In a cyber world, where Twitter took off, it’s no surprise that the next step after telling people what you’re doing is telling people where you’re doing it.
Enter: foursquare.
Now, I don’t know about you guys, but my mind automatically jumped to my middle school days playing foursquare. But, apart from something that your friends can join in, this foursquare is a tad different.
Foursquare is a new trend of letting people know exactly where you are, and I mean, exactly. Stop off at the local bakery on your way home? Foursquare it. Hitting the gym during the weekend? Foursquare it. It’s not just something that’s a great way for your friends (or stalkers) to know where you are, but it’s great for businesses as well – especially those with smaller marketing budgets.
For businesses, the best thing about this is that it’s free publicity. People can review, recommend and promote you all by just telling everyone where they are. It offers the opportunity to get your name out there by people who already like you. Not to mention, it has map tie-ins and all the typical bells and whistles of a consumer-review type of site.
Businesses and foursquare users can both really use this to their advantage. Not only can businesses see who their most loyal customers are, but they can also reward them. Customers who use foursquare “check-in” where they are and get badges (“adventurer”, “local”, “newbie”) and when they become “the mayor” (the most loyal of all the regulars) they are rewarded by some, but not all, businesses by getting freebies of some sort.
All in all, it’s a win-win for everyone. Businesses get their names out there and people who use foursquare, well, they can show how busy their lives really are. That and potentially win freebies at their favorite local spots. So, go ahead, sign up.
Hope your weekend is terrific. If you do anything fun, foursquare it.
Sharon
