The advent of social media has created new ways of reaching out to people – from connecting with brand advocates to closing the gap in customer service – and has changed how businesses plan their marketing strategies. While social media is convenient for communicating with your audience, it may not always be the most effective way of creating sales.
Luckily Foursquare, the popular location-based social media platform, tackles this problem by targeting users who are actually physically close to your storefront. When users log into Foursquare, they can see nearby businesses and their services or products offered. The shoppers see store hours, promotions, comments from other users, and more information based on the business’ Foursquare account, making the consumer more inclined to stop into the location.
Unfortunately, many business owners neither know of nor strategically use Foursquare. But don’t fret, here are some quick tips to take control of one of the most effective social media platforms for driving actual sales and foot traffic. With a few simple steps, you will gain the ability to potentially turn local users into loyal customers.
First: Take Control.
The first thing you should do is claim your business on Foursquare so you can ensure the information is up-to-date and accurate. Claiming your business is simple – you just locate your store through the Foursquare platform and provide some owner information. Afterwards you can add all the important details about your business.
Remember to be thorough. Add as many details about your business as possible. Include information like ‘free Wi-Fi’, ‘accepts credit cards’, and add directions if applicable. Be sure to include phone #, a link to your website, and twitter handle so users can contact you. If you’re a restaurant, add your menu as well. By providing potential customers with all this information, you increase the likelihood of them visiting your location.
Now that you’ve gotten through the basics, let’s look at how you can use your Foursquare presence to bring in the customers.
Next: Publish.
For users, the fun of Foursquare is checking-in as Foursquare offers a gamifcation element to its platform. Users earn medals, badges, and mayoral status for the location and frequency of check-ins. They can also publish their check-in with a status update to their connected social channels. Through Foursquare, users can also leave reviews, view what’s near them, and claim specials and promotions.
Businesses can use these features to their advantage. First promote your business through the ‘local updates’ option. This gives you the opportunity to reach out to people interested in your business based on their profiles and interests and give them an incentive to visit your storefront. Reach out with a hello or a discount when they come visit the store for the first time. To further take advantage of Foursquare’s location-based advantage, you should set the promotion to target users close-by. This will promote your discount or offer to those who are logged in nearby. This opportunity further encourages users to visit your location so they can redeem their offer or discount. Once you get them in your store, use your awesome staff or product to gain their affection and potentially repeated business.
Then: Encourage Check-Ins.
Foursquare is all about check-ins so you should also be all about check-ins to build your presence. Incentivize our customers to check-in by offering special pricing and deals through the ‘specials’ feature to encourage them to check in every time they visit your location. Some examples include: ‘Check-in with 3 of your friends to get $10 off!’, ‘Check-in 4 times and get a free drink!’, or ‘Get 10% off your with your first check-in!’ Be creative and always encourage your customers to leave positive comments at the bottom of your business page or with their check-in status. You can also get the ‘Check-in here’ Foursquare window sticker so users immediately know that you’re active on the platform.
If you have a budget, you can also get some traffic through paid advertising.
Finally: Spread the Word
It’s a social world so let your accounts promote one another. Mention your Foursquare presence across your other social networks and share your promotions, inviting your Facebook or Twitter audiences to get in on the deals. This can even encourage non-Foursquare users to sign up just so they can take advantage of specials and offers. Remember, that each social platform has its own unique benefits so these platforms aren’t working against one another. Instead, use the variety to grow each network by spreading the word. Encourage the customers who check-in to your location to also share their opinions and spread the word to their audiences.
With these tips in hand, you’ve got a head start in taking advantage of one of the best social networks for businesses. Encouraging users to stop into your storefront, gets you that much closer to moving that customer into your sales funnel. Strategically using Foursquare as part of your social marketing strategy is a big step towards gaining more local, active, and loyal customers.
Viralheat now offers Foursquare management to help you achieve social media success. To learn more about our social management suite, click here.
