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How to Integrate QR Codes & SMS Text Messaging Into One

by Warrior Ben
24 replies
Hey Warriors,

I got a PM from B and B asking a really good question about how to integrate QR Codes and Text Messaging together and thought it would make a good post to share with others.

I'm a big fan of QR Codes and the potential that they have, but one of the drawbacks is lack of ability to capture customer information. You can add an opt-in form on the mobile site that the QR Code links to, but it isn't like text messaging where everybody gets added to a database just by texting in the keyword.

Here is how to integrate QR Codes and Text Messaging together. First, go to the Kaywa QR Code Generator (QR-Code Generator). Next, under content type, you'll see URL, Text, Phone Number, and SMS. Select SMS. Two boxes will now show below, which are Nr (phone number) and Message. For Nr, put in your shortcode (for example 54545) and then under the message put in the SMS keyword. Select Generate and you'll have a QR Code that will send a text message to your shortcode with a message that is your keyword. The user then just needs to hit send and they will have opted into your SMS database.

For the response text message that is sent to the person who opts in, make sure to include a link to a mobile website that you create for your clients. This way the mobile website URL will stay on the person's phone for as long as they have the text message. You will also have captured their information to be able to send text messages to them in the future. It's the best of both worlds!

One thing to note on this: There are many different smartphones and QR Code readers and this doesn't work on all combinations. I personally use Neoreader as my main QR Code scanner because it scans the quickest, but the SMS feature doesn't seem to work when I scan SMS QR Codes. I have an Android phone and have found that Barcode Scanner by ZXing works best for the SMS feature. As soon as I scan an SMS QR Code with Barcode Scanner it brings up my text messaging app and will allow me to send the text. I'm not sure what works best for iPhone, but if anybody has any suggestions, it would be a great addition to this thread!

I hope this helps out people who have been wondering about how to do this!

-Ben
#codes #integrate #messaging #offline #qr code #qr codes #sms #text #text messaging
  • Profile picture of the author Nick Surran
    Good post, Ben. The inigma reader works best for me on an iPhone 3Gs
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    I think Lime Cellular is the best white label SMS marketing platform.

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    • Profile picture of the author scarab
      We're doing the same thing. I currently build QR codes for clients(freebie to them) that when scanned send an sms to the platform and subscribes the user to the list, the sms system then sends back the message. Pretty cool stuff. Some times a client will send a link and sometimes not.

      I have found that if I manage the campaign the client does mucho better.

      Great post Ben
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  • Profile picture of the author DazedandConfused
    [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author philboy uk
    I think warrior ben has found the secret of human cloning, or he has given up sleeping.
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    • Profile picture of the author Warrior Ben
      Originally Posted by philboy uk View Post

      I think warrior ben has found the secret of human cloning, or he has given up sleeping.
      LOL, Warrior Ben is a very fast typer! ;-) I have obviously been posting quite a bit this last week, but I'm trying to fit it into my schedule to give back to this forum. I've learned so much here that I feel I should pay it forward.

      The biggest thing for me is that I make calls from 8am to 10am every day. I just do it in the morning and hammer it out. Sometimes I will have to make follow up calls at different times of the day, but I always do my cold calling first thing in the morning. I then only schedule appointments for the afternoon. It really helps keep my day organized!

      -Ben
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      The Best of Warrior Ben: My Most Popular Warrior Forum Posts
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      • Profile picture of the author BrashImpact
        Warrior Ben,
        can u pm me your # and or Skype, would like
        to have a quick chat with you if at all possible.

        Regards,
        Robert
        Mobile Fusion Texting
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      • Profile picture of the author darrylb
        Originally Posted by Warrior Ben View Post

        LOL, Warrior Ben is a very fast typer! ;-) I have obviously been posting quite a bit this last week, but I'm trying to fit it into my schedule to give back to this forum. I've learned so much here that I feel I should pay it forward.

        The biggest thing for me is that I make calls from 8am to 10am every day. I just do it in the morning and hammer it out. Sometimes I will have to make follow up calls at different times of the day, but I always do my cold calling first thing in the morning. I then only schedule appointments for the afternoon. It really helps keep my day organized!

        -Ben
        When you are scanning the ads for targets, do you try to stay in a specific field for your morning, or do you just step through the list? I'm going to try your challenge, but I've seen conflicting recommendations as to whether it's better to start in one niche like chiropractors...
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  • Profile picture of the author BrandyM
    I got your freebie, Thanks again Warrior Ben!
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  • Profile picture of the author zeroday
    Great post!
    I personally love QR codes and SMS messaging, basically the whole "mobile aspect" is blowing up the affiliate game(in a good way0
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    • Profile picture of the author mossyrocks
      Hi Warrior Ben,

      I got your freebie.

