codes by paying a yearly fee...they would be turned OFF...Great...I now have sign riders, QR business cards and much more marketing in place...They are more than a conversation piece but now not being FREE changes my view a bit...The cost for REALTORS was less than 500 for 10 active codes but I am sorry...I feel I have be scammed by the scan:( Sorry friends...I shared what I knew to be true, I researched it and NOW...it is no longer FREE!

    Nov 28, 2010 03:11 PM