My Dad is a real estate agent, and he taught me that location is everything. Turns out, he was right. Advertising on the web, is all about location too.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have likely heard of location-aware startups or websites. There are many of them and we could spend hours talking about each of them, but today we will focus on the most popular one, Foursquare.
The idea behind Foursquare is simple. Users use their mobile phone and GPS location to pull up a list of business / brands currently around them. They virtually “Check-In” to one of these locations. The users that check-in the most and you become the Mayor of that brand or business. I know what you are thinking… “Why the heck would I go through all of this trouble to check-in?” That’s a good question. The truth is that no one knew at the beginning, but Millions, yes Millions of people do it each and every day. There are thousands of Foursquare Mayors in the GTA alone. This raises another question… “Who cares if I am the Mayor of say… The Crooked Cue?
Glad you asked.
Being the mayor used to mean nothing more than bragging rights amongst your friends, however companies such as Starbucks paved the way by giving mayors and other special “check-ins” special deals and offers. I know what you are going to say. ”That’s find for Starbucks and their zillions of dollars but what about me?”. What makes you different than Starbucks? Nothing really… they have just sold more coffee than you.
You, yes you can use Foursquare to your advantage. It’s fun, cheap and very easy. The strategy will need to be tailored for your business, but here are a few prototypes.
1. The restaurant.
This one’s easy. You give special deals to people who check-in the most, similar to loyalty or rewards program. Give the mayor a free appetizer or give first time check-ins a coupon to buy one get one free. The possibilites are endless.
2. The non-commodity business.
Treat check-ins with a free consultation or give the mayor a shout out on your blog, online newsletter or other media outlets (you are blogging and sending newsletters right?).
3. The store.
GIve the mayor of your store 5% off everything you sell! Heck, give them 10% if you can afford it. For people who shop at your location often it will create some fun competition for them and will encourage them to come back.
While these efforts might seem like gimmicks I can assure you they are not. If you back your actions with the intention of giving value to your customers, the gift will be appreciated and will keep them and their friends coming back.
So… did I convince you that Foursquare is a good investment? Then head on over to https://foursquare.com/business/ and get started. As always if you would like some help, you know where to find me.
Have a fantastic week everyone!
Kent