Dear FourSquare -
We don't need more geo-based status updates. "I'm at Ray's Rib Shack (Ocean Drive North, Florida). http://4sq.com/ccrZRa".What we want is to be rewarded. Rewarded for being frequent customers to any given place. You can do this. You have the technology.
But there's one problem. The local businesses don't know about you. More and more consumers are learning about you, but I'm afraid many of them may give up on you if more local businesses don't start getting in on the game.
If they only knew. They could use your ability to recognize customers. They could use you to serve up coupons for, dare I say, the MAYOR and the countless number of people on a quest to oust that frequent purveyor of services! Holy loyalty programs. What if the restaurant across the street actually knew that everyone from our office has connected to their FourSquare location? He could serve us coupons to eat there one more day of the week than we already do. He could offer us happy hour specials only available for FourSquare members. We'd become like family. We'd be there every day and sing songs over pints about how much we love that establishment. Ha! An insider track to receiving good deals. I'm so sneaky and clever. We'll probably be offered shares of the business. Perhaps I'll change the name of the place to Steve's Place.
But no. This is not happening. Everywhere I go I check in with FourSquare just in case they want to know me. But they can't because they don't know you. Please tell them who you are so the many local businesses can begin to know us - their customers.
I've just unlocked the "I've got nothing to do with my FourSquare check-ins Badge".
Thanks.
-Steve
Twitter - @sschandler
Posts
I had been mulling doing a blog post on this exact subject. You beat me to it and did a great job.
ReplyDeleteSmart businesses should take the initiative if Foursquare won't. There is no reason a biz can't put up a sign "Free drink (or similar goodie) for our current Foursquare mayor"
Dear Steve,
ReplyDeleteJust a fan of 4sq writing to tell you it works the other way too! A friend of mine was traveling this week and in Denver. I clicked on his most recent hotel check-in and they had an offer, b1g1 appetizers at two of their bars.
My friend is an avid user, a super user too, and guess what. He had no clue the special offer existed. I told him.
So who's at fault? Does it matter? I like some of your ideas, regarding active marketing and making venues aware of the chances they have.
I hope you see this as a perfect chance to insert your expertise and get publicity, customers and increased revenue for the venues who need it.
Maybe you could unlock your "High Five" badge with five Tips about how your company is a new kind of awesome.
Thanks,
Dave
Twitter - @dkworldwide
Nice post, STeve.
ReplyDeleteYes, foursquare is a great solution, but needs brand awareness. There was a case recently in one city where a someone put up a foursquare billboard for them, and it wasn't even foursquare.
Nice comments from everyone. Thanks. Dave - I really like the High Five badge idea. I'm all for creating awesomeness.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't be more right about this. I use FourSquare, but mostly because it's kind of fun. I check in most places I go in the hopes of seeing some glimmer of recognition from the busines. I'm usually disappointed, though. Hopefully, this "social media thing" will catch on, and businesses will realize the lost opportunities for not engaging their customers on FourSquare. Hopefully.
Thanks for a great post.