3 Ways You Can Make Your Business Networking Digital with QR Codes

The business card. Neat, presentable, and… a little old-fashioned?

Once the indicator of a reliably polished and professional contact, a business card isn’t without its charms. But how likely is it that you’ll meet new business contacts who will need all your details perfectly printed and presented on a little cardboard rectangle?

These days, you’re more likely to build contacts over social media networks such as LinkedIn, on Zoom conferences or webinars, or by sharing your details online. That little cardboard rectangle may still carry some style points, but when sharing your business details and building your network, you’ll want potential clients or new business partners to be able to connect online with you as easily and quickly as possible.

If the present and future of networking is digital, how can you combine the practices of traditional business networking with more modern, online means of communication? 

Luckily, QR Codes can make digital business networking a breeze. And, if you’d like to mirror more traditional practices, it’s even possible to create a Business Card QR Code that will make sharing your online business details effortless.

To help you understand how to network effectively in business digitally, we’ll examine some business networking best practices, take a look at three different ways QR Codes for business consultants and other business owners can help you go digital, and dive deeper into business networking best practices with QR Codes.

How does networking in business work?

Business networking means developing and fostering contacts and relationships that could potentially benefit your business or company. It could involve meeting new people or promoting your business to individuals who might have an impact on your success.

To foster these contacts and relationships, you’ll want them to easily access you and your business details. On an individual level, a vCard Plus QR Code makes this as easy as a quick smartphone scan, but there are other ways to get your business out there.

However, when networking for your business, there are a few tips to keep in mind.

First impressions count: basic business networking tips

To make it big, you’ll need to grow. And to grow? Well, for that, you’ll need connections, investment, opportunities — and to grow the network of business partnerships and relationships that will help set your company on the road to success.

There are many benefits to business networking. In some industries, it’s not what you know but who you know. Connections or referrals made through others in your network can have a huge impact on your business by either opening it up to new opportunities and leads or giving you the leads you need to take advantage of sales or new projects. 

All of this means making the best possible impression on the people you’ll meet. There are some basic principles of networking that you should always pay attention to, so you can develop your business relationships beyond initial meetings. 

Listening, doing your research, and being able to ask thoughtful questions will help you impress at meet-ups, interviews, conferences, or other events. But how about the new world of work?

The pandemic unquestionably changed how networking for business success is conducted — gone is the opportunity for face-to-face encounters, in are digital events such as webinars and Zoom conferences.

This shift to digital networking makes it even more important for you to provide new contacts with contact details beyond just a name and an address. Digital networking tools such as LinkedIn, or even other social networking platforms, are more important than ever.

Using QR Codes to share your contact information is the first intuitive step in adapting your networking resources to a more digitized business landscape. 

3 Ways you can use QR Codes for digital business networking

QR Codes are the perfect platform for you to link your printed resources with your online profile. As digital networking tools, they’re simple to produce, easy for the recipient to access, and can make a big impact — to see more of what you have to offer or to get in touch with you, it only takes a quick scan with someone’s smartphone to build a connection or reach out with an opportunity.

There are three smart yet effective ways that you can use QR Codes to propel your business forward.

1. Keep the printed card — but use a QR Code

We know — it seems counter-intuitive to keep your printed business cards amid a shift to digital tools. But the business card, in and of itself, isn’t quite dead just yet — and there might be some contacts out there who appreciate the personal touch a printed business card can lend to a meeting or event.

For clients or contacts who you’re still likely to meet in person, a printed business card can lend a personal touch to networking events or meet-ups. However, it’s unlikely that you’ll keep up that contact through purely analog means.

A vCard Plus QR Code creates a digital version of your business card that can be added to print business cards or any other material to give networking contacts an overview of your profile. Here, you can add more than a typical printed card: social media contacts or email addresses, for example, or website links.

2. Foster new business opportunities through print

Creating new business opportunities isn’t limited to business cards. If your business has a pitch deck or brochure, using a PDF QR Code on flyers, posters, resumes, invites, and other materials can give potential clients an overview of what your business can offer them. 

It’s a slick, tech-minded way of informing people about your business that’s as simple as a scan. Plus, with the PDF QR Code, they’ll also have the option to visit your website and download the PDF onto their own devices. 

