Who doesn't love QR codes? They are convenient and quick to use! Your supporters and potential donors feel the same. Add QR codes to your fundraising strategy to boost your donations at events and your location by easily sending people to your online donation form. We'll also show you how Donorbox can help - read on!
In the past few years, you’ve probably noticed several businesses and organizations using QR codes. But, even though these scannable codes have been around since the mid-’90s, they’ve only recently become common and many people still don’t fully understand what they are or how to use them. But, QR codes can be great for fundraising, events, and sharing information about your nonprofit.
“QR” is an abbreviation of “quick response” — the perfect descriptor for this two-dimensional code. It’s an easy and fast way to access a website, social media page, PDF, vCard, or unique landing page. Because the code is designed to take you to a specific digital place, it is built around the link you want to direct people to and will take them there in one to two steps.
All QR codes start as black and white squares, creating a pattern of smaller black squares over a white field. This unique pattern contains data, like a URL, which imaging devices, like cameras, can read. Most modern smartphones have QR code scanning software built into their cameras, and for older ones, there are several free apps that you can download. Some top-rated options are QR & Barcode Scanner, QR & Barcode Reader, and Free QR Scanner.
For newer smartphones, open your camera app, hover over the QR code, until the coded link pops up in your camera viewer, tap it, and navigate to the website or information being shared. The apps function in the same way, but instead of opening your camera, you open the app you’ve downloaded.
There are two main types of QR codes: static and dynamic.
Static QR codes are straightforward, baseline codes; they can’t be altered and don’t track data. These are great if you’re sending users to a single site or page where the link will not change in the foreseeable future. They’re great for one-off events like galas, fundraisers, and short-run programs.
Dynamic QR codes track how many times they’ve been scanned, where they’ve been scanned, the device type that scanned them, and allow you to update or change the URL. These are ideal if you’re looking for a long-term, evergreen QR code that will live on something difficult or expensive to update, like business cards or high-quality signs. They cost more, but the data you’ll be able to gather from them can often be worth the cost, especially in fundraising or marketing.
QR codes are a handy application of technology for nonprofit fundraising. Let’s explore how you can create them, the costs, where you must use them for fundraising, and make the best use of them.
One of the biggest hurdles for nonprofits considering QR codes is where to start and how to make one. They seem complicated, but they aren’t! You don’t need to understand code or be a graphic designer. Several free online services will create a unique QR code for you. All you need to do is provide the link to where you want it to send people, and the site will generate the appropriate code and provide different downloadable file types for you to use.
Donorbox gives you a free QR code for every campaign you create. Your QR code takes your donors or potential donors to your donation form or campaign page hosted on Donorbox. It’s simple to use — when you create a campaign on Donorbox, a QR code is generated and added.
Go to your Donorbox dashboard, select a campaign, and find the QR code below your campaign name. Click the dropdown next to it, select the file type, and download to spread the word.
Alternatively, you can open the campaign page – the QR code option is there in the top right corner, all set for you to download and spread among your supporters. You can also print the code to be used at events, programs, or your local businesses. It makes marketing as well as getting online donations a breeze!
Donorbox also provides QR codes for events! Just create a new event or edit an event on your Donorbox dashboard and you can customize and download the QR code so supporters can easily purchase tickets and find event details on their mobile device.
Keep in mind, that several sites appear free, but have built-in paywalls. Some only allow a certain number of scans of a specific code before you start paying a fee. Others will only allow you to generate a small number of QR codes. Some do both. Most sites do not make this clear, so be sure to search through the site, read reviews where available, and be wary of any place that asks for payment information upfront.
Here are a few sites you can check out:
If you are handy with code or have someone on your team who knows any of the Programming Languages, you can bypass the generators (and the potential fees) and create your custom QR codes. Codeburst has a recent step-by-step guide on Medium that is a good introduction to creating a QR code with Python. But guess what – you get all that for free with Donorbox! No coding, no contract, or a sign-up fee. All you have to do is –
The cost of maintaining a QR code can either be completely free or may require a monthly fee. Many places offer different fee structures based on how you want to use your code and what kind of data you’re looking to get from it.
Create your QR code with a programming language or use a free QR code generator. The first is the ideal option but requires you or someone on your team to be able to write code. If this isn’t available to you, explore free generators, but be aware that they have several limitations. This option is best if you aren’t looking to get data from users, you’re using this code for a temporary fundraiser or event, or so you can replace the code easily if it stops working.
Paid options allow you to have a higher (or unlimited) number of scans per code, can allow you to access metrics data, and can provide more flexible codes that can be updated or customized with color or logos. There are usually three to four-tiered plan options, starting with basic or free plans and ending with premium or professional options. Lower rates tend to be around $5-$7 a month, and higher rates can range from $20-$100 a month.
