If you haven’t added Foursquare to your marketing mix for your place of business, you are only three simple steps away from doing so. Foursquare is a web and mobile application that allows users to announce their location at your business (“check-in) and connect with friends. The application awards points and provides other levels of achievement to incent ongoing use of the platform. Users can also post their check-ins to their accounts on Twitter, Facebook, or both; thus increasing the reach of each check-in at your business.
Foursquare boasts over 1.5 billion check-ins and millions more are added every day. Over 750,000 businesses already use the free Foursquare merchant platform to acquire new customers and increase the loyalty of existing ones. Here’s how you can join their ranks:
First, you’ll need to create a Foursquare.com Account. You’ll need an active account on Foursquare.com to engage as a merchant. We recommend that business owners create a unique management account, separate from a personal account. It’s free, easy, and takes only seconds to create an account. Then, it’s three easy steps to incorporate Foursquare into your social marketing arsenal:
Claim Your Venue. With so many users checking-in everyday, we have found that most businesses are already listed on Foursquare.com. You can search for your business here. If you don’t find your location, there is a link on this page to add one. If you are logged in to your account, you will see a link that says “Do you manage this location? Claim here.” Once you claim your venue, Foursquare will verify this typically with a phone call. Once you are verified, you can start running specials. Create Specials. Again, it is free to create specials for your location. You can create specials which encourage first-time customers by offering a discount or free gift with their first check-in. You can also encourage repeat customers by creating offers that activate after a certain number of check-ins. The possibilities are extensive and it creates a fun and engaging experience for your customers and your staff. Understand Trends and Improve Your Program. Foursquare.com offers verified merchants a powerful dashboard where you can gain detailed insight into your customers’ check-in behaviors…time of day, types of specials, demographics, etc. Again, it’s free and it will provide you or your marketing staff with actionable data to drive even more engagement and social sharing to drive your business.
You are harnessing the power of millions of daily check-ins and extending your marketing reach into Facebook, Twitter and other social sharing platforms your customers use every day. Increased awareness, purchase preference, and loyalty for your products and service can be the result.