If you’re in the creative industries and want to share visual examples of the work you’ve done, such as photography, it’s also possible to share your portfolio digitally using an Image Gallery QR Code.

3. Optimize your social media reach

No matter what industry you’re in, your business — and personal — brand matters. 

Up to 81% of adults in the US have a social media account, whether that’s a LinkedIn, Facebook page, or Instagram profile, among others. Finding and connecting with you and your business online has never been easier, but to give clients or business contacts the nudge they need to reach you online, a Social Media QR Code lets them scan to connect with specific channels.

Some social media channels will appeal to different audiences and industries: LinkedIn is better suited for recruitment purposes or for connecting with business consultants, for example, while Instagram is more advantageous when showcasing creative work or retail brands.

Creating a Social Media QR Code allows you to direct clients and contacts directly to your chosen channels, growing both your social media reach and putting the preferred face or version of your brand and business out there.

Networking Events and Conferences 

Networking events, webinars, and conferences are part and parcel of certain industries, and for business networking, they can be a surefire way to generate leads, get in touch with suitable business partners, and boost your brand — so why not host your own?

Before the event: A networking event or webinar is only successful if the right people attend it — for this, you’ll need a suitable marketing strategy. 

Try adding an Event QR Code to materials such as print magazine ads, poster ads, and even in emails or on social media. Event QR Codes connect desktop, mobile, and print medium users to your event, in which they can view all the details, register (even if the event requires a fee), and automatically add the event to their calendar.

During the event: If you’re hosting an in-person event, you can add QR Codes to host ID badges and business cards or to your event materials to give attendees extra insight into your business.

Depending on your goals with the event, QR Codes can be used to boost your social media engagement, direct leads to your business page, or give more information about your products and services with images and videos.

After the event: Don’t let your networking efforts go to waste! It’s important to follow up on leads and see what opportunities you’ve gained.

Start by asking attendees how they felt about the event with a Feedback QR Code or give them an incentive to try out your products and services with a Coupon QR Code. Sending thank-you notes or emails is the perfect way to reach out to these leads and see how much interest your event has generated.

How QR Codes upgrade business networking

We covered the options available when business cards, resumes, and other networking materials are digitized with QR Codes. But now, we will take it a step further and dive into how QR Codes can also help in creating new business networking opportunities. 

Customizable & editable for all mediums

You can take QR Code customization to the max with QR Code Generator Software. QR Codes can be styled based on their QR Code frame, edges, colors, a logo or image in the middle, and the CTA (call-to-action). This means QR Codes can be adapted for all sorts of digital and print mediums for whichever purpose you need. They are scalable in size and match perfectly with brand graphic designs.

PRO tip: There are two versions: Static vs Dynamic QR Codes. While Static QR Codes cannot be edited after printing, Dynamic QR Codes can! Choosing Dynamic QR Codes enables you to update your linked information at any time and even change the type of QR Code solution — all without changing the original appearance of the QR Code. 

Track the results from business networking efforts

The benefits of Dynamic QR Codes don’t stop there — they also come with QR tracking data so you can monitor who scanned your QR Code, when they scanned, and what their location was by both city and country. This data is extremely beneficial if you use networking in combination with marketing. For example, if your company hosts a networking event, then you could use QR Codes to turn those attendees directly into leads through their QR Code scans.

PRO tip: If you’re interested in campaign optimization and understanding the customer journey of your business, integrate QR Code tracking with Google Analytics with our guide.

Drives print readers to digital platforms

In a world that relies so heavily on technology, any sort of print materials for your business, be it a business card, resume, or brochure, only bring in benefits when the reader can connect with you digitally. This could involve connecting with you on LinkedIn, booking an appointment with you, and visiting your website or any other digital platform. Adding QR Codes to print materials ends the guessing game for you and the reader. They can easily view information from links after the QR Code is scanned instead of having to look it up later while you keep track of all the QR Code scan details.

Unique QR Code solutions for every circumstance

QR Code Generator knows that showcasing the exact type of information at the right time for your audience is what boosts your networking efforts. There are QR Codes for digital business cards, videos, business pages, social media links, and more — all of which are customizable and automatically optimized for mobile.