Its no secret that Pokémon GO has very quickly become the most popular thing for young people, people who want to get out and walk–and well, just everyone. Ever since its release it has been talked about constantly and everyone from the nostalgic old time Pokémon players to the newly introduced are playing it day and night. Flooding the streets like no other, almost everywhere you look at least one person is catching a Pokémon. A great thing about this is that local businesses can use and profit from it. My friends (that might be business owners–who knows?!), this is how local businesses can capitalize on Pokémon GO. Because what’s hot should also be your business…
How Local Businesses Can Capitalize on Pokémon GO
To see all four tips, just scroll through!
Pokéstops and Lures
In the Pokémon GO game, there are these places called Pokéstops, they are represented by local historical areas, monuments, and some are even stores or churches. If you have a local business and it is or is close to a Pokéstop you can lay down something called a lure.
When a lure is put at a Pokéstop it allows players that are near that Pokéstop to catch a lot of Pokémon. The lures draw the Pokémon to that spot for 30 minutes and sometimes people can catch a rare Pokémon (which can draw a very large crowd). So, by placing this lure everyone is going to flock to that certain Pokéstop–bringing them to or close to your local business.
Social Media Lure
You could use your social media channels (Facebook or Instagram) to announce a particular day you are planning to put down a lure and what deal/deals you will be having for everyone who comes into the store. Some pizza places have given free slices to Pokemon players of a certain level–others are doing half-off prices on coffee or water.
But, by getting the message out on your social media, you’re getting the message out there that not only do you have a deal today–but that you’re open and welcoming this new cultural phenomenon.
Also, random aside, if you do this, just be prepared for a flock of people–it might even be best to have the whole staff working that day!
Incense
If you don’t happen to have any lure modules, you can also use incense. It works just like a lure and also lasts 30 minutes. Except, with the incense, it draws the Pokémon to you and not a Pokéstop. This means that other players only benefit from it when they are around you.
This tactic would draw players directly to your local business–but only if they’re aware the incense is being placed–because they cannot see it on their game. My recommendation is to mention on your social media that you’ve dropped one. Otherwise, no one may show-up.
Another random thought: Both lures and incense can be purchased in-game. So if it is worth it to you, you can spend a few dollars to buy some and then use them frequently to draw more and more people.
Advertise The Wild
Another great idea is to frequently check the game and see which Pokémon are close (however, if you don’t know much about Pokémon it would be a good idea to research the different types). This way you can plaster it all over your social media when a rare Pokémon shows up or you can just mention what Pokémon are there at that time in case they are Pokémon that people haven’t caught yet.
Then you could run a special, say that everyone who catches that Pokémon at your store gets a discount or whatever you’d like. This could be quite the draw to both your social media sites as well as a physical location.
There are many ways that local businesses can capitalize on Pokémon GO, these are just some of the best (meaning: the ones I thought of). This game is sure to bring your local business a lot of customers, but only if you use it right (like any other marketing tool).
So, download it and try it, see for yourself how much you can benefit from laying down a simple lure on a nearby Pokéstop. And, if you try this, totally hit me up with a comment to let me know how it goes–I’m really interested to know how these ideas, when implemented, stack-up to more traditional marketing methods. LOL! !
