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Dear QR Codes

Share the goods.

A QR Code sits next to the words "Dear QR Codes"

No one appreciated you when you were first invented in 1994, in fact until we hit a global pandemic barely anyone knew who you were. 

Now everyone and their mother (and grandmother) now knows how to “scan” a QR code to open a restaurant menu or view happy hour specials. 

With your 28 year history, we can’t help but ask ourselves, what’s next for these nifty little squares?

Meet the Dynamic QR Code

Chances are if you’ve been out to eat pretty much anywhere within the past three years, you’ve run into a QR code. Ditto with junk mail, billboards, etc. etc. You name it, QR’s on it.

Only problem? Say you’ve printed off 5,000 direct mailers and then decided you would rather direct your viewers to a different page. Or maybe you forgot to add a UTM to your QR code. If it’s a stagnant QR, you’re SOL. But if it’s dynamic? Oh, ho ho. Have we got news for you.

Dynamic QR codes are just that…dynamic—they let you change where they go, what they tell your analytics, and even how quickly users get there, all without reprinting those direct mailers. Sure, the standard, run-of-the-mill stagnant QR codes are probably fine if you’re working on a small scale or always pointing to the same destination. But if you’re looking to shake things up? Dynamic’s where it’s at.

All the QRs in All the Right Places

Yeah, we’re goin’ down…

Have you noticed how QRs just seem to show up…everywhere? And we mean everywhere. It’s kind of like when bacon was big and Burger King came out with that bacon sundae. Are we the only ones who are scarred by that? 

People are using QR codes without thinking about how they use them. Case and point? Billboards. Okay, yes, we know everyone has their phones on them at all times. But by putting a QR code on a billboard, your company is actively asking someone to pull out their phone, scan the code, and check out your content all while they’re driving! We know passengers exist, but let’s be real. Every car has a driver. Passengers aren’t a guarantee.

So where should these monochrome buddies show up? Places that are easy (and safe) to access. We’d love to see more dynamic QR codes on landmark plaques that lead to more info about the historical site you may be standing at. Or maybe a QR on an advertisement prompting someone to enter a raffle or to download a coupon. Have phone in hand? Will scan.

Everything’s QR in the Future

There are still a lot of people who have zero idea what to do when they see that little box. We’re not sure where you’ve been the last 3 years, but apparently it’s someplace without technology and a pandemic.  

So, for that technically inept friend, keep listing URLs next to the QR code. That way Grandma or your uncle who still uses a Nokia (somehow) can access the content you want them to without getting frustrated. Less barriers, more actions. It’s that easy.

QR codes are not going anywhere, they’ve already made it 28 years. We can’t wait to see what they do in the next decade. 

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FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973.
Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store.

Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch.

@crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 17898983202545176
FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973. Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store. Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch. @crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary

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Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk.

Listen now at the link in bio.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18112263326023209
Have you tuned into The Happy Hour Hustle Podcast yet? If not, a) you’re missing out and b) you need to follow immediately. Hosted by @bodespeaks, episodes drop every other week, and feature some pretty bada$$ guests if we do say so ourselves. This week, Kim sits down with @kelsey_orchard , VP of Marketing and Communications at @fifthwheelfreight to chat building a personal brand, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles – oh and why your GPA doesn’t matter anymore. Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk. Listen now at the link in bio.

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We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly.

We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation.

When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared.
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Register at the link in bio.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18132641716644887
National Perimenopause Month starts today. We have a LOT to say, and we’re not going to be quiet about it, especially this month, so buckle up. We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly. We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation. When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared. Join us for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Pause on September 24th — a powerful conversation hosted alongside the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan Women’s Business Council, featuring some kicka$$ experts who will give you the real talk on perimenopause (more to come on them later). Register at the link in bio.

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Open post by 8thirtyfour with ID 18089775152664042
You asked, we delivered. Introducing the Women's Owners Network - a new program built for what comes first, joining our proven Fellowship model to support Michigan women at every stage of business ownership. Whether you've got a team of 10 or it's just you and your laptop, you deserve a room full of women who get it. Six months of leadership, finance, operations, capital access, paired with real support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that come with owning your own business. You'll have your own board of directors in your corner, including @bodespeaks plus a group of mentors, instructors, and coaches who've been exactly where you are. Applications due October 1. Apply now at the link in bio.
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