Get In The Game!

The world is “shifting” into a digital arena and as the change takes place businesses are going to be able to maximize their marketing efforts through cyber connections.  Participating in digital venues is going to help anyone connect with new customers and clients. This new “social space” creates a new set of problems however you need to “Get In The Game” to survive the shift!

What is foursquare?  From the foursquare site:

foursquare is a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things.

“We aim to build things to not only help you keep up with the places your friends go, but that encourage you to discover new places and challenge you to explore your neighborhood in new ways……. We wanted foursquare to be as much about sharing experience as it as about connecting with friends and discovering new places. Every foursquare user has the ability to create both “Tips” and “To-Dos” for places. Tips are generally things you’d recommend to other To-Dos are more “notes to self”

The game requires the participant to register with foursquare.com then you have the option to connect and share with your friends via Twitter and facebook.  You have the choice to share on your social networks or just through the foursquare site. Your friends will know where you are, they will see when you receive a badge or become mayor of a specific location.  You connect with friends on foursquare just like facebook.

To get known in a community an individual might want to check in every where you visit in your business locale. The more you check in, the more mayorships you will claim in your community. Being the Mayor at many locations in a specific area will give you more name or branding recognition.  Foursquare has added 100,000′s of members in the last month so the digital shift is taking place and you should “get in the game” and claim your territory and an advocate of local businesses!

Local businesses might not even know about foursquare so if you are the one to show them how it works and how they can participate you can be a local HERO as well as a Mayor in sharing the Cosmic Shift and how it Happens.

Many businesses are offering foursquare discounts.  When someone participating in foursquare tweets or updates where they are and what they just got as a foursquare member. All their friends are aware of what they are doing and may want to take advantage of the savings or promotion.  Word of mouth advertising has always created the best results and the “Cosmic Shift” in communication is taking this to a 21st century digital level.

Being Mayor of an establishment does have it’s privileges!

@ Adios Cafe: A FREE coffee on your 10th check in and the Mayor gets a FREE breakfast each month! (tax & tip not included)

@ Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Show that you’re the Mayor of Carrabba’s and enjoy a complimentary dessert with the purchase of an entrée. Grazie!

@ 15th Ave Coffee & Tea: Show us that you’ve checked in with Foursquare and get $1 macchiatos before 4pm and $2 off beer and wine after 4pm. The Mayor gets a free pastry!

@ 1 for 1 Pizza – Greek Station: Free Slice & drink on your 10th checkin. Free Large Pizza, 1 topping on your 20th checkin!

Jennifer Van Grove has written a very specific article on  How 5 Brands Are Mastering the Game of Foursquare to attract new business and study the behavior of their existing customers.

The Wynn in Las Vegas is using foursquare to  “refine our approach to service and learn more about our guests.”.  When you check in on foursquare at The Wynn you are offered a glass of champagne at the Blush Boutique nightclub on the house.  The Wynn is reaching out to guests who check in at hotel restaurants indicating their dedication to making The Wynn experience extraordinary… “a recent hotel guest was checked-in at one of the hotel’s restaurants, so she (Jade Bailey, the Estrategy Development Manager for the Wynn and Encore hotels) reached out to the restaurant manager and passed along the photo of the guest. The restaurant manager then made it a point to greet and attend to the guest in question.”

All the upscale attention of the Wynn Hotel tied to the “foursquare”  shows this is a GAME you need to be in!

The City of Chicago is using foursquare to make city exploration fun!  ”What we know of Chicago and what Chicago really is are two different realities, however, and that’s where the ExploreChicago Foursquare initiative comes into play. The city’s badge-style approach — themed around Chicago’s unique way of life — to encourage visitors and residents to unlock the history and culture of Chicago is truly avant-garde. Foursquare users can tap into hidden treasures in 77 different neighborhoods, explore 552 parks, and dine at more than 7,000 Chicago restaurants……. enthralled by how city partners on the initiative — like the Art Institute of Chicago — are inspired by the potential to bring the city to life and are actively promoting their participation in the game.“

This is a GAME for real players!  Are you in yet?

5 Reasons to “Get In The Game” of foursquare.

1. Business connections within a community. Supporting the local businesses and letting them get to  know you and all your social media connections. Let your friends know you are at a local business and share some tips about the things you like.
2. Visibility. As more and more people sign up to participate across the WORLD they will be checking in at many of the same places you frequent.  They can connect with you and see your profiles on both Twitter and facebook with a click of the mouse.
3. Showing your brand and activity in a particular neighborhood.  In becoming the Mayor of many places in a community you show how active you are in the area actually just doing what you do on a daily basis.  You are just adding the foursquare game into your social media mix. But this game could result in great business connections as you support the local merchants.
4. Interesting facebook and Twitter updates. As you go through the day doing your business you can check-in around town and the information can be posted to facebook and twitter so your activity level on those venues is active while you are working. Social Media is about being “social” so what a fun way to connect with clients and local business.
5. Social Capital. As you connect and communicate with local business owners sharing your satisfaction with their business you are building social capital.  They in turn could be supporting you and your business.

Are you ready to “Get In The Game” as the Cosmic Shift Happens?

Cosmic Shift Happens™ part 2 of 5

Cosmic Shift Happens™ part 1 of 5