How can a business use foursquare more effectively?

by on Jun.23, 2010, under Social Media

After about 2 months on foursquare, I am finding that I am really starting to enjoy it and am learning a lot more about how the tool works for the consumer. What I am not seeing (yet) is more businesses really capitalize on the tool themselves. There are a couple that are really doing it well, but only the large companies, and even then, it is few and far between. I understand that it is still a new tool – and it still is growing – but the businesses that can capitalize on it quickly will definitely see the benefits. If I were a consumer facing, brick and mortar business like a restaurant or retail store, these are the 5 things I would to today on foursquare:

  1. Make sure my account was set up properly. There are so many locations on there that do not even have their addresses entered into their listing. If people can’t check in the right way, they won’t check in at all.
  2. Give every single person who checks in a message. Welcome them to the store/restaurant and give EVERY one a small gift. Tell them to show their server their foursquare message for a free well drink or show it at check out from your store for 5% off their purchase. These two things would cost the store/restaurant almost nothing, and would seriously make the visitor want to come back again and again.
  3. Really rewards mayors. A couple bucks off is nothing…give your mayor a reason to want to really hold onto that mayorship. How about a free appetizer or dessert? Or 15% off one item in the store? Now THAT is a reason for the mayors to be fighting over your location.
  4. Make sure everyone in your location understands foursquare. If you are going to make it work, your entire staff needs to understand it and support it. Make sure that your employees know what to do when someone comes in that is the mayor or how to handle a check in.
  5. Set up a “special nearby” notification. If people check into stores nearby, you want them to know you have special offers, so make sure to set it up for all your locations and capture that traffic!

What other ways can you see businesses using foursquare (as it is now) more effectively?

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