      Many thanks.
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      • Profile picture of the author thriftgirl62
        Hey Warrior Ben!

        I think you and I should team up and show Warriors how smart they are to be members here. Otherwise they would be tempted by the coming deluge of Guru Launches and Webinars that make all sorts of unsubstantiated claims about creating your own Mobile Apps - both iPhone and Android and that includes QR Codes too. People are being talked into borrowing money from several friends so they can shell out big bucks to learn how to use software that does all the work.

        The offer I put in the Classified Section won't make ME rich but it sure will help the right business-minded people make thousands and thousands of dollars if they know how to run a business. They keep 100% of the profits and I get my costs covered because Warriors are equal partners, not customers. I think you believe that too which is why I think you and I should team up - check out the webinar here before you make up your mind.
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        I retired in 2005 at 43 and now I give away websites like these for FREE [hosting excluded]

        When you make at least $100+ per month, we split the profit 80/20 and YOU get the 80% Until then, you keep 100% and I'll help you drive traffic, get backlinks and put the domain in your name too!
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    • Profile picture of the author ladymd
      Great Post, QR Codes are definitely here to stay. The Trumpia blog has some great tips on the implementation of QR Codes in marketing strategies.
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  • Profile picture of the author Roma01
    Great post, easy to follow information. Keep up the good work Ben and thanks again
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  • Profile picture of the author PatriciaS
    I didn't understand a word of it -- but I downloaded it anyway 'cause I sure HOPE to need it some day real soon. Thanks bunches!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Dhira
    Originally Posted by Warrior Ben View Post

    ...For Nr, put in your shortcode (for example 54545) and then under the message put in the SMS keyword. Select Generate and you'll have a QR Code that will send a text message to your shortcode with a message that is your keyword. The user then just needs to hit send and they will have opted into your SMS database.
    -Ben
    Ok this may seem dumb or not but:
    • What 'shortcode'? i.e. what is it and how do we get one?
    • What 'sms database'?... likewise what and how?
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    CPA SECRET$: • C.L.A.$.$. = FREE ADS For CPA! or • "Clean up" CPA OFFERS WITH 'S.O.A.P'!
    PAY PER CALL: • Backlink Domination For Pay-Per-Call!

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    • Profile picture of the author JToneyUK
      Dhira, you may wanna do some further research but to answer your queries:

      1. Have you ever heard radio adverts or seen on tv where they say something along the lines of "text DEALS to 54543 to get our latest deals"?? The "shortcode" here is the number you are sending the message to. The keyword is the word you get people to text to that number, in this case the keyword is "DEALS".

      2. Whichever SMS service provider you use will have a specific short code/number (example 54543 as above) and you can make up a keyword (in the above example this is "Deals"), providing that no one else using the SMS service is already using that keyword. Your SMS service will then create a database of phone numbers, those phone numbers being the people who text the word DEALS to the "phone number" 54543. You can then use this list of numbers to send out any special offers your company may have going.

      Hope this helps.

      Originally Posted by Dhira View Post

      Ok this may seem dumb or not but:
      • What 'shortcode'? i.e. what is it and how do we get one?
      • What 'sms database'?... likewise what and how?
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      • Profile picture of the author Dhira
        Originally Posted by JToneyUK View Post

        Dhira, you may wanna do some further research but to answer your queries:

        1. Have you ever heard radio adverts or seen on tv where they say something along the lines of "text DEALS to 54543 to get our latest deals"?? The "shortcode" here is the number you are sending the message to. The keyword is the word you get people to text to that number, in this case the keyword is "DEALS".

        2. Whichever SMS service provider you use will have a specific short code/number (example 54543 as above) and you can make up a keyword (in the above example this is "Deals"), providing that no one else using the SMS service is already using that keyword. Your SMS service will then create a database of phone numbers, those phone numbers being the people who text the word DEALS to the "phone number" 54543. You can then use this list of numbers to send out any special offers your company may have going.

        Hope this helps.
        Thats quite a bit clearer.
        I tired the method out and used a random code and it worked until I received a text back in spanish which seemed like it wanted to charge me $9.99 for something...

