Using QR Codes in E-Books

I often run a Q&A a la Ann Landers in my Sharing with Writers newsletter. I thought I'd recycle this one to my blog because it shows how confused even veteran marketers still are about how to use them.  Those who would like to subscribe to the letter that comes directly to your e-mail box may send me an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line and I'll do it for you. The address is HoJoNews@aol.com

Q&A a la Ann Landers

Using QR Codes in E-Books?

Question on a blog I write at BookBuzzr.com:

1. Great info, Carolyn. I’ll share this everywhere! Authors need to know stuff like this.

Is there QR code automatically embedded in some of the more interactive of the conversion softwares, such as epub?

I’ll definitely check out your link for getting a f ree QRCode. Thanks again for all your informative articles and books. Very helpful!

Aggie Villaneuva

Answer:

To make this as simple as possible, Aggie. A QR (quick response) code can direct people to ANYTHING you can put on a Web page, an autoresponder or on a recording for a phone line (and maybe a lot more.  If you go to the new edition of the The Frugal Book Promoter, I know you have a copy!--www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo), it gives you lots more information on this. Once you start to explore the sites where you sign up for a free code, you'll see what I mean. I know you are tech savvy. This is going to be a cinch for you.

BTW, I’m suggesting here you make that discount more than 10% on your new e-book. I know you'll get many more results from the campaign if you do. Or do a double-bubble. 10% Off and a free white paper. I know you have tons of those!

And, I'd use QR Codes to lead to:

• Discounts
• Resources
• The buy pages of your other books (you are listing your other books in the backmatter, aren't you?)

Having said that, I think the greatest use for them is to expose a lot of material to people who don't have time for a lot of material--people on the run with their smartphones in their pockets. (-:

Best,

Carolyn

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about this blog: