Dealer Specialties

What IS Foursquare?
Foursquare is a location based application that allows iPhone, Blackberry and Android users the ability to “check in” to any business.  OK….WHAT?  The concept of “checking in” is similar to checking in to a hotel or for a flight.  At a hotel, you let the front desk know who you are, that you are there and they give you a key. With a flight, you can go to the counter or check in online.  On Foursquare, it’s very similar.  You tell people who you are, whenever you go somewhere you “check in” – only it’s with your mobile device.  Once checked in you can see who else is there, who the “Mayor” is and connect with them if you want.  Once you have two check-ins more than any other participants, you receive your “room key”, “airline ticket” or in this case “Mayor”. More on “Mayor” status below.  You can even add a 140 character message or “shout out” with your check-in. Pretty cool, huh?

• So….why is this important for businesses? Yes, it’s another social media tool, some think it’s a “fad”, but people are using it. So if people are using it, it’s a resource businesses need to be aware of intent, use and WIIFM.  It’s also a new way to promote your business through word of mouth, connecting with “techy types” and to identify, maintain and reward loyal customers. 
• What types of businesses will find value?  Any that offer a product or service   Seriously, any business where a patron/customer/prospect/shopper, etc. has the opportunity to leave with a positive experience, is the type of business that should know about Foursquare.
• How can car dealers benefit from Foursquare? My initial thoughts are 1) reward loyalty with discounts for oil changes, maintaining service schedule according to manufacturer or incentives for repeat vehicle purchases 2) give points toward a dealer incentive when items created on their to-do list are “checked off”, or 3) reward points for adding valuable dealership “tips” that others would find useful and increase floor traffic.

Why would I want to spend time using YET ANOTHER social media application?  My time is precious!!
If you are interested in social media, new technology and an early adopter, you’ll want to use Foursquare simply for the pure pleasure of being “in the know”.  How’s that for an answer? :-)  BUT, thinking beyond that, and given it’s early adoption/acceptance by mobile users, it’s easy to see that this is going somewhere.  When I joined about two months ago, the buzz was “why would I want to be on Foursquare?”.  Now, it’s evolved into ”I think I need to be on Foursquare”. Why? Because businesses are starting to reward their “mayors” or loyal customers for their return visits.  That’s really what it’s all about.  Oh!  And being competitive.  We like to win things and show our accomplishments.  But who likes to lose?  How determined are we to get back our lost title or accomplishment?  Ummm….I fall in the determined group so I might be somewhat competitive in trying to get a title back, #justsayin

What’s the deal with being “Mayor”?

• From a consumer standpoint…it shows where you prefer to shop, eat, visit, work out, etc.  It’s a lifestyle list of who you are and what you like to do. With repeat visits, you are being rewarded for your loyalty with a special only available to you – the Elite!
• From a business perspective…it’s a way to reward or start rewarding the “mayors” of their business.  We’ll use a car dealership as an example (since it’s the industry in which I work and a little more challenging to figure out how to make it work).  There could be multiple Mayors for one dealership, i.e. Mayor of Oil Changes, Mayor of New Car Department, Mayor of Previously Owned, etc. However the dealership is listed for others to find/see in the list of businesses, those are all the options for “Mayor”.

Did you say I could earn a badge for that?
Yes, you earn badges for various activities and visits – most are not business specific but visit/frequency specific.  Badges are more for users than they are for businesses.  As a user, badges can range from your initial check-in badge or “Newbie”, “#4sqday Badge” – which you could only obtain on 4/16, or for 10 check-ins at venues tagged as a gym to receive your “gym rat” badge (to name a few).  Here’s a current list of badges available and how to get each.  Pretty impressive list!

A concern….Do I REALLY want people to know my EXACT location?? That kind of freaks me out!
Well, you can still use Foursquare and not let people know where you are.  But what’s the fun in that??  There is an option during check-in that you can modify your “Share with Friends” notification to “No” for a specific location.  What they see instead of the actual business name/location is “Off the Grid”. So you are still playing but no one knows where you are

While Foursquare isn’t for everyone, it seems to be the next phase of social media. Early adopters are trying it and obtaining mayorships and badges now in preparation for what the future holds with Foursquare opportunities.  The “competive spirit” types are tying it to see how many “Mayor” titles and badges they can get, but even more challenging, is to maintain their Mayor titles.  You can learn more about Foursquare by visiting their site. 

Check out this article by Mashable and how Five Top Brands are “Mastering the Game of Foursquare”.  What potential do you see for Foursquare?