What Is Foursquare And HowCan It Help My Local Business?

Why Foursquare?

• For many years, print and television advertising has been the leading method of marketing to a large audience.

• Unfortunately, its expensive and time consuming nature gives large companies a competitive advantage over smaller local businesses.

• If you are looking for a quick, simple, and cost effective advertising solution, then Foursquare might be a strategy to consider.

What FoursquareHas To Offer

• If you want to take advantage of the location-based social networking trend, Foursquare is a good place to start.

• Its focus is promoting local businesses through its 20 million strong network of customers.

• If you are interested in increasing your sales by using this network, follow this presentation to find out more.

What Is Foursquare?

• The foursquare social media website is predominantly accessed via smart phones and other mobile devices.

• Consumers and travelers can 'check-in' to a venue through the foursquare website or app to share and save information about the place they are visiting.

• A viral effect occurs when your visitors inspire other targeted customers.

• Foursquare gives them recommendations based on what their friends and people with similar tastes have been up to.

• These map and list based recommendations include informative tips that previous visitors have left.

What Is Foursquare?

• It’s all about inspiring others.• Foursquare is an advertising tool that

should not be underestimated.• By using the check-in process, customers

promote your business to their friends across Foursquare, with the additional option of broadcasting the same message on Facebook and Twitter.

• The site has had 2 billion separate check-ins, and millions more are added each day. Try to imagine where this can go.

• The social network also provides valuable free tools through its specialized merchant platform.

• These tools make it very easy for business owners to start attracting customers.

How To Take AdvantageOf Foursquare

• Your first step is to develop a well-defined strategy.

• To begin the process you will need to claim your business on the site and verify that you are the manager (via phone or mail).

• There are several key aspects that your action plan should include next:

– Advertising your use of Foursquare.– Attracting Customers with Specials.– Leaving helpful tips.

Advertising Your Use Of Foursquare

• Many of Foursquare's benefits come as your publicity on the site increases.

• The main aim of any successful strategy should be to maximize the number of customers that check-in to your business.

• It is a good idea to display the foursquare logo somewhere prominent on your premises to make users aware that you are part of the network.

• You can also alert users through Facebook, Twitter, or any other awareness campaign.

Attract CustomersWith Specials

• Specials are deals and offers exclusively for users who check-in to your venue.

• Specials are visible on your business listing as bright orange symbols which can help you to stand out from the local competition.

• When you set up a special it becomes active immediately so if you are having a slow day, you can use them to draw people in.

• You can choose the specific details of each special to suit your business. It is a good idea to display a combination of specials so that you appeal to the widest possible audience.

Some Specials Examples

• Check-in Special - A deal for anyone who checks-in on Foursquare

• Newbie Special - An offer that rewards a first time customer

• Loyalty Special - A deal that rewards repeat visits

• Friend Special - An offer which is unlocked by a person who comes with one or more friends

• Flash Special - A deal awarded to a set number of people that are first to check-in

Leave Helpful Tips

• Tips (comments) can be left on your business listing, and they are usually written by customers.

• However, if you have some interesting information that you wish to share, such as a key item on the menu or a current sale, then customers will appreciate this information.

• Make sure that you do not leave spammy comments as it could put people off.

The ResultsThat You Can Expect

• Benefits that you can expect to achieve through an effective Foursquare strategy:

• Stronger customer relationship• More sales• Detailed statistics

StrongerCustomer Relationship

• Foursquare not only promotes your business, it also gives people a reason to stick with you.

• By advertising through recommendations from friends and relatives you can build up a deep relationship.

• Specials which reward long-term customers can help to seal that bond.

More Sales

• By being clever with the specials you offer, you can adapt them to incentivize off-peak hours, promote to large groups, encourage new customers, or drive repeat business.

• Regular check-ins help to keep your business fresh in people's minds, and good customer comments can attract consumers in the future.

• In the long run, all these elements of a good Foursquare strategy convert to more sales.

Detailed Statistics

• The 'merchant dashboard' is your interface with Foursquare. It displays graphs and statistics about key information to do with your Foursquare use. The following are just a few of things you can find out:

o Your total daily check-inso The proportion of you visitors that are newo Your customers’ age and gender breakdownso Your busiest time of dayo How often people are posting your business on

Facebook and Twittero Your most recent comments and tips

• By taking advantage of these statistics you can develop your strategy further and even learn valuable information about your company's target demographic.

How To Get Started

• Foursquare is a powerful advertising tool because potential customers are being encouraged to use your business by people they already know and trust.

• However, without prior knowledge of the system, you are unlikely to benefit from it fully.

• In addition, ill-chosen and badly managed specials could result in you missing out on important customer groups or even losing money

• Hiring an online marketing specialist could be the perfect solution.

• The service will develop and manage your foursquare strategy for you while guiding your business through the entire process.

• They offer not only expertise but also peace of mind.

Please Contact UsFor More Information