QR Code Generator, CodeQRCode.com, uQR.me, and QR Tiger, among many others, list their pricing options and the different plans they provide.
The potential uses for QR codes at nonprofits are practically endless. Any site, digitized information, or channel you might want to direct your audience toward can be put into the code, creating a simple, small pattern you can place almost anywhere. Here are a few top uses of QR codes.
If you have a special campaign raising funds for an upcoming program, building plan, or emergency relief, a static QR code is an easy way to bring people to an information site or direct donation page. QR codes for fundraising can be a simple addition to any online campaign.
A dynamic QR code is a great option for evergreen nonprofit donation pages. With one quick scan, any guest at an event or individual visiting your nonprofit can send in a one-time donation or schedule recurring donations without navigating to your donation page from your website or social media platform.
For singular events and programs, a QR code can be a quick way to share information about your nonprofit organization and programs. If the event pairs with an ongoing calendar, or a series of events across organizations, you can also guide people to the full calendar of events, or a map.
If your event, program, or exhibition has a sponsor, you can share information and fulfill obligations with a QR code. Any required signs can be streamlined with a logo and code that will direct your guests to a site with the full amount of information your sponsor may want to share.
Anyone who’s put together ad campaigns or distributed posters knows how difficult it can be to get all your nonprofit information onto a digestible, attractive, and often small sign. QR codes are a great way to direct potential viewers toward more information. A quick scan can tell them about your organization, campaign, or event.
QR codes are a great way to build your followers on social media or online blogs. Including a link to your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or blog with a call-to-action like “follow us!” This is a quicker and more fool-proof way to bring people to your page than listing your handles or URLs.
When you’re trying to direct people to a specific place, especially if it isn’t your nonprofit’s typical location, QR codes are incredibly useful. You can link to a pinned location on Google Maps, a page with detailed instructions covering different forms of transportation or origin areas, or a page with your address and contact information.
For special events like galas, you want to make everything as easy and seamless as possible for your guests. With QR codes, you can link to digital RSVPing or check-in, easily share directions or contact information, link to information on the gala events or your registration page, and have a quick and simple way to solicit donations. You can even include discount codes or freebies as part of your thank-you package.
This is a wonderful use of QR codes. It can be difficult to get people to fill out surveys, so the easier and faster they are, the better. If you assume that most people have their phones on them at all times, and have a QR code linking to a post-event survey on site, they can scan the code and quickly fill out your survey before they even leave the venue.
Including a QR code with a vCard that matches your physical business card significantly increases the likelihood of your new contact saving your information. It also makes networking smoother and more natural. At your next nonprofit conference, hand someone your business card with a QR code, and all they have to do is scan it and add it to their contacts. If you don’t have or don’t want business cards, you can have a vCard-linked QR code on your desk or as an image on your phone, allowing a quick scan without the hassle of a physical card.
QR codes are also very flexible when it comes to placement. They can go on any printed material (business cards, posters, flyers, catalogs, wayfinding signs, etc.) and they can be shared digitally since they can be scanned by a phone from another phone, or from a webpage or digital sign. Also, since they’re two-dimensional (as opposed to one-dimensional barcodes found in grocery stores), they can be scanned from any side, there is no “right-side up.”
These codes can be very unobtrusive and don’t take up too much space in already busy or small signs. The thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want them visible so people know to scan them and can find them easily. You may also want to supplement them with brand-appropriate design nearby and include some clarifying instructions about why someone should scan this code, especially if they won’t be placed next to a representative who can explain.
Some great places to consider including QR codes are:
But, don’t hesitate to get creative with your placement and usage of QR codes. As mentioned above, they have many uses and can link to any digital place.
Now you know how to generate and use a QR code for a nonprofit organization. You have a good idea of potential costs, questions, and issues. Also, you know where and how to use these codes. So it’s time to start using them!
QR codes for fundraising are a great way to take your campaigns and donation efforts to the next level. They can also streamline your information-sharing processes. The data you gather from any dynamic code can help you in many ways. It can speak to the effectiveness of your campaign and help you understand who is consuming your content and how they are typically interacting with it. With this new information, you can build more effective, user-friendly campaigns in the future and continue to grow.
You can also start interacting with a younger, tech-savvy audience and look as modern and professional as you truly are. Get creative and have fun with these codes. They’re a great addition to your design process and should help you create more clean content. Plus, they’re a great touch-free option that saves paper and printing costs.
Our nonprofit blog can help you with more resources and tips on nonprofit management. Feel free to check it out.
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Sarah Simpson