A Local Business Dream [foursquare]
Small businesses are struggling to compete with large corporations every day. It doesn’t matter what business you are in – food, fashion, marketing. Social media has helped to give small business a fighting chance against the big guys. There are social media platforms that are popping up all the time. One in particular is designed to benefit businesses large and small. This platform makes it easy for people to notify their friends as they hit the parking lot of a venue. Users can tell their friends something great they experienced and leave valuable tips as well. This platform will also tell you if you’re just a little too far away from a venue to REALLY be there. This platform is foursquare!
foursquare [foursquare is spelled with lower case ‘f’] is a young social network that can be a local business owners dream. With over 20 million users worldwide (as of April 2012), you can use foursquare to find what is nearby, save money, and unlock deals. Local businesses can use foursquare to gain exposure for their businesses with this new network.
Setting up your company on foursquare is easy. Simply go to foursquare.com/business to establish your profile. According to foursquare’s website, you can choose to establish a venue – where foursquare offers a free set of tools to help you attract new customers and keep your best ones. The other option is to establish a brand, so you can stay engaged with your followers anywhere in the world.
Offer check-in specials
One of the cool features of foursquare is that businesses can offer check-in specials. Users of foursquare who check in on their phones receive something – a discount, a free gift card, etc. When the user checks in, the notification automatically pops up on their screen. Small businesses can design a campaign around this feature to create a buzz around the giveaway and the business.
A fun way to drive traffic
Along with offering a special deal for checking in, a business can use foursquare to drive traffic to their website. For instance, you could offer that special deal for checking in, and invite the user to check out your website, which promises something else – a free sample. Using this method, your customers get the fun of checking in on their phones for a special, and they get to your website to get another free gift!
Highlight neighboring venues to create an overall experience
You can create a page that highlights fun and interesting tips about venues nearby, such as landmarks, parks, or other businesses. By highlighting other venues, you service your customers by connecting them to other services they may enjoy. You become a valued resource for ‘being in the know’ about your community. Even though the user may not use your business directly, they are still exposed to your brand. Being a connector in your community only enhances your business influence, which results in people being attracted to you for business and connection.
Create a badge
foursquare rewards users with badges when they reach certain criteria. It is displayed on their profile for all their friends to see. You can create a badge for your business or join with other businesses. This could be a fun twist on a scavenger hunt.
Example:
A hair salon, a nail salon, and a boutique could agree to join together and create a Glamor Badge.
Or
If your small business has three locations, you could create a badge rewarding someone who has been to all your locations.
Creating a badge is a great way to bring brand awareness to your business! Any business ……
foursquare can help put your small business on the map! Partnering with foursquare will help bring visibility to your small business that you may not ordinarily get otherwise! If you are ready to let your local community and the world know that you exist, go to foursquare.com/businessright now to get started! This is NOT an affiliate link !!
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Comments
Thank you Angela, it was also new to me but it is great.
Great information on Foursquare Merle. I should make better use of it. Thanks for sharing. Liked and Shared.