# QR codes for tradesmen: turn your van into enquiries

> Your van is seen by hundreds of people a day. How to use QR codes on vans, flyers and quotes to turn passers-by into enquiries, and track what works.

Source: https://roughfigure.com/blog/qr-codes-for-tradesmen (updated 2026-10-02)

QR codes for tradesmen are a cheap way to turn people who see your van into enquiries. Every time you’re parked outside a job, neighbours walk past. Some of them have a tree, a fence or a garden they’ve been meaning to sort out. Most will never write down your number. A QR code gives them a quick way to find out more there and then.

## Why QR codes work for trades

People are used to scanning QR codes now: in restaurants, on posters, on parcels. Pointing a phone camera at a van is easier than typing a website or saving a number. And the people who scan are local, interested, and often looking at the very job you’re doing next door.

## Where to put QR codes

- **On the van**, on the back doors and sides, at a height people can scan comfortably from the pavement.
- **On site boards and signs** outside the jobs you’re working on.
- **On quotes, invoices and business cards**, so customers can pass you on to friends.
- **On leaflets** you drop through neighbours’ doors when you’re working in a street. See [marketing ideas for tradesmen](https://roughfigure.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-tradesmen).

## Where the QR code should take people

This matters more than the code itself. Don’t send people to your home page, where they have to look around. Send them somewhere that answers their question straight away:

- an **instant price estimator**, so they can see roughly what their job would cost. See [instant quote calculators](https://roughfigure.com/blog/instant-quote-calculator-for-your-website);
- or a page with your phone number, WhatsApp, reviews and photos of your work.

“Scan for an instant price” gives people a clear reason to scan. “Scan me” doesn’t.

## Make it easy to scan

- **Size.** Bigger is better on a van. It should be readable from a few metres away.
- **Contrast.** Dark code on a light background works best. Avoid busy backgrounds and very pale colours.
- **Clear space.** Leave a plain border around the code.
- **Test it** from the pavement, on a couple of different phones, in daylight and at dusk, before you print.

## Track which ones work

If you put codes on the van, leaflets and invoices, use a different code for each. Then you can see where your scans and enquiries come from, and spend more on what works. In RoughFigure you can make a separate QR code for each place, in your colours with your logo, and see how many scans and leads each one brings in. See [all features](https://roughfigure.com/features).

## Use a code you can update

Make sure the code points to a link you control, so you can change where it goes later without reprinting your van. RoughFigure’s QR codes go through a short link, so they keep working when you change your prices or questions.

## A small cost with a long life

A QR code on a van can bring in enquiries for years. Get the basics right (a clear reason to scan, a page that answers “how much?”, and a way to track it) and it quietly works every time you park.

## Questions

### Do people really scan QR codes on vans?

Some do, especially neighbours watching you work and people stuck in traffic as passengers. The code doesn’t need many scans to pay for itself if each one can become a job.

### What size should a QR code on a van be?

Large enough to scan from the pavement. Test a printed sample at different distances before you commit.

### Are QR codes free?

Basic QR codes are free to make. Tracking scans and being able to change the destination usually needs a QR or marketing tool.