Foursquare’s own site claims include, “Make the real world easier to use. Keep up with friends. Discover what's nearby. Save money & unlock rewards.” With millions of users and continuous growth, it just may be time to get your business on Foursquare.
The location based app has made it easier for businesses to get on Facebook. The free marketing opportunity allows businesses to find out who their biggest fans are and target them with specials. As more shoppers are using smartphones to make decisions about where they go and what they buy, potential is huge.
If your business has a brick-and-mortar location, Foursquare’s Merchant Platform allows owners to claim venues, establish specials, and analyze results. Whether you’re a small business or chain, it’s just as easy. Simply search for your venue then claim it. You must be logged in to see the “claim it” link, so sign up; it’s free.
If you can’t find your business click “add a new venue to Foursquare” at the bottom of the page. Fill out the form; then claim. You’ll have to answer basic questions about ownership and type of business. You’ll verify via phone or by mail. A PIN will be sent to you and you’ll enter it on the site. Foursquare will send you a window cling to identify your affiliation with the app.
Now you can create specials. Just follow the wizard. Swarm Specials are created when multiple Foursquare users check in or Friends Special for checking in together. Flash Specials are for the punctual that show up at a certain time. Newbie Specials for first checkin or Check-In Specials for every checkin can be offered. You can consider Loyalty Specials to reward visitors on their 10th checkin, for example. Mayor Special is for that regular who is oh so loyal. Your most frequent visitor deserves something extra special.
You will have to meet set requirements before offering a special. Be sure to print info for employees and customers so everyone learns how to get the most from the location-based app.
Be sure to watch your dashboard for valuable analytics. Track the number of checkins, top visitors, and follow up with your customers. Relationship building is the best benefit of this type of marketing.
If you’re a business without a physical location, consider Foursquare Pages and Partner Badges. Business owners can submit a form. The request will be approved in about two weeks. You can customize the page with logo, brand info, and links. You can even leave tips at other locations. Go to foursquare.com now to learn more and start using this marketing tool.
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