        I guess my next question is how do you get an sms code that you can use for your own?
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        CPA SECRET$: • C.L.A.$.$. = FREE ADS For CPA! or • "Clean up" CPA OFFERS WITH 'S.O.A.P'!
        PAY PER CALL: • Backlink Domination For Pay-Per-Call!

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        • Profile picture of the author JToneyUK
          Google "Bulk SMS Marketing" and choose a company to use. Each company will have their own short code which they give for everyone who uses their service. It's the unique keyword which you have to create, again using whichever service provider, there will be an option in your admin area to create keywords.

          Originally Posted by Dhira View Post

          Thats quite a bit clearer.
          I tired the method out and used a random code and it worked until I received a text back in spanish which seemed like it wanted to charge me $9.99 for something...

          I guess my next question is how do you get an sms code that you can use for your own?
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  • Profile picture of the author somacorellc
    I'd like to chime in here with a real world example of how I used this technique this past summer at the local university.

    This particular idea was stolen from many places online, so don't think I'm some mobile guru here. The basic idea is that you get a crapload of flyers passed out to kids at a local university. These flyers have a QR code that will opt them into a list that I control and can send out SMS 'coupons' from.

    I then go around to a lot of local businesses and say, basically, look I have this list of college kids and wouldn't it be just awesome if you could get a bunch of students in here for FREE for a month. The deal was I'd send four of the same coupon, once a week, over the course of a month for free. The business would see how they liked it and the responses it gave and then after the month start paying me for the service.

    Here's the flyer (you can scan it, but don't opt-in please):



    Anyway, this generated some buzz and gained some traction until The State newspaper got wind of it and literally copied my entire idea and used their existing business relationships to railroad me out. Whatever.

    So anyway I just thought I'd share this real life example that this does work - I got over 100 opt ins from about 1,000 flyers so the response rate isn't bad. Overall it was a good learning experience and I plan to use this for clients in the future if the need arises.

    The cost for all this broke down to:

    $5.00 or whatever for the domain
    $50/month for Trumpia SMS services. Very happy with them, I know there's others.
    $85.00 for 2,500 flyers.
    ~$120 to hire three people to stand outside in the summer heat for 5 hours handing out the flyers to college freshmen.
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    • Profile picture of the author JToneyUK
      Sounds great! But wouldn't it have been cheaper to just ask some freshmen students to dish out the fliers for dirt cheap for like an hour?

      Originally Posted by somacorellc View Post

      The cost for all this broke down to:

      $5.00 or whatever for the domain
      $50/month for Trumpia SMS services. Very happy with them, I know there's others.
      $85.00 for 2,500 flyers.
      ~$120 to hire three people to stand outside in the summer heat for 5 hours handing out the flyers to college freshmen.
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      • Profile picture of the author somacorellc
        You're right, but I had to be out of town for move-in day this year at the local uni - I had to hire people that I could trust to go hand out the flyers instead of throwing them in a dumpster somewhere.


        Originally Posted by JToneyUK View Post

        Sounds great! But wouldn't it have been cheaper to just ask some freshmen students to dish out the fliers for dirt cheap for like an hour?
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        • Profile picture of the author JToneyUK
          Yeah I get ya, I think if I was ever in a position where I wanted flyers being handed out to Uni/College students and I used actual students to distribute. I'd tell them to stand at a certain spot, near a cafe or starbucks and I'd sit in the cafe and do some "work" on the laptop while keeping an eye on them making sure they're handing them out.

          Originally Posted by somacorellc View Post

          You're right, but I had to be out of town for move-in day this year at the local uni - I had to hire people that I could trust to go hand out the flyers instead of throwing them in a dumpster somewhere.
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          • Profile picture of the author somacorellc
            Actually to take care of the trust issue I did a few things - this might be helpful in case anyone in here needs to hire people to pass out flyers.

            1. Tell them you know the conversion rate even if you don't.

            2. Make them text message you a picture every hour of the other handing out flyers.

            3. Only pay them afterwards.

            4. Make them sign a statement saying what they're going to do and what you expect.


            That's what I did - maybe it's a little over the top but since I was out of town I had to rely on them. In the end they did great, so maybe I just got lucky :confused:


            Originally Posted by JToneyUK View Post

            Yeah I get ya, I think if I was ever in a position where I wanted flyers being handed out to Uni/College students and I used actual students to distribute. I'd tell them to stand at a certain spot, near a cafe or starbucks and I'd sit in the cafe and do some "work" on the laptop while keeping an eye on them making sure they're handing them out.
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