The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce will launch a “QR Code” project for its members next week. The initial project will start with members who have businesses on Main Street. The popular code offer businesses several benefits in the emerging social media era.

What is a QR Code?

QR is short for Quick Response (they can be read quickly by a cell phone). QR Codes can be seen in magazine advertisements, on billboards, a web page, business card and even on someone’s t-shirt.

It can be easily scanned on your cell phone, and once it is in your cell phone, it may give you details about that business (allowing users to search for nearby locations), or it could link to Facebook (other social media) pages, and websites.

It is a fast, easy and convenient way to get information about businesses accessible.

How will QR codes benefit Bluffton chamber members?
Businesses, no matter how small, use QR codes in a number of ways. A business might auto generate one next to every product on its web site containing all the product details, the number to call and the URL link to the page so they can show their friends on their cell phone. Businesses can add one to business card containing contact details so it’s easy for someone to add a business to their contacts on their cell phone.

Chamber representatives will visit downtown business members next week to explain how the QR codes work.

By mid-summer Main Street businesses will have their individual QR codes displayed in their storefront windows for easy use by potential customers.

Bluffton University intern Nnenna Onwukeme is in charge of the project.