Imagine a way to have your artist website pop up on potential clients cell phone or tablet. It is easy with QR codes!

Below is an example of a Quick Response code or QR code for short. Think of a QR code as a square barcode that can direct a cell phone or tablet user to any web page.

QR codes are really not that new, having been around in Japan for years, and more recently in Europe. But they have taken to North America just in the past year or so, and are truly catching on as the number of available smart phones and tablets takes off.

Try it yourself!

If you have a cell phone or tablet equipped with a camera, download a free app such as Qrafter - QR Code Reader and Generator for iphones or QR Droid from Google for Android phones . Then open the app, point your camera at the example QR code above, and activate your QR barcode reader. Voila, you will arrive at the MyArtClub.Com Find Blogs website, featuring recent blogs from many artists!

How you can create a QR code for your promotional use:

You can create QR codes available by many free QR code generator services (just type CR code generator into Google). One favourite is www.qrstuff.com which allows both the basics and more advanced uses. At a basic level, simply paste a destination URL into the QR code creation service, and a QR code is provided.

Artists can use QR codes in many ways:

• Point to your website from your business card, brochures, advertising or catalogues.
• Point to specific videos or subsections of your website for particular art images.
• Place a QR code for an artwork on the title card at your group or gallery show.
• Use a picture of yourself to help a visitor identify you from the crowd.
• Use videos to engage the visitor more fully, or even to bring them to a payment system to place an order!

One important tip:

Always point your QR codes to mobile friendly sites, as your clients are using their cell phones to come to your site. MyArtClub.Com Artists using MyArtClub.Com for their art marketing are provided mobile friendly websites and have readily created QR codes embedded in their personal sites for ready use. More details are available here.

Promotion:

For best results, think of ways the promotion surrounding the QR code encourages someone to take the trouble to use it. Perhaps your offer might be that if they like your Facebook page, you may enter them to win a monthly draw. The applications of QR codes are only limited by your imagination!